What does the limited mean.Does that mean they will stop production of this bass in the near future, or is it just marketing?Has anyone bought or played this bass yet? what is your impression of this bass? Invalid Link Removed The price is right-399.00. EDIT-heres the only review i could find of the bass on Harmony Central.The guy says its heavey, but i am still trying to find out the weight of the bass before I commit to order.I want the sucker to be heavey! Product: Epiphone Limited Edition Ripper Reisssue
Price Paid: UNKNOWN
Submitted 07/30/2006 at 08:24pm by David Alvarez
Email: davidmalvarez at comcast<dot>net
Features : No Opinion
Made in 2006, Korea, 4-strings, glossy clear finish on maple, two volume and one tone control, Passive P-J configuration, maple neck and body, bolt-on ABM style bridge, brass nut grover-style tuners.
Sound : 9
I was delighted to find this reissue, as I briefly owned a Gibson Ripper in the mid-seventies. This one has a very big, round sound with great presence in the neck p/u and an overall woody-crunch characteristic of Gibsons and better-made epis. The output from the pickups is strong, and the switch allows use of neck, bridge or both. It does resemble a P-bass overall, but can make some very bright sounds as well. The brass nut does provide added sustain. It's proved to be a workhorse on stage in the hot and humid environs of Florida.
Action, Fit, & Finish : No Opinion
I did have considerable difficulty intonating the bolt-on bridge, as it required allen-wrench adjustments without any spring-mounted saddles, but my local tech--while admitting it was a bear--was able to make it near perfect. The bridge itself closely resembles the expensive german-made ABM, albeit not quite as solid. The tuning keys are rock solid and sealed, and the nut is brass. The body is a beautiful maple and resonates qyuite loudly unamplified. The beefy but C-shaped neck is maple as well with a maple fretboard and required just the slightest tweaking to straighten upon arrival; it has since held up under horrendous heat and humidity conditions inherent to outdoor gigs beneath the Florida summer sun.
Reliability/Durability : 10
I bought this to be a beater, and beat it I have. It is a very durable and stable slab of an instrument. I added Dunlop strap locks and black-coated D.R. strings for looks and a big, ringing sound. The finish is a deep gloss and appears to be indestructible. I've played it without a backup from the start, as there are no batteries to fret about. I'd say this instrument compares favorably with any other passive bass out there. It's not a high-end or "boutique" bass, but a really solid hunk of gutsy, thumping rock and roll history.
Customer Support : 7
I've dealt with the helpful folks at Gibson several times in the past and this time too, as I noticed right away that the size of this instrument precluded use of a normal gig bag. They recommended the stock Gibson hard-shell case but I found it will fit--barely--into the minimally padded Fender cheapie gig bag; I later found that the spacious Coffin bag works perfectly.
Overall Rating : 9
I've been a weekend player in a number of bands for some thirty-eight years, playing classic rock, oldies, and a sprinkling of newer stuff. Also own several Fenders (MIM Jazz with upgrades, MIJ '62 P-bass reissue, and a Sting '53 reissue), a Warwick fretless and a beat-to-death '65 Hagstrom (my first). The Epi Ripper is a fine quality instrument--far better than I'd hoped upon an essentially whimsical purchase (I've had issues with Epis in the past). I may upgrade the pickups, but really can't justify it as they are far stronger than the MIM stock pups you find on Fenders. It's heavy, kind of ugly, but has good balance and evokes favorable comments from fellow graybeards while standing out from the pack. I do miss the string-through feature of the original Ripper, but find the overall quality to be very, very good. Buy it, beat it, and enjoy!
Price Paid: UNKNOWN
Submitted 07/30/2006 at 08:24pm by David Alvarez
Email: davidmalvarez at comcast<dot>net
Features : No Opinion
Made in 2006, Korea, 4-strings, glossy clear finish on maple, two volume and one tone control, Passive P-J configuration, maple neck and body, bolt-on ABM style bridge, brass nut grover-style tuners.
Sound : 9
I was delighted to find this reissue, as I briefly owned a Gibson Ripper in the mid-seventies. This one has a very big, round sound with great presence in the neck p/u and an overall woody-crunch characteristic of Gibsons and better-made epis. The output from the pickups is strong, and the switch allows use of neck, bridge or both. It does resemble a P-bass overall, but can make some very bright sounds as well. The brass nut does provide added sustain. It's proved to be a workhorse on stage in the hot and humid environs of Florida.
Action, Fit, & Finish : No Opinion
I did have considerable difficulty intonating the bolt-on bridge, as it required allen-wrench adjustments without any spring-mounted saddles, but my local tech--while admitting it was a bear--was able to make it near perfect. The bridge itself closely resembles the expensive german-made ABM, albeit not quite as solid. The tuning keys are rock solid and sealed, and the nut is brass. The body is a beautiful maple and resonates qyuite loudly unamplified. The beefy but C-shaped neck is maple as well with a maple fretboard and required just the slightest tweaking to straighten upon arrival; it has since held up under horrendous heat and humidity conditions inherent to outdoor gigs beneath the Florida summer sun.
Reliability/Durability : 10
I bought this to be a beater, and beat it I have. It is a very durable and stable slab of an instrument. I added Dunlop strap locks and black-coated D.R. strings for looks and a big, ringing sound. The finish is a deep gloss and appears to be indestructible. I've played it without a backup from the start, as there are no batteries to fret about. I'd say this instrument compares favorably with any other passive bass out there. It's not a high-end or "boutique" bass, but a really solid hunk of gutsy, thumping rock and roll history.
Customer Support : 7
I've dealt with the helpful folks at Gibson several times in the past and this time too, as I noticed right away that the size of this instrument precluded use of a normal gig bag. They recommended the stock Gibson hard-shell case but I found it will fit--barely--into the minimally padded Fender cheapie gig bag; I later found that the spacious Coffin bag works perfectly.
Overall Rating : 9
I've been a weekend player in a number of bands for some thirty-eight years, playing classic rock, oldies, and a sprinkling of newer stuff. Also own several Fenders (MIM Jazz with upgrades, MIJ '62 P-bass reissue, and a Sting '53 reissue), a Warwick fretless and a beat-to-death '65 Hagstrom (my first). The Epi Ripper is a fine quality instrument--far better than I'd hoped upon an essentially whimsical purchase (I've had issues with Epis in the past). I may upgrade the pickups, but really can't justify it as they are far stronger than the MIM stock pups you find on Fenders. It's heavy, kind of ugly, but has good balance and evokes favorable comments from fellow graybeards while standing out from the pack. I do miss the string-through feature of the original Ripper, but find the overall quality to be very, very good. Buy it, beat it, and enjoy!
...hopefully thursday!
