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Anyone Know Anything about Gibson Ripper?

StyleOverShow

StyleOverShow

Still Playing After All These Years
Gold Supporting Member
May 3, 2008
3,573
5,304
Eugene Oregon
#1
They apparently are very rare, fretless with an ebony fretboard. Back in the day, the EB0 was much more popular than the Ripper and Grabber.

I am looking at one this weekend and am in the market for a fretless (or EUB?).

Posts on a gibson forum document ebay sales for $3400 or more (probably in the previous era before the credit crunch).

Humbuckers and a dial-a-matic switch on the pickguard.

Take a look: Invalid Link Removed

Good for a fusion/R&B/Jazz hack?:smug:
 
#2
That would seem to be a good price. I had a fretted on back in '74. I played it for about 9 years. It has a bit of neck dive and is not the most comfortable bass to sit with (no big deal). The dial sets the pickups in or out of phase, and most of the sounds you can get are kinda interesting, but not widely useable. I recall at the time the bass was very heavily advertised, why it didn't catch on better is anyone's guess. At the time I didn't have much money, I really wanted a Fender Jazz, but didn't have the money.
 
#3
Rippers are not all that rare, I see them on Ebay a couple times a year, along with all the more common G3's and occasional Grabbers. I could be mis-remembering, but I thought I was seeing them below $1500 typically. And I am pretty sure the fretboard came in both ebony and maple, although I can't say positively I've seen the fretless in anything other than ebony. I suppose the fretless version is a bit rare, although it would be no biggie to have a luthier defret a fretted one.
 
#6
bongomania said:
I suppose the fretless version is a bit rare, although it would be no biggie to have a luthier defret a fretted one.
Click to expand...

Web claims about 106 made in 77, total. I remember Gibson pushing them but I was driving a P-Bass, the real road machine at the time. Of the 106 only 10 or so were fretless.
None the less, good point about a luthier defretting.
 
#8
I still own a fretted a red sunburst Ripper I bought in the mid 70's. I thought it looked cool, more so than the Fenders (stupid reason to buy, really), and I didn't like the Ric neck or tone - aside from cheap knockoffs that's about all there was back then. Don't regret buying it, though, a bit heavy but is has a nice punchy sound.

I stopped playing professionally in 1979, very rarely picked it up and played since (until recently - I'm on a tear, God help me). It's got a great neck - I haven't adjusted the truss rod since the 70's and the neck is still straight, no buzzing frets. I did little work on the pots recently, can't remember if it was a loose wire, corrosion, or what, but aside from that its been maintenance free.

By the way, a salesman in a music store told me that Gibson still makes one a year for Gene Simmons (Kiss).

Good luck!
 
#9
I bought a fretless Ripper in '77 and play it to this day.

A bit heavy like all Gibsons, but no neck dive and is very comfortable to sit with, thin fast neck, ebony fingerboard, bought new ± $600 IIRC

3 out of 4 settings are very usable. "Chicken head" position switch:

1) Vry bassy - poofy rock and loud! Can be brightened up a lot with tone knobs
2) Treble w/ mid punch
3) Bass w/ mid punch
4) Out of phase, super thin & trebbly. Kinda Ric-like, but not really

Bass tone knob
Treble tone knob - these change the sound a lot from one end to the other.

2 black humbucker pups, glue neck, string thru the back, smooth accurate tuning machines - stays in tune well.

Excellent for fusion/RB/jazz and rock.
 
#10
Just sold mine about a month ago on eBay for $1500. It was in EXCELLENT condition, not a single scratch through the finish, and jsut a little wear on the chrome. I had bought it back in the 80's and then quite playing for a while and never touched it until I brought it out to sell. I did so because SOMEHOW one sold on eBay for $3400, but this is not normal.

I tried to start using it again, but it seemed that the many sounds that the Ripper is capable of were no longer relevant to what we want to hear in music today, even playing the old songs. The sound of the Ripper is fairly unique - not a general bass sound like a P-Bass.
 
#11
Mine is a '74 or '75 - Gibson couldn't tell me for sure. It's maple, with a maple board, and the (from what I understand) tortoise pickguard. The tone controls are actually volume, mid, and treble, with the four position rotary switch. gibsonbass.com has links that say exactly how the rotary switch works.

Mine is also a factory second, and when I got it played beautifully but was definitely a bit worn out cosmetically. Everything worked thoughe (and still does). I eventually had it refinished professionally - he couldn't get all the dings out but got the majority of them and did a great job. Mine doesn't seem all that heavy, and I just love it death. It's a beast for sure, but it's my beast.

A fretless is much more rare, but $3400 is very excessive to me. I wouldn't pay much more than $1300 for it, in decent condition. They're just not as collectible as some of the other Gibsons from what I understand. I remember when these came out (yes, I'm dating myself) when I was a teenager, and not a whole lot of people played them. Ricks and Fenders were the flavor of the day.

Alan
 
#13
Rick Danko!!!!!

I sold my Ripper a few months back...it was a '75..great playing bass, very versatile tone. The HIGH side for the fretted are usually $1200....the low being around $750 as Bongo pretty much said. I did see a few go to $1500 but they had shady feedback and I think it was the seller bidding up his own auction....

The fretless I have seen go for $2,000+ but I am sure they can go for more.
 
#16
prices have gone up recently, but $3400 is way too much to pay. check completed listings on ebay to get a better idea of how much they've been selling for. keep searching and you'll be able to find one for much less. I got one about 3 years ago for $600 and like abngourmet, I had it refinned and rewired. I really like the neck and the way it plays. good luck!

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
 
#17
I would not pay more than $1200 personally unless its drop dead minty.

If if has a lot wear on it, than $1000 or under, depending on how bad you want it.

Great bass for what you are looking to use it for.

Check out this video


Rippers have great necks and are very versatile, but do have rather tame pickups.
 
#20
Several years ago I bought this one for $399 because it was a first time seller, the guy had terrible pictures where you could barely see the bass and what you did see was all grimey.

It was pretty worn though. The frets were pretty worn and the paint was worn away on the back edges. I played it for a while cleaned it up and sold it several months later for $700. If I would of held on to it I could probably get $900 now.

ripper.gif
 

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