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Gibson Grabber/Ripper/G-3 club

#721
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#728
Here's my Grabber.

Paid $100 for it about 15 years ago. Replaced the pick guard and I believe I replaced the pots. Also had to sand off a white diamond someone painted on the back of it.

Other than those items it's the way I got it.. Stripped neck screws and all.

Probably should have cleaned it up for pics.

Supposedly its:
Kalamazoo Plant, USA
January 13th, 1978
Production Number: 163


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#735
It's funny how when something gets to be old, it's considered to be OK! Even when it's not.

My first real bass was a Grabber. I was 15, I didn't know what a real bass should or could be like, and I liked Kiss so I thought a bass that Gene Simmons used (or endorsed anyway) would be OK. Hardly an exacting list of technical criteria. I had a horrid Japanese copy bass that my Dad got me second-hand from a mate's mate, I'd sanded it down, tried adjusting everything on it and tried to make it good but there was no hope for it.
So my Dad had given me some money and the Grabber was cheap and it was a name brand so I got it.

But.

It was big and clumsy. The sliding pickup was pretty much useless - didn't slide enough to make a difference in tone, and didn't slide smoothly either; it jammed a bit all the way. The wood was light and porous feeling and didn't contribute to a good tone. The pickguard was a big sheet of soft plastic that never lay completely flat on the wood. The bridge was a standard Japanese style bridge, easily stripped screws and all. Even worse, it had a silly name and people laughed at it. I knew a guy with a Ripper at the time - more street cred in that. I knew a guy with a G3 - more street cred in that too. If the Grabber had sounded half decent, not a gutless muddy middy thing, too cumbersome and wide, no street cred at all, I might not have traded it in for the black '76 T-Bird a year or so later. But there was no comparison! Grabber? (holds nose). T-Bird (great tone, great look, instant street cred) so what are you gonna do!

And to this day when I see them, they look silly, and I just remember that silly pickup sliding awkwardly around, the huge blobby-looking pale thing (like your fat geeky cousin that you have to hang out with when you're 14 cos your Dad says so), the bad tone, the embarrassment.. I should probably have got a Jazz... but in the end that T-Bird made up for it.

But a Grabber? Sorry, ew.

That Chevy Nova was a piece of s**t too.
 
#737
Bill Fatty said:
It's funny how when something gets to be old, it's considered to be OK! Even when it's not.

<self centered Grabber hating diatribe>

But a Grabber? Sorry, ew.

That Chevy Nova was a piece of s**t too.
Click to expand...

Cliffs: Guy buys a beat up grabber and thinks they are all that way.

I completely disagree and I'm not just saying that because I own one.
Due to your tainted perspective I'm not going to bother explaining why.
 
#738
Bill Fatty said:
It's funny how when something gets to be old, it's considered to be OK! Even when it's not.

My first real bass was a Grabber. I was 15, I didn't know what a real bass should or could be like, and I liked Kiss so I thought a bass that Gene Simmons used (or endorsed anyway) would be OK. Hardly an exacting list of technical criteria. I had a horrid Japanese copy bass that my Dad got me second-hand from a mate's mate, I'd sanded it down, tried adjusting everything on it and tried to make it good but there was no hope for it.
So my Dad had given me some money and the Grabber was cheap and it was a name brand so I got it.

But.

It was big and clumsy. The sliding pickup was pretty much useless - didn't slide enough to make a difference in tone, and didn't slide smoothly either; it jammed a bit all the way. The wood was light and porous feeling and didn't contribute to a good tone. The pickguard was a big sheet of soft plastic that never lay completely flat on the wood. The bridge was a standard Japanese style bridge, easily stripped screws and all. Even worse, it had a silly name and people laughed at it. I knew a guy with a Ripper at the time - more street cred in that. I knew a guy with a G3 - more street cred in that too. If the Grabber had sounded half decent, not a gutless muddy middy thing, too cumbersome and wide, no street cred at all, I might not have traded it in for the black '76 T-Bird a year or so later. But there was no comparison! Grabber? (holds nose). T-Bird (great tone, great look, instant street cred) so what are you gonna do!

And to this day when I see them, they look silly, and I just remember that silly pickup sliding awkwardly around, the huge blobby-looking pale thing (like your fat geeky cousin that you have to hang out with when you're 14 cos your Dad says so), the bad tone, the embarrassment.. I should probably have got a Jazz... but in the end that T-Bird made up for it.

But a Grabber? Sorry, ew.

That Chevy Nova was a piece of s**t too.
Click to expand...
Well, I don't really care about "Street Cred" when choosing a bass, but I do appreciate resale value if the bass is repairable. If if sounded and felt good maybe I would have kept it, if not I would have sold it. No biggie.
 
#739
I'm not sure where to ask this so figure I'll start here. I was the lucky winner of 1977 G-3 on eBay. Seller has not been reliable at all when it comes to shipping so I am starting to suspect other issues. Pictures and description are vague. From the serial, it should be a 1977. Does this look original?

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