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Gibson Ripper Club!

How good is the Ripper?

  • Total voters
    121
A. D. Fairhurst

A. D. Fairhurst

Apr 19, 2015
1,604
1,319
25
Northwich, Cheshire, UK
#1
Hi! The L9-S Ripper is one of my all time favourite basses, and although I don't own one, I thought I should set this up for anyone who does. If one already exists, please feel free to close it down, moderators, but if not, I hope you enjoy it! (And make sure to post bass porn. LOTS OF BASS PORN.) Both vintage Rippers and 2009 Rippers (if anyone actually owns one) welcome here.
 
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#2
I bought one new in '74 and played it for ten years. It was OK. Not a comfortable bass for me. The 4 way selector switch was interesting, but most of the sounds weren't all that usable. I eventually switched out the pups for Seymour Duncans and that give it some more balls. Later I got into Fender stuff with a '72 Jazz, so I pulled the frets on the Ripper and that worked pretty well. Sadly it was stolen along with the '72 Jazz and an Ampeg B-15. All that stuff would not have brought a lot of bucks back in the 80's when I lost them, but today, eh.....
 
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#3
BassChuck said:
I bought one new in '74 and played it for ten years. It was OK. Not a comfortable bass for me. The 4 way selector switch was interesting, but most of the sounds weren't all that usable. I eventually switched out the pups for Seymour Duncans and that give it some more balls. Later I got into Fender stuff with a '72 Jazz, so I pulled the frets on the Ripper and that worked pretty well. Sadly it was stolen along with the '72 Jazz and an Ampeg B-15. All that stuff would not have brought a lot of bucks back in the 80's when I lost them, but today, eh.....
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Oh. Have you voted in the poll yet?
 
#4
My dad used to own a 77-78 ripper all black, i guess i used to play it when i was a kid but the electronics were pretty much scrap. The wires would come loose or something would go out, so he sold it. But i do plan on building my own cause there's no way in hell i'm gonna come up w/the mula for a vintage one on the bay. Pretty much the same specs as the 77-83 models, except i'm gonna have a rosewood fretboard stained black, GFS lipstick tube pickups in black, & it'll be a blood red colour, make everything pop!
 
#5
ThaCoast said:
My dad used to own a 77-78 ripper all black, i guess i used to play it when i was a kid but the electronics were pretty much scrap. The wires would come loose or something would go out, so he sold it. But i do plan on building my own cause there's no way in hell i'm gonna come up w/the mula for a vintage one on the bay. Pretty much the same specs as the 77-83 models, except i'm gonna have a rosewood fretboard stained black, GFS lipstick tube pickups in black, & it'll be a blood red colour, make everything pop!
Click to expand...
I think someone told me about a Lipstick Humbucker/Red Ripper they were building in a different thread a while ago. We meet again!
 
#8
I own an all-original stock '74 in natural which I purchased new in April of 1974. I've been its sole owner ever since - and it's been my goto bass for these last 41 years. I know it, and it knows me. We're a team. And will be for as long as I can still play if I have anything to say about it.

If approched with a modicum of respect (and with some thought given to one's playing technique) the layers of sonic subtly that can be coaxed out of one of these totally passive basses never ceases to amaze me. They're absolutely unique even if they're not positioned to sound mainstream or meant to appeal to every taste. But maybe (like the Ric) that was the whole idea to begin with.

I've since bought (and presently own) some other excellent, lovely sounding, and beautifully playing basses. But nothing "better."
 
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#9
A. D. Fairhurst said:
Hi! The L9-S Ripper is one of my all time favourite basses, and although I don't own one, I thought I should set this up for anyone who does. If one already exists, please feel free to close it down, moderators, but if not, I hope you enjoy it! (And make sure to post bass porn. LOTS OF BASS PORN.) Both vintage Rippers and 2009 Rippers (if anyone actually owns one) welcome here.
Click to expand...

No vote from me, although I do have a project fretless Ripper that has been in stasis for far too long. I'm responding just because of OP's location: one of those English villages with the compound names that i JUST LOVE!!!
 
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#10
A. D. Fairhurst said:
I think someone told me about a Lipstick Humbucker/Red Ripper they were building in a different thread a while ago. We meet again!
Click to expand...

Indeed it was I. the ripper is one of those basses that, to me is something unique. I love the shape, the feel, i've had the chance to build an inspired by grabber bass (which is almost done), & i just love it. Granted i've made it my own as in taking away bevels, making it thicker & toying with the electronics. But i believe that once the ripper bass is built, it'll be in the circle along with my parts built pbass & later on, a hagstrom viking bass.
 
#11
I have a stock fretless Ripper from 1975 I believe. It sounds great. The large bodies on these seem cumbersome but they are not very deep which is nice.

I enjoy it. I dont play it much. Its more of a collectors piece that I will pass on one day to someone else. I was really into Gibson basses when I bought it. Now I mostly play guitar.
 
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#17
Wow - Glad I found this club. I have owned a 77 For about 34 years. Bought it from the original owner for $200. It's got the original Bill Lawrence pickups. I love this bass. So versatile. I can rock out, blues out or do acoustical gigs with it. The original owner got me to play Bass with it for him. I hated it at first. Felt like my hand was going to fall off after a few minutes. Those old Rippers are really heavy too. I bought a Fender Mustang (talk about neck dive) no bottom end. I then began to appreciate the Ripper - endless bottom end and sustain. I do not think I would want anything else except a Warwick w/thru neck but that is out of the question money wise.

About the Epiphone Rippers. I tried one in a store. Different pickups and very light - probably = loss of tone. Epiphones are iffy. Some are as good or better than a Gibson, and some are sub par. You just have to try before you buy. Warning - Things always sound better in a music store.

I usually use the 1 (by the neck) and three position of the selector. I play through a Peavey Bass 400 (200 watt) with either a 4 X 10 or Peavey 1810 - 1 18 w/2 10's cab.
 
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#20
Where to find specs for my Ripper. How high were the strings over the fretboard at the nut and at the other end of the fret board at the factory? I suspect the original owner lowered them at the nut. Are guitar frets and bass frets the same. The frets on the Ripper were replaced when I had the neck reattached. Are there any specs for the fret wire Gibson used? How high should they stand above the fret board? How wide should they be? Not asking about the length across the fret board.
 

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