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Gibson Ripper controls

ThaCoast

ThaCoast

Jan 2, 2011
4,676
7,971
The Polar Season Montreal, Canada
#1
I've been doing intensive research about the gibson Ripper, and i found that i need (2) 300k pots and (1) 100 pot + the rotary switch 4 position to be exact.

My question what are the 300k and 100k for? Cause it says that the 100k is for tone but the ripper had:
-Master volume
-Midrange boost/cut
-Treble boost/cut

Would the 100k be for the treble and the 300k's go master and midrange?

I'm in the process of building two of my own.
 
#2
The Ripper's controls are volume, tone (treble cut, no boost) and mid cut (no boost).

The volume is 300k, and the tone and mid cut are 250k.

You need a choke for the midrange. You can use one of these:

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#3
SGD Lutherie said:
The Ripper's controls are volume, tone (treble cut, no boost) and mid cut (no boost).

The volume is 300k, and the tone and mid cut are 250k.
Click to expand...

250k would be for the '77 ripper and earlier i guess. 78 and later would be Midrange and tone= 100k and master=300k in both early and later years of the ripper. But if i should use seymour duncan ripper replacement pickups should i go for 100k for tone and midrange or 250k?
 
#5
SGD Lutherie said:
I would not use a 100k pots for tone and mids. The value is too low. You would have a dark tone with a permanent midrange cut. I have never seen a Ripper with 100K pots.
Click to expand...

I found that Rippers did use the 100k pots http://www.vintageguitarandbass.com/gibson/potentiometer/by_guitar/L9-S_Ripper, and since I'm building two of them, i could try one with 250k value, the other with 100k value. BTW, the 100k's are found in the 81 period.

By permanent midrange cut, you mean I wouldn't have any midrange tone to the bass if i used 100k pots?
 
#6
Other than the two Ripper projects i have, i want to recreate the G3 but the pickups are relatively hard to find. So i was wondering if i could use 3 jazz pickups and wire them using the same schematic of the g3 and wire them to get a relatively close sound to a G3 with jazz pickups (in other words recreating the buck and a half the g3 is known for.)
 
#7
Andii Syckz said:
I found that Rippers did use the 100k pots Gibson L9-S Ripper electric bass Potentiometer Pot Information, and since I'm building two of them, i could try one with 250k value, the other with 100k value. BTW, the 100k's are found in the 81 period.

By permanent midrange cut, you mean I wouldn't have any midrange tone to the bass if i used 100k pots?
Click to expand...

If you use a 100k pot for the tone, you will get a darker sound, because it's like having a 250k tone pot turned half way down. Same with the midrange control. It will be like having the control on 5.

This is true of any bass, and the Ripper was no different.

I can't imagine why they would switch from a 250k to a 100k, but you can try both.

You ca set up three Jazz pickups like the G3, except they are wound too hot. So running them in series will not give the same tone at the G3.
 
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#11
So last night, i've devised the specs for the gibson ripper so it's easier for me to know what i need to have for my projects.

Ripper specs: Clean version
1975-76 Ripper L9-S

BODY SPECIFICATION
Solid alder body with contoured shape (maple 1973-74, and 1977 onwards)
Double cutaway design contoured shape
3-point adjustable Tune-o-matic bridge with handrest
Combination tailpiece (strings through body or connect at end of bridge)
Two Gibson "Super humbucking" pickups (seymour Duncan ripper replacements)
Master volume (300k), midrange (250k) and treble roll-off (250k) controls
4-position transfer switch for multiple tonal changes
Available in Natural or Ebony body finish
Body size: Length 21 1/2", width 14 1/2", depth 1 1/4"

NECK SPECIFICATION
Laminated maple construction
Width at fingerboard nut 1 5/8"
Choice of Natural Maple or Ebony fingerboard with dot inlays
Chrome-plated individual machine heads (Schaller BM tuners)
Gibson truss rod with molded truss rod cover
20 frets, 34 1/2" scale length

Controls:
Original Rippers had one master volume, a mid-range booster/negater, and a treble roll-off knob. The chicken switch on the originals had the options of:
Position 1. Activate both pickups in a 'series in phase' configuration. (Series wiring achieves a bit more "bite" than might otherwise be obtained.)
Position 2. Activates back pickup only for a maximum treble response
Position 3. Activates both pickups in an 'in phase, parallel wiring' configuration. ("Parallel" resulting in more bottom end response)
Position 4. Activates both pickups in series, out of phase for a very funky, dirty type tonality.

2009-reissue edition:
Joint Angle; 14.0°
Adhesive; The adhesive used to join the neck and body is Franklin Titebond 50, one of the strongest glues on the market today.

If something is wrong/missing. please let me know. Also, could I have the headstock angle?
 
#12
One thing to consider; the series out-of-phase selection on the switch was pretty useless and prevented you from getting the neck pickup soloed.

So you might want to think about changing the wiring to eliminate that setting and replace it with the neck pickup.

Unless you plan on playing the song Jaco Homo by Devo, in which case you will need that tone!

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#13
SGD Lutherie said:
One thing to consider; the series out-of-phase selection on the switch was pretty useless and prevented you from getting the neck pickup soloed.

So you might want to think about changing the wiring to eliminate that setting and replace it with the neck pickup.

Unless you plan on playing the song Jaco Homo by Devo, in which case you will need that tone!

Invalid Link Removed
Click to expand...

Well, personally i'd keep it just to have the original vibe and specs of a gibson ripper. I might be able to find other uses for it anyhow :)

How do i re-wound the jazz pickups to the almost exact same to obtain the g3 tone?
 
#14
Andii Syckz said:
How do i re-wound the jazz pickups to the almost exact same to obtain the g3 tone?
Click to expand...

I don't know the specs for the G3 pickups, but they were fairly low output pickups, since they were wired up in series with each other. So each is like half a humbucker. Maybe around 4-5k?

So you wold have to have a set of pickups wound like that, with the middle pickup being RWRP.
 
#15
Back in 2007, I cleaned up and repaired a Ripper for a friend at work. I took pictures of some things, the control layout being one of them.

Ripper_electronics.jpg


I believe I checked Gibson's website for the year of manufacture and came up with 1976. The serial number started with 00 and at least one pot had a date code of the 42nd week of 1975.
 
#16
SGD Lutherie said:
I don't know the specs for the G3 pickups, but they were fairly low output pickups, since they were wired up in series with each other. So each is like half a humbucker. Maybe around 4-5k?

So you would have to have a set of pickups wound like that, with the middle pickup being RWRP.
Click to expand...

RWRP? I'm a real rookie when it comes to electronic stuff specially in guitars/basses.
 
#17
BillyB_from_LZ said:
Back in 2007, I cleaned up and repaired a Ripper for a friend at work. I took pictures of some things, the control layout being one of them.

Ripper_electronics.jpg


I believe I checked Gibson's website for the year of manufacture and came up with 1976. The serial number started with 00 and at least one pot had a date code of the 42nd week of 1975.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the extra photo. Got some off of flyguitars as well
 

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