Gibson Ripper modified wiring for Pos 4.

[wendells101]

Hey, I have a Gibson Ripper, s/n 430728, which played great until about two years ago. Then funny things started to happen. Took to a luthier to repair and while fixing, change the wiring to [Pos 1-Neck only, 2-both series, 3- both parallel, 4- bridge only]. He had it for over a year. He said the switch was bad. Spent months searching and finally found a $5 Chinese 4-pos switch which he changed - same problem exists (for $300 repair fee too, thanks for that). Finally, he tested the neck pick up to be dead - apparently common problem as the plastic gasses the wiring over time. I sent them to Seymour Duncan to rewind but came back with wires disconnected from his repair. Note, he could not figure out Pos 2 and 3 as I wanted it so left it as a 3-pos with one blank. Now I have a badly wired, non-funtioning Ripper with the wrong 4-pos switch. I am thinking of replacing the original switch and rewiring it. Does anyone have a clean wiring diagram for the Ripper with switch set up as desired instead of the weird out-of-phase Pos 4 setting?

 

[Will_White]

Hey, I have a Gibson Ripper, s/n 430728, which played great until about two years ago. Then funny things started to happen. Took to a luthier to repair and while fixing, change the wiring to [Pos 1-Neck only, 2-both series, 3- both parallel, 4- bridge only]. He had it for over a year. He said the switch was bad. Spent months searching and finally found a $5 Chinese 4-pos switch which he changed - same problem exists (for $300 repair fee too, thanks for that). Finally, he tested the neck pick up to be dead - apparently common problem as the plastic gasses the wiring over time. I sent them to Seymour Duncan to rewind but came back with wires disconnected from his repair. Note, he could not figure out Pos 2 and 3 as I wanted it so left it as a 3-pos with one blank. Now I have a badly wired, non-funtioning Ripper with the wrong 4-pos switch. I am thinking of replacing the original switch and rewiring it. Does anyone have a clean wiring diagram for the Ripper with switch set up as desired instead of the weird out-of-phase Pos 4 setting?

 

[ofajen]

Bridge ground lead is tied to ground, I assume?

Otto

 

[Will_White]

Bridge ground lead is tied to ground, I assume?

Otto

yes

 

[40Hz]

It's true that Ripper pickups sometimes can fail in the way described. But it's far from common, as your "luthier" seems to think.

Spoiler: Minor rant about the "gassing" issue

Part of that myth is courtesy of a fairly dismissive review of a Gibson Ripper done some years back by Ed Frieland (The Bass Whisperer!). He had failed pickups that were supposedly caused by the gassing problem he described. Unfortunately, Ed made it sound like it was a common occurrence - which it most certainly isn't. So, much as I like Ed and some of his videos, I think he dropped the ball a little on this one. And provided a convenient excuse for a lot of guitar techs and luthiers who aren't being upfront with their customers after they break a Ripper pup by getting careless when they remove one from it's cover. The Ripper pickups are not potted. So it's fairly easy to bork one if you're not careful while handling.

I also think your guy has absolutely no clue about how rotary switches work.

Coupled with the fact he had your Ripper for a year, and you've had two components - a pickup and a switch - go "bad" in the wake of him "fixing" it, I think there's a good chance he damaged things. Not hard to do if you wade into the guts of a Ripper not knowing what you're doing.

I'd get your money back from this clown if I were you.

Also, I have the wiring diagram you want. I'll post it shortly. I just need to locate it in my archive.

 

[40Hz]

Ok. Here's a PDF that shows the standard Ripper wiring, and then the modification on the second page.

All you need to do is add a jumper wire between pins 12 and 13, and take the wire coming from the neck pickup that's connected to pin 3 and move it from pin 3 to pin 4 - assuming the original Ripper wiring hasn't been FUBARed.

The nice thing about Cadfael's mod is that it's minimally invasive and makes it easy to put things back if you change your mind - or decide to sell your Ripper down the line.

Under the new scheme the settings are

1. Both serial
2. Bridge only
3. Both parallel
4. Neck only

Not quite as standard as some would like since on most basses neck only would be position 1 rather than 4. But for the ease of making the mod, it's a small price to pay - and it doesn't require rewiring the entire switch - and possibly damaging it?

There's also a thread on TB about this mod which you can find here.

Luck!

 

[Hopkins]

My God, so the guy couldn't figure out how to properly wire your bass, deemed the switch to be bad, and took months to source a 4 position rotary switch, which is an off the shelf part at any decent electronics store. Then he decided the pickup was bad, then left two switch positions non functional? Then had the nerve to charge you $300, and it took him a year to not correctly fix your bass? That may be the worst repair guy in the history of guitars.

By the way, does anyone else find the stock Ripper switching to be a bit strange? Position 4 is basically useless.

 

[Callused Finger]

I'm no Luthier but compared to that guy I'm a proficient tech who would turn around something in a couple days or a week at most.

 

[40Hz]

By the way, does anyone else find the stock Ripper switching to be a bit strange? Position 4 is basically useless.

Most seem to think so.

However, I've found position four to be occasionally useful. It all depends on the music in question and how you play.

One thing with the out-of-phase selection…how you set the tone and especially the midrange is critical - as is your technique. You need a fairly light touch to really get interesting textures out of position four. Most players feel the need to use a pick and/or really dig in. But all that does is produce an ugly nasally bark. (Pick players…it's clue time! Now repeat after me: A Ripper is NOT a Ric…Got it? Splendid! Now say it again three more times!)

Like everything with bass, it takes some experimenting and critical listening. Sure, the stock position four won't be everybody's cup of tea. But it does have its uses, and IMO it gets unfairly dissed.

 

[Hopkins]

Most seem to think so.

However, I've found position four to be occasionally useful. It all depends on the music in question and how you play.

One thing with the out-of-phase selection…how you set the tone and especially the midrange is critical - as is your technique. You need a fairly light touch to really get interesting textures out of position four. Most players feel the need to use a pick and/or really dig in. But all that does is produce an ugly nasally bark. (Pick players…it's clue time! Now repeat after me: A Ripper is NOT a Ric…Got it? Splendid! Now say it again three more times!)

Like everything with bass, it takes some experimenting and critical listening. Sure, the stock position four won't be everybody's cup of tea. But it does have its uses, and IMO it gets unfairly dissed.

I would mod it if I had one. If you find it useful you are a better man than I am

 

[ofajen]

It's going to be interesting when I get my rewound bridge pickup back. I've been using only one bridge coil in my Ripper and got used to the sound of humbucking neck out of phase with single coil bridge. It's a cool tone.

I wonder how it will sound when both are proper humbuckers? Perhaps that one setting will be less to my liking but I'm pretty sure bridge and series in phase will be better. Might even try parallel again, but I would have to give up something. I currently have neck, bridge and series (in and out of phase).

Otto

 

[40Hz]

I would mod it if I had one. If you find it useful you are a better man than I am

Much as I'm tempted I probably never will mod the one I currently have. But that's mainly for sentimental reasons. It's a '74 and it's completely factory original. I figure if it made it this far, there's no reason to change it. I like it just the way it is anyway.

If, however, I ever find a second Ripper, I can guarantee you I'll be doing this mod.

 

[Hopkins]

Much as I'm tempted I probably never will mod the one I currently have. But that's mainly for sentimental reasons. It's a '74 and it's completely factory original. I figure if it made it this far, there's no reason to change it. I like it just the way it is anyway.

If, however, I ever find a second Ripper, I can guarantee you I'll be doing this mod.

I modded my 81 T-40 with push/pulls to split the coils so I can get humbuckers at full tone. I am thinking about selling it now, so I am regretting that move a bit.

 

[40Hz]

I modded my 81 T-40 with push/pulls to split the coils so I can get humbuckers at full tone. I am thinking about selling it now, so I am regretting that move a bit.

Yeah. It's like Antique Roadshow when they say: Now this is a lovely example of the craft! The condition of this one is near museum exhibit quality. Had it been left original parts complete, it would easily fetch <some astronomical amount> on the market today. Unfortunately, because it has been changed it's only going to go for about £100 or so. But it's still a lovely bit of workmanship. Perhaps it's best you just keep and enjoy it as the family heirloom it still is!"

Then we watch as the elderly couple from Puddlington-on-Thames (who were hoping for that modest holiday on the Continent they had always meant to take when they were younger) put on a brave face and "smile through."

 

[Hopkins]

Yeah. It's like Antique Roadshow when they say: Now this is a lovely example of the craft! The condition of this one is near museum exhibit quality. Had it been left original parts complete, it would easily fetch <some astronomical amount> on the market today. Unfortunately, because it has been changed it's only going to go for about £100 or so. But it's still a lovely bit of workmanship. Perhaps it's best you just keep and enjoy it as the family heirloom it still is!"

Then we watch as the elderly couple from Puddlington-on-Thames (who were hoping for that modest holiday on the Continent they had always meant to take when they were younger) put on a brave face and "smile through."

LOL, I don't think my mod affected the T-40s value all that much. It really did make it a better bass.

 

[40Hz]

LOL, I don't think my mod affected the T-40s value all that much. It really did make it a better bass.

Many times a mod does that. I'll be the first to admit it. I have no objection to someone changing up their instrument. I'm not a collector. All my stuff gets played. I never understood the collector's urge when it came to tools like musical instruments. I guess I'm just not much of a romantic.

 

[Hopkins]

Many times a mod does that. I'll be the first to admit it. I have no objection to someone changing up their instrument. I'm not a collector. All my stuff gets played. I never understood the collector's urge when it came to tools like musical instruments. I guess I'm just not much of a romantic.

Same here. I bought the T40 because I had been wanting one, and this one happened to be a birth year bass. The bass never really spoke to me and never gets played, so I will probably just sell it.

 

[40Hz]

Same here. I bought the T40 because I had been wanting one, and this one happened to be a birth year bass. The bass never really spoke to me and never gets played, so I will probably just sell it.

I'm the same way. I don't play - it doesn't stay.

There's somebody over in the NBD thread I recently started that's looking for one. Maybe you two could talk?

Plus there's always the TB classifieds. From some of the comments in the above mentioned thread it seens there's plenty of interest in getting one around here.

 

[Hopkins]

I'm the same way. I don't play - it doesn't stay.

There's somebody over in the NBD thread I recently started that's looking for one. Maybe you two could talk?

Plus there's always the TB classifieds. From some of the comments in the above mentioned thread it seens there's plenty of interest in getting one around here.

Yeah, TB Classifieds are my first option. Although last time I screwed myself on the shipping quote, but that was me being a big dummy, had nothing to do with TB or the buyer

 

[wendells101]

Finally getting around to this (thanks for all the advice, btw) and followed 40Hz recommendations and pdf diagram with new Seymour Duncan pick-up rewinds. Sounds terrible! I think because the luthier changed the pots and also changed the resistance range of the pots - from 250 to 500 or so. I am going to try reinstalling the original pots and see what happens. He also changed the resistors so I better check if they are 100nF and 47nF as shown in the diagram. Currently it seems to have little power, and the Tone control (by the jack) makes a hissing sound if turned anywhere up from zero and is rather trebly. Midrange does nothing as before, and Volume is weak at best, maxxed out.

Will get back to you after I rewire the old pots in and double checking the ground wire to bridge, just in case. I wired it to the center of Tone control but should perhaps move it to center of Volume (even though they're connected).

Hopefully not something Seymour Duncan did that is the problem. They also took about 2 months but I assume the tested them before shipping back.