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So, I'm thinking about modding my '78 Ripper

#2
The 78 Ripper is a classic. It will do nothing but grow in it's value. Gibson recently did a short limited run on them and sold the reissue for much money. I WOULD NOT do any modification that would permanently alter its structure in any way.
Granted, it's your property and you can do what you want to with it. But you will regret it later. Buy one of the Epiphone reissues made a couple of years back if you want to have fun modding it, but not the Gibson one. Or simply buy a new bass that meets your current needs.
 
#3
+1 - I modded mine extensively in the early '80s - it remains a beautiful bass but doesn't sound like a Ripper any longer. The value on these could just start to improve - there really aren't too many around and an un-modded version is likely to be more attractive than something that's been up- down- or re-graded
 
#5
fretlessguy said:
The 78 Ripper is a classic. It will do nothing but grow in it's value. Gibson recently did a short limited run on them and sold the reissue for much money. I WOULD NOT do any modification that would permanently alter its structure in any way.
Granted, it's your property and you can do what you want to with it. But you will regret it later. Buy one of the Epiphone reissues made a couple of years back if you want to have fun modding it, but not the Gibson one. Or simply buy a new bass that meets your current needs.
Click to expand...

+1000
Sell it if it's not doing it for you, but I can tell you from painful personal experience that you might regret any mods you do to it. That being said, popping in an exact fitting replacement pup isn't the worst thing you could do, but keep everything you take out so you could switch it back to original condition.
 
#7
I'm not planning on changing anything that I wouldn't be able to change back. I'm gonna get a different pickguard and drop new pups in it, but I'm gonna keep all the old parts in the old p/g so I can easily change it back... just wondering if any of you know who makes a direct replacement pup that is a bit hotter???
 

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