Considering getting an Epiphone Ripper bass

[Mike Bungo]

Firstly what are people’s thoughts and secondly does any one have one for sale 🧐 Thanks Mike

[mr4stringz]

If memory serves I think these had a PJ configuration rather than the original soapbar pups, so from a tonal point of view they’ll have a different vibe about them to the Gibbos. Other than that I can’t be of much help. I’ve a ‘76 Ripper that’s been beaten and modded to hell so won’t sound like either of the above configs! It’s pretty light though!

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

The pic is of a Gibson, not an epiphone.

I don’t like them - they look like they were designed by a committee. And the pickguard is fugly.

[Skybone]

I'd love to get my hands on a Ripper, be it a Gibson, Epiphone or one of the 70's MiJ "lawsuit" versions.

Unfortunately, they are a bit like rocking horse poo.

 

Edited December 23, 2019 by Skybone

[Rageofklugman]

6 minutes ago, Skybone said:

I'd love to get my hands on a Ripper, be it a Gibson, Epiphone or one of the 70's MiJ "lawsuit" versions.

Unfortunately, they are a bit like rocking horse poo.

 

Not my advert or anything, but there's an original Gibson Ripper in the for sale section right now.

[Cat Burrito]

I liked the idea of these but tried one in a shop in Bath a few years back. The neck was more matte than gloss which isn't my preference. Obviously a lot of people are the other way around but that was what put me off.

[Paul S]

I had one of the G3s for a little while but couldn't get used to the body shape.  Very thin but very broad - seemed like I was wrestling with an occasional table.  Played beautifully, though.

[AndyTravis]

Would have an original one, but the reissue they did want for me. Don’t know why. Think they should’ve done it in black, or put a maple board on the natural one.

[mr4stringz]

I’ll stick my old knacker of a Ripper here, just because!

 

[Skybone]

5 hours ago, Rageofklugman said:

Not my advert or anything, but there's an original Gibson Ripper in the for sale section right now.

I know, bit rich for my pocket though unfortunately.

[AndyTravis]

I remember thinking at the time that it sounded like a fat rickenbacker 

[Cato]

I've had on/off GAS for a Ripper a Grabber or a G3 for years, probably since seeing Mike Dirnt with a G3 back in the Basketcase video in around '93.

Unfortunately (or fortunately) the stars have never aligned so that I've seen one for sale and had the funds at the same time.

[NikNik]

Fella here is selling something ripperesque.....

 

[Paul S]

3 minutes ago, NikNik said:

Fella here is selling something ripperesque.....

 

You naughty man ☺️

[NikNik]

1 minute ago, Paul S said:

You naughty man ☺️

'Tis the season to be jolly....😎

[Jus Lukin]

-

Edited March 4, 2022 by Jus Lukin

[NikNik]

First time I ever saw one would have been around 1975 in the window of the British Gas showroom in Edinburgh. Actually,  there was a music shop - McLarens(?) - on the upper floor and they must have had an arrangement to display some stock in the street-level window.

The Ripper had a cherryburst finish and I can remember the body looked huge compared to, say, a Fender. It lasted two weeks in there until one night the window got done in and the bass stolen.

[yorks5stringer]

21 minutes ago, NikNik said:

First time I ever saw one would have been around 1975 in the window of the British Gas showroom in Edinburgh. Actually,  there was a music shop - McLarens(?) - on the upper floor and they must have had an arrangement to display some stock in the street-level window.

The Ripper had a cherryburst finish and I can remember the body looked huge compared to, say, a Fender. It lasted two weeks in there until one night the window got done in and the bass stolen.

So even back in 1975 you had G.A.S?

[NancyJohnson]

On 23/12/2019 at 09:58, Skybone said:

I'd love to get my hands on a Ripper, be it a Gibson, Epiphone or one of the 70's MiJ "lawsuit" versions.

Unfortunately, they are a bit like rocking horse poo.

 

Ack, there are no MiJ lawsuit versions, so that'll be why they'll be as rare as wooden horse poop.

[NancyJohnson]

On 22/12/2019 at 21:13, Mike Bungo said:

Firstly what are people’s thoughts and secondly does any one have one for sale 🧐 Thanks Mike

 

There's a Ripper on eBay at the moment for £800.  It needs work, a lot of work, but it comes with a new neck and at this price and factoring in the cost the work t required, you could get a sterling bass for well under the market value.

[EssentialTension]

44 minutes ago, NancyJohnson said:

Ack, there are no MiJ lawsuit versions, so that'll be why they'll be as rare as wooden horse poop.

In the early 1980s, I had a Japanese defretted black Ripper copy which sounded great in a ska band. I can't recall with certainty what name was on the headstock besides not being Gibson, possibly Columbus. I've also seen online pics of Kimbara, Ibanez, and Shaftesbury labelled Rippers. I expect there were others.

I'm not claiming there was any lawsuit.

[AndyTravis]

Rose Morris/Avon did one.

Assume there were about 3 factories in the 70’s doing them and various distributors put their brand on them.

[NikNik]

5 hours ago, yorks5stringer said:

So even back in 1975 you had G.A.S?

Started in '72, mate.

[AndyTravis]

3 minutes ago, NikNik said:

Started in '72, mate.

It’s a life long condition 

[NikNik]

7 minutes ago, AndyTravis said:

It’s a life long condition 

Sadly terminal.😉