Gibson Ripper – Bass Guide
The Gibson Ripper bass, also named the Gibson L9 S Ripper, is a 1970s icon, known for its aggressive and versatile tonal options.
Learn about its history, features, and design in this guide to Gibson Ripper basses. If you are in the market to own one, you can also browse a selection of Gibson Rippers for sale in the UK.
The History Of The Gibson Ripper
When the Gibson Ripper launched at NAMM in 1972, it was so named because it was designed to “Rip Your Ears Off.” The Gibson Ripper bass was a success for Gibson, competing well with the EB basses of the 1960s and the popular Fender Jazz and Precision basses of the time.
It featured pickups created by the famous Bill Lawrence, known as “Super Humbuckers.” These pickups offered players a wide range of tones, rivalling the popular Fender basses of the time. To this day, the Bill Lawrence Ripper pickups are still great-sounding pickups!
The first, early Rippers were built in 1973, while the last models appeared in the Gibson catalogue in 1981. Small numbers were still produced in 1982, however.
Ripper Pickups
They were designed with a lower impedance to produce clearer tones, with two Bill Lawrence humbucking pickups and unique 'Q-system' electronics. This gave the Ripper an impressive array of tones.
You can hear the how the Ripper tones were marketed in the form of a period vinyl recording made by Gibson so that potential buyers could hear how the bass plays.
Bodies And Finishes
Rippers were originally built with maple, then later using lighter alder bodies. They were available with an ebony or maple fingerboard and in three colours or finishes:
Natural (satin or gloss)
Ebony
Tobacco Sunburst
Although there were 2403 Ebony Rippers, 4348 Natural Gloss Rippers were produced, and 2242 Natural Satin Rippers, only 672 Tobacco Sunbursts were ever made, and just 350 fretless Ripper basses.
Rare Gibson Basses
With very few Tobacco Sunburst and fretless Ripper basses produced, these models are quite rare to find for sale. There are also other early variations of the Gibson Ripper that are somewhat rare and sought after.
Early models from 1973 are particularly valuable, with only 39 of the model built in 1973. A rare handful were early prototypes with a shallow 335-style top cutaway and pickups mounted on a smaller pickguard, which were unveiled at the NAMM show that year (see image right).
From 1974, the shape of the body and pickguard changed. Instead of the heavier natural maple bodies of the early models, alder became the preferred wood. The Ripper’s body shape and design then largely remained unchanged, apart from the fretless models introduced in 1975.
The tobacco sunburst model was also introduced in 1975. Compared to the other colours, it was produced in smaller quantities.
Regardless of rarity, the Gibson Ripper Bass is still a highly collectable bass guitar. Collectors still seek out all-original, non-modified examples from the 1970s and 1980s. However, the value of a Ripper bass can vary depending on its rarity, with other factors like condition and age playing a part.
Gibson Ripper Clone
In the mid-1970s, Gibson ‘lawsuit’ copies of the Gibson Ripper were produced in Japan. This included the Shaftesbury Ripper, which shared a set maple neck, maple fingerboard, same materials (except for an ash body), similar dimensions, and identical body shape as the Gibson basses. Some of these clones are still available in the marketplace today, however are worth significantly less than a genuine original Gibson Ripper.
The Ripper was also reissued by Epiphone in 2011, featuring similar hardware to the original. However, these reissues had a mixed reception and don't hold as much value as the original models.
Gibson Ripper For Sale
Find a Gibson Ripper for sale in the UK from the Vintage Bass Room. Our range of Gibson Ripper basses includes all eras and finishes, from Natural Satin to Ebony to Maple Gloss. We are also proud to offer artist-owned Gibson Rippers for sale, from the likes of Arvell Shaw, and Rippers with their original cases.
Browse our range to find the perfect Gibson Ripper bass. You can also visit our showroom to try out our bass guitars and experience the power of Gibson tone for yourself. If you can't find the right bass guitar or a specific year or colour that you are looking for, contact us to discover our bass-finding service.
FAQs
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The Ripper's unique sound and design made it a popular bass among musicians in the 1970s and 1980s. It was used in a variety of musical genres, notably by rock stars Gene Simmons of Kiss and Krist Novoselic of Nirvana.
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The Ripper came equipped with two humbucking pickups, called “Super Humbuckers”, and a four-way pickup selector control. The unique six-position switch allows for independent control of the humbuckers, together, or split for a punchier single-coil sound.
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The Gibson Ripper bass has a 34" scale length neck with a neck width that is 1mm wider than a modern Precision Bass. Most players use long strings rather than standard length.
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An original example of a Gibson Ripper bass with a good straight neck, good truss rod, no modifications like replaced tuners, and no pickguard material missing can be worth up to £3000 in the UK. Honest signs of use or a few small marks located on the body itself don't usually devalue the guitar.
However, rare examples or bass guitars with artist provenance can be worth more as they are long sought after. Early basses can be worth over £7000, with the last one sold in the US in 2022.
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The tone of a Gibson Ripper bass models setup the perfect foundations for all styles and genres of music. As such, the Ripper is a great bass guitar, loved by many players over the years. Many online communities and forums are dedicated to the Gibson Ripper Bass, where owners and enthusiasts can share information and resources.
In particular, Fly Guitars have a comprehensive resource on Gibson Ripper basses as well as the other basses on offer from Gibson at the time including the Grabber and G3 basses.
What is the difference between a Gibson Grabber and a Ripper?
Gibson basses of the 1970s and 80s included the Ripper, Grabber, and G3. Although the Ripper and Grabber models have similar body shapes, they have significant differences, including:
The Gibson Ripper was produced first, from 1973, while Grabber models introduced another Gibson bass option to buyers later that same year. The Gibson G3 was launched years later in 1975.
The Grabber and G3 had a flying V shaped headstock, while the Ripper had a Les Paul shaped headstock.
The Ripper features a set neck while the Grabber and G3 have a Fender-style bolt on neck.
Two humbucking pickups were offered on the Ripper model, while the Grabber models featured a sliding single-coil pickup. The tone of each was therefore different with the Grabber producing a tone that was brighter and more Fender-like.
The Grabber featured a pressed plate bridge, similar to a Fender bridge. However, this could be difficult to play if muting the strings or picking near the bridge. In contrast, the Ripper had a 3-point bridge that was much more accessible to play.
The Ripper was available in 3 colours with maple or ebony fretboards. The Grabber was available in 4 colour options but only with maple fingerboards. This is except for rarer models like the late Metallic Blue Grabber with an ebony fingerboard.
The Gibson Ripper, Grabber, and G3 are 3 different basses offered by Gibson in the 1970s and early 80s. They have similar body shapes but have significant differences in features and tone.
The Gibson G3 was a variant of the Grabber with 3 single coil pickups in humbucking configuration. The Gibson G3 produced even brighter tone options than the Grabber.