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1974 Gibson Ripper

Gibson bass guitars | Ripper bass main page | 1974 Ripper

• Solid alder body • set three-piece maple neck • maple fretboard • 34 1/2 inch scale • twin humbuckers with Q-system electronics

Have a listen to this great vintage bass here

Model: Gibson Ripper
Year: 1974
Pickups: Two Ripper humbuckers
Scale: 34 1/2"
Body: Three piece alder body
Neck: Three piece set maple neck. Maple fingerboard. Adjustable truss rod. 20 frets. Width at nut 1 5/8"
Hardware: Q-system electronics: 1 volume, 1 tone and 1 midrange control. Gibson 3-point bridge. 1973/74 open gear tuning keys. Gibson speed knobs.
Weight: 4.0 kg

The earlier, wider, slab-bodied version of the Gibson Ripper was produced from the model's inception in 1973, through 1974. Compare this body shape, particularly the bevelling around the horns, with a later 1978 Gibson Ripper - these later Rippers have a far more sculptured look about them, although this is not always easy to see in photographs.

Like all Gibson Ripper basses, this guitar was built in the famous Kalamazoo plant (MI, USA) during the Norlin period of ownership.

1974 US zone 1 price for the Ripper was $449 in the January and June 1974 price lists, rising to $469 in November. A total of 1288 Rippers were shipped in 1974, with the vast majority in Natural finish as seen here, although many very early ones had a tobacco or cherry sunburst finish. See the Ripper shipping stats for further details.

This is a really punchy bass; lots of Gibson low end, but with so much more higher frequencies than Gibson's older basses.

see also 1976 Gibson Ripper, 1977 Fretless Gibson Ripper, 1978 Gibson Ripper

1974 Gibson L9S Ripper bass
1974 Gibson Ripper bass. Body detail
The Ripper body changed from this wider slab bodied bass, to a more sculptured version - see a 1976 Ripper with the newer body styling.
1974 Gibson Ripper bass. Body detail
The alder grain patterns on this Ripper are clearly visible through the natural finish. Like the other 70s-designed basses, controls are scratchplate mounted, so requiring no rear control-cavity access.
1974 Gibson Ripper bass. Single humbucking pickup
The Ripper humbuckers are mounted with two screws through each pickup, and into the guitar's body wood. Not the most adjustable method... and Gibson soon improved upon this. Compare this 1974 (or any up until at least 1976) to the pickups of a later Ripper; Gibson then mounted them directly on to the scratchplate, but now with three screws. Note also the four polepiece screws, one under each string.
1974 Gibson Ripper bass. Body detail - Volume, midrange and tone knobs
The Ripper's electronic circuitry, or Q-system consisted of a four way tone selector switch, volume control, mid range control and tone control. For a more about these controls see Gibson's Ripper controls description, but also listen to the 1974 Ripper promo record and some soundclips of this actual bass here
Like all early Rippers, the varitone position markers are on the metal switch marker ring - compare this with a later 1977 Ripper - which has these numerals engraved into the scratchplate.
1974 Gibson Ripper bass. Body detail - switch details
All Ripper basses came equipped with the Gibson Three-point bridge with metal saddles. Extra long scale strings can be used, and strung through the body, as shown here, or standard long scale strings can be used, and strung directly from the bridge. The chrome-plated bridge cover has been removed for this picture.
1974 Gibson Ripper bass. Bridge detail
Each string of the Gibson Ripper was able to be strung through the bass' body, entering from the rear, and passing over the bridge at the front. Early and middle period Rippers had four separate holes as shown here, but later these were covered by a 'four-hole eyelet' - see a 1977 Ripper for comparison.
1978 Gibson G3 bass, with hard case
The serial number on the back of the headstock still has six digits - a sure sign of an early Ripper. But precise dating of six digit s/n Rippers is not so easy - unlike the eight digit decals (see a 1976 Ripper serial number) or the eight digit stamp (see a 1978 Ripper serial number), there is no date encoded into the number. However from studying several Ripper basses, it would seem that the majority of six digit serial numbers starting 1 would have been shipped in 1974. The other headstock marking, the 'MADE IN U.S.A.' stamp, can be seen, though to some extent obscured by the tuning keys, if fitted.
1974 Gibson Ripper bass. Body detail - headstock with Gibson logo
The headstock of the Ripper bass was simple compared to basses of the previous decade; no fancy inlaid designs or logos, just black paint and a simple silk-screened 'Gibson'. Slight finish cracks can be seen where the wings attach running vertically down this bass' headstock. All Ripper truss rod covers had 'The Ripper' model designation, but early ones like this were one-ply black. Compare this to a later 1978 Ripper Truss rod cover with white revealed edging.
1974 Gibson Ripper bass. Rear headstock detail
Three-piece neck and solid headstock. The three piece maple has two extra wings added at the headstock to give it a little extra width. 1973/74 open gear tuners. Seventies Gibsons (especially those with maple necks) typically have the volute where the neck meets the headstock; this strengthens the potentially weak area on the other side of the truss rod cavity.

Gibson Ripper soundclips

The Gibson Ripper bass is tonally very different from the 50s and 60s Gibson models that preceded it. Much more midrange frequencies, much more tonal definition and much more bite. With the four position switch, tone and midrange controls, there is a wide range of sounds available. The two sounds below were suggested in the 1974 Ripper promotional disk, and were recorded through a 1964 Ampeg B15. For more clips, check out the audio samples of this bass through various vintage valve amps here

Guitar: volume 10, tone 6, midrange 6 Amp: Volume 3, treble 5, bass 5. By backing off the tone and midrange we get the suggested finger style setting from the Ripper promo disk.

Guitar: volume 10, tone 10, midrange 10. Amp: Volume 3, treble 5, bass 5. Finger style. This is the 'funky fingerpicking sound' as demonstrated in the Ripper promo disk

Gibson Ripper bass for sale

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1974 GIBSON case for RIPPER & GRABBER models:
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Deb Comment left 4th December 2015 18:06:55 reply
I would love to buy one of the gibson ripper basees. I am in Australia and I have been trying to buy one for 8 months! Please can you help me?
RipperL9S Comment left 29th September 2012 01:01:54 reply
What strings did the Gibson Ripper ship with.. Gibson brand I guess.. but flat or round.. what are people here using on their Rippers.. great website by the way.. TIA
David Comment left 7th October 2012 21:09:58 reply
I'm pretty sure the Rippers came with flats, as did most basses back then. Gibson had a new flat wound string called "Observers", and I think they were standard on the basses at the time. I tried a set on my Rick. They were nice sounding strings, but very high tension, which caused the neck to bow, so I have to take them off. They were very bright sounding for flats.
WAB Comment left 2nd November 2012 21:09:13 reply
I'm pretty sure there was a Gibson ad in the 70s for bass strings with the Ripper pictured. Can't find it just now
Crunchly Comment left 2nd September 2012 16:04:04 reply
Nice old Ripper. I always thought these looked a million dollars when they came out, and they still look on the money today. Saving for a Ripper II right now, just hope they live up to the originals. Anything on the new ones?