It frustrates me that Gibson doesn't make cool basses anymore. Specifically, they need to reintroduce the Ripper. They have such a heavy, powerful tone.
I had my fretted Ripper pickups rewound, it took a little persistence with SD, but they did it, (and set up the switching like you did), WAY BETTER!!! Thank you for sharing the information.
Definitely, man! I had to replace the bridge pup on my 74 ripper last year and the new sound is soooo good!! Heck, I might just get em to make another for the neck and see where that gets me :) Great video, as always, and it's amazing to get to see my personally favorite bass get some recognition!
Hey Ed! Great to meet you at the Bass Player Live! I rather enjoyed talking briefly w you. Your reviews are insightful, informative and, fun to watch. Please keep up the great work man. Maybe see you tmrw. Cheers!
These sound great! Thank you for sharing, Ed! I recently got a ‘76 Ripper and I’m in the process of replacing the nut for a brass one and switching the three point bridge for a Hipshot one. I want position 4 on the Q switch to be rewired similarly to yours- that neck pick up sounds too good to not be used!
I agree with you Ed about having the option to solo the neck pickup. My 2015 Gibson T'bird has the tuned coil tap, 8-way selectable pickup coil configurations and I prefer the neck pickup only and in single-coil mode, electrical noise permitting.
The Gibson Ripper Bass was my main (only) bass from 1975 to 1979. It came with Gibson Observer flatwounds that were just fantastic and were quite lively with a good top end but without the twang of roundwounds. Sadly these strings were discontinued around 1977.
Great video, thanks for putting this together. It's really exciting to hear how I hope my 1975 Ripper that I'm in the middle of restoring might end up sounding. Not using SD pickups though - I have one original and I've just sent it to Aaron Armstrong to be cloned. Also going to wire it like your fretted one with neck pickup instead of out of phase. Thanks again!
I had a Ripper way back when. I think the out of phase setting has some use with effects, a fuzz or a downward sweeping envelope follower can be useful. I do agree it is rather harsh for a clean tone.
Great stuff, Ed. I had the opportunity to run a Ripper through an Acoustic 361 back in 1987 in a speed metal band. While everyone made a good deal of fun of me playing an "old funk bass" through an old Jaco-esque jazz cab, you couldn't beat it for sheer brutality. Quite a malleable instrument. Couldn't talk the owner out of the bass, though.
Wow, quite 70's - kinda psychedelic.... The SD-custom shop did a nice job on your PU's. I love the sound and feel of the Ripper and Grabber - Basses, but they are hard to find in Germany.
Hey Ed. Those old Rippers sound excellent---somewhere between a P-bass and a T-bird. It's nice to know that if I want the Duncan Custom shop to do a rewind that they will do it. Yet another interesting and informative UA-cam piece. Thanks.
I just contacted Duncan about having a later model one rewound like Ed, but they said they won't do it. Told them they needed to remove the video then.
I got a '76 ripper and need replacement pickups.. the thing is that the 76 pickups come with 3 screws in the pickguard. Would I will be able to mount/use these replacement pickups that come with the screws over the pickup? thanks!!!!
@@thedreamstation Hi there ! Just in case my Gibson Ripper, model 74-75 is not a Fretless but concerning the Gibson Pickups is excellent what i can tell you about the sound level it's the last Bass Gibson Ripper try by Ed Friedland...
@@thedreamstation As al ready said, i do not think you will regret this Gibson Ripper is one of my favorites bass, i have a set of 5 bass among the best and especially original , it's not so bad i am very happy for...
so, i noticed you had the option to use a thru-body stringing. why didn't you use that? i thought it was a better way to string? and out of phase sounds like more like the bridge pick up why is it so different? why isn't it good? im too young to know why they put it on there and such
Well, as somebody who started playing on an old Ripper, I have a pretty good guess as to why he doesn't. Two, actually. First, it honestly didn't make a noticeable difference on mine. It may on others, but I played around a lot and got nothing out of it. Second, and this is the big one: if you want to string these thu-body, you need longer than standard strings. I would have to get the Boomer extra-long-scale strings when I was stringing mine like that, and at the time it meant that if the one store in town that carried them was out, I got nothing. Any strings that are standardized to string a regular 34" scale bass will have nearly an inch of silk needing to be trimmed messily off at the nut, not to mention that due to the way some companies do their winds you can have the strings already dropping winds and tapering off at the nut and first fret this way.
It's not that out of phase isn't "good" as much as it has little or no bottom end. I suggest you compare it to the Position 2 sound... I think there's a big difference.
***** Ah yeah, I only played flats on a couple of basses, hadn't thought about what that angle might do to them. I do miss that old bass some days. I don't miss having to hope that the local music store had bothered to restock the extra-long rounds each time it was due for a restring though.
Wow, these are fantastic basses, I sooo want one now... And this was the first time I liked a fretless sound with flatwounds - they usually kill that "mwah" I love so much but not here! But that's probably your fantastic playing, Ed ;-)
Man, you weren't kidding about that "out of phase" tone - I really wonder what was going through the head of the person(s) who made that particular design choice. I doubt you'd even be able to hear the instrument in a heavy mix with that tone. The solo neck setting is loads better - I think it's my favorite setting.
Yeah, it was strangely common back in the 70s. BC Rich, among others used to include a phase switch... I think it's possibly useful for a soloing effect, but to dedicate 1?4 of your switching capabilities to that seems like a bad choice. The neck pickup rocks solo!
Bass Whisperer TV When I bought my 1964 Precision Bass in 1979, there was an "out a phase"-switch on it. I got it out of the bass asap. Imagine, P-Bass out of phase + Rotosound Superwounds.... Klick klack klock....
Love those basses. I wondered WHY you didn't play the neck pick up on the fretless model. Duhh they didn't wire it that way! HOW dumb! The Fretted Ripper sounded way better on all settings, the neck was phenomenal! Love your groovy playing!
The tone of the fretless with just the bridge pickup is beautiful. Love it.
It frustrates me that Gibson doesn't make cool basses anymore. Specifically, they need to reintroduce the Ripper. They have such a heavy, powerful tone.
Well - what about the 335 long scale semi hollow? They put the pickups in real janky locations.
I had my fretted Ripper pickups rewound, it took a little persistence with SD, but they did it, (and set up the switching like you did), WAY BETTER!!! Thank you for sharing the information.
Cool, I wonder if MJ is still doing the Ripper rewinds?
Definitely, man! I had to replace the bridge pup on my 74 ripper last year and the new sound is soooo good!! Heck, I might just get em to make another for the neck and see where that gets me :)
Great video, as always, and it's amazing to get to see my personally favorite bass get some recognition!
Hey Ed! Great to meet you at the Bass Player Live! I rather enjoyed talking briefly w you. Your reviews are insightful, informative and, fun to watch. Please keep up the great work man. Maybe see you tmrw. Cheers!
Best sounding Gibson basses I've heard so far, thanks Ed :)
Damn straight! And the fretless is one of the best fretless basses out there I've ever heard, almost like a double bass sound, killin' it!
I am Glad to see you're still making videos!
Yeah, I'm back into it... check out the new stuff... Eastwood Sidejack VI, G&L MJ4... lots more to come.
I love all the tones of both basses.
MJ just finished the pickups on my 1977 and it too sounds great. Need to try some TI Jazz flats and see what I get. Your fretless is really nice.
Wow never heard of a Gibson Ripper before, they sounded great with the SD CS pick-ups, tone all of its own. Love the varitone style switch! Cheers ED
Wow those sound great. Nice basses.
These sound great! Thank you for sharing, Ed! I recently got a ‘76 Ripper and I’m in the process of replacing the nut for a brass one and switching the three point bridge for a Hipshot one. I want position 4 on the Q switch to be rewired similarly to yours- that neck pick up sounds too good to not be used!
That Ripper Fretted in 4th position(neck only mod) sounded nice and thick, I loved it.
I agree with you Ed about having the option to solo the neck pickup. My 2015 Gibson T'bird has the tuned coil tap, 8-way selectable pickup coil configurations and I prefer the neck pickup only and in single-coil mode, electrical noise permitting.
The Gibson Ripper Bass was my main (only) bass from 1975 to 1979. It came with Gibson Observer flatwounds that were just fantastic and were quite lively with a good top end but without the twang of roundwounds. Sadly these strings were discontinued around 1977.
Great video, thanks for putting this together. It's really exciting to hear how I hope my 1975 Ripper that I'm in the middle of restoring might end up sounding. Not using SD pickups though - I have one original and I've just sent it to Aaron Armstrong to be cloned. Also going to wire it like your fretted one with neck pickup instead of out of phase. Thanks again!
I had a Ripper way back when. I think the out of phase setting has some use with effects, a fuzz or a downward sweeping envelope follower can be useful. I do agree it is rather harsh for a clean tone.
That fretless sounds SWEET!
The fretted one has that Krist Novoselic vibe.
Great stuff, Ed. I had the opportunity to run a Ripper through an Acoustic 361 back in 1987 in a speed metal band. While everyone made a good deal of fun of me playing an "old funk bass" through an old Jaco-esque jazz cab, you couldn't beat it for sheer brutality. Quite a malleable instrument. Couldn't talk the owner out of the bass, though.
Around that time I had an Acoustic 370 with the 4 x 15 cab. Ran a Guild B-302 through it. Yes, brutal, but great.
Wow, quite 70's - kinda psychedelic.... The SD-custom shop did a nice job on your PU's. I love the sound and feel of the Ripper and Grabber - Basses, but they are hard to find in Germany.
I have 76’ ripper but only position 3 works at the moment. What do you mean Position 3 both parallel? What’s the difference between 1 and 3 positions?
Seymour Duncans and GHS Boomer strings. My favourite combination!!
Hey Ed. Those old Rippers sound excellent---somewhere between a P-bass and a T-bird. It's nice to know that if I want the Duncan Custom shop to do a rewind that they will do it. Yet another interesting and informative UA-cam piece. Thanks.
I just contacted Duncan about having a later model one rewound like Ed, but they said they won't do it. Told them they needed to remove the video then.
Hey Ed, could you review a Sadowsky some time?
Sounds great. I wanted one really bad way back in the day....
Nice sounding basses
I got a '76 ripper and need replacement pickups.. the thing is that the 76 pickups come with 3 screws in the pickguard. Would I will be able to mount/use these replacement pickups that come with the screws over the pickup? thanks!!!!
Yes. I've done it on mine.
Is this new strings you have here in this video?
How is that position 4 mod accomplished?
I have the same bass, the Ripper 1975 but with the Original Gibson pickups still very good bass...
how was the sound? is it close to this?
@@thedreamstation Hi there ! Just in case my Gibson Ripper, model 74-75 is not a Fretless but concerning the Gibson Pickups is excellent what i can tell you
about the sound level it's the last Bass Gibson Ripper try by Ed Friedland...
@@tellarjj wow! waiting for mine. I just bought a 1975 Ripper. Can't wait to play it, and be a part of the Ripper bass club ;)
@@thedreamstation As al ready said, i do not think you will regret this Gibson Ripper is one of my favorites bass, i have a set of 5 bass among the best and especially original , it's not so bad i am very happy for...
@@tellarjj nice! thank you for your response! check out this group facebook.com/groups/115695711785968/
great video
Ah, I see that you DID pick up that ripper...and I commented on this about a year ago lol
I love the out of phase sound... Add a overdrive unit and let it growl
We need proper Ripper, RD and Victory (bass AND guitar) reissues, both Epiphones and Gibsons
so, i noticed you had the option to use a thru-body stringing. why didn't you use that? i thought it was a better way to string? and out of phase sounds like more like the bridge pick up why is it so different? why isn't it good? im too young to know why they put it on there and such
Well, as somebody who started playing on an old Ripper, I have a pretty good guess as to why he doesn't. Two, actually.
First, it honestly didn't make a noticeable difference on mine. It may on others, but I played around a lot and got nothing out of it.
Second, and this is the big one: if you want to string these thu-body, you need longer than standard strings. I would have to get the Boomer extra-long-scale strings when I was stringing mine like that, and at the time it meant that if the one store in town that carried them was out, I got nothing. Any strings that are standardized to string a regular 34" scale bass will have nearly an inch of silk needing to be trimmed messily off at the nut, not to mention that due to the way some companies do their winds you can have the strings already dropping winds and tapering off at the nut and first fret this way.
khl2k - Add to the fact that Rippers are 34 & 1/2" scale...
It's not that out of phase isn't "good" as much as it has little or no bottom end. I suggest you compare it to the Position 2 sound... I think there's a big difference.
***** Ah yeah, I only played flats on a couple of basses, hadn't thought about what that angle might do to them. I do miss that old bass some days. I don't miss having to hope that the local music store had bothered to restock the extra-long rounds each time it was due for a restring though.
I think I need a Ripper now.
How would you say The Ripper compares to a Rickenbacker 4003?
Justin Curtner have both.The ripper is versatile in many settings.
Wow, these are fantastic basses, I sooo want one now...
And this was the first time I liked a fretless sound with flatwounds - they usually kill that "mwah" I love so much but not here! But that's probably your fantastic playing, Ed ;-)
sounds like the oceans 11 bass tone
Man, you weren't kidding about that "out of phase" tone - I really wonder what was going through the head of the person(s) who made that particular design choice. I doubt you'd even be able to hear the instrument in a heavy mix with that tone. The solo neck setting is loads better - I think it's my favorite setting.
Yeah, it was strangely common back in the 70s. BC Rich, among others used to include a phase switch... I think it's possibly useful for a soloing effect, but to dedicate 1?4 of your switching capabilities to that seems like a bad choice. The neck pickup rocks solo!
Bass Whisperer TV
When I bought my 1964 Precision Bass in 1979, there was an "out a phase"-switch on it. I got it out of the bass asap. Imagine, P-Bass out of phase + Rotosound Superwounds.... Klick klack klock....
anyone have correct schemtic for Neck pickup mod?
+dzem detox That would be amazing I also need that
Love those basses. I wondered WHY you didn't play the neck pick up on the fretless model. Duhh they didn't wire it that way! HOW dumb!
The Fretted Ripper sounded way better on all settings, the neck was phenomenal!
Love your groovy playing!
Pause at 4:57.
Sounds great, but that bass is heavy as hell. :(
Vu Le There are kid sized guitars if you worry too much about weight and not so much about tone ;)
A Gibson ripper was "heavy as hell"...?? You are a major wuss.....try on an RD .....
@@harryprater9014 Or a Manson Merlin bass
Mine is alter and super light
Man! Even Jaco would say, "that's too fretlessy!"
Not a 73.. sorry