1975 Gibson L9-S Ripper
Gibson’s bass models in the 1960s were mainly adapted
versions of their guitars: the EB, EB-0, EB-3 and EB-4 had the same body as an
SG; the EB-2 had the same body as an ES-335; the Thunderbird had the same body
as the Firebird; and the Melody Maker had the same body as, well, the Melody
Maker. The electronics were radically different from the guitars, though. Large
humbuckers in the necks and mini-humbuckers in the bridges were hooked up to
unconventional switching systems and “baritone” switches that were of dubious
usefulness. Most of these models had 30” scales, which offered a difference to
Fender basses that often benefitted players with small hands.
Gibson had never presented serious competition to Fender
in the bass market, so in the early 1970s they introduced a new range of models
in the hope of impressing players. Bill Lawrence was commissioned to create the
new bass lineup along with a series of complementary guitars. The L9-S was the
top of the new range when introduced in 1973, and a year later it was given the
suitable new name, the “Ripper”. Like the contemporary Grabber and G3 basses,
the Ripper was a radical departure from previous Gibson models. The 34.5” scale
and chunky neck profile completely changed the feel of the instrument, and the
mahogany of the older models was abandoned in favor of brighter (and heavier)
maple. The body shape was a new double-cutaway design without any parallel in
Gibson’s guitar line.
The electronics, though, were the most noticeable
difference from earlier Gibson basses. The Ripper featured two Lawrence-designed
humbuckers mounted to the body. Under their black plastic covers lay two coils
on their sides, with bar magnets on the outside edges and a steel plate holding
everything together through the center of each bobbin. The resulting units have
a wide and balanced frequency range, so with the help of the Ripper’s
unconventional switching arrangement they can provide a huge range of tones.
Instead of a conventional 3-way toggle switch, the Ripper employed a 4-way
rotary switch – but this is not the same as the EB-3’s similar-looking switch.
The positions are 1) both pickups in series and in phase, 2) the bridge pickup
only, 3) both pickups in parallel and in phase, and 4) both pickups in series
and out of phase. In addition to these choices plus the usual volume and tone
controls, the Ripper also contained a choke that allowed control of the
mid-range frequencies. Unlike previous Gibson basses with chokes, the Ripper had
a separate knob that allowed it to be dialed in with precision.
Gibson tried hard to sell the Ripper, even producing a
record that demonstrated the range of sounds available to players. While it
never stole the market from Fender, the bass was successful enough to remain in
production for a decade. It was available in fretted and fretless versions and
in three finishes: natural, ebony and tobacco sunburst. Unusually, the fretboard
wood varied by finish; natural Rippers had maple boards, while ebony and
sunburst had ebony boards to complement the body and headstock shades. A few
changes were introduced between 1976 and 1976, but they were mostly subtle: the
pickups were attached to the pickguard instead of the body, the routing was
altered accordingly, and the body shape was altered slightly.
While the Ripper was viewed as a
sturdy utility instrument, it never really achieved “classic” status despite
being seen in the hands of prominent musicians such as Suzi Quatro and Rick
Danko. I must admit that I purchased this one in part because it’s nearly
identical to the Ripper played by Danko with The Band in 1976 (most notably at
The Last Waltz). Sunburst Rippers
are relatively hard to find, as there were only 126 fretted ones built (as
opposed to 6590 in natural and 2403 in ebony). This one shows some pitting to
the chrome on the bridge and cover, but otherwise it’s in remarkably clean and
original condition. A slight crack in the body has been repaired, but it’s
mostly covered by the pickguard. This is one of the few Rippers with an alder
body, from a run made in 1975. Almost all Rippers have maple bodies.
See
this page for
some additional, excellent information on the Ripper.