[Redbird]

Jules was kind enough to bestow me his Ripper project bass-The wheels in my head are turning


I had several Ideas-

G-3 Ripper as someone had done - very cool

Mahogany Rd with RD Standard or RD Artist or modern electronic guts Ripper neck

Blues Hawk Bass





I might also add I have a Kahler that would probably be used on any of the above

[jules]

I like the idea of the RD, but I think that the G3 would be good too - if only because it uses the same body. A set-neck G3 would be interesting to hear. I once bought a G3 with an extra humbucker at the neck. Thats the good thing about trashed basses - no limits!

I was actually planning on putting two EB humbuckers in this, but I'm waiting on two three point bridges for other projects, so completion of this was just too far off

[Dave W]

I vote for the Blues Hawk. Would you use the existing body carcass as a base for it, or make a new body for the neck?

[Redbird]

I would make the body from scratch.

I have a friend who looks identical to the villian from the movie "No Country for Old Men" , who has a BluesHawk, so I could get him to get me a tracing.

http://www.gibson.com/products/gibson/H ... sHawk.html

Body
Maple top/Poplar back
Neck/Profile
Mahogany/Narrow with slight V shape
Fingerboard/Inlay
Rosewood/Diamond
Scale/Nut Width
251/2"/15/8"
Binding
Single-ply top
Bridge/Tailpiece
Low-profile string-through-body system
Hardware
Gold
Pickups
Two Blues 90 with hum canceling dummy coil
Controls
Master volume, master tone with push/pull pot to disable varitone, three-way switch, six-way Varitone

[Redbird]

Interesting that the BluesHawk has a poplar body?

I was thinking I would make mine Mahogany, using the Single coil G-3 pups on Ebay

[anyfour]

In mhy opinion, if the body is stable, work with it. No sense taking another ripper out of the world if you dont have to.

[Redbird]

Originally Posted by anyfour

In mhy opinion, if the body is stable, work with it. No sense taking another ripper out of the world if you dont have to.

Certainly that would be the easiest and least expensive, maybe try the new Hipshot Bridge too.

I like the G-3 Ripper that someone did here with the cherry finish.

[Redbird]

The problem with rehabbing a Ripper/G-3/ Grabber is you can't put too much into it, because they don't fetch more than $1200 in great condition.

The G-3 Looks to be the best or a Ripper with better pups.

The Blues hawk would be a really cool bass, but am not sure about-
How well it would sound with poplar body
How well it would balance with poplar semi hollow body

If any one has seen a blueshawk in person, it's a beautiful guitar in Chicago Blues blue.

That project would be the most interesting, but I think the G-3 is more practical & easy.

Has anyone tried a G-3 wired differently?

Has anyone ever tried active electronics in a Ripper or G-3?

[Chris P]

Dual Darkstar?

[Redbird]

While I do like Dark stars, I am just not able to personally mix brands. To me its like sticking P bass pickups on a Gibson.

My personal opinion is that Gibson has done so many pickups that certainly there must be something to use to keep it in the family.

Also Dark Stars are quite pricey and I know I would never get my money back if down the road I decided to flip it.

The only way to make it cost effective, to me, is to keep it true to the Ripper/Grabber/G-3 line, or build something very custom that would be really intriguing to myself and other Gibson fans that does not exist.

I love project basses for that reason alone!