[bassdroid]

I thought that it might be a good idea to start a thread that documents fretted '73-'74 cherry sunburst Ripper basses. Since there are no shipping totals for these, no one seems to be sure how many there are. They come up infrequently on sites like Ebay and usually sell for a premium. By collecting photos and serial numbers here, maybe we could get a rough estimate of how many of them there might be.

I'll start with the two that I've owned:

A criminal refin. Serial# 186372 The message in the control cavity is most appropriate!

[bassdroid]

current project: Serial# 102562

[bolmsted]

Serial Number 186324. Alder body.

[BassBubba]

Hello,
I'm new here and this is my first post. I usually just lurk but now I have something to post about. I believe it to be a 73-74 cherry burst Ripper. Serial # 185506. Pots are 1377340. I don't know the difference between maple and alder but my guess is alder. I have many pics but I'll just try to post a couple. Tell me what ya think.

[jules]

Originally Posted by BassBubba

Hello,
I believe it to be a 73-74 cherry burst Ripper. Serial # 185506. Pots are 1377340.

Hi bassbubba sound exactly what we are talking about. Most likely maple (the early ones usually were). Alder dents quite easily and is lighter.

Upload some images, or email them to info@vintageguitars.org.uk and i'll upload them for you.

welcome to the forum!

[bassdroid]

I'm interested to see if it is alder. That would make it the first alder-body cherryburst I've seen...not that it means anything!

FWIW, the serial puts it fairly near my tobaccoburst Ripper, which is definately alder.

[jules]

Here it is, very nice too. Thanks Tim

[bassdroid]

NIce!!! Lots of red on this one. Dig the red tort pick guard too, very cool!

[ezra1]

I got a used natural Ripper around 1975 and used it for several years.Never visually appealed to me as at that time I thought the body too "fat".....however now,I resemble the Ripper and think these cherry burst finishes very cool.I never saw those years ago.Only natural ,a brown burst and maybe black.(but that could have been a Grabber)

[swood]

That is, without a doubt, the coolest looking Ripper I have ever seen!!!