AndrewJordan Posted February 24, 2016 Share Posted February 24, 2016 OK, so this is probably gonna be a very long winded tale and I hope no-one is in a hurry to hear the ending! I have two Rippers, a Gibson and a Shaftesbury copy. Both require some work so I thought that while I am about it I would take as many measurements and pictures and sound clips as possible. While the Gibson is well documented on the net (see the excellent Fly Guitars site) there is very little info around on the Shaftesbury copies. Here's a not very good pic to start things off. [url="https://www.dropbox.com/s/ej3epkwgumkhpxd/two%20rippers2.jpg?dl=0"]https://www.dropbox.com/s/ej3epkwgumkhpxd/two%20rippers2.jpg?dl=0[/url] The idea is to make a comparison and see how the copy fares against the real thing. The idea is slightly flawed since the Gibson is a 1980 model and the Shaftesbury is clearly based on a pre-1976 model. So, the physical size differences (some are obvious without measurements) may be down to that fact. So, if anyone wants to join in and contribute details about a pre-76 then please feel free. A little background first. I have had the Gibson for at least ten years. Bought off the bay from the U.S. When I got it, it had no truss rod cover and the pick guard and pickup cavities had been butchered to fit a set of un-named soapbars in it. I think it cost me around £500 - £600 all in. I couldn't afford a set of the Duncan replica pups at the time so I installed a set of DiMarzio split coil Js that I had from a previous project and made a new pickguard and trc to suit. I never liked the Ripper pickguard design so I made my own that I prefered then but now I am not so sure. The four way selector switch worked so I kept that and wired it as normal except for replacing the out of phase setting with a solo option for the neck pup. The original pots were scratchy so I re-wired it with new pots(kept the old harness for posterity) in a two volume one tone set up. It had a fret dress and set up by the excellent Nigel Stockbridge and has been my main gigging bass ever since. I have tried many other basses during that time but keep coming back to the Ripper as I just love playing on that neck and it sounds pretty damned good. Eventually (a couple of years ago) I bought a set of the Duncan replica pups but up to now have not got around to installing them. I love the sound of Rippers but my current sound works so well in the band. I bought the Shaftesbury off the bay early last year for the princely sum of £166. I fancied having a second Ripper and thought it was worth a gamble at that price. It came with the pups disconnected so I tested them with a meter and found they both had continuity. So, I wired them up and had a go. The pickup selector is bad and only works intermitently on all settings but what I have managed to hear sounds good. So, it got hung on the wall and has stayed there ever since. First impressions are that it is a very well made copy and has the potential to be a good bass. Physically it is very close to the Gibson. The neck is slightly thicker but has a very similar feel and the body is slightly thicker. Again this could be down to it being a copy of the pre-76 as I am pretty sure those bodies were a bit more slabby, not sure about the necks though. The wiring and controls are a perfect copy and the pickups are visually exactly the same as the Duncans internally and externally. Recently a Kimbara Ripper copy sold on the bay for £225ish and looking at the pics I would say these have come out of the same factory with a different brand on them. I did consider holding back with this write up in the hope that I could grab a couple more before the prices go up too much because I am sure they will. Anyway the plan is to get it sorted out into a good bass and while I am at it try the Duncan pups in it for a comparison and see if I want to install them in the Gibson. I am fairly busy at the moment so it could be weeks or months between updates but if anyone is interested and has any questions or any specific measurements or pics they would like then feel free to ask. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cocco Posted February 24, 2016 Share Posted February 24, 2016 This strikes me as apples and oranges. I don't see many similarities apart from the silhouette. Still sounds like an interesting experiment. As a former grabber owner I have always been curious about the ripper. Never played one though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewJordan Posted February 24, 2016 Author Share Posted February 24, 2016 Well, until I put a correct pickguard and pickups in the Gibson the silhouette probably is the main similarity. As they stand there, the Shaftesbury looks more like a Gibson Ripper than the Gibson does. I also owned a Grabber once and the Ripper is a completely different bass apart from the body shape. Bolt on as opposed to set neck. Shorter scale length. Different profile neck. Different headstock. Different pickup and controls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted February 25, 2016 Share Posted February 25, 2016 You're correct that the Kimbara-branded Ripper copy was from the same factory as the Shaftesbury - both basses were Matsumoku builds. Shaftesbury & Kimbara were UK importer brands - the top-end ranges of Rose-Morris and FCN Music respectively. Matsumoku Ripper clones would have appeared under various different brands, perhaps most prominently Aria Pro II - the LB650 in this catalogue is essentially the same bass with some cosmetic differences: [url="http://www.matsumoku.org/models/ariaproii/catalogs/77_lclsst/77_lc-ls-st_pg7.jpg.html"]http://www.matsumoku...st_pg7.jpg.html[/url] Jon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewJordan Posted February 25, 2016 Author Share Posted February 25, 2016 Nice find! Interesting that they have the string through body option where the Shaftesbury does not. I don't know what kind of wood Linden is but the body of mine looks like Ash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evilLordJuju Posted February 25, 2016 Share Posted February 25, 2016 Interesting... does the Shaftesbury varitone do the same thing as the Gibson (ie not just a pickup selector) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewJordan Posted February 26, 2016 Author Share Posted February 26, 2016 Yes it does! They have replicated the mid control with the choke also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted February 26, 2016 Share Posted February 26, 2016 [quote name='AndrewJordan' timestamp='1456382605' post='2988402'] Nice find! Interesting that they have the string through body option where the Shaftesbury does not. I don't know what kind of wood Linden is but the body of mine looks like Ash. [/quote] Linden is basswood/lime Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewJordan Posted February 26, 2016 Author Share Posted February 26, 2016 Thanks Luke! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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