1975 Gibson Grabber bass

• Solid three-piece alder body • one-piece maple neck • 34 1/2 inch scale • Wine Red finish

The model shown here is a 1975 Gibson Grabber in Wine Red finish. In early 1975 the only other finish option was Natural Satin (though later that year Ebony). Over the entire course of production Maple Gloss, Walnut, White, and in the early eighties Candy Apple Red were all used. Wine Red is often cited as a rare colour, but in fact it was the most common after Natural Satin; according to published shipping data, a total of 1276 examples were shipped, equating to almost 1 in 5 Grabbers. White and Walnut are the really rare Grabber finishes. (see Gibson Grabber shipping totals).

The Grabber was a real departure for Gibson in 1973. Along with its cousin the Ripper, it brought some new ideas to the Gibson stable, and in the second half of the 1970s these models became Gibsons best selling basses. This model first appeared in the 1975 Gibson bass catalog.

1975 Gibson bass guitar catalog

The Gibson Grabber had the same body shape (and the same scratchplate shape), as the Gibson Ripper, and both were 34 1/2" scale, made of alder/maple, with a maple neck - they were certainly cut from the same cloth, but there were also a lot of differences, that meant the Grabber could be sold for significantly less than the Ripper: they had different constructions (the Ripper was set neck, the Grabber was bolt-on); pickups (one single-coil sliding Grabber pickup, versus two fixed Ripper humbuckers); and controls (the Grabber's single volume and tone, versus the Ripper's "Q-system").

Hardware consist of: the Grabber sliding pickup, Schaller BM tuners, Grabber/G3 metal-plate bridge (part no. 81554), with cover, speed knobs and 'The Grabber' engraved truss-rod cover. Like the Ripper, the Grabber has a string-through body, requiring extra-long strings. This allows more sustain, but string tension is also greater. Unlike the Ripper, the Grabber bridge can not be optionally top-loaded; strings have to pass through the guitar body.

In January 1975, this bass was listed at $369 - or $319 in Natural Satin; compared to $449 for a Ripper, and $679 for a Les Paul Triumph.

The Grabber was a totally new bass for Gibson; it was the essence of simplicity, both it terms of construction and hardware, sharing few components with other basses. It had it's own Grabber sliding pickup, and a simple Fender-style plate bridge.

The Gibson Grabber was the first bolt-on neck bass produced by Gibson - clearly influenced by the successes of Fender, and with an eye to produce a bass with Gibson quality but at the most competitive price possible. Though not produced from especially attractive wood, his bass has a translucent Wine Red finish, clearly showing the grain patterns of the three separate body pieces. The black metal plate at the bottom of the guitar body is a string plate, through which the guitar can be strung - although it can also be strung from the bridge.

The Gibson Grabber sliding pickup was not used in another bass until the Explorer of the early 1980s. A single coil pickup. Designed for a Dark tonality. For details of how this pickup is mounted see Grabber bass electrics.

Output jack and controls. The pickguard mounted controls of the Grabber are very simple; just a volume and tone, topped with black speed knobs numbered 0-10.

The Grabber and G-3 bridge, with nickel-plated cover. The bridge cover used here (only used on basses that used this bridge, Grabber and G3) was smaller than the covers that were fitted to EB3, Ripper and Thunderbird basses of the time.

The Grabber bass was fitted with a simple Fender-style Grabber bridge; far cheaper than the three-point bridge of other Gibson basses at the time. This bridge is not a tailpiece - the bass must be strung with extra-long scale strings from the reverse side of the body.

The Grabber was Gibson's first bolt-on neck bass, the neck attached with four screws.

The neckplate is adorned with the 70s style Gibson logo, and MADE IN U.S.A.

Grabber headstock detail, showing tuning keys, nut and truss rod cover. Silk-screened Gibson logo in black. Like the rest of the neck, the headstock is unpainted; just clearcoat. Some later Grabbers did have black headstocks with a gold Gibson logo. Note the three-screw truss rod cover with model designation.

Headstock reverse, with serial number and Gibson engraved Schaller BM machine heads. No volute. Note the headstock construction: traditionally the Gibson neck and headstock are the same piece of wood - or in a multi-part neck, the parts are split along the length of the neck. This Grabber has a scarf joint - the neck and headstock are separate pieces glued just below the headstock, and can be seen here - although slightly concealed by glare in this image.

This bass would have been one of the last shipped using the old 6 digit serial number serial numbering system employed on Gibson instruments since 1961. Later in 1975 the first of two new eight digit numbering systems was introduced: initially with decal numbers (see this 1977 Grabber), and finally with stamped numbers. Find out more about Gibson bass serial numbers here.

Gibson Grabber bass for sale

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