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Bass Gibson USA

Limited Run Series – February 2009

In 1973 the Gibson bass came out of the shadows in the form of the Grabber G1, a rock-minded four-string that grabbed the attention of bassists everywhere. Its sleek design was matched by a thick and heavy, yet well-defined tone, and thousands of players found its blend of simplicity and versatility very hard to ignore. The model has been out of the Gibson catalog since 1982, but it is back again — briefly — thanks to the new Grabber II, now available as part of Gibson USA’s new Limited Run Series guitars. The Grabber II – like all Limited Run Series models – will be produced in a strictly limited run of only 350 guitars.

A Gibson Unlike Any Other

The original Grabber clearly was a Gibson instrument, with its humbucking pickup, bell-shaped truss rod cover and arrow-shaped, Flying V-inspired headstock, but it was also one of the least traditional bass guitars to emanate from the company in its storied history. Although its contoured body edge vaguely echoed the SG, its offset horns were clearly reminiscent of other popular makes, as was its bolt-on neck. Also, once plugged in, that fat humbucker proved brighter and more cutting than many similar-looking pickups that had appeared on Gibson basses in years past.

Out of the Darkness

The 1970s are often considered something of a “dark period” for guitar design, but the decade did spawn some undeniable classics, of which the Grabber is certainly one. Its single sliding pickup was one of the main factors in its appeal, and allowed the player to fine-tune the frequency response of the instrument. It’s 34½-inch scale length made it one of the “big boys” of the bass world, yielding a low, resonant response, while its thin, comfortable, solid maple body contributed to its excellent tonal clarity and punch. Countless players of the day thrived on the Grabber’s blend of thump and rumble, while many more contemporary players have rediscovered its appeal. A Grabber has frequently been the bass of choice of Mike Dirnt of Green Day, while Krist Novoselic of Nirvana played its similarly constructed two-pickup cousin, the Ripper.

Grabber II, The Sequel

The Grabber II, which is part of Gibson USA’s new Limited Run Series guitars, pays homage to the first-issue original of 1973-’75 Grabbers in many details. The large “shamrock” button tuners and chunky, three-point adjustable bridge are back, as are the sliding pickup and simple one-volume, one-tone control setup. The Grabber II also emulates the original in its use of a thin maple body, as used on the first Grabbers until the change to alder wood in 1975. The Limited Run Series Grabber II also utilizes Gibson’s traditional glued-in set maple neck with a 20-fret rosewood fingerboard, which enhances the bass’ tonal quality and sustain. The back of the neck also sports a natural satin finish that makes it one of the fastest, most playable necks on any Gibson guitar. All in all, this “rediscovered” Gibson bass offers the heavy, rocking tones of the ’70s in an instrument crafted for 21st century playability.

The new Limited Run Series Grabber II bass from Gibson USA is limited to only 350 guitars and won’t last long, so see your nearest Authorized Gibson Dealer today. Each Grabber II is its own customized certificate of authenticity and a black Gibson hardshell case with plush white interior and silkscreened Gibson USA logo.

Features

The Gibson Logo
Angled Headstock
The pointed headstock on the new Limited Run Series Grabber II Bass from Gibson USA is identical to the headstocks on the original Grabber basses of the mid-1970s, which were patterned from Gibson’s legendary Flying V. Like every Gibson headstock, it is carved out of the same piece of mahogany as the neck. It is not a “glued-on” headstock, and the process takes craftsmanship, time, and effort. But the rewards are worth the effort. The headstock is carefully angled at 17 degrees, which increases pressure on the strings and helps them stay in the nut slots. An increase in string pressure also means there is no loss of string vibration between the nut and the tuners, which equals better sustain.
Angled Headstock
Adjustable Truss Rod
The adjustable truss rod is a Gibson innovation that revolutionized the guitar. Before this ground-breaking discovery in the early 1930s, the truss rod was used only to strengthen and stabilize the neck. By making it adjustable, the truss rod now allows a guitar to be set up using a variety of string gauges, as well as string heights. This easily accommodates any style of playing, and allows a limitless range of set-up options. And by placing it at the base of the headstock, the adjustable nut is easily accessible, even while the strings are still on the guitar.
Adjustable Truss Rod
20-Fret Rosewood Fingerboard
Rosewood has always graced the fingerboards of the world’s finest stringed instruments, including many of today’s Gibsons. The fingerboard on the new Limited Run Series Grabber II Bass from Gibson USA is constructed from the highest grade rosewood on the planet. The rosewood is personally inspected and qualified by Gibson’s team of skilled wood experts before it enters the factories. The resilience of this dense and durable wood makes these fingerboards extremely balanced and stable, and gives each note unparalleled clarity and bite.
20-Fret Rosewood Fingerboard
Nickel and Silver Alloy Fret Wire
The fret wire on the Gibson models is a combination nickel and silver alloy (approximately 80 percent nickel and 20 percent silver) specifically designed for long life and superior wear. Gibson’s traditional “medium/jumbo” fret wire is first shaped by hand, and then cut to an exact 12-inch radius. After hand pressing it into the fingerboard, a machine press finishes the job to eliminate the gap between the bottom of the fret wire and the fingerboard.
Nickel and Silver Alloy Fret Wire
Dot Inlays
The classic dot inlays are one of the most distinguishable features of many traditional Gibson models, including the ES-335 and the Explorer. A figured, swirl acrylic gives these inlays that classic “pearl” look. They are inserted into the fingerboard using a process that eliminates gaps and doesn’t require the use of fillers.
Dot Inlays
Set-Neck Construction
Like all classic Gibson guitars, the necks on the new Limited Run Series Grabber II Bass from Gibson USA are distinguished by one of the more traditional features that have always set them apart — a glued neck joint. Gluing the neck to the body of the guitar insures a “wood-to-wood” contact, no air space in the neck cavity, and maximum contact between the neck and body, allowing the neck and body to function as a single unit. The result? Better tone, better sustain, and no loose or misaligned necks.
Set-Neck Construction
Solid Maple Body with Satin Ebony Finish
The slim maple body on the new Limited Run Series Grabber II Bass from Gibson USA offers players a light, resonant instrument, with sweet tone and rich sustain, all finished in Satin Ebony. The maple goes through the same rigorous selection process as all of Gibson’s woods, and is personally inspected and qualified by Gibson’s team of skilled wood experts before it enters the factories. Inside the Gibson factories, humidity is maintained at 45 percent, and the temperature at 70 degrees. This insures all woods are dried to a level of “equilibrium,” where the moisture content does not change during the manufacturing process. This guarantees tight-fitting joints and no expansion, and controls the shrinkage and warping of the woods, in addition to reducing the weight. It also improves the woods’ machinability and finishing properties. Consistent moisture content means that all Gibson guitars will respond evenly to temperature and humidity changes long after they leave the factory.
Solid Maple Body with Satin Ebony Finish
Sliding Vintage-Style TB Humbucker
The pickup on the early Gibson basses of the 1960s remained unchanged for many years, undergoing only minor cosmetic modifications from time to time, but staying true to the originals’ sonic characteristics. The pickup in today’s Grabber II Bass — the vintage-style TB Plus humbucker — is wax-potted with ceramic magnets to authentically recreate the classic attributes of those early Gibson basses. The TB plus humbucker is a traditional hum-cancelling bass pickup with a full frequency, heavy-bottom sound, similar to pickups with a passive EQ – a quality that is further enhanced by the ability to slide the pickup from the neck position to the bridge position, which allows the fine-tuning of the instrument’s frequency response and make the Grabber II a versatile instrument with a wide range of tonal possibilities.
Sliding Vintage-Style TB Humbucker
Three-Way Adjustable Bridge
Gibson’s innovative three-way adjustable bridge is the standard for simplicity and functionality. It provides players with the ability to adjust and fine-tune the height of the Grabber II Bass’ strings in all directions—front, back, and side-to-side—which gives the bridge a “floating” feature, thus allowing the bass to be equipped with a variety of string gauges and multiple set-up options. The Grabber II’s legendary resonance, tone, and sustain is the result of anchoring the bridge directly into the body at its three adjustable points, which provides a firm seating for the strings and yields a strong union between the strings and body. Readily accessible screws make setting the intonation simple. To this day, Gibson’s three-way adjustable bridge remains an industry standard. It is the epitome of form and function in bass guitar bridge design.
Three-Way Adjustable Bridge
Nitrocellulose Finish
Applying a nitrocellulose finish to any Gibson guitar is one of the most labor-intensive elements of the guitar-making process. A properly applied nitro finish requires extensive man hours, several evenly applied coats, and an exorbitant amount of drying time. But this fact has never swayed Gibson into changing this time-tested method, employed ever since the first guitar was swathed with lacquer back in 1894. Why? For starters, a nitro finish dries to a much thinner coat than a polyurethane finish, which means there is less interference with the natural vibration of the instrument, allowing for a purer tone. A nitro finish is also a softer finish, which makes it easily repairable. You can touch up a scratch or ding on a nitro finish, but you can’t do the same on a poly finish. In addition, a nitro finish is very porous in nature, and actually gets thinner over time. It does not “seal” wood in an airtight shell—as a poly finish does—and allows the wood to breathe and age properly.
Nitrocellulose Finish