'75 GIBSON GRABBER G-3, Natural, 3 Pick-up, first year of introduction, EX
code BA991
Gibson Grabber G3 Bass
Solid maple or alder body, maple neck. 34½
inch scale.
The Grabber 3 or G3 was launched in 1975, as an upgraded Grabber G1. The only
difference between a G1 and a G3 is the pickup configuration. The G3 features 3
single coil pickups "wired in humbucking configuration, opening up a whole new
world of sound for bass players"
Forward position activates the front and middle pickups in humbucking
configuration.
The back position activates the middle and back pickup in the same manner.
The middle position activates all three pickups for what we have coined a "buck-and-a-half".
Like G1s, G3s were available in ebony, natural maple gloss (maple body), natural
satin (alder body), sunburst, walnut and wine red.
The Grabber was a real departure for Gibson in 1973. Along with its sister instrument the G-3 and 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. They take pride of place in the 1975 catalogue. As well as a new body shape and flying V headstock shape, the Grabber was Gibsons first bolt-on neck bass, and had an inovative 'sliding pickup' which allowed manual positioning (see images below - click to enlarge); you literally 'grab' the pickup, hence the name. The bolt on maple neck was more Fenders way of building guitars, and as such the Grabber has a brighter more Fender-like tone than most Gibson basses.
It was, of course, built to be a cheap bass, because it had to compete commercially not only with the classic Fender models, but also many imported instruments. The Grabber used cheaper parts, the least parts and cheapest construction methods possible. The sliding pickup gave the sounds of a bridge or neck position, with just one pickup, 2 pots and no switches, all mounted on the scratchplate. The Fender-like bridge was far simpler than the usual Gibson post-mounted versions, and the front-routed body with bolt-on neck is still the simplest, and quickest way to manufacture and assemble a guitar.
The most famous Grabber users were probably Gene Simmons from the band Kiss, Suzi Quatro (Suzi tells us what she thinks of the Grabber in our Suzi Quatro mini interview) and Louis Johnson of the Brothers Johnson.
http://www.dosch-uk.com/basspage.htm
GIBSON Sep 1979
