Generic depiction of the instrument model, not the specific item offered on a linked platform.

Bass Guitar

Gibson L-9S Ripper

Name: Gibson L-9S Ripper
Brand: Gibson

Gibson · L-9S Ripper

Price: 1.550 EUR – 4.550 EUR

Price history

Cheapest seen Most expensive seen

Availability: 8/10 (Common)

Gibson's aggressive-voiced solidbody bass from 1973, designed by Bill Lawrence, produced at the Kalamazoo plant through the following decade.

Where available? Go to the best price – 1.550 EUR About this instrument

About the Gibson L-9S Ripper

The L-9S Ripper was designed by Bill Lawrence, who joined Gibson in 1972 and worked on several solidbody designs of the era including the S-1 and L-6S. First shipped in small numbers in late 1973, the Ripper became widely available in 1974, which turned out to be its peak production year. Early examples used a wide, slab-style maple body with a laminated maple neck; from around 1975 onward, many Rippers switched to lighter alder bodies while keeping the maple neck, altering the balance and tonal character slightly.

The Ripper's active-passive switching and dual-humbucker layout gave it a more aggressive, cutting voice than Gibson's earlier bass designs, which built a following among heavier players over the following decade of production. It remains a cult-favorite among vintage Gibson basses rather than a mainstream reissue-driven model, valued specifically for the tonal character of its 1970s-era electronics and construction.

Where to buy

Platforms

eBay 3 Reverb 10

Price

–

Sort:

Reverb 1.550 EUR Best price View details
Reverb 1.858 EUR View details
eBay 2.527 EUR View details
eBay 2.533 EUR View details
Reverb 2.535 EUR View details
Reverb 2.700 EUR View details
Reverb 2.900 EUR View details
Reverb 2.944 EUR View details
Reverb 3.000 EUR View details
Reverb 3.178 EUR View details
Reverb 3.399 EUR View details
Reverb 3.500 EUR View details
eBay 4.550 EUR View details

Some links below are affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Source: https://reverb.com/item/97801373-gibson-l-9s-ripper-1974-natural

Sound character of the Gibson L-9S Ripper

The Ripper's dual humbuckers and (on original-spec models) active/passive switchable electronics give it more output and midrange growl than a typical single-pickup Gibson bass - humbuckers inherently reject hum but also emphasize a thicker, more compressed low-mid character than single-coil Fender-style pickups, giving the Ripper an aggressive, rock-oriented voice.

Aggressive Growly Full-bodied

Technical data for the Gibson L-9S Ripper

Designer	Bill Lawrence
Body (early)	Maple, wide slab
Body (from ~1975)	Alder
Neck	Laminated maple
Pickups	2x humbucker, active/passive switching
Production	1973-early 1980s

Price history for the Gibson L-9S Ripper

Cheapest seen: 1.550 EUR · Most expensive seen: 4.550 EUR

Cheapest seen Most expensive seen

The history of the Gibson L-9S Ripper

Designed by Bill Lawrence and first shipped in late 1973, the Gibson Ripper became widely available in 1974 and stayed in production at Gibson's Kalamazoo plant into the following decade.