Gibson Grabber 3 '70s Tribute Electric Bass
Following a tradition of great bass guitars that included the popular EB series, as played by Jack Bruce and others, Gibson thoroughly redesigned its take on the low end in the 1970s to address the increased power, punch and fidelity required by the rock, funk and pop music of the day. The result was the Grabber, an electric bass with superb playability and unprecedented cutting power.

The new Grabber 3 ’70s Tribute Bass from Gibson USA recaptures the best qualities of the original version, produced from 1973 to 1975, but increases the overall quality and versatility with a glued-in neck for improved resonance and sustain, and three newly designed Gibson single-coil bass pickups wired for hum-canceling performance in all positions. From tonewoods, to pickups, to playing feel, the Grabber 3 ’70s Tribute Bass is engineered to make the most of your low-end requirements and remains as relevant today as it was when first released nearly 40 years ago. What’s more, the Grabber 3 ’70s Tribute Bass looks great in either grain-textured Satin Ebony Black or Satin Honey Burst finish, both in hand-sprayed nitrocellulose lacquer.

The foundation of the Grabber 3 ’70s Tribute Bass’s eviscerating punch is found in a departure from traditional Gibson tonewoods. The thin body is crafted from solid maple (Grade A beneath the burst finish, Grade C beneath the opaque) and carved in a double-cutaway shape with contoured edges reminiscent of the classic SG but also totally original as well. A glued-in Grade-A maple neck with a satin natural finished back is carved in a slim, fast profile that measures .820” at the 1st fret and .920” at the 12th. It is topped with a baked maple fingerboard that offers a rich brown appearance, enhanced tonal clarity, and excellent durability with easy playing access right up to the 20th fret thanks to the deep body cutaways.

The headstock follows the “arrowhead” shape of the original Grabber, reminiscent of Gibson’s earlier Flying V guitar, and features four chunky Grover™ tuners with Shamrock keys. A PLEK-cut Corian™ nut, as well as Plek dressed frets insures maximum playability. Finally, optimum sustain and precise intonation are ensured by Gibson’s meaty three-point adjustable bass bridge, a sturdy design that provides an ultra-solid anchor at the body end.

With a solid tonal foundation assured, the Grabber 3 ’70s Tribute Bass rams it all home through three pickups of an entirely new design from Gibson USA. The G3 Bass pickups are single-coil units made with genuine Alnico V magnets for optimum clarity and cutting power, and impressive fidelity throughout the instrument’s frequency range. A clever wiring scheme through the simple array of a three-way switch and master volume and tone controls assures that these units—with a reverse-wound, reverse-polarity middle pickup—offer hum-canceling performance in all positions. The “switch up” position gives you the neck and middle pickups for a rich, woody tone. The middle position taps all three pickups for a round, funky tone. And with the switch down, the bridge and middle pickups offer a punchy, snappy sound.

All together, this simple yet clever array gives the Grabber 3 ’70s Tribute Bass unexpected versatility and makes it the perfect choice for any style of contemporary music. Each bass comes protected in a plush-lined bag with black exterior and includes owner’s manual and adjustment literature.