Pete Posted August 4, 2005 Report Share Posted August 4, 2005 Hi. A couple of questions about the Marauder: The neck. Although it's a bolt on, was this set at an angle like a Les Paul? I've seen an SG and a Flying V where the neck didn't have the angle. Both guitars were virtually unplayable. Pickups. Can anybody tell me what type they were? I've heard that they were designed by Bill Lawrence. Made by BL? Gibson? I always assumed the single coil was some kind of P-90. How well do they balance, volume-wise? Does the humbucker overpower the single coil? I'd be very grateful for any info you guys might have. Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovekraft Posted August 4, 2005 Report Share Posted August 4, 2005 It had two colorful epoxy potted Lawrence pickups, a Super Humbucker at the neck and a blade single-coil at the bridge... These pickups ... featured clear epoxy and colored wire insulation...you don’t get the traditional front/combined/back arrangement. Instead, you’re kind of shifting the tonal focus from front to back, or vice versa, on a continuous line. These pickups are extraordinarily quiet, by the way, and the sounds you get are, again, closer to Fender than Gibson, although they are, indeed, quite distinctive. The Marauder was one of the infamous trio of brilliant but ill-fated Bill Lawrence designs that Gibson marketed so poorly back in the 70s. More details here: http://www.vintageguitar.com/brands/details.asp?ID=52 HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southpa Posted August 4, 2005 Report Share Posted August 4, 2005 (edited) I almost bought a Gibson Grabber bass about 10 years ago, 70's vintage. It was something along the lines of the Marauder, arrowhead headstock etc. He wanted $600 Cdn. At the time I didn't have the money but I guess I could have tried harder, . Did I make a mistake? Edited August 4, 2005 by Southpa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted August 5, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 5, 2005 LK - Thanks. The article was very useful. I remember seeing these guitars in the late 70s in London, and realizing they were an attempt by Gibson to emulate Fender, The S-1 of course, being essentially a Les Paul shaped Strat with its 3 single coils. The Marauder took me a little longer to figure out, but seemed to be a take on Fenders '72 Telecaster Custom, ie, bridge single coil - neck humbucker. A Gibson brochure I picked up at the time (still have it!) confirmed the "Fenderness" with details of the woods used in construction - Alder body, Maple neck. Unfortunately I only ever saw these guitars through a shop window, never got to handle them. So, can anybody tell me about the neck angle? SP - That same brochure shows the Grabber and her sister the Ripper. Such a shame you couldn't afford that bass! Which model was it, the Grabber, with the sliding pickup (a take on Ampeg, perhaps?), or the Grabber III, with 3 single coils? Once again, I only ever saw these through shop windows. Those basses must have weighed a ton, the bodies were huge!!! Sigh.... memory lane. Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southpa Posted August 5, 2005 Report Share Posted August 5, 2005 (edited) Not the 3 pickup version. Oh well, another opportunity down the tubes. Saw one selling for $1200 US today. Edited August 5, 2005 by Southpa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted August 5, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 5, 2005 I think it was this one. ← Are you sure that's the right link? Can't see a Grabber there. Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southpa Posted August 5, 2005 Report Share Posted August 5, 2005 Yeah, I see its one of those sites with only a homepage reference. So I changed my post (see above) about the same time you replied. Anyway, there are pics in that site with Grabber, G-3 and Ripper, didn't see a Marauder tho. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted August 5, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 5, 2005 Found it! Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted August 5, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 5, 2005 Oh, and as for the missed opportunity... I know the feeling! Saw an Ibanez Flying V bass advertised for £400 a few years ago. I was broke. Cried for days Why not build one? the sliding pickup may be a problem, but the G3 should be ok. Hmm... another idea to add to my (rapidly growing) list. Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted August 5, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 5, 2005 But back on topic..... Anybody else have any more details about the Marauder, especially neck angle? Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southpa Posted August 5, 2005 Report Share Posted August 5, 2005 http://www.muc.de/~hm/music/Guitars/gibson-marauder-968916/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted August 5, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 5, 2005 Thanks SP. From the photos it doesn't look like there's any neck angle at all, I can't really tell. What do you think? Can anybody confirm this? (The wiring schematic is VERY useful!) Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southpa Posted August 5, 2005 Report Share Posted August 5, 2005 Usually there is a 2 to 3 degree neck angle associated with tune-o-matic bridge / stop tailpiece setups. There is TONS of info on that subject in the forum archives. But as for actual Gibson Marauder specs, sorry, you'll have to keep looking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted August 5, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 5, 2005 Usually there is a 2 to 3 degree neck angle associated with tune-o-matic bridge / stop tailpiece setups. I would have thought so too, but..... I've seen an SG and a Flying V where the neck didn't have the angle. Both guitars were virtually unplayable. Both these guitars were Gibsons, and the space between the strings and the body was so high you could limbo under it. Incredibly uncomfortable. Someone on Harmony Central made a vague reference to a neck angle, saying it felt strange after playing a Strat, but it was VERY vague and I can't seem to find it again for a quote. Somebody here MUST have either owned or played one! Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted August 5, 2005 Report Share Posted August 5, 2005 Somebody here MUST have either owned or played one! ← I remember laughing at them when they came out, that's all. Same with the Grabber. Ugly as hell, that. Saw one in the local pawnshop a few months back...it's even uglier in person Is it that you're looking to buy one? If so, you might have a look at another Gibson bolt on from the same era, the Sonex (this auction has a lot of photos). From these photos it looks like there's not that much space between the strings and the body. Though I'd say you're better off with a Melody Maker or an All-American. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marksound Posted August 5, 2005 Report Share Posted August 5, 2005 Handy Tip: If you buy a Sonex and decide to refinish it, do not use chemical stripper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted August 5, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 5, 2005 (edited) Ah yes! the Sonex! You've opened a can of worms with that one Idch. Actually, wasn't that what it was made from? Several cans of worms held together with frog spit? Or was that the Nighthawk? (Now that was ugly!) Handy Tip: If you buy a Sonex and decide to refinish it, do not use chemical stripper. I looked it up... Multi-Phonic body (wood core, resin outer layer) Multi-phonic??? What does that mean?? It's another one of those phrases like "scatterwound" isn't it? Wood core? What kind of wood? 2 exposed-coil Velvet Brick humbucking pickups Velvet Brick!! As for the Marauder, yes Idch, I am hoping to get hold of one at some point (maybe an S-1 too!). I could always try and build one (that's why I'm here in the first place, I want to learn how to build my own guitars), but then I'd miss out on those Bill Lawrence pickups. And the info I seek? ... I've Googled. I've Asked Jeeves. I can't find a decent side-on photo to confirm neck angle. Anybody that talks about the pickups say how great (or crap) they are, but nothing about the volume balance between them. The next step I suppose would be to try contacting some Harmony Central reviewers directly. I'll post my findings. Pete Edited August 5, 2005 by Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wolfsd Posted August 5, 2005 Report Share Posted August 5, 2005 I used to have a Maurader, it's basically a Les Paul body with a Flying V neck, I liked the knob for selecting pickups....that guitar really sounded great, the pickups balanced well, Too bad it got stolen, I'd be able to measure everything up for you..... Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted August 5, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 5, 2005 Hi Steve Thanks, that's one of my questions answered! I have all the measurements, specs and pix in my brochure but the only thing I now don't know is...... Did the neck tilt back at an angle like a Les Paul? I'm really sorry your guitar got stolen. Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j. pierce Posted August 9, 2005 Report Share Posted August 9, 2005 I was just looking at the website for Daddy's Junky Music ( a regional music store chain in the northeast US ) and they have a Gibson Marauder in stock at their Springfield location. http://daddys.com/php/usedgear_detail.php?aproductid=GIB5929 They might be able to answer your question for you - I'm assuming your in the U.K. by the flag in your posts, so a phone call is most likely out of the question, but they might be able to let you know through email. Maybe there's someone the board locally who could look or call? I know a guy who managed the Daddy's here in Vermont, if he still works there I'll see if he can get the guitar up at his store (they often shuffle the used gear between their various stores) and I can measure the angle ( or lack thereof ) for you - but no promises. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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