Gibson RD artist 1979 with Moog electrics.

[Dandelion]

<p>How much is the going rate for one of these?

It has the usual snapped neck repair.

It is not mine. But might be if the price is right


[URL=http://s1314.photobucket.com/user/lycanthropy1/media/IMG-20170407-WA00022_zps3nrs0rhw.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1314.photobucket.com/albums/t580/lycanthropy1/IMG-20170407-WA00022_zps3nrs0rhw.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Edited April 8, 2017 by Dandelion

[Shockwave]

Depending on condition, between 1400 - 1600. The Sunburst one is rarer then the natural one. The Sunburst one with binding one is rare as hens teeth.

I sold my natural one with recent refret and not the greatest wood matching for around £1600 a few years ago.

Edited April 8, 2017 by Shockwave

[mark76]

What do you mean the "usual snapped neck repair"?

Why did people keep snapping their necks?

[Dandelion]

Gibsons have more than their share of broken headstocks. Mainly due to hitting the floor.

[markstuk]

Big headstock angle = snapped off when it falls over . Standard Les Paul repair..

[Shaggy]

Pretty unusual for a neck break on these as body & neck are tough as old boots - 3 ply maple neck with a big volute - it's the mahogany necked Gibson basses without volutes that were fragile, T'birds in particular. Problems are more usual with the highly complex Moog circuitry, which was often simply swapped out

Andy Baxter listing a couple around the £2K mark, so I'd agree with above - £1.5K max

I've got a Fireburst one (same as this) and the bound CMT model - fabulous basses if you can live with the weight

[spectoremg]

What's the Moog circuitry all about - this is new to me?

[ZilchWoolham]

I can't remember exactly what the circuitry actually did, but it came about because Moog and Gibson were both owned by Norlin at the time. Norlin also made the Lab amplifiers around that time, and I believe they had some Moog components as well.

[Cato]

[quote name='spectoremg' timestamp='1491680824' post='3274800']
What's the Moog circuitry all about - this is new to me?
[/quote]

I think it was a souped up tone sculpting circuit, like a graphic equaliser on steroids.

A lot of people took the circuit out although I can't remember whether it's because they were unpopular in themselves or whether it was a reliability issue.

I seem to remember that Krist Novaselic played an original RD Artist on Nevermind.

Edited April 8, 2017 by Cato

[Shaggy]

[quote name='spectoremg' timestamp='1491680824' post='3274800']
What's the Moog circuitry all about - this is new to me?
[/quote]

See: http://www.flyguitars.com/gibson/bass/RDartist.php

[jezzaboy]

Here is a nice video about a similar bass.

[url="https://youtu.be/LqbtUSsp4lE"]https://youtu.be/LqbtUSsp4lE[/url]

Edited April 9, 2017 by jezzaboy

[Bassmonkey]

Its the weight that's a killer with these. Like having a grand piano around your neck. Aside from that - great basses

[Twincam]

Cool bass.
I think the bassist from flock of seagulls played one of these.

[neepheid]

RD Artist circuit is a 2 band EQ (treble/bass), then the Moog stuff. A compressor (which only acts upon the neck pickup) which does as you would expect - smooths out the attack and stretches out the note. On mine it also results in a noticeable increase in output volume. An expander (which only acts upon the bridge pickup) does pretty much the opposite - emphasises the attack of the note and ends it more abruptly. Supposed to be good for pick playing. Also a "bright" mode which seems to boost the upper mids and does make it sound significantly different.

Pre 1979 models have a three way switch which means that you can only use compression/expansion OR bright mode. Post 1979, they used two mini toggles which means you can use both at the same time (although expansion + bright is pretty extreme).

All this RD talk is making me want to take mine to band rehearsal tonight

[neepheid]

Well, that was a lot of fun

[neepheid]

Broken headstocks are the fault of the user or clumsy person who last touched the instrument, not the manufacturer. If it stays off the floor, it's fine. It's designed to give optimal break angle over the nut without using string trees, not withstand impact with the ground, and I for one have no issue with that.

[Shaggy]

[quote name='neepheid' timestamp='1492109596' post='3278085']
Broken headstocks are the fault of the user or clumsy person who last touched the instrument, not the manufacturer. If it stays off the floor, it's fine. It's designed to give optimal break angle over the nut without using string trees, not withstand impact with the ground, and I for one have no issue with that.
[/quote]

Apparently the reason that Alembic put "points" on the bodies of their basses, so owners would have to use stands rather than leaning the bass against an amp etc, with ensuing risk of bass toppling over

I do get annoyed by adverts for Gibson guitars and basses including "the usual headstock / neck break repair" as if it really was usual - of the stupidly many basses I've owned (currently including 8 vintage Gibsons: 5 basses and 3 guitars) the only one ever to have a headstock crack was a Fender