My restoration thread: '77 Gibson RD Artist

mg.audio · #1 10-17-2010, 04:28 AM

I just acquired this vintage Gibson bass via Craigslist, for a very low price compared to ebay and other Craigslist ads. Aside from the obnoxious mirror pickguard, there is a Badass bridge in place of the original Gibson bridge, and the internal wiring had been modified to create a passive mode by bypassing the circuit board all together, leaving nothing but a 3-way selector and volume knobs between the pickups and output jack. (The switches for this mod are located in between the control knobs.)

I'm a guy who likes his vintage basses with stock equipment, so I am going to get this bass back into original configuration.
1. Re-install a Gibson 3-stud bridge
2. Repair the holes left by Badass bridge and electronics mod
3. Restore internal wiring to original schematic

I'm also a guy who would much rather do all of this with my own two hands, but since I don't have the necessary tools and resources for woodworking, there will be some professional work involved.

By request from the Gibson club, I am photo-documenting the progress of the restoration. I figure this is an appropriate place to do so (If I am wrong please let me know).

mg.audio · #2 10-17-2010, 04:41 AM

Get on with it!

Disassembly:

Note the crude dowels in place of the bridge studs, and the holes left by the Badass bridge and the extra switches. This is what I will be bringing it to the repair man for.

When it comes back from the shop, those extra holes will be gone, studs for the Gibson bridge will be in place, and the finish will be nice and smooth.

mg.audio · #3 10-17-2010, 04:52 AM

Also got a new pickguard! This is actually an original pickguard leftover from the old Gibson factory in Kalamazoo! It still had the protective plastic on it. I could tell that it is original because the plastic was old and brittle, and the 30-year-old adhesive left a slight haze of residue on the pickguard.

She's looking better already!

Nomad98 · #4 10-18-2010, 06:55 AM

Awesome project! Good luck...

Warhawk · #5 10-18-2010, 07:42 PM

Holy moley, look at that circuit board and wiring harness!

I'm looking forward to seeing this one as it progresses.

Super cool bass!

~Warhawk~

mg.audio · #6 10-19-2010, 02:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Warhawk

Holy moley, look at that circuit board and wiring harness!

some gut shots for Warhawk...

AltGrendel · #7 10-19-2010, 11:59 AM

Purty bass ya gots thar.

I always like the design of the RD.

Insouciance · #8 10-19-2010, 02:30 PM

Go Matt. Go.

Meddle · #9 10-19-2010, 02:38 PM

Congrats on getting the NOS pickguard! A rare find no doubt. Also good luck with the electronics! You would think they would have tried for taking up less space with the electronics, thats a lot of wood missing!

AltGrendel · #10 10-19-2010, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meddle

Congrats on getting the NOS pickguard! A rare find no doubt. Also good luck with the electronics! You would think they would have tried for taking up less space with the electronics, thats a lot of wood missing!

That's actually pretty compact for '77.

@mg.audio

Are you going to refin that beast?

mg.audio · #11 10-20-2010, 02:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meddle

Congrats on getting the NOS pickguard! A rare find no doubt. Also good luck with the electronics! You would think they would have tried for taking up less space with the electronics, thats a lot of wood missing!

AltGrendel is right, that's primo sh*t there, and even with all that wood gone (there is less wood removed under the circuit board than you might think) these basses are still heavyweights. I don't have a scale so I don't know how much my basses weigh, I'm thinking something like 12 pounds or so... perhaps I should buy a bathroom scale, those are pretty cheap, yes?

*Also, take a look inside most early-to-mid 90's boss pedals and you'll see circuit boards that are very similar.

Quote:

Originally Posted by AltGrendel

Are you going to refin that beast?

Hell no! Well, there is going to be some unavoidable refinishing around the bridge and control area due to the woodwork it needs, but a complete refin is out of the question. I like my vintage instruments to show their age so the playwear stays, and this one has very good playwear (and so does my other RD Artist!

).

Warhawk · #12 10-20-2010, 08:12 PM

I've subscribed to this one!

Thanks for the added photos of the electronics. Those are beautiful on their own!

Glad you're not going to refinish it more than you have to. It looks wonderful as it is (especially with the correct pickguard).

~Warhawk~

AltGrendel · #13 10-21-2010, 06:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mg.audio

Hell no! Well, there is going to be some unavoidable refinishing around the bridge and control area due to the woodwork it needs, but a complete refin is out of the question. I like my vintage instruments to show their age so the playwear stays, and this one has very good playwear (and so does my other RD Artist!

).

Glad to hear it. Enjoy.

isuck@bass · #14 01-17-2011, 09:00 PM

I actually just got a new pick guard from the same site!!! Found mine online also for a great price. Never letting go of this RD Artist bass

mg.audio · #15 07-27-2011, 03:23 PM

So.... totally forgot about this thread. Ha.

Well I got her all back together with electronics mods removed, period-correct gibson bridge, NOS pickguard. Plays like a dream.

Here's a photo with her blonde sister:

Benton · #16 07-27-2011, 03:42 PM

AltGrendel · #17 07-27-2011, 04:10 PM

How did the electronics check out?

mg.audio · #18 07-28-2011, 12:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AltGrendel

How did the electronics check out?

Well whoever did the modification did a very good job and even used appropriately colored wires throughout, which made the wiring job a cinch, just remove the switches and solder the wires back to their original locations. Took me 5 or 10 minutes at the most. I did have to cut off one of the connectors for the pickups to the circuit board and solder the pickup directly to the connector on the board, but it works as it should and I'm not too concerned about it being perfect right now. I will probably at some point try and find a connector that will work, or maybe even replace the connectors all together sometime in the future, but for now she's the perfect gig bass.