Krist Novoselic Gibson RD Review

[Jaymi]

Makes me glad I have a REAL one.....look in the classifieds you will see it....great bass, not using it...

 

[mr.mow]

Bummer.. shipping dates have been revised to may/june..

 

[NOT]

One just popped up on eBay.

 

[embellisher]

Mine looks the same. Though the black is not a real black but a very very dark brownish red. Serial No. 72268157. I also have a '78 RD Artist guitar which can be a very bright sounding guitar (almost like single coils), good for funky stuff. The compressor could be used almost like sustainer device. Since Gibson had John Entwistle as endorser for the Artist in mind it is possible they tried to replicate his Alembic sound. Bass and treble, as well as attack (with the Limiter) can be used to the extreme on these. I wonder why nobody liked the electronics.

I don't know. I love the Moog electronics. One of these days, when my ship comes in, I will have a blonde/maple Artist.

anybody who rips the guts out an artist has got to be a mad man!

Agreed. But I have seen a few that have been bastardized. Obviously there are some madmen out there.

 

[FrankenIbanez70]

I would kill for an RD with thunderbird pups in fireglo.

 

[Waterpilot]

Still thinking about getting one but I'm hoping someone will get one in so I can play one first though.

 

[mr.mow]

Huzaaah!!
Just scored a level 2 used one off Musicians Friend (we're not getting them any time soon in Australia).

Ive been wanting one of these since they were announced!

 

[Thorsoundcore]

Me too, listen to You Know You're Right. Muddy much?

but i don't think he used an RD on that track anyways. there's a pic of him with a warwick he barrowed for this depressing looking recording session in what i believe was 1994. i'm really not sure at this point, but i thought that was when they recorded that song so i always thought it was a warwick. if not, it's probably one of his rippers cause he always used them for recording. either way, it doesn't sound like his "normal tone"..

i can't lie though, i've seen live vids where he used an ARTIST and it was muddy as anything. really though it sounded like the strings on it hadn't been changed in eternity..so that might be why that is.

 

[Mousekillaz]

I owned an original RD Artist. They are like the Abrams tank of the bass world. I'm a big guy at 6'02" and 240lbs but that thing was still a beast to play a whole nights worth, for me.

 

[Spanky(Andy)]

Huzaaah!!
Just scored a level 2 used one off Musicians Friend (we're not getting them any time soon in Australia).

Ive been wanting one of these since they were announced!

Come on Russ, post your pics and a review!

Andy

 

[Tupac]

Wasn't his main bass a Ripper anyway?

 

[Low Sound Love]

congrats, glad you like it. I played this model a few times in a shop, and I was disappointed. As you said, it is really heavy, and even though I don't mind some weight, this one was just too much for me. It didn't blow me away tonally either, bridge pickup sounded weak and the overall sound was darker than my T-bird, which surprised me since this RD is loaded with a pair of J's.
Fender has been milking Cobain's guitars in the last year, I guess Gibson felt they should do the same with Novoselic. Fender did the better job, IMO.

 

[georgestrings]

I don't know. I love the Moog electronics. One of these days, when my ship comes in, I will have a blonde/maple Artist.



Agreed. But I have seen a few that have been bastardized. Obviously there are some madmen out there.

One of my main basses in the 90s was a maple/maple RD Artist - I still miss that bass, and really wish I had spent the money to have it refretted instead of selling it...

Regarding the Moog electronics - they sounded great, but were known to be a bit unreliable, probably why some went bye-bye... I used to spray the pots and switch contacts of mine on a regular basis, and this worked out OK for me - it was actually one of the best sounding basses I ever played...


- georgestrings

 

[georgestrings]

I owned an original RD Artist. They are like the Abrams tank of the bass world. I'm a big guy at 6'02" and 240lbs but that thing was still a beast to play a whole nights worth, for me.

Same here, and agreed - I used to swap mine off with a Fender P Bass, and it made the Fender feel like a featherweight in comparison... Also, I remember feeling like the RD Artist's nut was a LONG ways away - I wish I still owned it, though...


- georgestrings

 

[Sharko]

The string alignment is really ridiculous. I don't know how a self respecting company can put out stuff like that, it looks like an amateur build mistake.

Really? Because I have a Fender that's worse.

 

[Andrezones]

Hello everybody,
I am Brazilian and lefty, I intend to make a low inspired by this model RD Krist Novoselic.
The Shape of the body is ready, is concebito with a timber from the Amazon called Jequitibá Rosa and get a maple neck with rosewood fingerboard on.
Ok, my question here is the exact position of the pickups in relation to 12th fret, I realized that the neck pickup is closer to the fingerboard compared to a traditional Jazz Bazz, the same applies to the bridge pickup closer to the pin belt ...
This information gives?
You guys can help me through the steps of positioning these pickups?
thank you

Ps. my English is a little weak so I'm using the google translator helps, sorry if any part of the message to stay

 

[FenderLove]

I'm loving mine...

Gibson Basses Rule!!

 

[ryan howell]

I got mine around Christmas time when i joined my band and there like Tanks im pretty brutal with my gear, and it's definately taken a few knocks(looks good tho). Sound wise it's like a monster, i play punk and it suits that music down to a T. My only issue with it is the weight, mine weighs about 13 pounds and it's managable at a 2 hour band practice and gig however i don't think i could tour with it because of that issue even though i have a comfort strap on. I love mine and it was deffinately worth buying