NBD: 1978 Gibson RD Artist

[roller]

Wicked cool, man.

This bass just feels BIG. I'm used to 5 strings and this 4 string just seems massive. I'm not sure if there's something unusual about the scale length or the pickup placement, but I typically place my right hand above the neck pickup, and it feels a bit uncomfortable and forced on this bass. Otherwise it's fun to play, and has a great sound in bright mode with the bass rolled up a bit. Can't wait to give it more work when my band gets back to practicing after omicron blows over.

 

[blindeddie]

i had two of these. a 77 standard and a 78 artist. i mistakenly sold the standard so i could buy the artist, thinking i was upgrading. wish i hadn't. i recorded an entire album with the artist, only to find out on the listen back, that there was radio frequency all over the bass tracks. had to re-record all the tracks with my precision. after months of picking up radio interference, i was fed up. unfortunately, no one around east tennessee was willing to try to work on the moog electronics, so i ended up selling it. fortunately, i was able to almost double my money tho, so not a total loss by any means. but in my experience, the standards are waaaaay better than the artists. just my two cents. beautiful bass tho. good luck to you

 

[scuzzy]

Bucket list bass for me still. Sadly, I feel I missed my window of opportunity in 2018-2019 when I could still afford them. Prices have gone bonkers.

 

[NKBassman]

This thing is 16.2 lbs. Insane.

That jives with my recollection of the 77 RD Artist that I had for a while. It really sounded amazing, but it was the heaviest instrument I'd ever strapped to my body.

 

[bholder]

This thing is 16.2 lbs. Insane.

Brutal. Kewl.

 

[BassyBill]

I loved the look of these when they first came out. It’s gorgeous. No way could I tolerate that weight, though.

 

[40Hz]

This thing is 16.2 lbs. Insane.

Woah!!! That’s an understatement. That’s 0.2 lbs over the maximum allowed weight for a bowling ball. The Peavey T-40 just lost its crown ing the boat anchor bass competition.

I’m not overly sensitive weight. But man! I’d find 16.2 lbs extremely uncomfortable let alone unhealthy to play even resting on a leg while sitting down.

Good luck with that one.

 

[bassbrad]

I had an Ebony '78 Artist model and that bass was HEAVY, I used a 3" Fretsling strap and it never felt very comfortable. I recall only being able to play that bass for a few songs at a time before switching to another of my basses, fortunately that was part of the way the bands I was in at the time all did things. But that ringing piano tone was worth it compared to my other basses, iirc a '67 PBass 'The Unknown Blonde' and a Fretless Pan jazz.

 

[ThudThudThud]

I bought one of these new, probably in 1978. I was 23, a real bull, and that was easily the heaviest sob I EVER owned. Never weighed it, but 16# was probably in the neighborhood, allmaple body and neck.

It FEELS longer as the scale terminates at the bridge closer to the center of the body, not at the rim, so the neck is 'pushed out' relative to a bass where the bridge is back at the bottom.

I traded it in for a much lighter bass . . . . a Peavey T40 !

 

[Mildew Jones]

Beautiful! These look like prime suspects for the "Jio Swiss Cheese" mod

 

[JW56789]

View attachment 4538284

If Gibson had not made those RD's (and the Joe Perry Les Pauls), the deflection in space/time would be a bit less.

 

[ThudThudThud]

If Gibson had not made those RD's (and the Joe Perry Les Pauls), the deflection in space/time would be a bit less.

It's RDs, Les Pauls, Peavey T40s, and Peavey amps that's causing all the gravity.

 

[Bassistcool]

I have a RD Artist from 1978 in all original condition, including Moog electronics.
Its weight is 11.3lb and sounds amazing, no neck dive and very comfortable to play with a neverendig sustain.
Indeed a great bass, I love it.

 

[mikeswals]

A friend had a sunburst Artist in his studio here in Seattle, it was low 11 lbs range same as my Spector 5, not that heavy at all.
That was my first time trying one out. The body is long is what made it feel big, but wasn't that wide across, it certainly looks larger in pictures than it was in actuality.