NBD: '78 GIBSON RD STANDARD

[FlyingPigSound]

New Bass Day: '78 Gibson RD Standard

42 year old bass...
11 lbs.
Neck: maple, ebony fretboard
Body: perfectly balanced asymmetrical design of solid maple
Pickups: 2 passive series IV humbuckers.

Put on a new set of TI jazz flats (XL since through-body), three new pots (neck volume, bridge volume, master tone), and a new jack!

So much better than the old Artist series and it's temperamental Moog circuit, or even the 2018 Artist series with it's wonky active / passive electronics. (I've never tried the Krist Novoselic Signature w/ it's two Seymour Duncan "Hot Stack" pickups because I can't find one for sale in the United States)

"Longclaw" is a beast, especially through a Rat pedal!

Case is an Access Stage Five Electric Bass Bag
ACCESS Stage Five Electric Bass Bag - the Ultimate Hybrid Bag for your Bass

 

[Guild B301]

Very nice! In 1979 I bought an RD Artist NEW. Wish I had bought the Standard instead. I might still have it, if I had. The Artist Model had the old school Moof printed circuit board which started causing problems almost from the start. Yours looks great. Mine was Natural with a maple board. Wish I had gotten the ebony fingerboard, too. But, back then you had to buy whatever you found. No internet - and there never were a lot of RD’s anyway.
Mine weighed over 14 pounds. How heavy is that one?

 

[FlyingPigSound]

Very nice! In 1979 I bought an RD Artist NEW. Wish I had bought the Standard instead. I might still have it, if I had. The Artist Model had the old school Moof printed circuit board which started causing problems almost from the start. Yours looks great. Mine was Natural with a maple board. Wish I had gotten the ebony fingerboard, too. But, back then you had to buy whatever you found. No internet - and there never were a lot of RD’s anyway.
Mine weighed over 14 pounds. How heavy is that one?

This one is 11 lbs...but on a simple Dunlop D3809BK strap, it hangs perfectly balanced...
There sure are hard to find, and I got lucky to find one at a very reasonable price

 

[Halabja]

Badass!

One of my favorite designs.

 

[bobyoung53]

I was considering getting one a few years ago when they reissued them but didn't.

 

[FlyingPigSound]

Update!
LOVING this bass! Three new pots, a new jack, and strung with Thomastik-Infeld JF364 super long scale jazz flats. Sounds GREAT through my Rumble 200, and hangs perfectly balanced with a simple Dunlop D3809 BK nylon strap.
Tonight I'll be rehearsing with my drummer (monthly "rhythmless section" practice), and Sunday I'll bring it to full band rehearsal. Stay tuned...

 

[FlyingPigSound]

Rehearsal with the "Rhythmless Section" tonight went great with the new (to me) RD!

 

[Tubehed]

Awesome bass! I've never owned an RD (maybe one day!). But I have found the more balanced the instrument is, the more weight I can tolerate. I think I could handle 11 lbs if the balance was good.

 

[FlyingPigSound]

First full band rehearsal with the RD! I love it, and so does my band!

 

[MAJOR METAL]

I remember wanting one of these when Nirvana was big in the 90s. Congrats man!