Up for sale, a 1978 Gibson RD Artist Bass in excellent, 100% original condition and in perfect working order. Designed as a collaboration between Gibson and Moog Music (who were both owned by Gibson's parent company Norlin at the time), with input from The Who's John Entwistle, the RD Artist sports an active compression and expansion circuit designed by Moog, available at the flip of a switch. Perhaps best known for its use by bass players such as Justin Meldal-Johnsen (Beck, IMAROBOT, Nine Inch Nails), and Krist Novoselic (Nirvana), the RD bass has a wonderfully aggressive tone that translates the immediacy of the tonewoods and natural sustain of the instrument through the stock Mark V humbuckers.

The RD Artist's tonal range is extremely broad, boasting Volume and Tone knobs for each humbucker and a pair of three-way switches, one governing pickup selection and the other engaging the active Moog electronics. With the Moog electronics disengaged, the bass dishes out plenty of midrange grind and low end punch, offering a distinct sound in every pickup position. Neutral in the middle position, the three-way Mode switch has a Bright setting when engaged in the Up position, and it's a fairly extreme tonal shift with tons of treble detail and cut, accentuating the growl of the roundwound strings. In the Down position on the Mode switch, the Compressor/Expander setting is similarly ripping and bright with (unsurprisingly) added compression. With maple construction throughout, this RD Artist weighs 11lbs 4oz, professionally set up here at Mike & Mike's Guitar Bar with 45-100 roundwound strings, comfortable action, and accurate intonation.

Neck Specs:

• Neck: Maple
• Shape: Medium C, measuring .865” at 1st fret, 1.030” at 12th fret
• Fretboard: Maple, dot inlays
• Frets: Medium jumbo, leveled/crowned, no wear
• Scale Length: 34 3/8”
• Nut width: 1 5/8”
• Tuners: Clover button, open-gear (Gibson branded)
• Serialization: Eight-digit serial stamped into headstock

Body Specs:

• Body: Maple
• Pickups: Mark V humbucker x2
• Controls: Volume x2, Treble EQ, Bass EQ, three-way pickup selector, three-way Mode switch
• Hardware: Three-point adjustable bridge
• Plastics: Five-ply black pickguard, black speed knobs

The gloss Natural finish shows tight horizontal checking, with some shallow buckle wear on the back and various minor dings and scuffs consistent with use, largely on the back and body perimeter. The gloss finish on the neck profile is smooth and clean, save for a tiny spot of finish loss behind the 11th fret on the bass-side shoulder.

A padded gigbag is included.