The CMT RD Artist bass, and corresponding RD Artist guitar were announced to dealers in March 1981, for delivery in April; right at the end of regular RD production. Only 100 guitars were to be produced - unfortunately bass figures are not available, but they were probably made in similarly small numbers.

The RD Artist had been in production since 1977, and by the time this bass was made in April 1981, they had already been dropped from the price lists. The serial number 80921089 tells us that this bass was stamped on the 2nd April 1981 (day 092), at the Gibson Kalamazoo plant, and was the 089th instrument stamped that day. A new price list starting just the day before (April 1st 1981) had no mention of the RD series at all.

The RD guitars and basses with a curly maple top (CMT) are the only ones with a bound body, and don't have the body contouring of the earlier versions; just a flat slab. The top is quite thin, as can be seen (right), this is probably more accurately described as a veneer rather than a 'top'; being considerably thinner than the maple tops seen on Les Paul guitars etc. Compare the veneer thickness with the size of the pickguard screwhole in the top left corner.

Like all RD Artist basses, the guitar pictured above has mark V active humbucking pickups. Typical Gibson 3-point chrome bridge, and Schaller BM machine heads.

As of 1979, the moog board was controlled by two mini-toggles rather than a 3 view switch. See the general RD Artist description for details of the functionality, and the technical details page, for a better look at the Moog board and related switches. This allows expansion/compression whilst in bright mode, pre-1979 RDs had to chose one or the other.

One final feature on this bass, not on older versions, is the use of the Gibson Posi-Lok strap buttons, replacing the older round style.

As can be seen, this instrument is marked as a factory second (the word SECOND is stamped just above the serial number) which usually points to a finish flaw (although no flaw stands out).