The Gibson RD Artist bass is well renowned as a professional standard instrument; an excellent playing and recording bass, having an exceptionally wide tonal range. It has no passive mode; and sometimes the electronics can be a little noisy, especially when the treble is set at extreme levels. Sound clips below demonstrate some of the tones possible from this bass, with and without amplifiers, and the in-built electronic effects developed in conjunction with Moog: expansion, compression and bright mode.
This sheet describes the RD Artist bass description of controls, circa 1978, and applies to the first version of the RD Artist (or RD77).
Tonal overview
The following three clips are the ones used on the RD Artist overview page - see there for more details. Recorded directly into a mobilepre preamp. Recorded with flat wound strings. Pickup volumes on 10.
Range of tonesdemonstrates the RD bass at its most mellow and then again at its most brash
Compression
natural sound of the neck pickup, without, and then with compression
Expansion
natural sound of the bridge pickup, without, and then with expansion
Bright mode
natural sound of both pickups, without, and then with bright mode
Pure RD Artist; DI bass (no amplifier)
These sound clips are of this 1978 RD Artist recorded directly into a mobilepre preamp. Recorded with flat wound strings. Pickup volumes on 10.
funky treblebass -5 treble 5, bridge pickup only, bright mode
super bass
bass 5 treble -5, both pickups, compression/expansion mode
midrange
bass 5 treble 5, both pickups, straight active mode
bright midrange
bass 0 treble 0, bridge pickup only, straight active mode
mudbucker bass
bass 5 treble -5, neck pickup only, straight active mode
even brighter midrange
bass 5 treble 5, bridge pickup only, straight active mode
Gibson RD bass guitars for sale
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1978 Gibson RD Artist "NATURAL BLONDE" Electric (MOOG) Bass + OHSC
San Jose, California, 951**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
$4000
1978 Gibson RD Artist Bass Guitar + Original Gibson Hardshell Case
" NATURAL BLONDE" FINISH
GIBSON NORLIN-ERA
Original MOOG ELECTRONICS
Made in USA (Kalamazoo Plant, MI)
Production # 102 (April 17th release)
Adult owned only. Children-free, Pet-free household. Kept inside case when not used
Up for sale is a BEAUTIFUL LATE-70's Gibson Bass Guitar (RD ARTIST)
EXCELLENT overall vintage condition. Standard surface scratches, light dings, marks on front / back body / ... more
" NATURAL BLONDE" FINISH
GIBSON NORLIN-ERA
Original MOOG ELECTRONICS
Made in USA (Kalamazoo Plant, MI)
Production # 102 (April 17th release)
Adult owned only. Children-free, Pet-free household. Kept inside case when not used
Up for sale is a BEAUTIFUL LATE-70's Gibson Bass Guitar (RD ARTIST)
EXCELLENT overall vintage condition. Standard surface scratches, light dings, marks on front / back body / ... more
Gibson RD Artist Bass w / Bag! -LL
Mesquite, Texas, 751**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
$3000
Item: Gibson RD Artist Bass w / Bag!
Description: You are purchasing a Gibson RD Artist Bass w / Bag!Neck had a break but has been repaired. See PhotoIT has some wear and tear from normal usage Beautiful flamed wood finish Plays and sounds Please ask any questions before buying if you have any Shipping: $100 00 shipping to the Lower 48 States! We ship overseas. Overseas shipping prices will vary. Overseas buyers pay their own import taxes Payment: We accept Paypal for your ... more
1976 RD Standard Gibson Jazz Bass Guitar
Mission Hills, California, 913**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
$3000
The 1976 RD Standard Gibson Jazz Bass Guitar is a classic electric bass guitar by Gibson, known for its high-quality craftsmanship and iconic design. With a sleek black body color, this guitar is sure to make a stylish statement in any musician's collection. Featuring the renowned Standard series, this bass guitar is known for its versatile sound and exceptional playability, making it a popular choice among bass players in various genres of music
PICK UP ONLY Mission Hills, CA (LA ... more
PICK UP ONLY Mission Hills, CA (LA ... more
Used Gibson 1978 RD Artist Bass - Natural w / Case
Winchester, Virginia, 226**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
$2430
ProAudioStar DJ GEAR INSTRUMENT GEAR LIVE SOUND RECORDING MICROPHONES HEADPHONES ACCESSORIES SOFTWARE LIGHTING BUNDLES Authorized Dealer - Full Warranty
Used Gibson 1978 RD Artist Bass... more
Used Gibson 1978 RD Artist Bass... more
1979 Gibson RD Artist Bass Guitar with active Moog Electronics
Frankfort, Indiana, 460**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
$6000
This vintage 1979 Gibson RD Artist is in MINT Condition. The sunburst finish in perfect condition. It has Robert Moog active electronics on board. At the flip pf a toggle switch you can have compression with indefinite low end sustain to clean midrange and high treble tones. Each pick up has a dedicated volume and tone control that are clean with no noise. Requires X-Tra Long Scale strings if you want to go through the body or long scale from the bridge. Comes with the original hard shell ... more
Gibson 1978 RD Artist Bass - Ebony w / Case
Pine Brook, New Jersey, 070**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
$4600
1978 Gibson RD Artist Bass in Ebony
Bass is in very good condition
All Moog electronics function
There had previously been a thumb rest which was removed and the holes patched. Still visible
There is slight damage to the finish on the back of the neck from the bass being hung
Comes with a case, but not the OHSC
... more
Bass is in very good condition
All Moog electronics function
There had previously been a thumb rest which was removed and the holes patched. Still visible
There is slight damage to the finish on the back of the neck from the bass being hung
Comes with a case, but not the OHSC
... more
Gibson RD Artist (MOOG) Bass (Simms Custom repaint) + Original Hard Case
London, NW5***, UNITED KINGDOM
£4837
Quite clearly a one-of-a-kind instrument. The bass was overhauled by Feline Guitars, and then repainted by Simms Customs. All Moog electronics intact. If you have ever played one of these before you will know that no other bass sounds like these. Thunderous, but completely defined and tight. Collection, please.... more
1977 Gibson RD Artist Bass - Natural
Mansfield, England, NG18***, UNITED KINGDOM
£2595
1977 Gibson RD Artist Bass - Natural
This 1977 Gibson RD Artist Bass is one of Gibson??s more unusual designs from the late ?70s, combining an all-maple construction with a distinctive offset body and a seriously forward-thinking electronics package. Finished in Natural, it has a clean, understated look that suits the design perfectly
At the heart of it is the original Moog-designed active circuitry, offering a wide range of tones with built-in compression and switching options that were ... more
This 1977 Gibson RD Artist Bass is one of Gibson??s more unusual designs from the late ?70s, combining an all-maple construction with a distinctive offset body and a seriously forward-thinking electronics package. Finished in Natural, it has a clean, understated look that suits the design perfectly
At the heart of it is the original Moog-designed active circuitry, offering a wide range of tones with built-in compression and switching options that were ... more