I found this Bass online listed as a project bass that wasn't working from a seller that runs a program that donates musical instruments to students here in Los Angeles. When they get an instrument donated to them that doesn't work or that they can't use, they sell it and use the money to buy new instruments. I got lucky and all this needed was a new battery and a setup (yes - battery).
I bought this as a back up for my '73 Rick 4001 (as a long time guitar player I have the mentality that I need to have 2 guitars at a gig in case I break a string. My personal logic dictates that this must apply to basses as well even though the strings are much less likely to break. I must obey my brain
).It's a 1978 Gibson RD Artist Bass with Moog designed active electronics. It weighs about 40 pounds (
) and sounds like an angry piano. The strings go through the body below the bridge like a Telecaster but I couldn't find strings long enough to allow all 4 strings to do this, so I strung the low E behind the bridge which is another option.It looks a bit different and is going to take a little work to get used to playing but I'm diggin' it. It has crazy sustain and a low end that can shake concrete!
It's not uncommon for people to come up to me after gigs and talk to me about my Rick because they don't see them all the time and mine has the cool vintage appointments. Wait until they get a look at this!
Any of you guys ever tried one of these?
