Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I've been playing more Bass lately and enjoying it.

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?

Nice acquisition, Dan! Congrats!

The Gibson RD Artist was one of those basses that I absolutely loved the sound of, but could never quite get on with.

There's only been two Gibson basses that I've ever liked - the RD Artist was one, and the Thunderbird 4 (which I love and have tried, but have never owned an example of) was the other. Like all Gibson basses the build quality was immaculate. Unfortunately, however much I wanted to like the RD, I always found myself fighting against it, which is always a sign that it's not your ideal bass. I loved the feel of the neck, but never felt that the sound. although great, was mine. It was very different from the bass sound my bandmates were used to, and it never really fitted into the funk band sound that we were trying to achieve at that time. I eventually gave way to the negative comments from the guitarist and the drummer and sold it. I've always regretted it though, as it had something all of its own that, although maybe not for me then, suggested that it could be in a different context.

Wished I still had it now, 10 years later...

Ash

I have never played the RD Artist bass but I did used to have two RD Artist guitars in the early '80s which I should have kept at least one of.

Similar to Ash, I used to own a Ripper that I bought new in '77 but never really got on with. I swapped it for a '72 Telecaster Bass later that year.

Very cool, Dan! Enjoy!

Thanks for the feedback guys. I'm looking forward to getting to know this bass more closely as I have more time with it. It's second to my Ric (which I love) but I can definitely see where it will have its place.

Now to figure out a way to sneak it into one of our local RRF get togethers so I can see how some of my more advanced Bass player friends put it through its paces

Danotron wrote:Now to figure out a way to sneak it into one of our local RRF get togethers so I can see how some of my more advanced Bass player friends put it through its paces

Not too hard, really.

These are supposed to be great for recording...a local musician here owns one,and i've been making overtures about checking it out,but so far we haven't managed to get together. The weight seems to be the main caveat about these .

Never played one, never even seen one, but it definitely looks cool!

Krist Novoselic special - I love it!

woodyng wrote:These are supposed to be great for recording...a local musician here owns one,and i've been making overtures about checking it out,but so far we haven't managed to get together. The weight seems to be the main caveat about these .

Yeah, I was kidding about the 40 pounds but it's a heavy one for sure! I'm looking forward to getting it to band practice so I can turn it up.

collin wrote:Krist Novoselic special - I love it!

Absolutely! He must have a very strong back

They're good sounding basses with a lot of character. A lot of bottom end and... er... sludge (?) to the tone. You'll dig it.

jps wrote:

Danotron wrote:Now to figure out a way to sneak it into one of our local RRF get togethers so I can see how some of my more advanced Bass player friends put it through its paces

Not too hard, really.

Jeff, you clearly have no idea how much grief has been bestowed upon those bringing non-Ricks to our jams.

Maybe I should bring my Squier Classic Vibe Tele and Vintage Modified Jaguar to the next gathering in a show of solidarity. What do you think, Dan?

coolingitdown wrote:

jps wrote:

Danotron wrote:Now to figure out a way to sneak it into one of our local RRF get togethers so I can see how some of my more advanced Bass player friends put it through its paces

Not too hard, really.

Jeff, you clearly have no idea how much grief has been bestowed upon those bringing non-Ricks to our jams.

Maybe I should bring my Squier Classic Vibe Tele and Vintage Modified Jaguar to the next gathering in a show of solidarity. What do you think, Dan?

You should bring a few Rickenfakers...

At some MARFs and at RIO!!! (and MicRIO) there were quite a few non-Ricks, nothing wrong with a great instrument regardless of the name on the headstock.