Odd RD Bass on Music Go Round

[Alanko]

https://www.musicgoround.com/product/columbus-oh/40012-S000252678/used-gibson-rd-bass-70s-bass-guitars-red


Anybody know the back story on this? I'm thinking insensitivity modified rather than exciting prototype? Is it even a Gibson?

[Dave W]

I'd guess it's a modified RD Standard, which was originally passive.

[Grog]

Odd that it would have Les Paul style inlays. The RD Artist bass had only dot inlays....... It likely had a maple fretboard originally.

[slinkp]

Unless there's really solid provenance, there are so many differences that I'd assume it's not a Gibson at all.
I suppose all of these could be mods, but I'm suspicious to say the least.

- Wrong inlays, as Grog pointed out

- The body shape looks a bit off to me, though it's hard to be sure

- Truss rod cover is blank, it doesn't say either "RD Standard Bass" or "RD Artist Bass"

- Non-standard finish, what's up with those stripes?

- Pickguard is totally different shape

- Rear control cover is wrong shape (and ugly as hell, looks like a hack job)

- Both pickups replaced - these don't look like either artist or standard pickups. Neck pickup shouldn't have exposed polepieces, and bridge pickup shape is wrong.

- Controls moved (that's not where an RD standard would have the neck volume, and the switch doesn't look like it's where the original output jack would have been)

- Output jack is moved ... somewhere on the side presumably? Not visible in photos

- Tuning keys replaced, there are visible holes

- It's hard to make out, but the serial number on rear of headstock looks fishy - not enough digits

I'm no expert, but this is just stuff that looks odd to me compared to https://www.flyguitars.com/gibson/bass/RD.php

[Basvarken]

I don't think it's a Gibson.

All points that Slinkp pointed out.

- Plus the body doesn't have the arm bevel.

- The lower horn does not show the screw holes where the original pickguard screws would have been.

- The controls have the wrong spacing.


And yeah my God, that control plate is ugly!

[uwe]

It looks weird for all the reasons given, but I don't discount that at the core of it there was once an RD Standard modded beyond almost recognition. Not an Artist though, the back routing for the electronics on those is totally different:



The controls alignment on the front is also classic Standard and an Artist would have had the elaborate headstock inlay this one lacks.

[Dave W]

Who in his right mind would go to that length to fake an RD Standard.

Of course it's heavily modified, but IMHO it's still a real Gibson.

[Alanko]

Who in his right mind would go to that length to fake an RD Standard.

These lads!

https://m.pt.aliexpress.com/item/4000304803275.html?gatewayAdapt=gloPc2braMsite

There are a few Chinese offerings that have been Cargo Cult engineered from pictures of the Krist Novosellic sig bass.

There was a small brand selling very cheap RD-shaped guitars and basses in the UK. I think First Act had an RD-shaped thing as well.

[TBird1958]

  Much weirdness there - run away!

[Basvarken]

Who in his right mind would go to that length to fake an RD Standard.

Of course it's heavily modified, but IMHO it's still a real Gibson.

Who in a right mind would mutilate a real Gibson that way?

Seriously.

Why would anyone want to reshape the control cavity?
Why would anyone sand away the arm bevel? And wouldn't the body be considerably thinner then?
How could you reposition the pot knobs and not have to plug the holes?



The neck is set differently.
A real Gibson would have the body meet the neck joint at the 16th fret. (on both the E-side and the G-side)


This one meets at the 18th fret on the G-side and at the 17th on the E-side.




By the way; the string through body ferrule of the G-string is wider than the other three.

[Alanko]

Did B&CH make an RD bass? The gold knobs and transparent finish remind me of their 'Riverboat Bass'.

[uwe]

It looks weird alright.

I have to come up to the defense of the RD Standard though. In some ways that was a better bass than the Artist if you just wanted to play rock.

[morrow]

One of my regrets , almost picked up an Artist once in Toronto. The price was right , but it weighed a ton and the neck seemed strange.
Should have picked it up , I've since learned I adapt quite quickly to odd feeling necks.

[Basvarken]

Did B&CH make an RD bass? The gold knobs and transparent finish remind me of their 'Riverboat.

No they never did. But I see what you mean.

[ajkula66]

I owned a black RD Standard for more than a decade back in the previous millennium. The bass in the pictures strikes me as a fake, and the body reminds me of some of the kit projects that I've come across online...

My $0.02 only...