Silverburst RD Artist on the bay

[gearHed289]

Looks pretty cool. I wonder about originality?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/291995844273?ul_noapp=true

[Granny Gremlin]

That would look so much cooler with a rosewood or ebony fretboard.

Considerring the natural finish neck, Gibson never before doing a silverburst maple board combo, and the fact that actual (vintage) Gibby silverbursts were dual sided vs all black on the back I have to vote refin.  Period correct choice, but refin none the less (also narry a ding in the thing is suspicious).  It should have gone a bit green by now as even most Sonexes have done so (later than ther RD, mostly) and the fade is usually wider when Gibson does it at the factory.




Better pics of another specimen here: https://reverb.com/item/3221325-gibson-sonex-180-deluxe-1982-silverburst-w-case

The reissue RD 6 bangers did have solid black back, they also had a matching black neck fin (and not a maple board - that looks really bad to me, but I am a known maple board hater) so the refin was probably based off of the modern style:

http://www.nationwideguitars.com/2007gibsonrdsilverburst.html

[veebass]

It looks like a refin to me for the reasons stated above, but hard to be sure from the pics supplied. The RD Artists with "regular" burst finishes did have solid dark colour on the back of the body but had Ebony fretboards as far as I have seen.

[Basvarken]

Fake/Refin!

1. Like Jake said, it should have yellowed (or greened) more after all these years.
2. The fact that the neck wasn't done in the same color is very unusual too.
3. Don't you think it is rather typical that the neck shows a lot of crazing in the finish, while the body doesn't have that at all??
4. The edge of the black at the neck joint wasn't taped off very neatly when the body was black was applied.

[veebass]

Fake/Refin!

1. Like Jake said, it should have yellowed (or greened) more after all these years.
2. The fact that the neck wasn't done in the same color is very unusual too.
3. Don't you think it is rather typical that the neck shows a lot of crazing in the finish, while the body doesn't have that at all??
4. The edge of the black at the neck joint wasn't taped off very neatly when the body was black was applied.

Yes to 4. above- I saw that and thought the same.
As for 2 & 3 above, I have 3 RDs here.
79 Artist Guitar in Antique Burst- moderate but noticeable checking on body- back of neck dark. The finish on the guitar seems thinner than the finish on the basses BTW.
79 Artist Bass in Natural- moderate but noticeable checking on body etc - back of neck natural, of course.
78 Standard Bass in Black- mild checking on body.

I think there were Les Paul Customs in Silver Bursts in 1979, so not impossible, but I think this bass is a refin.

http://tymguitars.com.au/blogs/blog/8483237-1979-gibson-les-paul-silverburst-custom

[Psycho Bass Guy]

Not that it might not have been a refin itself, but I played a silverburst RD with a maple board five or so years ago at a reputable vintage dealer and the wear was just like the one in the pic. Were it not for the electronics, (the one I played had a Carvin preamp installed) the one on eBay could be that bass. I was told that only the electronics had been altered and that the finish was original. At the time, I asked because it looked so similar to Fender's 70 silverburst and like everyone else has said, lacking the greenish tint that other Gibson silvers aged into. That overspray on the neck joint though...

[uwe]

Never say never with Gibson, but a maple board and unfinished neck are strange in combination. So I am on the "most likely refin" side too. But I guess if you demanded from Gibson in 1977 that they finish a natural RD's body in silverburst for you and were willing to pay for it, they would have obliged.

[Basvarken]

If Gibson custom shop did it back then, the finish would have looked more aged. You simply cannot use metallic lacquer without finishing it off without a clear coat lacquer. And that would have yellowed over time. And there would be some hairline crazing in the finish of the body too.

[Granny Gremlin]

My RD doesn't have hardly any finish checking (my Triumph does, but it's at least 5 years older and has lived a much harder life).

The biggest tell is the sloppy neck joint - missed that as I didn't look at all the pics.

[Basvarken]

My point is that when the neck has the checking in the finish, the body should have it too. (because it has the same clear coat finish)
Not that a bass of this age always should have checking.

[Granny Gremlin]

Oh.  Can't see the neck checkin on my monitor here at work.

[Basvarken]

Click on the image that I posted. It will enlarge. And you'll see the hairlines in the neck finish.

[Highlander]

Mine's a maple and the beast was covered in cracks all over the place...

[uwe]

Doesn't silverburst from that Gibson era turn greenish anyway as the clearcoat yellows? I've seen it happen to a late 70ies Les Paul guitar. All by itself, only took a couple of years in the case, the owner was aghast about "that algae look", never played it again, he didn't know back then it was a value enhancing thing. The buyer was elated about the look.

[TBird1958]

Gotta say that's not my fave finish........




The Gibson burst on an RD, that's quite another matter, best burst ever!