2018 Gibson RD Artist Prototype on Ebay

[doombass]

What do you think about that. Strange finish, yes and funky thing is there are two listings, different Ebay accounts:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/New-listing2018-Gibson-RD-ARTIST-BASS-PROTO-TYPE-Bass-Guitars-Free-Shipping/282970986916?hash=item41e26299a4:g:PgEAAOSw4RZa~qDq

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2018-Gibson-RD-ARTIST-BASS-PROTO-TYPE-Bass-Guitars-Free-Shipping-w-HC-B1822/332646491403?_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIM.MBE%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D50544%26meid%3D8a579c91958b42b98fe31aa5e7bedb97%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D5%26sd%3D282970986916%26itm%3D332646491403&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851

[Dave W]

I think that if it's brand new and if there are (at least) two of them, then it can't possibly be a prototype. It must be a limited finish for the Japanese market.

[uwe]

Me thinks so too, but the finish is très cool.

[veebass]

I think there being two different listings doesn't necessarily mean there are two basses when it comes to Japanese eBay.
It is common for the same bass or guitar (even using the same pics) to be listed by different seller accounts and often at different prices.

Those listings are using the same pics.

Someone said to me that often the instrument is for sale at a lower price in a shop somewhere and the eBay sellers take pics or lifts them off a website and tries to sell something they don't actually own. They said the eBay seller would then buy the bass if they sell it on eBay and thus make a profit. Sounds risky to me if that is the case. Others have told me it is often the same person or related persons with multiple accounts trying to make the lowest priced listing look a bargain. I suspect this is the case because they are usually Buy It Now listings. Who knows?

Currently there are two different Japanese eBay listings for the black RD Standard, with the suspicious looking crack in the headstock, that been for sale for ages. One is with the same user as one of the "Prototypes".At times there have been 5 or 6 different simultaneous listings of this bass.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Gibson-USA-RD-Standard-Bass/222810467503?hash=item33e089ecaf:g:qagAAOSws6ZaAchE

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1978-Gibson-RD-Standard-Bass-Electric-Bass-Vintage-Free-Shipping/282969091458?hash=item41e245ad82:g:u4sAAOSwshJa~QXl

I would tread very carefully.

Nice finish BTW.

[Basvarken]

Yes, it happens  all the time with Japanese listings. Sometimes the same bass can pop up three or four times at the same time. Each for a slightly different price.
It took me a while to figure that out. For example; first I thought there were remarkably many Les Paul Basses / Triumphs from Japanese sellers.  Until I noticed they were all one and the same.

[Dave W]

Could be the same bass from different sellers. Or it could be a stock photo of a limited edition. One thing for certain, if it's really New according to eBay definitions, then it's not a prototype.