RD ARTIST - how many buggy things can they have and how to overcome them...

[Highlander]

Straight off - you had better know that this story contains all things to all men/women/others - love - hate - despair - the dizzy heights of success - madness - peace - are just some of the things to be found here... along with a plain and simple, old fashioned rant...

The same provisos apply as with all my previous postings, one here and two abroad (linked at the end...)

The Sturgeon Generalisimo has decreed
ALL WHO PASS THIS POINT
FOREVER GIVE UP HOPE...
that there is any form of sanity...
to be found on these shores...

Here endeth the Goverment Health Warning

When I bought my RD Artist in 1979 I was hooked, but also conned...
Enter stage right, a greasy haired clammy palmed salesman with cheesy moustache, suitably drooping...
Our hero is spotted drooling at a sunburst Gibson Thunderbird...
"How much on HP..?"
"Sorry sir, second hand... no HP possible... No need to look at the Fender's sir, how about this Nice RD Artist, beautiful plumage, er action, sorry Sir, and quite WONDERFUL Moog circuitry, quite the Rolls Royce of the guitar world..."
"That will be £700 please sir, oh yes, and the fitted Gibson case is an extra £50..."
Our hero stands aghast...
"An extra...?"
"Yes Sir, an extra..."
"But it is a fitted case, and the only one for the only RD Artist you have in the shop, and you already told me you will probably not be able to get another one..."
"Sorry Sir" he said, rubbing his hands gleefully, "that is just how it is..."
"But..."
"Moog Circuitry..."
"Where do I sign...?"

Some are born to be suckers, some just fall into it... and just in case, the case was supplied as part of the package, I discovered from Norlin (?) later, but too late for retribution - the shop still trades, so... no, I'll just think it...
... this did include HP charges, all to be paid off over 9 months, which I did, my other primary guitar was/is a Peter Cook T'bird (on a thread running elsewhere on this site) and the two are as different as chalk and cheese...


the RD and the PC circa 1979

Now don't get me wrong, I love this instrument, just like all my others, and it would pain me to lose her, but the joy of the purchase did not last...

Firstly the switches - no musician in their right minds would position a pup selector there, would they... and as for that multi-leaf thing for the MOOG - so much fritzing (sorry Uwe, a poor connection issue, honest) and buzzing and clicking - newer models had the following idea, but that was too late for me...

This is where the purists should brace themselves...

... so they were the first thing to go - I fitted minature switches after cutting a hole through to the front of the scratchplate area, one for expansion, one for compression and moved the pup selector (more cutting) to a LP type position - this worked great,  promise you, and she gigged like this...
Prior to this point and during 1982 I decided to burn the serial number into the back of the body in numbers 2" high - I had decided I liked her too much to lose her so I'd make her unsaleable... a strange form of logic but I felt quite proud of this and still find that to be a head turner...


circa 1983 - a band called "Nice Nightmare" with a truly gifted, exceptional guitarist called Ricardo Kazik - anyone ever heard of him...? oh yes, I went from long hair to crop around this time - shocked everyone I knew... the mini switches formed a nice ciggy perch - presently not smoking and have not been since '93, oh yes, and the drummer went by the name Norman D Seagull, on occasion...


In her "EXTRA" home, post original switch mods - I'd forgotten how I'd filled the holes until now, but that was then and this is now...


I used packing case brands from the site I worked in, so she was "branded"... stop sobbing over in the corner, show some backbone, man...!

During my stint with the Nightmares (in more than one way, don't get me wrong, I had big hopes for this band, I really mean that, but...) the rest of the guys and I decided that the quirky blend of jazzy metal would benifit from a fretless influence - I had her frets ground down after a discussion with Peter Cook, prior to a permanant conversion, so If I decided to revert it would be less hassle - when I had this done found that she was much nicer to play not so low slung, and this led to discomfort dure to the profile. now, there were a number of quirky issues I found to be iritating playing in this style- the side on shape - around the top near the neck she was very "hard edged" and the same could be said for the FIN so I had to think about this so out came the spoke shave and off came the corner near the pup selector...


a close shave...? - something I have not had in very nearly 20 years...

The FIN was a bigger problem - out came the "WORKMATE" (TM) and in went the RD - I chose a good clean new saw for the job, took a deep breath, and...


I believe news of this eventually resulted in a popular horror movie...
Oops... need to lower that action, I forgot to check that...

Anyone with an RD who does not play low slung would appreciate this mod, I promise you, and when seated the mod by the switch is a comfort...

So, anyway, I digress... I had her permanantly defretted by Andys in London, WC2 circa 1987 and she came back a treat -  I had bought a third instrument at that point, a Hohner Jack (love her, but that's another story...) so I could spare her for a while... there was talk of a new fretboard in ebony but the appeal of conning people into thinking she was still fretted worke to my perverted sense of delusion... and then the MOOG died...


1987 - the RD shortly before the death of the MOOG and just prior to permanant defretting... a shot then of the "resurrected" band with original keys player, and not my Peavey...! far too clinical... Is there any German influence in PCB AMP DESIGN...?

She got packed away as gigging weas a priority and cash was a bit short, and when the band folded in '88, she got put away, one of those rainy day projects that never come...

Whilst in a state of dismantlement an accident broke her scratchplate, wrecking the support and end for the bridge pup and also snapping off the "top" support on the pup - this was a low point, and into the loft she went, only to come out a month back...

The band has reformed for the drummer's 50th, cutting a bizarre story short, and we play to a select invited audience in a village hall in Surrey on the 14th March, so a rush job was required on all my instruments (the only instruments presently lose around the house were an Ibanez 12 string acoustic I got as a 21st and a Collins mandolin I was given as a birthday presnet by my wife and daughter in 2004 -  a long obsessed passion, for some highly obscure reason (a copy of Mel Bays "play the mandolin" book I was given as a joke decades ago by someone long forgotten, if you must know...), so...

The here and now...

I had to butcher what was left of the scratchplate and hook up the pup to a 500k pot I had knocking about in the shed, dig out the bridge from several locations, and re-string her, and here she is, as of about a week back - the sound is a bit boomy but I need to locat a new scratchplate, or some other option re mounting pups with those large GIBSON CUT HOLES she came with - I have seen someone in the US selling the right plate so may go for one, and then I will need a replacement pup...


A shape to rival a T'bird, IMHO... but that will still not quench the passion to own one...


that's her in THAT case... oops, forgot about the mod for whatsit connectors (XLR?)...


"... and it burns, burns, burns..." that serial number...


a close-up of the neck finish... plays like a dream, for those that live the dream...


The head is the only place the finish has deteriorated, and I have mislaid the truss-rod cover, and yes, haven't those tuners tarnished...

Which brings us up to now - Istill have to think about what I am going to do with her bodywork - lots of holes - so many colours to chose from...

OMG is that the time...? - I'm DEAD... gotta go... back soon...

[Blazer]

It's still a cool bass.

Maybe you ought to try fitting Alembic pickups into the old girl. They are easier to get hold of than real Gibson RD pickups and a working MOOG preamp, plus you also get that sound variation which Alembic is known for.

[Highlander]

Thanks for the tip Mr B, definitely noted, gotta find the cash first though, and as it's gone 2am here I am soooo dead.... up at 6am... knew I should have shut her straight down...

[TBird1958]

My eyes!...............................

Uwe, please make him stop!

[Chris P.]

The horror! But interesting to see how a bass gets from very complicated (Moog electronics and lotsa switches) to this one pick up, one control bass. I like simple basses:)

[Basvarken]

Not sure if you call this modification or mutilation...


Lori from Greatdealz at Ebay used to have NOS RD scratchplates for sale. Maybe you could ask him?

http://stores.ebay.com/Greatdealz1967


EDIT:

or you could turn into an RD standard with this scratchplate plus pickups

[godofthunder]

My eyes!...............................

Uwe, please make him stop!

And you guys call me a butcher. 

[uwe]

Der Engländer ist grausam.

I've always said so. Now you have evidence. RD stands for "Raid Dresden!", at least in Ken's mind. Nothing much has changed since these days:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZOW8ZL7mLk&feature=related

I vill haff to püt a stöp to zis, jawohl: Ken, will you solemnly pledge to leave that poor mangled bass alone (except for necessary restoration work) from now on if I send you an original spare pickguard/scratchplate I still have? It is unscathed (unlike your bass) except for one small blemish/scratch.

[Highlander]

Uwe... right actor, wrong film...
Schottische, nicht Englisch ist, zumindest durch Abstammung, und wir haben im Kampf gegen die südlichen Eindringlinge so lange...

FREEDOM... to use a translation engine because I can not even speak Gaelic fluently, let alone English... probably why my daughter wants to die my goatee blue...

I used to have "Ich Bin Verboden" above my British Airways work station, way back when, in the best "JFK bad Deutsche" tradition - something to do with my existance in this dimension...

If I understand you correctly you have a deal , no signing in blood though - I don't think a scratch or two will be too indecent... I will be honoured and truly in your debt...  pm you...? that should quell the rioting...

... and RD...? Reality yet to be Determined...? or possibly - until I Repay my Debt...?
My father had quite a number of nice things to say about the German people, especially compared to what he used to say about the Japanese... re that incident - I can prove he had an alibi - that is recorded in his biography, which will never get finished at this rate... #'58 may be able to offer some colour co-ordination re a nice new finish for her... and, obviously, any pointers would be appreciated...

Scott... the butchery ended years ago - this was a players decision, and I stick by it - btw... does it feel nice to be off the (butchers) hook...?

Basvarken (just what does that mean...? still trying to get to the end of the BaCHbird thread, not sure that I'll live that long... good read though ) - I promise you it was a mod - it just works... you'll learn that  can be trusted... thanks for the link, but the pups on the standard never looked right to me (the cheek of it - as if he'd know what looked right...), I keep missing a link to a direct replacement, I think on the same site...

Mark - I'll offer an olive branch... chose an eye-catching colour scheme for her body... not too OTT though, I will draw the line at some things... I think I can rely on your approach to esthetics, re instruments...

... and Chris, me ol' china, simple IS best when it comes to sound...

LG&O, I am trying to mend the errors of my ways, honest... but a lot of work may be required - perhaps it would be best not to look at my posting re a Marshall I've found and posted on the VABB site... but then again, at least it shows that my heart is in the right place...?

ps she'll still need a pup - one suggestion so far; any budget ideas, or is that a dirty word round here - If I need to save, I will... and before anyone says anything no chrome covers for her pups If I get anothe 'plate I will not risk any further damage - black on black works for me...

[clankenstein]

would this work?its active maybe from a q80 though someome here will know.i dont need it .

[Basvarken]

Basvarken (just what does that mean...?

Bas = Bass
Varken = Pig

So that would make Basspig (or Bassboar, or Basshog)

In Dutch they describe the sound that a pig makes as "knorren".
Which happens to be word for the sound that a pig makes too.



About the BaCHbird thread length; I even had it shortened at a certain point.
In fact, the project is even older than this forum. It all started in the long gone Dudepit...

[uwe]

would this work?its active maybe from a q80 though someome here will know.i dont need it .

That is a 20/20 pup, the gold lettering gives it away. It looks identical to an RD pup (I've got one too), I'm just not sure whether the innards are, but it is probable though the RD and the 20/20 were almost 10 years apart in design.

Ken, alter Schotte (only recently had my first trip to Scotland, lovely, and Haggis is great too, Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots, will be avenged one day and you'll introduce the Euro in your Spanish architecture parliament just to offend the Engländers, ja?), my email is uwe.hornung@cliffordchance.com. Send me your name and postal address and the scratchplate is on its way to you.

Uwe

[clankenstein]

righto.if the pickup is any use to you send me an email at tonypsounds@hotmail.com and i will get it in the post,im not into active pickups these days.

[godofthunder]

"Scott... the butchery ended years ago - this was a players decision, and I stick by it - btw... does it feel nice to be off the (butchers) hook...? Wink " All in good fun Ken ! I doubt that I will ever be off the hook here and I take a bit of pride in that  ! Still a real cool bass with one pickup, I like one pup basses me self. That bass has stories to tell, it's been yours for so long, bring her back to playable as best you can. don't refin it ! I love the #s burned into the back, it's yours no mistaking that !

[Highlander]

Gonna have to keep this short...

Sorry, hope that fall did'nt hurt too much...

I have pm'd the two most kind gentlemen of this noble establishment after their exceptionally fine offers... truly gob-smacked... (what a GHASTLY word, but a suitable adjective for how I feel) ...

Scott - I have some long and hard thinking to do re the final outcome of my RD, and yeah, I have no intentions of parting with her... being a veggie, it is unlikely that Ill be taking anything "off the hook", but I'll be happy to share some of the flak, as long as it's not whilst flying over certain parts of Europe... my PC'bird sounds just fine with my RD pup and I think I may permanantly fill that hole when she's refin'd, but sticking with the single pot...

Rob - I'm still reading that thread...

Tony and Uwe - you know what I think of you guys - many thanks...

Haggis...? I remember being lucky enough to catch one once, long left legged breed (they only run clockwise round the Glens), but dropped it quickly after it bit me... the Euro is almost certainly on it's way...

Wow, truly global community...

Had a PC HELL kinda an evening (oops, it's morning again...) so am now heading for the land of nod...


ps, anyone with any spare T'birds knocking about...? I'll pay carriage...