1979 Gibson RD Artist Bass w/ Moog Electronics | CME Gear Demo | Marc Najjar

Gibson RD Artist Bass Sunburst 1979
This bass is representative of a Gibson era when they were taking risks and experimenting a bit with artist models and custom basses -- this particular model is pretty much the "Cadillac" of that series. The active electronics were designed by electronic music visionary, Bob Moog. Here Marc demonstrates a variety of tones that this gorgeous vintage bass guitar is capable of producing. Enjoy!
Shop our selection of basses here: bit.ly/3hsTcZ4
Gear:
Hiwatt DR201 Custom 200W Bass Amplifier Head
Heavy Electronics El Oso Bass Fuzz
RIFFS:
Huntsmen - The Baron
High on Fire - Waste of Tiamat
Young Widow - Took a Turn
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[@RastaSaiyaman]

From the get-go there's that Krist Novoselic "Nevermind" bass sound. Novoselic also praised the Artist for being tough, stating that he could toss into a brick wall and it wouldn't even needed to be retuned after he picked it up again.

[@conky7819]

Actually, on Nevermind, Krist used a Gibson Ripper, although he used the RD throughout most of the '91 tour.

[@devinthierault]

@@conky7819 Which one almost cracked his head in two?

[@SonicXRage]

@@devinthierault I think it was the RD Artist.

[@jacbuckner]

@@devinthierault that was an ebony ripper

[@realdavidii]

@@devinthierault a Gibson Ripper, back in the MTV Awards 1992 I guess

[@kintrap5376]

This is the best sound I've ever heard, out of all sounds ever, not just bass.

[@User-jk8wq]

Kintrap Absolutely.

[@craigdamage]

"Honey, lets have sex tonight after I make dinner" ....Nah, not quite the best sound ever.

[@devinthierault]

@@craigdamage Well if you're wife has aids

[@andrewsprague5255]

I love watching this guy's demos. He seems to know what rockers wanna hear from their bass.

[@serdiezv]

dude, that first riff...

[@strangernajjar]

Sergio Diez Viñuela my band just released the tune where this riff originates... kzbin.info/www/bejne/fGSbZnSqiZWsh9k

[@yea8776]

@@strangernajjar but this video is 6 years old and that song you sent is 2 years old. Did you just take inspiration from the first riff on this video and made it into a song?

[@strangernajjar]

Nate yes

[@yea8776]

@@strangernajjar Ah, great song eitherway man!

[@BrandonNevermind]

There's a little bit of a rickenbacker feel to the sound... I like it.

[@SonicXRage]

They both have a smooth, clear, almost piano-like tone to their highs, but the RD has way more beef to its low end. You can find Marc playing the same riff on a Rickenbacker 4003 in the middle of this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iJLUZaFpr5lspNk I personally prefer the Rick!

[@codyhansonbass]

They're both maple

[@olinmoseley5060]

that first riff nailed justin chancellor's tone

[@Errosion16]

was thinking the same thing. Right off the bat all I thought of was Tool

[@bassman3235]

Not really lol...

[@The_sinner_Jim_Whitney]

No. No, it didn't, at all.

[@isaacclarke1152]

What a beautiful tone and bass shape

[@andyg3]

got one, love it. best thing i have ever played. love the sound, love the look, love the feel

[@BassPlayerNcl]

That growl! Can’t help but smile when I hear both pickups engaged with the treble boost on 🤘🏻😀🤘🏻

[@kurdtjohn]

That bass through that fuzz pedal sounds great!

[@MrMousekillaz]

I owned one. And sold it. WTF was I thinking. It was a beast though. After four sets I needed to call a chiropracter.

[@sleekitwan]

Note he is seated...! I have one, wanted to sell, the ebayer did not come through with the money. Now playing it and not at all sure to sell. I mostly sit diddling studio style, the mass is not such an issue. SH*T I just realised, if I move to one of those little planets, gravity is less, the thing is the same MASS but less WEIGHT. Ok, might be better not to rely on Space X to sort my kit problems out.

[@TorqueTheRich]

Me too. A '79 Black with a mirror pickguard. A frickin' beast that was. Tough on the left shoulder after a few hours of stand-up playing. But, worth every ounce of pain. Lol

[@MrMousekillaz]

@@TorqueTheRich tinted mirror?

[@TorqueTheRich]

@@MrMousekillaz Nope. Just a natural silver mirror. I've never seen another one since I sold mine.

[@MrMousekillaz]

@@TorqueTheRich Thats funny because I made a mirror pickguard for mine!

[@jaribu2758]

Wow. Thunder and clarity.

[@mikeskoog6689]

Played mine for years, electronics were a joke, one neon beer light and pilots from planes overhead would come through the amp. Ripped active electronics out, slapped in some emg’s and played it till I fretted it out. Never let me down. A beast of a bass.

[@n0possibility]

man both pickups with no compressor NAILED that Krist Novoselic tone! I'm currently building a mix between an RD and a Ripper :D

[@mpsaphoto]

Woah - I'd love to see that!

[@CamMitchellMusic]

When I'm older I'll play an RD bass, I am thirteen at the moment I play a 10 pound sterling by musicman ray 4 so hopefully I should be able to handle a beast as heavy as an RD.

[@RudeDudeVooDoo]

Keep with it man. Music man and Gibson guitars are gonna be on the heavier side, butou should be fine. I play on a mm bongo 5 HH Neptune blue. Thing is a beast but I love it.

[@pat8437]

Stingrays are badass, sterling, musicman, or otherwise. RDs are cool. Have you checked out T-birds? That’s extreme badass.

[@Dave-tx7qh]

I bought my RD artist at 13.. Still have it 41 yrs ago! Shes my baby!

[@PortalMaster2112]

You are 20 now. I hope you have one my bro.

[@hamletpowpowpow4774]

I love how that list riff he's playing is from Young Widows - who also uses an RD Artist...

[@bennett138]

I literally thought it was the guitarist of young widows at first... even down to what hes wearing

[@jacksonevans94]

Came for the bass, stayed for the Hiwatt.

[@666thsense]

much love for the young widows riff.

[@sleekitwan]

I have one, and although no real mean shredder, I have played enough to figure one aspect. Put the top black/front toggle switch to the edge of the guitar (the back), and leave the bottom one in the middle or neutral. There appears to be some compression here. It comes through as sustain, which does not by any means, mean you got to put up with long, steady tones. It is killer at making short, sharp almost sequencer-like barks of bass, if you damp it suddenly, either side of playing a note. Far from giving steady unchanging tones, by dint of using the fundamental skill of damping strings judiciously, the compression function actually can be made to give this staccato effect. I admit to being pleased at this, and immediately celebrated by coupling that damping method, with slap-bassing out a very well-worn bassline which I won't bore you with. Stonking. Hard not to like it - the single most sought-after thing in guitar-playing these days, is a unique tone, and this allows you to find one or two. Lastly, I did put it through my equally vintage JHS Rockbox, adding chorus and reverb and putting it near distortion. Despite the analogue (analog) hiss, this was really, really nice. I will try and get a demo up, not because I am any good, but because those two bits of vintage kit, played right, really are pretty good. Just my opinion, but as I own them, that's what counts the most to me!!! If the Chicago music exchange don't mind me mentioning, Search in your browser for sleekitwan soundcheck bass or something, I ought to have it up over Christmas 2017. I am not selling it, just letting people hear the sound. One is already up on youtube, but it's not that one I mean, another one, up soon...oops, it's Christmas day already...I got to eat some cookies and consume half this milk in the glass, for effect for the kids! Best go now...slurp, gulp...

[@andrewcoates4952]

Why did Gibson stop making all the good basses? The Ripper/Grabber, EB3 and also this RD. NOBODY WANTS THE SHITTY SG BASS GIBSON. The Thunderbird can stay tho

[@bflo1000]

Have you ever played an SG bass? It may be nicer than you think.

[@-Vaile]

That’s definitely my dream bass

[@dethbucker]

that fuzz sounds freakin rad!

[@acarlovonsexron1994]

These things are the shit. Only thing better than this is the 100 or so Artist CMT versions they made with curly maple tops and binding. Heavy fuckers though, like 13 pounds of solid maple. Huge, too. You got to be a real man to play them. They almost looked normal on Krist Novoselic and he's 6'8".

[@MrDudeguitar0]

Actually he's 6'7". Point stick stands, though. I'm a huge fan of his. I prefer the tone of this, but prefer the look of the 1973-74 Ripper.

[@MrDudeguitar0]

Point still stands, sorry.

[@Apemopo]

hey mark when are you going to showcase your CHAINSAW AND WOOD FELLING AXE?

[@doca9357]

I had an all maple one in the 80's, damn, they're a bit more now. The electronics were great, almost bought another one about 20 years ago but someone had removed the bridge, that was a WTF, the switches weren't working very well so I passed. Paid 300 fro it from a music store originally.

[@96Decibels]

Both pickups and the bright setting kind of nails it for me...

[@chazz-j1994]

Awesome video as usual. Love these bass vids!

[@TheSlychologist]

you sound really excited!

[@Muppio]

"How much bass do you want?" "Yes please."

[@pedrogalvez1029]

I would to see you guys showcase the krist noveselic signature RD bass by Gibson, that would be really really cool, there isn't that many videos that show it being played except nirvanas performance at the paramount but still please do so and make my dream

[@andyg3]

the paramount gig uses an original RD artist, not the signature. his signature is based on his RD standard which he put seymour duncans in. the only gig you can see him use that bass is rock in rio 1993. there is quick a good video of the signature by 'session' . but its all in german!

[@pedrogalvez1029]

oh dang, I just noticed that

[@xhefriguitars7946]

Wish you would have ran this directly through the amp so one can get the true tone of the bass. RD circuitry is affected by any kind of stomp boxes. I have the RD Custom Guitar and it does not like pedals all that much.

[@laserlithuanian]

great tone

[@akattack]

I have a '78, unfortunately it's just too big for me as I'm a small girl with small hands. I lend it to responsible friends and bands and they all love it. I'll never sell it haha

[@xDooksx]

Great shape for bass

[@Into_The_Mystery_13]

Nice chops!

[@TheKungfulol]

Holy Shit I need one.

[@Jacksabbath44]

Twiggy Ramirez used RDs a lot both live and in studio with Marilyn Manson

[@telecasterbear]

Dos Osos. Woof!

[@bflo1000]

Resembles the T-Bird.

[@chicagomusicexchange]

SUBSCRIBE & TURN ON NOTIFICATIONS TO NEVER MISS A GEAR DEMO!

[@michaelblaney4461]

Gibson has to waste time making every Les Paul model possible but they can't make any of their cool basses anymore!

[@takeawayeverything]

Essentially, is this like the first generation of a pre-amp equipped bass?

[@CorvetteCoonass]

I think Alembic was the first company to have a preamp equipped bass back in 1972. Music Man was the first company to have a mass produced pre-amp equipped bass back in 1976.

[@harryprater9014]

Gretsch...makes alot of things....years ago they made foot peddles, etc.

[@markymarco2570]

It's this a Thunderbird?

[@raktimparashar]

Justin Chancellor tone?

[@_cameraboy]

Will it Tool....yes.

[@stewartross13]

Where the fuck do I find The Baron by Huntsmen???

[@strangernajjar]

not released yet :-)

[@stewartross13]

is it your band? oh that makes sense.

[@conky7819]

+marc najjar Release it already!!!

[@Leiria65]

marc najjar Its been almost 3 years, release it already. Or atleast give us some rough demo recording of it. That riff is amazing

[@strangernajjar]

it's being released soon... :-)

[@bennett138]

I bet hes a young widows fan...

[@crlaw75]

Didn't know that Gretsch made amps.

[@GreetTheSacredCow]

Doesn't the bass player from Russian Circles play something similar to this?

[@User-jk8wq]

+GreetTheSacredCow It's a first-act custom bass.

[@mikeszeles5454]

He plays Rippers and Grabbers, and now Electric Guitar Co.

[@Solu54]

I wish they would only use bass players when reviewing Bass guitars.

[@musicbruise]

It sounds awesome clean, especially on the bright and bridge pickups, but the fuzz makes it sound like shit.

[@itsGety]

I need to get one of these things, holy shit. Someone please help me track down somewhere I can find it -_-

[@andyg3]

ebay...

[@ajwoodger]

What's the first riff he plays?

[@strangernajjar]

"The Baron" by Huntsmen

[@ajwoodger]

marc najjar do you know where I can find the tabs for it?

[@strangernajjar]

Alex W there are no tabs just yet.

[@iwillnevergetone5]

Alex W no tabs. ear training improves skills better than anything

[@mariannehallchristensen697]

How heavy ???

[@mariannehallchristensen697]

Hvor tung er den ??!

[@atyourexpense3408]

Is it just little or is that guy absolutely humongous (not in a mean way)

[@johncoombes2575]

3

[@abdulkadirtosun2154]

İlk riff in Justin abiyle alakası varmı

[@krisdelcid5319]

Is just me, or people aways use a pick for this bass.

[@vonjunzt4130]

very pricey amp, more so than the guitar. sounds great.

[@4strngmenace]

i had one of these basses,,,,it made a better boat anchor than a bass....gibson should stick to guitars and leave the basses to Fender and Rickenbacker!

[@andyg3]

4strngmenace i beg to differ..

[@godfatherNYC]

So ugly (IMHO) but sounds AMAZING.

[@PhuckHue2]

only good for thrash metal where the guitars drown out the sound of that crap bass

[@Disco_Eterno]

Terrible!

[@andyg3]

awesome!