The Gibson RD guitars were designed at the Kalamazoo plant and launched in 1977. The design team consisted of Chuck Burge (woodwork), Tim Shaw (electronics) and was overseen by Bruce Bolen. There were two bass models, the RD Artist and RD Standard, plus 3 guitar models. The basses were both similar in looks and construction; maple body and neck, with maple fingerboards on natural instruments, and ebony fingerboards on black/sunburst. The difference between the two basses was in the electronics. The RD standard was a typical passive bass, with two pickups, two volume controls, and one tone control. The Artist was very different. Gibsons first attempt at active electronics, it featured complex expansion/compression circuits designed by Bob Moog (Moog and Gibson were both owned by Norlin) which allowed a wide range of sounds, and effects. It had no passive mode.
Martin from L.A. Rock uses a Gibson RD standard bass in shows