On the heels of the 20th anniversary of Nirvana’s seminal Nevermind album, Gibson Guitar is proud to announce the upcoming release of the Krist Novoselic Signature RD Bass.
While performing with several bands since 1994, it is Novoselic’s work in Nirvana that will provide his most lasting impact on the history of music. Novoselic used several different Gibson basses while in Nirvana, and the black RD bass on which this Signature model was modeled can be seen in iconic footage of the band’s first appearance at The Reading Festival (parts of which can be seen in the recently reissued DVD of the tour film “1991: The Year Punk Broke”) as well as in the celebrated Halloween 1991 show at Seattle’s Paramount Theatre (the DVD of which was just released as well).
“I play Gibson RDs from the 1970s and it’s incredible to now have my own signature model,” says Novoselic. “This is a big bass! I am 6’7” tall and these long-scale beasts fit me physically. You’ve got to pound those heavy grunge riffs and you need the weight to do it. At the same time, there’s plenty of fretboard that accommodates the finer runs and fills higher on the neck.”
About the Bass:
The Krist Novoselic Signature RD Bass begins with a body and glued-in neck of solid maple, a tonewood known for its ability to add punch, clarity and sustain to the sound of any guitar. It is shaped in the image of the RD guitars and basses first introduced by Gibson USA in the 1970s, with a rounded, offset body style reminiscent of the iconic Gibson Firebird guitar and Thunderbird bass. The sustain and thundering resonance of the Krist Novoselic Signature RD Bass are further enhanced by a strings-through-body design with solid three-point bridge, and a gently back-angled headstock to maintain optimum string pressure in the PLEK-cut slots of a Corian nut. Meanwhile, formidable Grover™ “shamrock-key” tuners keep your pitch tight and true, however hard you hit it. The comfortably rounded neck profile with a depth of .860” at the 1st fret and .960” at the 12th is paired with an exotic obeche fingerboard with 20 frets and a 12-inch radius, all crafted to enhance a playing experience that is every bit the equal of the superior tone and construction of this outstanding bass.
To optimize the power, punch and clarity of the Krist Novoselic Signature RD Bass’ natural resonance and sustain, Gibson USA uses a pair of Seymour Duncan™ Bass Lines STK-J2n and STK-J2b “Hot Stack” pickups. Designed to offer the precision and harmonic richness of single-coil pickups, with the noise-canceling properties of humbuckers, these Seymour Duncans provide unparalleled tones and impressive versatility. An independent volume control for each enables you to dial in your preferred balance of bridge and neck pickup for any playing situation, while a master tone control allows fine-tuning of your instrument’s voice. Add it all up, and the Krist Novoselic Signature RD Bass is a total monster of versatility and performance for today’s master of the low-end. Each one includes a Gibson hardshell case and owner’s manual, and is covered by Gibson’s Limited Lifetime Warranty and 24/7/365 Customer Service.
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