Model of the Week Eight: The 3000 and 3001

[daveman]

Last call....

I really like the tone controls on the 3001 - the usual treble roll-off, and the special "bass cut" knob. The humbucker is pretty heavy handed (in a good way) -- the bass cut knob is very useful. Judicious use of these passive controls (along with compensating adjustments to the volume control as needed) yields a wider range of useful tones than just having the treble roll-off.

[aceonbass]

3000 and 3001 basses have single coil pickups. The HB1's and HB2's were some years away at that time.

[Chris P]

Can you please post the Mani content to the Mani thread too? It's in Rickenbacker Artists.

I'm almost sure the pick up is a HB.

Tuning. My Korg tuner has problems with every E string (my old Boss had the same problems), so I have to hit the E quite hard. With shortscales it's even worse, cos the E string lacks some definition. I just got used to it.

[StoneRose]

Only one thing irritates me about it, the E string. When tuning, every other string is good as gold, the E string however, is a b*****d to tune. Anyone else had a similar problem?

So, do you mean your E string tuner takes a lot more force to turn than the other three? A couple of my 70's Ricks have the same problem. That's one of the reasons why I prefer the new Schaller tuners on the 4003...they're smooth and consistent...and the screws don't vibrate off...and they don't turn green!

You can try removing the tuner. Take the big post screw off the back. Clean the post and gear. Try to figure out where the resistance is coming from. Sometimes it is the shaft on the worm gear...it might need a little oil between the shaft and the retaining sleeves. Also check tightness of the big post screw. An unfortunate problem with this design is that the more tight the post screw is, the more resistance you'll have on the tuner. I usually keep mine just finger tight. Put a dab of grease between the circular gear and the backing plate. Sometimes the black plastic ferrule fits too tight. Maybe switch it with another one of the tuners that spins more freely.

May The Force be with you.

Thaks Jeff
The tuner itself is smooth as silk. The problem comes when I have to use something other than my ears to tune it (never have been any good at that!). The needle on my Korg tuner seems to go haywire when the E sting is plucked. The tuner has been tested on many other basses and is fine.

[rickaddict]

Ahhh...I see!

I can't help you there.

I use a Peterson 100 tuner which is now officially an antique. I feel kinda silly bringing it to gigs because its so big and old and needs to plug into an outlet...But the sucker just keeps on working, so I keep on using it. It's never had a problem with the E string on any of my Ricks.

[daveman]

3000 and 3001 basses have single coil pickups. The HB1's and HB2's were some years away at that time.

The article "Rickenbacker Bass Models and Specifications" (Rickenbacker Related Articles at http://www.rickresource.com/main/ says that the 3000 and 3001 have a "single high gain hum-canceling pickup".

[aceonbass]

Regardless of the 70's hyperbole used in the catalogs, these pickups (which were the same as the pickups used in the 230 & 2030 basses) were single coil.

[bdgotoh]

They are definitely single coils. Here's what they look like under the cover (not my picture or pickup, by the way):

[daveman]

Cool! Thanks for clearing this up. The "hum-canceling" claim must be based on all that shielding in the pickup cavity.

It is a hot & dark pickup... with very useful tone controls (repeating myself).

[Chris P]

Thanks, I learn everyday!

[ajish4]

Thanks, I learn everyday!

As do we all!

There is ALWAYS something new to be learned here!

Never seen one live, I've been temped to get one of these bolt on RICS, but the weight and scale were concerns so I never went any further than just being curious.

[woodyng]

tony---it weighs a lot less than your peavey,i'll wager!

[ajish4]

tony---it weighs a lot less than your peavey,i'll wager!

True Woody!

AH, but WHICH Peavey is the question!

The 81 was just converted to Fretless and she's a heifer..but my 78 is a freak, it's about 3 pounds LIGHTER than the 81! It looks like it was made of Popular wood, not the Swamp Ash that they were normally made from. At 9 lbs, not too bad at all!

I could buy 5 or 6 T-40's for the price of a 3000!

I just bought another one locally for $75.00! GOTTA love Craigslist!

[woodyng]

not to get on a peavey tangent,BUT,i used to have a koa dynabass that i really liked,they are pretty cheap to find,too,not $75,though. (that's ridicklis!) ...i normally don't care for short scale basses,but would really like to check out a 3000.

[ajish4]

not to get on a peavey tangent,BUT,i used to have a koa dynabass that i really liked,they are pretty cheap to find,too,not $75,though. (that's ridicklis!) ...i normally don't care for short scale basses,but would really like to check out a 3000.

LoL, that is EXACTLY what I'm after today Woody!

Only they sell in the $500.00 to 600.00 range now...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... :IT&ih=013

IF I had the coin, I'd have gone after this one.

This is a great thread, I was never able to wrap my mind around the 2000 & 3000 series RICS. Which are short scales, which aren't, which are HB1's and which are HB2's and the differences. Good reading all the way around!