Model of the Week Eight: The 3000 and 3001

[daveman]

Someone just posted a fretless 3001 on talkbass:

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=509563

Very nice.

[aceonbass]

She posted about her 3001FL over at the RIC company forum last week. I've never seen another.

[bassduke49]

Saw Franz Ferdinand on Leno last night (1/29/09) and the bassist was playing a 3001 Walnut(?) with black plastic. Looked in great shape.

[loendmaestro]

Lotsa press surrounding Franz Ferdinand now. 3001 pix abound. Even in the new Rolling Stone!

[Benjamin]

Has anyone ever thought about creating a 3008?

[aceonbass]

...........NO

[Benjamin]

Was looking at a pic of a 3000/3001 this morning that was converted to a 5er. The owner had placed the 5th tuner between the D and A pegs. Looking at it, you could easily add a fourth tuner to the bottom side. Top side had me wondering whether you could replace the top tuners with bottom tuners, so that the key is closer to the nut, that would solve E tuner clearance and provide just enough room for another between E and A. There might just be enough room to add another towards the edge.Top tuners would be reverse then, but you would get used to winding the right/wrong way after a while.

Is the neck wide enough on a 3000/3001 to support 8 strings? Looks close enough to me!

*scours Australian classifieds for a 3001 and ponders fitting more teeth to a hen...*

Edit: Plus with equal sized tuners you could have the choice of under or over octave strings and only the nut will need changing. Seems most Rickenbacker 8 players/makers prefer octave over.

[aceonbass]

Having done five Rickenbacker 8-string conversions based on 4003's, I can tell you that eight tuners will not fit on any Rickenbacker headstock. Shortcuts don't work. The one I've seen looks like A**. Then again there's the issue of the bolt on neck that has a particularly short heel. Oh, and then there is also the issue of the amount of tension that the old style truss rods will take. No amount of "I think" will change these facts. The two five string conversions I've done on 3000 basses put the neck at it's limit for adjustability. I actually converted one back.

[Benjamin]

Well I guess that's a fair call from the resident expert.

[daveman]

(Sorry, this is a semi-zombie thread -- and I've been obsessed with the "Remaking The Horseshoe Bass Bobbin" thread like the rest of you. Anyway...)

On the subject of strings for the Model 3000 bass: although this is a 30"-scale bass, I've found that short-scale strings are a close call - some don't fit at all (the outer wrap is too short - I think this was the case with a set of D'Addario rounds) & some have the silk riding on the nut (Rotos). I have the D'Addario Chromes flatwound medium-scale set 45-100 (ECB81M) on the bass & they're working out real well.

[rickboy1689]

any recordings of these? always wanted to knowe what they sound like

[aceonbass]

As far as short scale strings for a 3000 go, the length of the tailpiece causes some strings to get into the silk at the nut. It's better to use standard scale length strings and just cut more off at the ends. I've put used stock RIC 4003 strings on 3000's before with no issues.

[daveman]

any recordings of these? always wanted to knowe what they sound like

Some artists who have used the 3000 are mentioned above in this thread. I'll add a guess that it's heard on the first 2 Heartless Bastards albums - their bass player at the time, Mike Lamping, was playing a 3000 live.

The 3000 has an aggressive, cutting sound - but like all Rics, it's still versatile. To tame it, I use flats and I use the tone control (treble cut), which is effective.

[godber]

Arctic Monkeys - I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor

[daveman]

Heartless Bastards 2006 video featuring the Rick 3000.
Erika Wennerstrom says her main influences are Neil Young and Black Sabbath. Yeah!!