Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

There is a model 3000 bass on eBay that is dated as a 1969, which can't be right. I got this back from the seller:

I called Rickenbacker. They told me to remove the neck from the body. The year is written on the base. 1969. The serial # PB 1221. Let me know if this helps you. I bought it in 1975 from a college student.kbuster

Obviously a February 1976 (PB date code), but there wasn't a "1969" on the neck, certainly? I never had the neck off my 3001 when I had it, so I don't know whether anything is written there.

1974 was the 1st year we made the 3000 series Bass and Guitars. We never dated the necks or bodies, that was Fenders way of doing things. So PB would be February of 1976..

"1974 was the 1st year we made the 3000 series Bass and Guitars"

How did you feel back then about these guitars? Did you like the way they looked? It was a very Fender-ish design, a departure from traditional Ric design characteristics.

I thought it was very different having a bolt on neck, and the thick almost Telecaster shape body was very heavy. They were still a quality made instrument for the lower price market musician.