Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

OK, the 3000 and 3001 basses are similar. Obviously, the big difference is size, with the 3000 being smaller and having a short 30" scale. Both have one pickup, right? So why does the 3001 have THREE control knobs? One would be volume, one tone, and one . . . ? Inquiring minds want to know!

The Smith book describes the 3001 as having separate volume, bass boost and treble boost controls.

Maybe someone who actually plays a 3001 could tell you what these controls actually do.

I believe it's volume; treble cut; bass cut. If you want I can pop off the p/g and take a photo.

Check the schematic on the RIC site. R2 appears to be a fairly traditional tone control except that it only passes signal above the hinge frequency of the capacitor because there is a cap in series with either side of the two outputs (which lead either to R1 or to ground). Then, in theory, R3 should control how much of the bass frequency element of the signal gets through to R1; the resistor in series with it (R4) was probably meant to keep high frequencies from getting to R3, so it would only modulate lows, although resistors actually aren't as selective about frequency as capacitors are in my experience. R1 is a traditional volume control. So calling it "Bass Cut", "Treble Cut" (AKA a "tone knob"), and Volume is accurate. Describing passive controls as "Boosts" is never correct since they can only remove signal, not add to it.

I doubt R3 was very useful. Kind of like the Rhythm/Solo switch on a Hofner bass; better off without it really (in the case of the Hofner, you'd always want it on solo, with nothing getting the way of your signal). But in theory it could give you a few more options as to your bass's final tone. I just doubt they were useful in practice.

Others here who are more intelligent than I am (too many of you to name) could probably give you a better explanation of the wiring than I have, but, I figured I could at least give it a good ol' college try.

http://www.rickenbacker.com/pdfs/19504.pdf

I had an earlier topic about this bass ("Rockin' my 3001", topic 395525) where there's some discussion about the utility of the bass cut control and the very limited number of other basses that have it. Definitely not a feature that caught on in the bass world. But I still like it.

Edit: I wonder why the 3000 didn't use the same set-up (that's just vol. and "tone" (treble cut)).

I used to have two '76 3000s and a '76 3001. Not anymore. There are a lot of differences. Of course the size of the body, the skunk stripe in the neck and the three versus two controls, with the 3001 having the jack input on the side of the body, just to name a few. It was told to me the 3001 had a bass and treble control indeed. And like someone aboves tells, it isn't a boost cos that's only possible with active basses. As far as I can remember it worked fairly good as it was described to mee. Not as good as an active bass, but fairly good.

IMHO the 3000 has a lot more character of its own. The 3001's more P.

Thanks, folks! That explains it!

Paul

Catalog!

Link to full size...
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g129/ ... c75p12.jpg