What bass is Geddy Lee playing in this picture?

A 3000?

 

Yep.. Rickenbacker 3000.

 

Anyone know the one that's second from the left? Between Ged and the 4080/12?

 

I think thats his cut down P bass, used onthe 1st album.

 

'69 P bass

 

Correct, but it was a stock P Bass for the first album, it wasn't until after he got the Ric he got it modified into the tear-drop shaped bass it is today.



I've read elsewhere on Talkbass that he didn't like the sound of the P Bass after he cut it into a tear-drop shape, but it is apparently the bass he used to make the dog growling effects on "By-Tor and The Snow Dog"

 

^ this

 

so geddy used a pbass on their debut??!! This is news to me, his tone on the debut is also my favorite of his tones!!

 

Yeah,I had no idea either until a thread on TB a few years back.

 

Wow, I always assumed it was a Rick and he just changed his tone on "fly by night"... Learn something new everyday I guess!!

 

Yeah, it goes to show that he could pick up any bass and still sound like himself.

 

Has he ever used that Ric 3000 on any live or studio recordings?

Here is Geddy playing that P bass in 1974:

 

I think that is a Rickenbacker 3001 and not a 3000

 

It is a 3001. The 3000 is a short scale. I have one....it's sweet.

 

Yep ... that confirms it ...

 

And from what I understand the 3001 was just a back up. The live shot above is from a soundcheck & I don't believe he ever recorded with it. If I remember some old thread correctly he eventually gave it to a crew member.

 

He also had a 4002, a couple of 4001s, a couple of 4080s, and I think a 4003, and a whole lot of Jazz basses ...

 

Can't forget the Steinberger and the Wals...