Digital BW, The Print

> ... I know someone with an Epson 3000 that is just sitting around. 
> I know that I could get it for free or for very little money.

They are still the cheapest route to 16 x 20 prints.

> The owner did say that it exhibits some banding, ...

Get some cleaning fluid and let it sit in the printer for a week or so with
occasional purge pattern printing and cleaning cycles.  That plus cleaning
the pads and underside of the head might take care of the problems.  Paper
feed problems can also cause banding with the 3000.

> Assuming that the 3000 is in good working order, is it still a viable
> quadtone printer if I were to get a quadtone inkset for it ...

It's a viable quadtone printer.  I do not recommend variable tone inksets
and definitely not a small gamut inkset for the 3000.  A monotone inkset
will look much better with those relatively large dots.  You need good
partitioning curves.  QTR works and I have Epson driver curves for the UT-FS
and UT-FSN inksets.  The RGB curves might be able to be put into ICCs so
that you can take advantage of the linearization function and other
advantages of Roy's "Create ICC" program.

> Any other issues with this setup? 

Paper feed is a weakness.  I used slightly dampened EEM in the front feed
tray and had very good luck.  The Premier Art dual matte and hot press 205
would be good candidates for acid free paper.

Good luck.  Let me know off list if you want the Epson driver curves.

Paul
www.PaulRoark.com