USA Custom Ibanez ATK 5-string

[tombowlus]

Reality check: I have way too much stuff! So, I need to move a few things. This is a hella cool bass, but I'm not playing it out, so I suppose I should move it on to someone else. Here are the specs/pics as listed by my buddy MarkusBass, from whom I acquired this bass:

Here are the specs:

• Bunker Tension Free Patent Neck 5 Piece Neck with Floating
• Pillow Maple Headstock and brass nut
• Flame Maple Fretboard
• Swamp Ash Body
• Active Electronics
• Triple Humbucker with three mode switch
• Has been refinished in silver and has brushed aluminum pickguard (comes with stock pearl pickguard too)
• Original Hardshell case

90’s Ibanez Custom Shop USA ATK 305
Only about 100 five strings made!!! Very solid bass with super thick tone. The bass has always been in a non-smoking house. I bought it new in 1995. There are a few nicks and scratches, but otherwise in very good shape.

This is taken form Bunker's site:

"Some of the finest Quality guitars built in the 90’s were built for Ibanez By Dave Bunker the craftsmanship and quality of these guitars is what makes them such sought after guitars and basses.

In 1995 the ATK bass built by Bunker for Ibanez was picked as the best bass of the year over all other basses including Fender.

These guitars today are some of the best and most collectable guitars which Ibanez has sold to date."

"We get lot’s of interest regarding the guitars and basses we built for Hoshino (Ibanez) in the mid 90’s, These guitars and basses today have become some of the most collectable guitars of the present.

One of the great guitar designers and luthier’s, which I had the pleasure to work with when building these guitars, was Jim Donahue. Jim for over 20 years was the premier designer with Hoshino of Ibanez guitars and basses. Our company, PBC guitar technology, was located just north of the eastern Ibanez distribution warehouse which was in northern Philadelphia.

The reason Ibanez asked us to build guitars for them was because of some innovations we had on our guitars which greatly improved the sound and playability of our guitars, these being such things as our tension free neck and other manufacturing technology.

Just one more reason to buy a Bunker if you want the finest guitar that money can buy."








Here is some info on the neck:
http://www.bunker-guitars.com/tension_free.html

It is still in excellent condition. Here it is in a shot of my three ATKs:



I would like to get $900, shipped within the lower 48.

Thanks, Tom.

[nutdog]

Originally Posted by tombowlus

Reality check: I have way too much stuff!

I, uh, don't know you so I wasn't going to say anything, but that could be the understatement of the decade.

[madbassplaya]

neat bass, neat pickguard.

[CapnSev]

If only they spaced these a little wider, I would be all over this.

[sixway]

That's one beautiful bass Tom! I wish it was a lefty! I've been searching for a lefty five string for two years now. I own a 95 four string, but would sure like a lefty! The search continues.....

[bongomania]

What's the weight of this one?

[tombowlus]

Originally Posted by bongomania

What's the weight of this one?

I will check on that for you!

[phillipkregg]

Man, those US ATK's are gorgeous!

[rms2]

Hey Tom - what's the string spacing at the bridge on this one? And is the neck a C or more of the sdgr type thin flat profile?

[tombowlus]

Okay, by my less accurate scale at home, this bass weighs in at 9.8 lbs. I'll try to get it down to the office for a more accurate measurement.

The string spacing at the bridge is 17mm.

The neck is not as thin as the SDGR style necks, but not chunky by any means.

[Lazarus.Bird]

Drool... What's going on with the wood grain one? Is that second pup stock?

[rudy173]

wooooowww is it skjold in the back?? he he he.......good sounding bass!

[tombowlus]

Originally Posted by Lazarus.Bird

Drool... What's going on with the wood grain one? Is that second pup stock?

That is my ATK750KOA. It was a standard model up until just over a year ago, and a killer, killer production bass, IME/IMHO. I reviewed that bass back in issue #1. They absolutely blew these basses out when they discontinued the model, and I really think it was a shame. That neck pickup really added some neat tone options. For those who were able to get them at the blowout prices, though, they got an incredible bass at a ridiculously low price.

Tom.

[tombowlus]

Originally Posted by rudy173

wooooowww is it skjold in the back?? he he he.......good sounding bass!

Good eye! That is the very first Exotic Custom 5 that Pete built. It's an amazing bass in its own right, though different in many ways from what Pete is making nowadays.

[Lazarus.Bird]

I want to be attacked by the Koa Monster...

[tombowlus]

Originally Posted by Lazarus.Bird

I want to be attacked by the Koa Monster...

[tombowlus]

I forgot to mention, although this bass did not come with a case when I bought it, I did get a new Ibanez ATK hard case for it, and this is included.

[kenfreshmeadows]

Are there really only about 100 of the 5 string USA ATK ever made? That would make it alot rarer than i thoght. I thought i remember a few people saying there are maybe around 300 or so

[tombowlus]

Originally Posted by kenfreshmeadows

Are there really only about 100 of the 5 string USA ATK ever made? That would make it alot rarer than i thoght. I thought i remember a few people saying there are maybe around 300 or so

The 300 or so quote may be for the total number of the USA Custom ATK's with the tension-free neck, but I do believe that the figure for the limited number of 5-string USA Custom ATK's is accurate.

Tom.

[tombowlus]

Sold!