My love/hate relationship with an ATK300

Buy some stickers.

 

I used to hate the look of Rickenbackers. I played one. It was awesome. I bought it and forgot how it looked.

During the course of our torid 10 year affair I grew to appreciate the way it looked. I've moved on to another brand for the time being. I'm not really fond of their overall look, either. I buy for the sound.

Mike

 

Not that this solves your problem, but I kind of like the looks of the ATK, but wish they'd offer it in some different colors, and give you a choise of rw or maple for the board.

Candy Apple Red w/ a rosewood board might get me into an ATK.

 

Aesthetics are a big consideration for me -- I play in dumb rock bands, so bringing out a flamey singlecut 6-string would be an awful idea. I finally sold my quilted Quantum 5 cuz it just looked wrong.

but i have notoriously bad taste, hence my love for basses widely disdained as ugly, like the Guild Martian, Kramer XL-8, and stuff like that. so, yeah. very subjective.

i also think ATKs are oogly.

 

I think that ATKs look really good in some finishes and really bad in some others. I hate to say it but have you thought of a makeover?

 

Have you taken off the pickguard? Changes the look totally, IMHO.

Steve

 

I love the sound and playability of my ATK as well but I don't dig the trans orange finish. The body style etc doesn't bother me so I decided to send it off to get it re-painted silver-sparkle.

I saw a site (can't remeber where) that had all models/colors that Ibanez ever produced of the ATK throughout the world. There were some very interesting colors that really made the ATK body style pop. DOn't give up, try a "makeover" . It might be what you're looking for.

 

Get the ATK700 maple w/natural fretboard, have an adult beverage, and stare at it for ten minutes. You'll be in love!

 

yeah, I have kind of the same thing...

I have an LTD B-2005 which plays and looks great. It looks metal and that's fine 'cause I'm in a metalband, BUT I look goofy with it. I love metal and I love playing it. But I'm only metal at heart, I don't look metal at all. And visualy this bass and me don't fit, you know? So I want another bass, but can't afford one. But resale is really low while the bass is really good. So I'm debating with myself to put some different pickups in it, so I at least like the sound more. Or save my pennies so I can buy a new bass sooner... Problem is I don't really know what I want in a bass. 4 or 5 string, P, J, MM, what I do know is passive, less knobs more playing and as light as possible!

 

I actually really disliked the look of the ATK when I first saw it, and I really disliked the ones with black pickguards. Then I saw one over the summer that I had to have. Apparently its been around on TB Its an older ATK 305 with a clear pickguard, and wow it is so gorgeous. It also sounds amazing and I am done with tone searching for basses. I still dont like the look of the black pickguard though. One thing about ATKs that is very prominet, is that its freaking huge! but Ive grown to appreciate that, rather then be visually displeased by it.

 

Very poignant comparison...I, too, had the 'ugly girlfriend' that you describe...I have spent decades regretting my shallow choice to move on to the more 'accepted' gf/trophy...still one of the biggest mistakes of my life.
It's funny...those that may diss you because of the looks of your bass...are clueless. Tune in to those that dig your groove and sense of 'bottom'.

Keep the ATK...it speaks to you.

Kim

 

If you have the dough, transplant the electronics on a custom What sort of look you want?

 

I too think the ATK's a pretty damn ugly bass design and yet I used one as my main bass for right years or so. I gor one because I wanted a bass with active electronics that was available in lefty and didn't break the bank and I'd read good things about them and indeed, it always served me well. Sometimes there are more important things than looks, I guess.

 

Beryl, take a Bex and have a good lie down. You'll get over it.

 

What color is your ATK? I love the Natural ones with black p/g; but I don't really like the other colors.

But back to your dilemma. It's been my experience that if the appearance of a bass really bothers you, you won't be happy until you sell it or trade it for something you like. If you like the way it plays, you could always think about having it refinished in a color you want. But the ATK's are priced so reasonably, that it might not be cost-effective to refinish it. Post it on the TB classifieds or Craigslist. What you think is ugly, somebody else will think is hot. Just look at the variance of opinions even on this forum. We all have our own individual tastes. Then when you sell it, you can buy something you really like.

 

I've been wanting one of these basses since they originated. The look is the about the last reason why, so I understand your dislike. However, it's not *that* bad. I mean, you could be playing a bass version of the Fernandes ZO-3...



I learned to love my bird's eye maple Alembic Epic, but when I wasn't so keen on getting it at first...wanted a darker wood. Love it now.