Yes, I would also check the strings you are using for the ATK. Or then your pedal chain is causing issues with the tonal ranges -- try to plug directly to the amp to see if this is the case. Me thinks too many pedals is changing the tone of the bass to a point where it could be a problem.
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Official ATK Club
- Thread starter Justin Tuskey
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I'll have to give your 70/100/whatever and 100/70/50 a try... not sure what to do with my amp, actually - generally leave it pretty well flat with a little emphasis to the mids.. I still can't figure out what exactly I like with the filters on my SA450, though..
Been thinking about trading my SA450 for something with a little more grit and meat to it, maybe in the Mesa or Ampeg vein.. ARGH.. I'm not good with the details.. and trying to get all of my pedals EQed in a reasonably optimal way is killing me..
I have all of my pedals running through an LS-2, so I can bypass them, and usually the signal chain would only be traveling through 2 pedals at a time (most of which are true bypass).. not sure if the LS-2 is a real tone sucker though..
Elixirs are OK but I think you will get surprised if you put any other better strings on the ATK.
I tried some D'Adarrio Chromes, but I found them a little too muddy.. I also have an old set of Rotosound Flats, but unfortunately they were cut for a different bass and not all of them are long enough to go on the ATK..
What would you reccommend for strings to get more of the tone I'm after?
What would you reccommend for strings to get more of the tone I'm after?
i use DR Lo-Riders, and I've been generally pleased with them. They have a nice little edge to them, even after getting worn in, and seem to cut pretty well. they last a long time too.
I'll have to check those out - do you use the Stainless Steel or Nickel variety? I might go for Nickel as it sounds like they are a little warmer..
yeah i use the SS- a little edgier, but I was actually thinking about giving the nickels a go next time i need strings. best of luck finding your sweet spot!
I've used Rotosound RS66LS -- the classic sound, works fine with ATK, they are also long for the string-through insertion that I strongly recommend using as you get a better bass sound with a longer string.
Then again if you don't like that rough RotoSound sound or the roughness on your fingers, the recommended DR Lo-riders are good, too.
Then again if you don't like that rough RotoSound sound or the roughness on your fingers, the recommended DR Lo-riders are good, too.
Thanks.. I'll have to see what a string change can do for me.. taking it into my tech tonight to get some setup done on it as well as it has never really been setup apart from the manufacturer since I've had it.
hey saint. please change the strings. i think you will be REALLY surprised haha. stainless gets a more snappy sound, and nickel usually gets a more meaty sound. ive used both and cant really decide what i like more, because they both sound good with different things. but i am not a big fan of elixers...they just give off some strange high end overtones that you cant get out with any eq
Well I just got my ATK setup by my tech - turns out my string heights were all off along with my intonation (I had set it when I was playing with regular tuning, but my current band tunes down a half step and I didn't realize that would throw off the intonation). I told him I was thinking of changing strings and he confirmed that DR's are "the best strings made" .. so I'll definately be picking up some Lo-Riders.. not sure whether I want to go snappier or meatier though.. I think maybe meatier. Thanks for the great advice, everyone!
Gonna cause more heresy by suggesting the Bassculture replacement again
it definitely gets rid of the nasal mids. I think the stock pickup suits alot of sounds, but for the ones it doesn't the Bassculture manages it, only thing it won't help the ATK do is fat oldschool sounds. My ATKs gonna get alot fatter sounding near christmas when I get my Seymour Jazz Hotstack grafted in though 
Also you could try going passive, I've done both, and I prefer the sound without the preamp involved, makes it sound a little less modern, again just something that suits my style a bit better.
Gonna cause more heresy by suggesting the Bassculture replacement again
Also you could try going passive, I've done both, and I prefer the sound without the preamp involved, makes it sound a little less modern, again just something that suits my style a bit better.
Hey Swami - I've actually been kinda craving the simplicity of a passive bass lately .. not sure how I would go about bypassing the pre-amp, though. What would this involve, and does it have a large affect on the volume coming out of the bass, etc? Is this easy to do?
The Bassculture replacement pickup is something I've pondered as well..
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