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REALLY Cheap Ibanez ATK's!
- Thread starter 6Steve6Harris6
- Start date
Bloody hell, maybe the 90's pre-amp is a little stronger or something, the signal was hot as hell when I cranked everything on mine, when I had the trim pot on full and the EQ maxed out it overdrove the on board pre before it even got to my amp...
The pre is kinda sucky, I'd be interested to hear what the stock pickup sounds like with a better one.
Quadzilla
Supporting Member
What complaints do you have about it?
Just curious. I don't purport to be an authority, but it's not a big departure from some of the aftermarket ones, I don't think.
Supposedly my ATK700 will be delivered tomorrow. It's in town, anyway...but the fishy new MF/UPS arrangement may delay it a day.
It's not bad or anything, I wouldn't go that far so don't worry, but I definitely think it lets the rest of the instrument down I guess that's how they keep the prices affordable. It is a little noisy and I never found that the EQ was all that useful other then back when I used to max it out to get a really hot output.
Maybe it just doesn't really suit my style anymore cos I did used to like pretty much everything about my ATK when it was stock, but then again maybe it's just cos I hadn't come into contact with any really nice equipment at the time. Alot of people seem very happy with their ATKs as stock, so again don't worry about it.
Maybe it just doesn't really suit my style anymore cos I did used to like pretty much everything about my ATK when it was stock, but then again maybe it's just cos I hadn't come into contact with any really nice equipment at the time. Alot of people seem very happy with their ATKs as stock, so again don't worry about it.
Mine came this afternoon.
No, if I'm worried about anything, it'd be that tiny bat switch sticking out in the breeze getting sheared off at the conk. Man, that thing looks doomed.
That and my back. OVER ELEVEN POUNDS. Vey iz mir!
Nice looking, perfect centerline alignment, no birdseye, fair frets, three-piece body of fair-to-good ash.
I recently played 4 of these at Sam Ash. I was really digging the blue one they had but............. The build quality just wasn't up to par. Sound wise......Meh :scowl: I'm really not seeing what the excitement is all about..........sorry
The Jet King they had also left me feeling the same way
The build quality just wasn't up to par. Sound wise......Meh :scowl: I'm really not seeing what the excitement is all about..........sorry The Jet King they had also left me feeling the same way
Maybe I was just extremely lucky but my ATK700 was of exceptional build quality. I was hard pressed to find an MIA Fender or EBMM to be on par with my ATK. These aren't the best pictures but it's all I have to show the birds-eye on the fingerboard and the level of fretwork which was superb.
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When you talk about "build quality," you have to define your terms.
Aside from the iffy electronics, the general build quality was indeed far better than that on my American Standard Jazz, most notably in overall centerline alignment, which was perfect on both the ATK700 and the ATK750. It was pretty bad on the American Standard.
OCA is a real indicator of overall quality of build to me and it's pretty often horrible -- absolutely horrible -- on instruments at any price point. I've seen $3800 Gibsons that were shocking, and they were irreparable -- everything built crooked and off-center and would stay that way forever. Just junk. :scowl:
These Ibanez basses, the Yamaha RBX4 A2 I recently got and a recent guitar were really straight, all Cor-Tek builds. I'm impressed.
The long-caul fretting worked out on these pretty well, but the necks are very climatically unstable, which is surprising for big five-piece laminates. That's not a quality issue, but it's certainly a nuisance.
The finish on both of these was very good.
All that said, I can't say that I'm that excited by the ATKs. Given the problems I've seen here with the active circuitry and the ATK's lack of a passive backup, I'd never trust them enough to gig with them, even if they didn't weigh eleven pounds and I felt like bucking the Ibanez stigma.
I also personally don't care for the bass-geek decorative top laminations. They're pretty, but a bass isn't furniture.
Still, I'm glad I got them. They're interesting and I know I'll turn a good profit on them if I sell eventually. That's all I really ask of a buy.
Aside from the iffy electronics, the general build quality was indeed far better than that on my American Standard Jazz, most notably in overall centerline alignment, which was perfect on both the ATK700 and the ATK750. It was pretty bad on the American Standard.
OCA is a real indicator of overall quality of build to me and it's pretty often horrible -- absolutely horrible -- on instruments at any price point. I've seen $3800 Gibsons that were shocking, and they were irreparable -- everything built crooked and off-center and would stay that way forever. Just junk. :scowl:
These Ibanez basses, the Yamaha RBX4 A2 I recently got and a recent guitar were really straight, all Cor-Tek builds. I'm impressed.
The long-caul fretting worked out on these pretty well, but the necks are very climatically unstable, which is surprising for big five-piece laminates. That's not a quality issue, but it's certainly a nuisance.
The finish on both of these was very good.
All that said, I can't say that I'm that excited by the ATKs. Given the problems I've seen here with the active circuitry and the ATK's lack of a passive backup, I'd never trust them enough to gig with them, even if they didn't weigh eleven pounds and I felt like bucking the Ibanez stigma.
I also personally don't care for the bass-geek decorative top laminations. They're pretty, but a bass isn't furniture.
Still, I'm glad I got them. They're interesting and I know I'll turn a good profit on them if I sell eventually. That's all I really ask of a buy.
Just bypass the pre man, there seem to be alot of people very happy with the sound of the stock pickup gone passive. I had alot of problems with the active circuitry being a bit noisy weak and generally useless and did the same, although I did this after swapping out the original pickup. Either way I found the preamp was detrimental to the sound of both pickups for what I wanted out of mine.
I had the same soundgear it's a pencil neck for sure but it was still better than my late 80's peavey fury that was my first. The ATK's are really a different animal very anti-soundgear in every way...Closest non MM to sound like a MM that I have ever had so it has it's place.
Check the korean ones....I recently played 4 of these at Sam Ash. I was really digging the blue one they had but.............
The Jet King they had also left me feeling the same way
I thought the build quality of my ATK300 better than any other bass at that price range. I've had no issues with it so far - and yeah, I've only had it a week but it's still a bass I'm very happy with up to this point. If it continues to hold up, it will quickly become my favorite bass. Heck, 
it already is my favorite bass, I've fallen in love with it.
I didn't get mine from MF (because I really dislike them and GC), I got it from the Guitar Factory for a really...really nice price. They are out there if you really dig for them!
And I don't get why everyone thinks 11 pounds is so horrible :| I played with this thing on my feet for about 6 hours straight at a jam this weekend and it wasn't that bad. My shoulder got a little sore but eh. And I'm a 5'4' rather puny female bassist at that.
Now my Washburn Taurus t25...THAT was a friggen back ache. 13 pounds boys and girls, and at the end of practicing with that thing my entire back felt NUMB. And it had the worst neck dive ever.
it already is my favorite bass, I've fallen in love with it. I didn't get mine from MF (because I really dislike them and GC), I got it from the Guitar Factory for a really...really nice price. They are out there if you really dig for them!
And I don't get why everyone thinks 11 pounds is so horrible :| I played with this thing on my feet for about 6 hours straight at a jam this weekend and it wasn't that bad. My shoulder got a little sore but eh. And I'm a 5'4' rather puny female bassist at that.
Now my Washburn Taurus t25...THAT was a friggen back ache. 13 pounds boys and girls, and at the end of practicing with that thing my entire back felt NUMB. And it had the worst neck dive ever.
Im waiting for MF to blow out the ATK 750QM for $350 also. I'll be first to buy it. Can that day be in the not so distant future?
I wouldn't hold my breath. The 750KA was like a special run, and I tend to think it wasn't part of the regular Ibanez ATK line up, but I'm also guessing here. I know that it was introduced during summer NAMM (2008 I guess). The 750QM on the other hand is part of the main ATK line, I wouldn't expect the price to blow out any time soon, probably not before next year's models are announced which means early next year.
I havent noticed any used 750QM around. Wouldnt be bad idea to get one used. They would still be near mint i assume.
As far as the 305's well those you can get used for good prices since the price new isnt that high to begin with. Thats what you gotta love about the 300 and 305. You can get similar sound to MM for such a good price. Big sound...small price.
I never got to play a show with the new ones. I love the ones from the 90's (except the input jack of course). Id like to A/B them in person some time.
As far as the 305's well those you can get used for good prices since the price new isnt that high to begin with. Thats what you gotta love about the 300 and 305. You can get similar sound to MM for such a good price. Big sound...small price.
I never got to play a show with the new ones. I love the ones from the 90's (except the input jack of course). Id like to A/B them in person some time.
