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The Ultimate ATK ?

Funk Factor

Funk Factor

Dec 28, 2007
382
28
Hampstead, North Carolina
#1
I recently had a Basscultures replacement pickup installed in my ATK 300 as well as a Glockenklang 3 band preamp that I special ordered from bestbassgear, minus the blend pot.
The pickup is encased in a wenge cover with neodymium magnets and exposed pole pieces.
I can't say enough about the improvement this pickup has made and it matched perfectly with the Glock preamp which has the push/pull active/passive volume control and tone rolloff in passive mode.
This is an ATK that I'm sure even Bongomania would approve ;)
 
#3
Funk Factor said:
.... This is an ATK that I'm sure even Bongomania would approve ;)
Click to expand...

If you are talking about "Bongolation"

No way:D
  1. It will still be too heavy
  2. It still has the dreaded "bat-switch"

kidding aside...

I'd love it . I would like some more info on the sound of that pup compared to the original.

Also, does the "bat-switch" do anything now, or is it just plugging a hole?
 
#4
My bad ... it is Bongolation ...
The bat switch offers series - parallel and single coil modes... It is a bit sturdier than the stock switch ( which I never broke in over a year of steady playing )
Series mode is the bomb though...I can't see myself leaving that position...more output and balls, in general. ( Can I say "balls" here? )
I'm gonna work on getting a few sound samples up over the weekend.
Quite an improvement over the stock pickup and electronics. I like the Glock preamp better than anything else I've ever tried...killer preamp
 
#8
THand said:
If you are talking about "Bongolation"

No way:D
  1. It will still be too heavy
  2. It still has the dreaded "bat-switch"

kidding aside...
Click to expand...
Hey, I actually think the ATK is an interesting and fairly original bass with striking styling.

I don't dislike the bat switch, I just worry about it. :hmm:

But...let's face it...it is a heavy bass, and there isn't anything I can do about that. :(

Too bad, as otherwise I like my ATKs quite a bit. Link Removed has a really distinctive appearance that is hard to capture in a picture.
 
#9
My ATK's are no where near what my Marcus Miller weighed...now that was a heavy bass..
The switch that came with my Bassculture pickup is much sturdier than the original but that one never concerned me much, though.
But hey man...I do have a passive option on it now....ya gotta give me that Bongolation .... and this pickup kills in passive mode too :D
My tri-fade that is pictured above has a killer birds-eye board on it that is hard to capture in a pic also.
I'm just yankin' on your chain some man, all in good fun...
 
#10
Bongolation said:
Hey, I actually think the ATK is an interesting and fairly original bass with striking styling.

I don't dislike the bat switch, I just worry about it. :hmm:

But...let's face it...it is a heavy bass, and there isn't anything I can do about that. :(

Too bad, as otherwise I like my ATKs quite a bit. Link Removed has a really distinctive appearance that is hard to capture in a picture.
Click to expand...

My '96 ATK 300 FL is not a heavy bass. It weighs less than my P-bass. It certainly doesn't weigh as much as any of the Stingrays I've tried.
 
#12
Funk Factor said:
I recently had a Basscultures replacement pickup installed in my ATK 300 as well as a Glockenklang 3 band preamp that I special ordered from bestbassgear, minus the blend pot.
The pickup is encased in a wenge cover with neodymium magnets and exposed pole pieces.
I can't say enough about the improvement this pickup has made and it matched perfectly with the Glock preamp which has the push/pull active/passive volume control and tone rolloff in passive mode.
This is an ATK that I'm sure even Bongomania would approve ;)
Click to expand...

I can only +1 all the positives about bassculture pickups!
I got one ( ceramic magnet) in my main bass and it does sound /work very well indeed!
:)
 
#13
PilbaraBass said:
My '96 ATK 300 FL is not a heavy bass. It weighs less than my P-bass. It certainly doesn't weigh as much as any of the Stingrays I've tried.
Click to expand...
You're pretty much alone on calling ATKs "not heavy."

To pose actual numbers, my 700 weighs just under 10.5 pounds, which is about identical with my MM, which is also too heavy. :(

The heaviest P I can find in the house is my ash HRPB and it's a little over 9 pounds and the others are lighter.

Why a pound on a bass feels like ten, I don't know. :confused:
 
#14
Funk Factor said:
My ATK's are no where near what my Marcus Miller weighed...now that was a heavy bass..
The switch that came with my Bassculture pickup is much sturdier than the original but that one never concerned me much, though.
But hey man...I do have a passive option on it now....ya gotta give me that Bongolation .... and this pickup kills in passive mode too :D
My tri-fade that is pictured above has a killer birds-eye board on it that is hard to capture in a pic also.
I'm just yankin' on your chain some man, all in good fun...
Click to expand...

Passive options?! Ok, yessir, you can say balls!:cool:

Mine aren't as heavy as most jazzes and Sterlings that I have tried, but I believe Bongolation when he says his are exceedingly heavy. He has probably gotten so many deals and discounts from MF that they have him tagged, and weigh them before shipping to be sure they send him the heaviest basses.:D

IIRC, he got one of those Yamaha's that were supposed to be feather-lite and it was heavy! I may be confusing him with someone else, tho.

I was just joking with you too, Bongolation. I don't always agree with you, but I do always respect your opinion and experiences. :)
 
#15
THand said:
IIRC, he got one of those Yamaha's that were supposed to be feather-lite and it was heavy! I may be confusing him with someone else, tho.
Click to expand...
Nope. That was me. :hmm:

I got the heaviest one of all those lightweight Yamahas, by actual comparative weighs from other buyers in the thread. Once in an incredibly great while I get a light instrument, but I have amazing luck in getting the heavies in the past few years. Some of my recent guitar buys have been ridiculous.

And, yes, my scale is accurate.

I seem to recall reading that the 700s and 750s were a bit heavier than the earlier models for some reason, but I don't remember the details, and I don't remember that my 750 & 700 were substantially heavier than the rest of those that came in that blowout.
 
#16
I haven't weighed mine but I'm sure it's in the 10lb. range.
With my strap it's not so much an issue for me.
For the feel and tone I get from my ATK it's something that I'm happy to deal with.
I started band rehearsal, a couple nights ago , with a 70's reissue Jazz with EMG's that picked up recently....great sounding bass and I dig it and I prefer the slap tone, but....I quickly switched over to my ATK....the thing just cuts like nobody's business
 
#20
Bongolation said:
Nope. That was me. :hmm:

I got the heaviest one of all those lightweight Yamahas, by actual comparative weighs from other buyers in the thread. Once in an incredibly great while I get a light instrument, but I have amazing luck in getting the heavies in the past few years. Some of my recent guitar buys have been ridiculous.

And, yes, my scale is accurate.

I seem to recall reading that the 700s and 750s were a bit heavier than the earlier models for some reason, but I don't remember the details, and I don't remember that my 750 & 700 were substantially heavier than the rest of those that came in that blowout.
Click to expand...

I need to take new pics and weigh mine again, IIRC yours were running a pound to a pound and a half heavier than mine. My 750 doesn't feel heavy at all, but I will weigh it again.

My 700 is lighter than most jazzes I've tried, but heavier than the 750. I expect that since there is more wood there.

What is too heavy to be giggable is an individual thing. Some people won't/can't gig over 6.5 lbs.

Honestly, if I'm in pain, I'm just going to take my SRX and my Fender Zone(w/EMGs). The are both between 8 & 8.5 lbs.
Most of the time my ATK's wouldn't bother me, though.

I have Scoliosis, & Osteoarthritis in my back and neck. I've dislocated my shoulder which still cause some pain, I have a ganglion cyst which comes and goes in my right wrist...and if I'm not careful, good ole' CTS will flair up too. I don't even want to talk about my knees!

Carol Kaye told me to just sit down and play what I want. That advice seems more & more reasonable everyday!;)
 

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