ATK300?

[ack1961]

Hey all,
I've been offered a trade of an Ibanez ATK300 (for my '82 T-45), but I've never played a ATK before.

I don't mind chunky necks (I play a L2000 quite a bit), or the weight (the T-45 isn't exactly light).
I wasn't really looking to trade, but I'm kind of intrigued by the ATK now that it's been offered.

If I was reading some banter on TB correctly, the ATK300's do not have a passive bypass mode, meaning that without a battery, it's dead(?).
Anyone here have any experience with these?

Thanks,
Steve

[Dave W]

I looked at one of the original ones in the late 90s, decided it was too modern sounding for my taste. Pretty sure it didn't have a passive bypass, though that wouldn't have bothered me. It wasn't as heavy as it looked. I do remember the neck being fairly large. There was a reissue in the mid 00s, I don't know if that differed.

[Nocturnal]

Like Dave, I remember the neck seeming beefy to my hands. I really don't remember how it sounded or anything other than I believe it had a 3-coil pickup? That was a long time ago.

[Psycho Bass Guy]

The ATK is to a Stingray what the T-45 is to a Ric; they're similar to more famous upmarket basses but with their own tonal quirks. They're really underrated active basses with big necks and big tone. The originals were made in Japan and Korea. The reissues were Korean and Indonesian IIRC. I've played both and the originals are more toneful.  I think the ATK300 is one of the reissues, and not an equal value for a T-45.

[ack1961]

Thanks guys - I passed on the deal a couple of days ago.
I'd rather just continue to thin out the collection and get down to a few...trading was not in my original plan, but I thought I'd get some info here first.  Thanks to all.