LeftyBassist.com

Contemplating on the idea of inverting a brass bridge: https://www.drumsetc.com/content/ibanez ... e-2bb1a25c
and a PICKUP ATK 5 STRING IBANEZ DOUBLE-HUMBUCKER : https://www.meinlshop.de/en/ibanez/spar ... 3pu2sc0015
to my Ibanez SR505EL BM.

Lend me your thoughts, Nay on high-horse-saddle.

It might look pretty cool

Those basses are pretty contoured tho, aren't they? Will the bridge be able to lay flat?

ground back center bridge with bench grinder to proper embed. frame grind down wood as back-up option. will be some delicate work-n time.

Looks cool, I like the idea
I agree with Moses though, make sure a contoured SR body will fit such a huge flat bridge. And it probably won't cover the neck pickup rout, so you'd need to fill the hole or add a pickguard.

On Talkbass, there is an ATK thread that talks about modifying a standard ATK, to adding an additional jazz-bass style pick-up above the chrome plate... which mimics the later styles... in this case, I think you should keep the humbucker, and add it in to the electronics... again, there IS a thread that shows how to do this... tried to find it quickly, but didn't come across it... I think keeping the humbucker, rather than losing it, and having to fill the hole, would be a more practical solution, and would give you more diverse sound possibilities....

Ironically running across an Ibanez Atk 305 for sale on http://www.leftybass.com/e_start.htm
My curiosity has been pulled back just in time by making that long....long awaited purchase.
So with that. Looks like ill be keeping the integrity of my SR 505.
huh.
What timing.

Timing, indeed! I searched for at least three years before I was able to buy my ATK305L.... mine is the same color as the one you just bought. Jeroen has a 4, and5-string in the same color... I don't recall (but I'm sure Jeroen would know...) if this was the only available color for a lefty 5-string.... I've played the hell out of mine, and put flats on it after getting it... enjoy your "new" bass!

Congrats! Nice find, they're incredibly rare.

For lefties it appears to be the only colour for the 305. For the 4-string 300 there is also Amber, but strictly on the Korean built models and it appears the Amber ones were only sold in the US. The Trans Black variety appears to be sold exclusively in Europe, both made in Japan and made in Korea. I'm not sure, but looking at ads throughout the years and looking at the ones I played and owned it seems that way at least. I don't own any ATK300's anymore, but I still have my 305 even though I don't play it.

My original "contact" with an ATK bass was watching a video of Joe Bonamassa from Rockpalast, from 2006, featuring Eric Czar on an an ATK305 bass. I thought it was not only a great-sounding bass, I thought it looked very "cool" as well... I looked it up online, but didn't find much info, and nothing regarding lefty availability. Not long after that, an Amber right handed ATK300 came up on my local Craigslist-ings, for $200, so I decided to buy it, just to see what I thought of it close-up. The entire thread is here...which goes from my desire to find a 305L, to buying the right hand model (cleaned it up, and sold it to a friend), to buying a left hand 300L (great story there; sold it to a forum member in Florida... ) viewtopic.php?f=12&t=723&hilit=atk

Also, this is the thread of the actual ATK300L I bought off eBay... interesting story - it was owned at that time by the massage therapist who traveled on the Rob Zombie tour bus... viewtopic.php?f=2&t=973&hilit=atk


Before I bought my ATK305L, I bought an early 2000's right hand ATK305, with the idea I would make a lefty body one day, and use everything off the righty to make a lefty... fortunately, i didnt' have to do that, and still have the right-hander... a very smooth sounding bass, that I keep for my right handed friends when they visit from the US Mainland.... viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1210&hilit=atk

I got very lucky a few years later, and was able to buy an ATK305L, which I still have... there's a great story behind its purchase, documented here, viewtopic.php?f=13&t=3508&hilit=atk+atk305L .... and here, when it finally arrived, assembled and photographed with my other ATK's.... viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3613&hilit=atk+atk305L

Interesting how a moderately priced, "uniquely" designed bass has caused such a stir amongst bass players... and especially amongst left handed bass players, who decided they want to own a rare beast.... I may sell it one day, because I'm not playing it much anymore... but for now, I feel honored to be one of the rare few lefties that actually ones one....

The only reason why I've spent this much time recalling my own hunts-and-searches for this elusive bass, is that there is a mystic, almost reverent passion to own one of these, as evidenced by the "ATK wanted" posts over the years... and rightfully so. They have a unique "growl" to them, and the 3-way switch does indeed "color" the sound/tone... they are a heavy bass, but I've always used the neoprene/stretch-style straps, so that was never a problem. What I like about the 305L is the rounded, yet narrow neck, and the 17mm string spacing - very easy to play, especially if you have average length fingers. I'm a Classic Rock/Blues player, so I eventually put "Flats" on the bass, which I prefer...

I hope that those of you out there who hope to own an ATK one day; I hope you find one, especially an ATK305L, which as you've seen, is quite elusive. And, for however long you decide to own one once found....if, and when, you choose to sell it, and pass it on; you will have enjoyed having one in your possession... as I have... a great bass, for a moderate price, and not another model out there that looks as distinctive as an ATK!

I am very experimental with the bass guitar. have quite a collection of pedal effects .. so far in my personal preference. No other pickup to that of the tripplecoil has worked so well incorporating itself upon the multiple discovery's from which I prodded thru-out the years. Definitely the atk can have a fun advantage when stepping out of the norm practice of a bass role.