FS: ZON Legacy Elite Special 5-string

tubby.twins · #1 04-07-2010, 10:59 AM

My current asking price is $2200 USD. Shipping/handling is not included.

For this price, the buyer will receive the following:

One ZON Legacy Elite Special 5-string fretted bass, made in the mid-1990s, featuring a beautiful figured Bubinga top, a clear poly finish on the front, and a black finish on the back of the body and neck. It has black hardware. I believe the body core is made of Poplar.

It is used and has been played, but carefully. I am the second owner, and purchased this bass in 2000. It has served me well over the years and I played it on several gigs where I needed a distinctive, "modern" sounding bass. It has a very unique, midrange-rich tone which still has a punchy and well-defined fundamental. This is due to the unique pickup placement as well as the construction of the custom-wound Bartolini pickups. It is very sensitive to playing style, and can be made to snarl, growl or purr by varying on your right-hand technique. ZON's Polyfusion pre-amp was installed in this bass, which provides 2 bands of EQ as well as master volume and blend.

Also included is the original ZON hard-shell case and a set of black Dunlop StrapLocks. (I install these on all my basses.)

I used to have the original manual. If I can find that, I will include it as well.

As for damage or wear marks, there are a small assortment of tiny scratches and perhaps one little "ding" in the finish. I don't have any pictures of these yet. I plan to take some better pictures shortly. Also, there is a visible crack in the finish which follows most of the joint between the neck and the body, on the back of the neck. This crack was present when I received the bass, and it has not grown. I e-mailed ZON about it, and they said that the set-neck joint was secure, and the crack was a only cosmetic issue with the finish. They reassured me that the neck would NOT come loose over time. I don't have a picture of this crack yet.

I am listing this bass for sale because I do not play fretted bass. These days, I have moved almost entirely to fretless, and this is my last fretted bass. I will miss it, but I cannot justify keeping it. It needs to go to a good home, where someone will play it and enjoy it.

Based on current prices from the ZON website, building a brand new Legacy Elite Special with similar specs would cost at least $5295 (MSP) or $6945 (Retail).

Images:

tubby.twins · #2 04-14-2010, 12:00 PM

Wednesday bump.

VroomVroom · #3 04-14-2010, 12:06 PM

Bump for a WICKED sounding bass. I have a big soft spot for Special & Special/Custom Zon basses. IMO this is very similar to the Sadowsky M5-24, but with it's own special flavor. Definite cut with these basses, and between the neck profile, overall balance, and string spacing, they just about play themselves.

tubby.twins · #4 04-18-2010, 12:49 AM

Here are some pictures of the various flaws, dings, and finish cracks on this bass. I post these in the interest of full disclosure. As usual, once I examined the bass more closely, I found a few more things than I had previously remembered. Such is life.

First, here are three photos which show the visible crack in the finish which follows most of the joint between the neck and the body.

Here is a small (repaired) ding in the finish. This is near the "left" side of the tummy cut on the edge of the body, near the upper horn. It measures about 6mm in diameter.

Here is a thin crack in the finish, about 1cm long, near the bottom of the body. This is just below the "right" end of the tummy cut. Also in this photo you can see two "dimples" on the back of the body. These do not appear to be damage marks.

Here is a small ding near the edge of the control cavity. It is about 5mm long.

Here is a small scuff mark near the other side of the control cavity. It is white in color and does not appear to be a crack in the finish.

The "football" jack plate has a nice scratch across its face.

This is perhaps the worst of the damage that has been done to this bass. I think it was in this condition when I received it. The finish has been chipped off in a 6mm diameter region, and the bare wood below can be seen. I have not attempted to repair this. Also, off to the side can be seen one dimple and another small chip, about 2mm in diameter.

Here is the serial number. No damage is visible in this photo.

The bridge pickup has some visible grooves under the "G" string. They were hard to photograph.

There are two small chips in the finish at the topmost point of the headstock. This whole area measures about 4mm wide.

On the right side of the headstock (just off to the side of the previous photo) there is another small chip in the finish. This one is about 2mm wide.

I've received one PM so far. Please let me know if there are any other photos that I should post of this bass. Saturday night bump!

Blues Infidel · #5 04-18-2010, 09:10 PM

Very detailed photos - I wish all sellers would do that.

Do you happen to know what this bass weighs?

tubby.twins · #6 04-18-2010, 11:55 PM

My low-precision bathroom scale says about 9 pounds. I think it's probably closer to 8, but I don't have a more accurate scale at the moment.

The bass does feel lighter than just about any other wood-necked instrument that I've owned.

tubby.twins · #7 04-20-2010, 11:51 AM

Tuesday bump! I am ordering some new ZON strings for this bass. The existing strings are pretty dull and lifeless. I'm going to string it up in a piccolo tuning, just for fun.

tubby.twins · #8 04-27-2010, 12:29 PM

Tuesday bump!

The ZON piccolo strings (nickel wound, BEADG tuning) have arrived and are now installed on the bass. Wow, they really sound great. I decided to tune them down a bit (ADGCF) since the thinner strings didn't feel too happy at full tension. In this tuning, this bass takes on a very interesting tone with high-pitched strings. It's still very resonant, but there is still a lot of clarity. It really opens up a lot of potential for soloing!

The buyer will received the bass strung in piccolo tuning (unless I become bored with it) along with a spare set of ZON UltraSonic strings (nickel wound) for conventional 5-string tuning.

Anyone?

tubby.twins · #9 06-14-2010, 12:13 PM

Flag Day (USA) bump. This bass is still available for sale. I've gone back to standard tuning (BEADG) with a set of ZON nickel-wound strings. The bass sounds incredibly punchy and clear.

Price is now reduced to $2100. Any takers?

swpyne · #10 06-14-2010, 01:44 PM

I was the original owner of this beautiful bass and I haven't seen it for many years. I purchased it new in 1999 from Rockley Music in Laklewood, CO.

I can tell you first hand that this is one incredible bass. It's one of the early Zon Legacy Elite's that helped establish Joe Zon as the preeminent bass builder that he is. Owning this bass totally changed my perspective on bass guitars at the time. It was lightweight, modern looking and had the most amazing sustain I had ever heard. Do yourself a favor and give this one some serious consideration.

I have owned a few Zon Sonus basses since I owned this one and while they were very nice, they didn't really compare to this one. This one is the "best" of the best IMO!