FS: ZON Sonus 5/1.2

Jeff Scott · #1 12-24-2010, 02:22 PM

I bought this new in 1998 from ZON; it was originally made as a 5/1 with a custom California Burl Walnut top on an Alder body with a single passive volume control and Seymour Duncan pickup. I played it for many years that way and last year I sent it back to Joe to have some addition work done to it, including refinishing the neck to his great feeling matte finish, abalone fingerboard dots inlayed, a second pickup installed near the neck with a special Bartolini two channel buffer preamp to isolate the pickups from each (eliminating any interaction between them), Bartolini pickups installed, replacing the single SD pickup, and the standard barrel style output jack was replaced with an Electrosocket and high quality 1/4" jack. The controls are individual volume controls for the two pickups with push/pull switches to change from series to parallel coils for each pickup independently. and each pickup has it's own passive tone control, stacked together. I installed the Schaller Straplocks and Hipshot Ultralite tuners and A style bridge, which retains the stock string spacing of 11/16". Included is a vintage style hardshell case. All in in great shape except for a couple of small dings in the back of the body and some minor scuffing from many years of loving use that can be buffed out with some Scratch-X/ Zymöl treatment, or whatever your favorite way of polishing your bass is; the case has some scrapes on it but the interior is in excellent condition.

$1500 shipped, CONUS only.

wellso74 · #2 12-24-2010, 03:01 PM

wow!!!

Jeff Scott · #3 12-24-2010, 04:28 PM

Here is a closer look at the body.

p0k · #4 12-24-2010, 06:27 PM

So basically the controls are volume/volume/stacked tone for each pup, with push pull on the volumes for series/parallel for each pup? There is no bass or treble control right?

Angus · #5 12-25-2010, 12:03 AM

I want this very badly, but I'm out of the country until long after it'll probably be sold- such is life.

I want to let any potential buyers know that, in my opinion of having played more Zons than you can imagine, the 5/1 is the best bass they make. It's not as common as the regular Sonus because people think that it's less versatile or something, but I think it is better sounding than any other combination they make by a long stretch of the imagination. It works really well with the composite neck to make a very full sounding bass. And this one has a cool neck pickup, too.

Awesome instrument.

Jeff Scott · #6 12-25-2010, 08:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by p0k

So basically the controls are volume/volume/stacked tone for each pup, with push pull on the volumes for series/parallel for each pup? There is no bass or treble control right?

Correct. Think of it as a passive bass but with a preamp that just buffers/isolates the two pickups from each other, so it does require a battery.

Jeff Scott · #7 12-25-2010, 08:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Angus

I want this very badly, but I'm out of the country until long after it'll probably be sold- such is life.

Awesome instrument.

Thanks, Angus!

Where are you, and when do you plan to be back?

Angus · #8 12-26-2010, 10:54 AM

In in Ecuador at the moment, and I won't be back until sometime in January. I talked to my girlfriend about it, though, and she said I'd be sleeping on the couch for a long time if I even thought about it. And the couch would be outside.

I do think it's the right bass for someone I'm talking to right now, so hopefully you'll see a sale coming your way quickly!