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full custom Zon
- Thread starter noam
- Start date
I just ran across this thread doing some research and noticed that nobody answered it... so I thought I'd give it a whirl.
"Non-stock" necks can't really happen with a ZON since the necks are made using molds and then hand shaped/smoothed/sanded, etc into the final product.
In order to do something like a 7-string, they would literally have to have a new mold made... so I know for a fact that you cannot get a ZON 7-string. However, there are some spacing and scale length options that are available that make the necks quite customizable.
You can get 4, 5, and 6-string basses in 32"-35" scale... 5-strings can be had with 17mm or 19mm spacing. I believe that 6-strings are limited to 17mm and 4-strings come standard with 19mm.
Todd Johnson just had a BEAUTIFUL 32" scale headless 6-string made, and it is INSANE... check it out here:
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f140/new-zon-tj6h-881122/
So... although there are some limitations because of the "nature of the beast," Joe Zon has made all of the most popular options available, while still allowing for some very interesting and unique custom requests.
If you have an idea... call the shop. I can tell you first hand that anyone you talk to will be knowledgeable and answer any questions you have.
"Non-stock" necks can't really happen with a ZON since the necks are made using molds and then hand shaped/smoothed/sanded, etc into the final product.
In order to do something like a 7-string, they would literally have to have a new mold made... so I know for a fact that you cannot get a ZON 7-string. However, there are some spacing and scale length options that are available that make the necks quite customizable.
You can get 4, 5, and 6-string basses in 32"-35" scale... 5-strings can be had with 17mm or 19mm spacing. I believe that 6-strings are limited to 17mm and 4-strings come standard with 19mm.
Todd Johnson just had a BEAUTIFUL 32" scale headless 6-string made, and it is INSANE... check it out here:
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f140/new-zon-tj6h-881122/
So... although there are some limitations because of the "nature of the beast," Joe Zon has made all of the most popular options available, while still allowing for some very interesting and unique custom requests.
If you have an idea... call the shop. I can tell you first hand that anyone you talk to will be knowledgeable and answer any questions you have.
I recommend you to check with the Zon club. I am aware that several people have ordered custom items from Zon.
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f8/official-zon-club-part-3-a-780510/
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f8/official-zon-club-part-3-a-780510/
OTOH, I'll bet if a client was willing to accept the string spacing compromises Zon would happily do what Modulus occasionally did back in the 1980s: Build an N string bass using the neck from an N-1 string mold.
(i.e., build a 7 string bass using the 6 string neck...just have to drill another hole for the extra tuning machine, put a different nut on it, and pray that someone out there wants a bass with ~12mm string spacing.)
Thanks for the replies, I had stopped checking this thread too soon. I was mostly thinking about string spacing using (hopefully) existing neck molds, particularly those with extended fingerboards, and some electronics and control knob changes (I play with a pick and like to have knobs as far from the strings as possible), and stainless frets. Looks like calling the shop would be the thing, I was just wondering about others' experiences with this sort of thing.
