Headless Zon

[babaseen]

I've noticed that Michael seems to favor the headless Zon but...other than it's easier to travel with, what advantages are there to a headless bass be it a Zon or any other (Steinberger, Status, Kubicki)???

Always enjoy both Steve and Michael's music...it is an inspiration...thank you

 

[cmewhinney]

I think portability is a major issue for Michael because he carries all his gear when he travels and he absolutely needs three basses for his solo shows. Also, the smallness allows him to wear two basses at once.

 

[Codyandsoul]

I took a lesson at his house once and he let me play an old headless Steinberger. I wonder if he prefers that over the VB4.?. He's quite a nice guy if I might say.

 

[cmewhinney]

Wow! Very cool sadd penguin! Another issue that I just thought of is neck dive. Headless basses definitely get rid of that!

 

[Michael Manring]

Thanks, guys. I agree with all of the advantages described above. Another I’ll mention is that the headless tuning system allows the string to be pulled straight back as opposed to being twisted, which can cause some problems in the string’s performance, I think. All in all, I find the “headless” design to be preferable.

 

[Zooberwerx]

Perfect timing, guys! I've got a line on a 2005 (or earlier) Vinny 5, set-neck, no truss rod. I understand the newer models sport bolt-on necks with some type of relief adjustment. Any preferences betweenst the two or issues of which I should be aware? I'd hate to have a non-adjustable neck go haywire on me.

Thanks

Riis

 

[Angus]

I have a Zon with no adjustment rod and one with, and I've never touched either. I play with an ultra-straight neck as I'm really finicky about the setup, so I end up doing adjustments to my wood necked basses every few days to keep it dead straight. I've never had to touch the Zons, ever. You shouldn't have any issues.

 

[Jeff Scott]

Of all the basses I own by Rickenbacker, Rick Turner, Zon, Fender, Höfner and Yamaha, the only one with absolutely no dead spots is the Yamaha, a relatively inexpensive BX-1, which happens to be the only one that is a headless design! The Zon is close but does have a bit of deadness at the 11 fret position (fretless Sonus 5/1) on the G string, plus, the 5 fret position harmonic does not ring very true on the same string, especially when I hit it and then slide up the string while pushing down on the fingerboard, as it is usually done. The other fretless Zon I used to have, a Sonus Special 5, did not have these issues; perhaps it may partly be due to the 5/1 having a matt finish vs. the Special's glossy finish on the fingerboard, but I doubt that is the reason.