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Official Zon Club Part 2

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#2
In. :)

Original picture of mine, and currently the only Zon I own, but it pretty much looks the same even now, even after having played it a bunch. :)

I got this bass from Adrian Garcia (RIP, my brother), and it's been magic since day one.

zon_s5_01.jpg
 
#3
To respond to Rob, I think that not disclosing the fact that there are a bunch of custom options changes the scenario. Usually when I hear about instruments with delays, it's usually because it is an instrument with a bunch of custom features or non-standard options that require a bunch of work/setup/extra preparation to make it work. Almost all of the instruments that late are custom instruments- they don't do very many, so the more "custom" features your instrument has, the longer it's going to take. They should be better about their estimates to be sure, but nobody is perfect.

You don't even want to know how late my instrument is, but Joe has always been straight with me and I don't have any issues with the wait as a result (part of which was for a noble reason, in fact) despite that I paid 100% up front.

Just check in with them every once in a while, get a straight answer, and you'll be fine. Part of the reason I'm fine with the wait is the two specialized instruments I've gotten from them are the best instruments I've ever touched. Ever.
 
#4
Thanks, Angus. You're right. "Custom" likely does mean longer, but the feeling that I'm getting is when you start to get into 3x the estimated build time, you start to use up your "custom" wiggle room in the schedule.

I agree that Joe's basses are amazing, and that's the thing that has kept me patient to this point. I continue to hold out hope. ;)
 
#7
robwren said:
Thanks, Angus. You're right. "Custom" likely does mean longer, but the feeling that I'm getting is when you start to get into 3x the estimated build time, you start to use up your "custom" wiggle room in the schedule.

I agree that Joe's basses are amazing, and that's the thing that has kept me patient to this point. I continue to hold out hope. ;)
Click to expand...

What's the specs on your bass?
 
#9
robwren said:
Thanks, Angus. You're right. "Custom" likely does mean longer, but the feeling that I'm getting is when you start to get into 3x the estimated build time, you start to use up your "custom" wiggle room in the schedule.
Click to expand...
+1

Admittedly, I agree with Mike's thoughts on time frames, and I would've personally been pretty surprised if it'd actually been done in 6 months, but still, when an estimate is given, everything about the bass should've been taken into consideration.

Once you get to around 3x the estimated time, I think most folks would consider that pretty abnormal... even for a shop with workload issues like Joe's.

IMHO, anyway.
 
#10
Yep, I agree, although it's more about them needing to be more realistic with timeframes on non-standard instruments than anything. They take substantially longer for instruments that have features that depart from their standard, but there is a reason for that, particularly if it involves the neck (for obvious reasons).

Robwren, I wouldn't worry about holding the specs back. There are lots of instruments with non-standard features out there, so it's unlikely that yours is the first they've done.
 
#12
I'll help the thread along - my fretless Sonus Special. What a beautiful bubinga top! This keeps me from fretting while I wait for the bass Joe's building for me.

zon_s5s_01.jpg


Sounds like this: http://www.folkina.com/audio/FOLK_IN_A-Dona_Elizabeta.mp3
No EQ, no compression. None needed. What a singer she is. That tune kind of wrote itself in part based on how she sounds.
 
#13
kesslari said:
I'll help the thread along - my fretless Sonus Special. What a beautiful bubinga top! This keeps me from fretting while I wait for the bass Joe's building for me.

zon_s5s_01.jpg


Sounds like this: http://www.folkina.com/audio/FOLK_IN_A-Dona_Elizabeta.mp3
No EQ, no compression. None needed. What a singer she is.
Click to expand...
That's my old bass!!!! I got this one new from Adrian as well, and that's even the same picture from him that I had on my site for a while, even the same filename! :D

Still, to-date, the most magical fretless I've ever played. If I was more of a fretless player, it'd still be mine, and if I get another fretless, it'll most likely be another Zon Sonus Special like this. :)
 
#14
Kesslari, great looking bass! Brings to mind a decision I may get to make someday: gloss or matte finish? I feel I'm a gloss man myself. Those of you that have played both on Zons, have you noticed a tonal difference between the two? Any other observations on the two finishes (durability, etc.)?
 
#15
robwren said:
Kesslari, great looking bass! Brings to mind a decision I may get to make someday: gloss or matte finish? I feel I'm a gloss man myself. Those of you that have played both on Zons, have you noticed a tonal difference between the two? Any other observations on the two finishes (durability, etc.)?
Click to expand...
I haven't checked them both out in a pristine listening environment, but I have checked both out. That said...

I don't believe there is any tonal difference. I would even extend that to a more severe case of finish diffs, but we don't have to go there right now.

I think it simply boils down to aesthetics. With gloss, you get a deeper look to the wood, but you also get fingerprints. With satin/matte, you don't get prints, but you'll probably get "shiny spots" where your hands/fingers touch the bass most, and it'll make wood figuring look a little more natural, almost like an oil finish, and not as accentuated as a gloss finish.

I'm pretty sure (tho welcome correction) the material is pretty much the same in both gloss and matte/satin finish, so durability is not an issue.
 
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