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Official Zon Club Part 3

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#181
sps500 said:
Yup...Zon does have a nice wood collection, but do they have the pickups to go in them? :)
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That`s a good question.

For those who know their building approach, why didn`t Joe decided to add another pickup manufacturer besides Bartolini ?

I know he used other brands (my 5/2 has SD and saw a couple with Lane Poor IIRC) but seems to be Bartolini is a weak point in their production chain.

No offense here since I love how most of Barts sound but wonder if there`s actually a 2nd choice.
 
#183
Curious what opinions are about Zons that don't have trussrods.

I have my Fretless TJ and want a fretted Zon, and there are some older Sonii available, but they don't have trussrods.

Any issues with the non-trussrod Zons...can I still employ really, really low action and avoid unwanted sounds (other than those that come when my technique is faltering!)

Thanks.
 
#185
AndroWal said:
Curious what opinions are about Zons that don't have trussrods.

I have my Fretless TJ and want a fretted Zon, and there are some older Sonii available, but they don't have trussrods.

Any issues with the non-trussrod Zons...can I still employ really, really low action and avoid unwanted sounds (other than those that come when my technique is faltering!)

Thanks.
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You want added weight and a piece of metal that theoretically could rattle someday in there?

Or do you want a perfect neck that needs no truss rod?

:D My Sonus Special 6 had no truss rod, was a perfect neck, and I wouldn't have changed it.
 
#186
Papersen said:
That`s a good question.

For those who know their building approach, why didn`t Joe decided to add another pickup manufacturer besides Bartolini ?

I know he used other brands (my 5/2 has SD and saw a couple with Lane Poor IIRC) but seems to be Bartolini is a weak point in their production chain.

No offense here since I love how most of Barts sound but wonder if there`s actually a 2nd choice.
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They offer Seymour Duncans that are made to their specs. I like them better than the Bartolini's, too. They'll do other stuff if you ask, usually- there was one not too long ago with Aeros.

I can imagine them not wanting to use Nordstrands, though, as it means that the Zon bass also has the Nordstrand logo on it (a competing bass maker).
 
#190
iD Entity said:
I've had to deal with Zon customer service over the last couple months, and finding it pretty aweful. Wondering if others in this small club find it a normal thing, or just a hiccup in the summer season?

Cheers!
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Hi, I love my new Zon and all, but I would have to agree that Zon can work on their communication - which is what i assume you mean by "customer service"?

They replied about half the emails I sent. I sent one every few weeks after the due date for my bass passed. Try calling, they are much better dealing on the phone.
 
#191
iD Entity said:
I've had to deal with Zon customer service over the last couple months, and finding it pretty aweful. Wondering if others in this small club find it a normal thing, or just a hiccup in the summer season?

Cheers!
Click to expand...

I have had very good experience with Zon this summer. I have had prompt email replies from Martin Peters and Joe Zon himself called me to make sure that everything had been dealt with satisfactorily.
 
#192
Posted this elsewhere, but didn't get any responses.

Currently gigging a Zon Sonus Special fretless previously owned by TB'er Gard. Great bass. Only thing I am finding is that the Polyfusion preamp doesn't seem to have much output gain. Only puts out about the same level as my passive J basses. Tone is fine, but I would have expected a little more oomph from the circuit. Also seems nowhere near as hot as other Zon's I have played. Battery is fine. Anyone have any experience one way or the other with the circuits in these basses? Is this typical or might there be an issue with the circuit? Thanks.
 
#193
bucephylus said:
Posted this elsewhere, but didn't get any responses.

Currently gigging a Zon Sonus Special fretless previously owned by TB'er Gard. Great bass. Only thing I am finding is that the Polyfusion preamp doesn't seem to have much output gain. Only puts out about the same level as my passive J basses. Tone is fine, but I would have expected a little more oomph from the circuit. Also seems nowhere near as hot as other Zon's I have played. Battery is fine. Anyone have any experience one way or the other with the circuits in these basses? Is this typical or might there be an issue with the circuit? Thanks.
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My Sonus has a Polyfusion preamp too.
Considering it`s a 9V preamp I`d put its output as average.

Comparing it with other 9V preamps (Fender Dlx / Stingray) it has a bit less output, but definitely more than a passive Jazz.
 
#197
fretless4string said:
I have had very good experience with Zon this summer. I have had prompt email replies from Martin Peters and Joe Zon himself called me to make sure that everything had been dealt with satisfactorily.
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Hm... maybe just a hiccup then. It took three weeks and as many emails to get Zon paypal details, and I'd made an order nearly a month ago and still not receieved it. Granted I live in Hong Kong, except I've bought stuff from TBers since then, and already received what I bought. It also took two emails and two and a half weeks to get my first reply from them.

I absolutely love the instrument... fits my play and style wonderfully, just kind of putting a taint on the the whole thing. I'll try the calling them next time, as suggested.

Thanks for the feedback!
 
#198
bucephylus said:
How do you like them in the Zons?
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Enormously happy with it. I've tried a lot of preamps in my very old 4 string and my 6 string, and the East is by far the best. It's one of two preamps in my opinion that have a usable treble control, as it adds sparkle and clarity without the nasty sizzly clank. The depth of the bass and the sweepable mid allows you to really control the character of the bass and accentuate or avoid any eccentricities in the particular bass.

My 5 and 6 string are totally different sounding beasts, but he East in each allows me to get what I find to be the best out of each instrument. My 5 string, in particular, sounds much more full and rounded out with the controls on the East.

I've had good luck with a Pope preamp in my 4 string, too.

I also prefer a simple, dependable 3-band Bartolini preamp to the polyfusion, too. I just think it works better for me with the composite neck.
 
#200
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