Official Zon Club Part 3

[bobunit]

Here's a couple of quick body shots of the new SONUS Elite!

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SPECS:

• SONUS Special 5 Elite Fretless
• Koa top
• Wenge tone block
• Spalted alder body
• Half-lined fretless (both sides of neck)
• 26 fret neck
• Glow-in-the-dark side dots
• Extended cutaway
• 3-Band Bartolini 918F Preamp
• Bartolini Radiused Pickups
  
  *Not Shown*
• Matching Koa Headstock
• Recessed Straplocks
• Reversed Headstock with Hipshot D-Tuner on B and E strings

WOW!!! Glow in the dark side dots. Nice touch.

 

[Angus]

Beautiful. The spalted alder is a great body wood. Glad to see he's doing recessed straplocks (I had to drill my own!).

I'm a big fan of the set neck and would recommend it to anyone.

 

[kesslari]

Me too.
It's remarkably like my bass, except that I went with Guancaste for the body and Bubinga for the top.

I like yours a lot too. That Koa top is gorgeous.

And if I had it to do over, I'd have gone with the half-lines on both sides. Joe put in bubinga lines (we had planned to talk before he did it, as when I spec'd the bass I wasn't sure if I wanted half lines or lines). I actually had half-lines put in by Gary Brawer.

Beautiful. The spalted alder is a great body wood. Glad to see he's doing recessed straplocks (I had to drill my own!).

I'm a big fan of the set neck and would recommend it to anyone.

 

[rulyongo]

Here's a couple of quick body shots of the new SONUS Elite!

SPECS:


[*]SONUS Special 5 Elite Fretless
[*]Koa top
[*]Wenge tone block
[*]Spalted alder body
[*]Half-lined fretless (both sides of neck)
[*]26 fret neck
[*]Glow-in-the-dark side dots
[*]Extended cutaway
[*]3-Band Bartolini 918F Preamp
[*]Bartolini Radiused Pickups

*Not Shown*
[*]Matching Koa Headstock
[*]Recessed Straplocks
[*]Reversed Headstock with Hipshot D-Tuner on B and E strings

Looks amazing!!!

 

[Addison]

Me too.
It's remarkably like my bass, except that I went with Guancaste for the body and Bubinga for the top.

Well, I hope it does, because I modeled it after your bass.



Here's the "mock-up" I sent to Joe many moons ago... I took a picture of your bass, reversed it and photoshopped a picture of the koa top I picked out onto it, removed the fretlines, added half-lines, reversed the headstock... and did a few other things here and there to make it how I wanted it.

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It was literally a complete fantasy of mine and I did NOT expect him to agree to a lot of my crazy ideas... in fact, he even sort of talked me down from dream-world a little bit, and we had settled on a few less ambitious ideas.

But... as you can see, he pulled a fast one on me and went above and beyond... and I could not be happier.

 

[rulyongo]

Well, I hope it does, because I modeled it after your bass.



Here's the "mock-up" I sent to Joe many moons ago... I took a picture of your bass, reversed it and photoshopped a picture of the koa top I picked out onto it, removed the fretlines, added half-lines, reversed the headstock... and did a few other things here and there to make it how I wanted it.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

It was literally a complete fantasy of mine and I did NOT expect him to agree to a lot of my crazy ideas... in fact, he even sort of talked me down from dream-world a little bit, and we had settled on a few less ambitious ideas.

But... as you can see, he pulled a fast one on me and went above and beyond... and I could not be happier.

Congratulations the bass looks amazing!!!

 

[kesslari]

Well, I hope it does, because I modeled it after your bass.



Here's the "mock-up" I sent to Joe many moons ago... I took a picture of your bass, reversed it and photoshopped a picture of the koa top I picked out onto it, removed the fretlines, added half-lines, reversed the headstock... and did a few other things here and there to make it how I wanted it.

But... as you can see, he pulled a fast one on me and went above and beyond... and I could not be happier.

My wicked work here is done

Enjoy and play the bejeepers out of her.

 

[Addison]

My wicked work here is done

Enjoy and play the bejeepers out of her.

Ha!!

Will do!!

 

[sifi76]

Hey all.. just thought I'd put in my two cents seeing as I have ordered my first Zon from usa (I live in new zealand) I picked up a used one from ebay with no scratches/dents/blemishes for less than the price of MIA standard Fender J here

It's a natural finish sonus 4, with a custom mid range dial.. the finish is a bit more subdued than what I'm used to but the detailed ash grain looks beautiful (does Joe always pick the nicer grained cuts or is it just me?)

I've played pretty much everything under the sun, but nothing seems to fit my needs as far as chording, harmonic response, even tone, depth and sustain.. so I figured the clarity of graphite from a Zon was the best way to go (Billy Gould's tone may have helped with that lol) and these are super rare in this country.. Oh well, now I'll just have to wait for it to get here

I've thrown up a pic from the bay seller, but I'll post more when she arrives.. I suppose I better have a club number if there is one lying around

 

[sifi76]

Here's another shot of her with the grain in full view.. I never used to be a 'natural' finish guy, but after having my "old faithful" tobacco-burst ash ATK for quite a few years (It's the only bass out of the herd that never gets traded.. and it's the cheapest LOL ) I've succumbed to the allure of woody nature.. Plus IMHO that natural blonde just seems a perfect fit with the satin black of the graphite

Ok back to waiting

 

[Sleepwalker42]

Here's another shot of her with the grain in full view.. I never used to be a 'natural' finish guy, but after having my "old faithful" tobacco-burst ash ATK for quite a few years (It's the only bass out of the herd that never gets traded.. and it's the cheapest LOL ) I've succumbed to the allure of woody nature.. Plus IMHO that natural blonde just seems a perfect fit with the satin black of the graphite

Ok back to waiting

Nice! I was looking at it since the first 2 hours it was listed, but I just got another Sonus recently and it's a good one so I thought to leave the pleasure to somebody else. I'm glad you bought it, at least we keep track of it

 

[Sleepwalker42]

...and here is my new (old) '94 Legacy Standard, simple but good, insanely low action and super light! It could be real love
Took pictures at night, so came kind of dark, sorry about that!
Also, string spacing at bridge is 17mm, is that considered the standard on the Legacy or it was a custom option?

 

[tombowlus]

...and here is my new (old) '94 Legacy Standard, simple but good, insanely low action and super light! It could be real love
Took pictures at night, so came kind of dark, sorry about that!
Also, string spacing at bridge is 17mm, is that considered the standard on the Legacy or it was a custom option?

That is awesome! I just love the Legacy 4-strings. In fact, I have Joe working on one for me right now...

 

[Mongo Slade]

I can't remember if I already have a number, but I have been a Zonophile since Buffalo, so I definately want one. Here is my Customized Legacy Standard, mods courtesy of Nortstrand, ACG and Pat Wilkins
I'll be getting some pics up soon of my 8 and 10 String Sonuses.
Peace

 

[bobunit]

I can't remember if I already have a number, but I have been a Zonophile since Buffalo, so I definately want one. Here is my Customized Legacy Standard, mods courtesy of Nortstrand, ACG and Pat Wilkins
I'll be getting some pics up soon of my 8 and 10 String Sonuses.
Peace

Sweet! Pat Wilkins finish?

Impatiently waiting for the pics of the 8 and 10 strings.

 

[TapyTap]

...and here is my new (old) '94 Legacy Standard, simple but good, insanely low action and super light! It could be real love
Took pictures at night, so came kind of dark, sorry about that!
Also, string spacing at bridge is 17mm, is that considered the standard on the Legacy or it was a custom option?

]

That looks very nice. Out of curiosity, what is the width/string spacing of the nut?

 

[sifi76]

Nice! I was looking at it since the first 2 hours it was listed, but I just got another Sonus recently and it's a good one so I thought to leave the pleasure to somebody else. I'm glad you bought it, at least we keep track of it

Thanks for not buying it first lol.. I'm just waiting for some delivery confirmation from the seller. It's an online + physical store and they have a good rep so I'm not too worried, It'll get here soon enough. Oh out of interest, if you (or any other zon fanboys out there) have any experience, how does the sonus compare to say a spector or a warwick?

I'm not looking for an exact 'tone copier', cause let's face it, every bass is different.. but I play a wide variety of music, usually anywhere from funk through to rock and metal.. I figured the sonus would run the gamut.. and well I've bought it so too late now lol.. but it never hurts to get some extra info from people, even AFTER the sale lol

And NZ really has to do something about getting a better variety of basses here.. sure we might have warwicks and fenders out our ears but do you know they only started stocking usa and euro spector's in-store about a year ago?.. yeah and don't even think about asking if stores here sell zon, most of the music shop guys look at me with a strange expression when you mention either zon or modulus lol.. freakin end of the earth I tells ya

 

[Sleepwalker42]

...if you (or any other zon fanboys out there) have any experience, how does the sonus compare to say a spector or a warwick?

Can't help you much there, never owned a Spector and my Warwicks were a fretless which I rarely played and a Nobby Meidel which was heavily modified electronically, so not very much Warwick tone anymore.

 

[Sleepwalker42]

That looks very nice. Out of curiosity, what is the width/string spacing of the nut?

Nut is 42mm (1.65"). String spacing at nut, center to center is about 12mm (0.47").

Also, like member "ialma" pointed to me, the bridge can be adjusted to a standard string spacing. That's not an issue anyway, as I have currently and had before, basses with the same spacing with no problems.

 

[TapyTap]

Nut is 42mm (1.65"). String spacing at nut, center to center is about 12mm (0.47").

Also, like member "ialma" pointed to me, the bridge can be adjusted to a standard string spacing. That's not an issue anyway, as I have currently and had before, basses with the same spacing with no problems.

Thanks.