Official Zon Club Part 4

[The_Owl]

Still waiting for a BG4 to pop up for sale...when it does I am not going to hesitate. There is something about that particular pickup combo and placement that really rings my bell, so to speak. I am a big fan of moving the neck PU a bit closer to the bridge a la Ken Smith or Peavey Cirrus.

 

[Angus]

Killer 519!!!

This beautiful beast should be in my hands soon. Joe and the crew at Zon are true Artists mixed in with a healthy part mad scientists

Controls:
Vol ( push/pull single/ humbucker)
Vol ( push/pull single/ humbucker)
Mid ( push/pull mid shift)
Bass/ treble stack
I'm SO psyched to shred on this baby!!

View attachment 321581

Aaaawwwwesome. I love it. I don't need the electronics and all that, but I'd love another 5 string like that. Congrats!

 

[lsu921]

Killer 519!!!

This beautiful beast should be in my hands soon. Joe and the crew at Zon are true Artists mixed in with a healthy part mad scientists

Controls:
Vol ( push/pull single/ humbucker)
Vol ( push/pull single/ humbucker)
Mid ( push/pull mid shift)
Bass/ treble stack
I'm SO psyched to shred on this baby!!

View attachment 321581

That looks like it's going to be killer!! Can't wait for you to get it!

 

[lsu921]

Actually, fairly different tho too...

He's got different pickups in his, which is pretty significant.

The Epi 410 vs the GK212 probably gives him a little bit more of a scooped sound than the GK cab, which tend to have a different midrange presence... that signature GK growl. Another big difference is even the warmer GK MB Fusion (pictured) and especially the MB800 (I play almost as much) will sound a little brighter and wider than the warmer sounding Markbass stuff... not lacking mids, just not quite as low mid forward as that Markbass amp. I'm all said and done, his tone is a little warmer up high and thicker in the lows and low mids, whereas mine's probably a bit more even down low and crisper up high. Not by a huge margin, and only a little EQ adjustment away from each other as/if desired, but at least nominally.

Regardless tho, you are correct in that they're both winning combos. No doubt.

I just picked up the AE410 a few weeks ago. It replaced a GK NEO 410 that I thought was a little soft in the lows and honky in the upper mids. I never really bonded with that cabinet, but I'm really digging this AE. I am on the hunt for a new head to match with it though. I've had the MB for a while now, and it's really got a lot going on down low and in the low mids. My 519 has a lot going on in the mids already with the pickups and the Koa, so I need something to smooth those out just a tad. Not sure where to go? Genz, Thunderfunk, IDK???

 

[Mesa Boogie Man]

Why not try a.. Mesa M-6, it´s a killer!

 

[Mulebagger]

I'm running two rigs:
DB750 and GS412 for larger shows
Tonehammer 500 and BagEnd S15-D and S15XD. That pair of BagEnds are some great cabs. From biting and aggressive to warm and smooth.

Been thinking of a 2x12 but i may stick w these

 

[Addison]

Wow, massive pr0n in this thread!!!

*drool*

 

[Quackhead]

Bag Ends are seriously underrated cabinets.

 

[tombowlus]

Bag Ends are seriously underrated cabinets.

True story.

 

[Mulebagger]

True story.

Lil thump cubes

 

[Vic]

I just picked up the AE410 a few weeks ago. It replaced a GK NEO 410 that I thought was a little soft in the lows and honky in the upper mids. I never really bonded with that cabinet, but I'm really digging this AE. I am on the hunt for a new head to match with it though. I've had the MB for a while now, and it's really got a lot going on down low and in the low mids. My 519 has a lot going on in the mids already with the pickups and the Koa, so I need something to smooth those out just a tad. Not sure where to go? Genz, Thunderfunk, IDK???

Yeah, I'm not nearly as much of a fan of the GK 10's as I am the 12's, which I think are almost magical. Give them a shot sometime and see what you think (not suggesting you replace what works, just interested to see if you feel differently about the 12's vs the 10's as I did).

 

[Mulebagger]

Lsu,
Check out the TH500. It's a little beast. It smoothed out the Sonus Custom I had.

Vic,
I played Bag End 2x12s for about a 11 years or so. Love the mid response of 12s for finger style in the upper registers. They give a thicker slap tone as well. The Mesa Walkabout scout 12 was my fav solo combo amp for a long time. 12s take dirt really nicely too

 

[Mikeus]

whats going on with zon? and why do they take so long to respond to a simple email query regarding a bass i've paid in full for? is something up?

i've done the right thing, been patient but now i'm a little annoyed considering the last email i got from them said the bass was ready to ship and that i'd soon receive the tracking number. that was on december 12, 2012. actually, the email read: "finally she ships via fed-ex" so that means to me its been sent out. no communitcation since then.

if i'm out of line, then i apologize, but one would think i'd have got it by now.

 

[Vic]

whats going on with zon? and why do they take so long to respond to a simple email query regarding a bass i've paid in full for? is something up?

i've done the right thing, been patient but now i'm a little annoyed considering the last email i got from them said the bass was ready to ship and that i'd soon receive the tracking number. that was on december 12, 2012. actually, the email read: "finally she ships via fed-ex" so that means to me its been sent out. no communitcation since then.

if i'm out of line, then i apologize, but one would think i'd have got it by now.

This has been very often discussed here, and is a particular problem for international folks such as yourself. They're a very small shop, typically very overloaded with work, and as such, are notorious for being bad about getting to emails. I know those guys very well, have bought multiple basses from them, talk to them at every NAMM show, and even I have problems getting email responses from them.

The usual answer is, call the shop... this is a good way to get a response... but that's the problem for international folks.

Probably the best thing to do is get somebody over here to talk to them on your behalf and just ask them to look for your emails and reply as soon as they can. Angus seems to have the very best access to their shop, but I don't want to volunteer him without his permission, either. If he's uncomfortable doing this, PM me your info and I'll call for you.

 

[portraitoftracy]

This has been very often discussed here, and is a particular problem for international folks such as yourself. They're a very small shop, typically very overloaded with work, and as such, are notorious for being bad about getting to emails. I know those guys very well, have bought multiple basses from them, talk to them at every NAMM show, and even I have problems getting email responses from them.

The usual answer is, call the shop... this is a good way to get a response... but that's the problem for international folks.

Probably the best thing to do is get somebody over here to talk to them on your behalf and just ask them to look for your emails and reply as soon as they can. Angus seems to have the very best access to their shop, but I don't want to volunteer him without his permission, either. If he's uncomfortable doing this, PM me your info and I'll call for you.

Yeah, even getting a hold of them for us in the states is very tough. At some point IMO this simply becomes bad business practice. If you are so busy you can't respond to your customers than it seems you could hire someone to answer call and/or emails. As much as I love their instruments I would personally never order a new bass through them considering my own and others experiences with communication problems and delayed build times. It is one thing to keep waiting when you are being informed as such, another when you have no clue what is up. After leaving two voice mails and three emails with no replies I just started calling them five times a day and on the third day someone picked up. That being said, I'm in the market for a used 4 or 5 string Zon

 

[lsu921]

I know we all love our Zon's in this thread, but we can't continue to make excuses for them. This is just bad business. If you tell someone in December that their $3k-$6k bass shipped, and then here we are in March and they don't have it.. and you don't respond to that?? You're far more patient than I am Mikeus. I know Joe and his crew are hard at work, but so are many other builders. I've never had Mike Tobias not answer a call or email.. Pete Skjold, nope? Heck, even JD @ Warrior with all his issue will pickup the phone or send a text message.

 

[Vic]

Just to make sure I'm not misunderstood, my post was merely a statement of fact, and a suggestion for a near term workaround. I'm not defending or attacking them with my comments.

 

[lsu921]

Just to make sure I'm not misunderstood, my post was merely a statement of fact, and a suggestion for a near term workaround. I'm not defending or attacking them with my comments.

Vic, my comments weren't directed at you. I think the regulars in this thread, myself included, usually take up for Joe, because he builds incredible instruments that we all like. That really shouldn't be an easy out for him when it comes to communication though. He's building a luxury item, and really needs to step up the customer service.

 

[Vic]

Vic, my comments weren't directed at you. I think the regulars in this thread, myself included, usually take up for Joe, because he builds incredible instruments that we all like. That really shouldn't be an easy out for him when it comes to communication though. He's building a luxury item, and really needs to step up the customer service.

I know they weren't (that's why I didn't quote anyone). It's all good. I just saw the thread heading in a critical direction, and I'm just not really interested in going there is all. Thanks.

 

[Addison]

whats going on with zon? and why do they take so long to respond to a simple email query regarding a bass i've paid in full for? is something up?

I'm not sure what's up other than the fact that they're still playing post-NAMM catch-up... PM me your info, and I'll see what I can do.