Official Zon Club Part 5

[Jeff Scott]

There was something that I didn't like in the sound of the bass (which I neglected to mention was a 5-string) so I tried bypassing the preamp and wired the pickups stright to the output jack. Sounded great so that's when i did the surgery. The pickups are fine for passive, as are all (most?) Bartolinis. The only thing that makes them active is the preamp that is hung onto them.

 

[Benko]

There was something that I didn't like in the sound of the bass (which I neglected to mention was a 5-string) so I tried bypassing the preamp and wired the pickups stright to the output jack. Sounded great so that's when i did the surgery. The pickups are fine for passive, as are all (most?) Bartolinis. The only thing that makes them active is the preamp that is hung onto them.

Hopefully I do retain the preamp and thus the intended design but yeah, I will add the passive switch and trust my tech!

I'm not sure of the purpose of the multi-coil pick up withtout the coil selection of preamp but I'm more of a set and forget guy

...the active/passive mod is also something I want to add to my Koa, as soon as I got it I switched the Barto singles to their dual coil version but actually I think I like the sound of the single better and if I can also get the passive jazz thing that will make it even versatile

 

[Jeff Scott]

I'm not sure, either, what the purpose of the multicoil (one/string) is/was about. Both the B and G strings on both pickups were about 6dB hotter than the E, A, and D strings were.

 

[HardNormalcy]

I can't play that thing at all, but I was just curious about one thing...

The original HyperBass MM still plays also has a bridge tuning control, whereas yours doesn't. I was curious if that was because that hardware didn't/doesn't exist, or if you just chose not to include it?

The Hyperbass for the 4 string was still available at the time of my order, however Joe recommend I not choose it. Apparently the bridge was made in Germany and it was very hard to source the parts.

 

[ytrb6]

I just received my Vb4 after a long wait. It's nice and plays well, very clear and clean sound. It's maybe missing the bite of a Fodera but it's definitely a great bass.

It joined his brothers Legacy Elite and Hyperbass.

 

[Vic]

I just received my Vb4 after a long wait. It's nice and plays well, very clear and clean sound. It's maybe missing the bite of a Fodera but it's definitely a great bass.

It joined his brothers Legacy Elite and Hyperbass.

Nice. Man, you have a lot of Zons!

 

[ModuMan]

I just noticed the truss wheel! I don't know if Vinny's normally have it but that's a great feature.

 

[Benko]

I just noticed the truss wheel! I don't know if Vinny's normally have it but that's a great feature.

It's how they've been doing it for a couple of years! I also think it's a great idea and improvment.

There aren't many new instruments coming on the market lately so we probably did not realize but Joe's keeping on with innovation and trying out new things

 

[TFunkadelic]

Volume swells with the fretless Sonus

 

[Morten Nielsen]

Hi friends,

I am pretty new to this site so I thought I would chip in about my experience with Joe Zon and also with the bass itself.

I have noticed some criticism about the long process time that some have experienced from ordering to getting a bass from Zon's magical laboratory. That must be so frustrating and I really sympathize with you guys who have experienced that. Maybe to balance the narrative a bit, I can just say that that didn't happen to me. I ordered the bass 9 November 2021 and on 22 November 2022, I had the bass in hand. All interactions with Joe were absolutely perfect. Joe was sweet and engaging and very efficient in his responses both during the development phase and also afterwards. Oh - and he was pretty funny too!

My bass is a Sonus Special 5 string. Ash body with bubinga top and brownish fretless lines. It has a full body gloss finish, the extra midrange control, wenge tone plate and luminlay side dots. In addition, I got Zon to do the recessed strap button, which I prefer. Afterwards, I got Joe to make a two-piece ramp, which he sent over (I live in Denmark). Also that process went great. One thing that may stand out a bit is the short distance between the two pickups. Joe told me that he is doing that to get a more focused sound. I usually dial it in so I have just a bit more of the bridge pick up, which sparks the midrange without making it too nasal.

And then to the most important part: The bass is absolutely amazing! It sings perfectly, has mwah for days all across the fingerboard and is crystal-clear even in first position on the B-string.

I string it with nickel strings - D'Addario EXL 165 XL. I combine a 4 string set with the tapered B string XLB135T, which to my experience makes it sing the best. (from an email from Joe: "Regarding strings, I think the bass “sings” better and sounds “sweeter" with nickels.".

I run the bass through a Genzler rig: Magellan 800 into two Bass Array 12". I went through Aguilar and Markbass before that but it was only the Genzler, which gives me the clarity I want. The Capo preamp from Jad Freer gives me extra warmth and grit if needed.

One question to you guys: What's your take on the difference between humbucker and single coils on the different Zon models? My own take is that the single coils truly are like a Jazz bass on acid (as Joe describes it) but I would be curious to know about you guys think of the differences. Some consider the humbuckers to give a warmer, darker sound.

Cheers,
Morten

 

[Vic]

One question to you guys: What's your take on the difference between humbucker and single coils on the different Zon models? My own take is that the single coils truly are like a Jazz bass on acid (as Joe describes it) but I would be curious to know about you guys think of the differences. Some consider the humbuckers to give a warmer, darker sound.

Beautiful bass! Congrats!

For whatever it's worth, the Zons I've played with the humbuckers don't sound darker and warmer to me... they sound more modern/sizzly... maybe even brighter if anything. But that was also with the Zon pre, not the Bart, so that matters too. To me, the J style pickups with the Bart pre is by far the best sound to my ears. I only have one Zon now, an older (no neck adjuster) Sonus 5, ash body, redwood top... I think a 2003. It's absolutely magical.

 

[Morten Nielsen]

Beautiful bass! Congrats!

For whatever it's worth, the Zons I've played with the humbuckers don't sound darker and warmer to me... they sound more modern/sizzly... maybe even brighter if anything. But that was also with the Zon pre, not the Bart, so that matters too. To me, the J style pickups with the Bart pre is by far the best sound to my ears. I only have one Zon now, an older (no neck adjuster) Sonus 5, ash body, redwood top... I think a 2003. It's absolutely magical.

Thanks, Vic - appreciate the response. Are your pick ups positioned like mine?

 

[Vic]

Thanks, Vic - appreciate the response. Are your pick ups positioned like mine?

Not in my current Sonus, which is the "standard" spacing. Looks like yours are in the "Sonus Special" positions or close to it. I had a Sonus Special Fretless that was also magical, but like a f'n idiot sold it. I think that pickup spacing is perfect for fretless, but prefer the wider spacing for fretted, which I play the most by far.

 

[Jeff Scott]

Not in my current Sonus, which is the "standard" spacing. Looks like yours are in the "Sonus Special" positions or close to it. I had a Sonus Special Fretless that was also magical, but like a f'n idiot sold it. I think that pickup spacing is perfect for fretless, but prefer the wider spacing for fretted, which I play the most by far.

I concur.

 

[sullen-moon]

Hi friends,

I am pretty new to this site so I thought I would chip in about my experience with Joe Zon and also with the bass itself.

I have noticed some criticism about the long process time that some have experienced from ordering to getting a bass from Zon's magical laboratory. That must be so frustrating and I really sympathize with you guys who have experienced that. Maybe to balance the narrative a bit, I can just say that that didn't happen to me. I ordered the bass 9 November 2021 and on 22 November 2022, I had the bass in hand. All interactions with Joe were absolutely perfect. Joe was sweet and engaging and very efficient in his responses both during the development phase and also afterwards. Oh - and he was pretty funny too!

My bass is a Sonus Special 5 string. Ash body with bubinga top and brownish fretless lines. It has a full body gloss finish, the extra midrange control, wenge tone plate and luminlay side dots. In addition, I got Zon to do the recessed strap button, which I prefer. Afterwards, I got Joe to make a two-piece ramp, which he sent over (I live in Denmark). Also that process went great. One thing that may stand out a bit is the short distance between the two pickups. Joe told me that he is doing that to get a more focused sound. I usually dial it in so I have just a bit more of the bridge pick up, which sparks the midrange without making it too nasal.

And then to the most important part: The bass is absolutely amazing! It sings perfectly, has mwah for days all across the fingerboard and is crystal-clear even in first position on the B-string.

I string it with nickel strings - D'Addario EXL 165 XL. I combine a 4 string set with the tapered B string XLB135T, which to my experience makes it sing the best. (from an email from Joe: "Regarding strings, I think the bass “sings” better and sounds “sweeter" with nickels.".

I run the bass through a Genzler rig: Magellan 800 into two Bass Array 12". I went through Aguilar and Markbass before that but it was only the Genzler, which gives me the clarity I want. The Capo preamp from Jad Freer gives me extra warmth and grit if needed.

One question to you guys: What's your take on the difference between humbucker and single coils on the different Zon models? My own take is that the single coils truly are like a Jazz bass on acid (as Joe describes it) but I would be curious to know about you guys think of the differences. Some consider the humbuckers to give a warmer, darker sound.

Cheers,
Morten

beautiful bass! looks fantastic, glad your experience went smoothly also

re: pickups: i have two Zons, one with Bart humbucking soapbars / Polyfusion pre, and one with J single coils / 519 pre; for me, the singles are far better sounding— more piano-like — and easier to dial in. (the soaps are also very good tho)

 

[Morten Nielsen]

beautiful bass! looks fantastic, glad your experience went smoothly also

re: pickups: i have two Zons, one with Bart humbucking soapbars / Polyfusion pre, and one with J single coils / 519 pre; for me, the singles are far better sounding— more piano-like — and easier to dial in. (the soaps are also very good tho)

Thanks for the info. Really helpful. Are your basses fretless or fretted?

 

[sullen-moon]

Thanks for the info. Really helpful. Are your basses fretless or fretted?

the one with soaps is fretted, the one with singles is fretless

 

[Benko]

One question to you guys: What's your take on the difference between humbucker and single coils on the different Zon models? My own take is that the single coils truly are like a Jazz bass on acid (as Joe describes it) but I would be curious to know about you guys think of the differences. Some consider the humbuckers to give a warmer, darker sound.

Thanks for sharing your story and pictures, you have a beautiful one!

My most prized possession is a 519-24 with the Single, I got it and immediately ordered the Bartolini Candy bar humbucker (the only humbucker repalcement possible in the specific Zon shape), it sounds great but after a couple of years I'm going to get the singles back on it. The humbucker has tamed the original Jazz sound and eventhough they are indeed dead silent, I'm missing the super-jazz tone

I would also love to add the passive switch to it but...damn...to ask someone to dig a hole on that incredible Koa top is stressing me

 

[Angus]

Nice collection! I'm not a singles person at all, but the 519 with the singles is my favorite sounding Zon. I would own one if I could stand the string spacing. They sound huge, though.

 

[gwangi]

Thanks for sharing your story and pictures, you have a beautiful one!

My most prized possession is a 519-24 with the Single, I got it and immediately ordered the Bartolini Candy bar humbucker (the only humbucker repalcement possible in the specific Zon shape), it sounds great but after a couple of years I'm going to get the singles back on it. The humbucker has tamed the original Jazz sound and eventhough they are indeed dead silent, I'm missing the super-jazz tone

I would also love to add the passive switch to it but...damn...to ask someone to dig a hole on that incredible Koa top is stressing me

View attachment 7272253

WOW!!!!Absolutely BEAUTIFUL, would make a great CENTERFOLD!!!!