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Official Zon Club Part 5

#741
My fretted TJ5 is finally getting worked on now. It arrived five weeks ago yesterday and they thought they had the pickup selector switch they're installing in stock, but they had to order it and it only arrived yesterday. Wonder if they get them from Bart- everything ships late from there.

What are the chances I can talk them into putting a matching headstock on an already finished neck? :D
 
#743
Does anyone know how a Sonus Custom or Sonus Special would differ from a Sonus TJ-5? Other than the obvious cutaway and extra frets, are there any other differences? I really love this TJ I got in trade, the neck is a masterpiece but the extended fingerboard makes it very difficult to use some of my techniques. I looked on the Zon site at the specs and they seem virtually identical other than the obvious.

Thanks
 
#744
lowendmafia said:
Does anyone know how a Sonus Custom or Sonus Special would differ from a Sonus TJ-5? Other than the obvious cutaway and extra frets, are there any other differences? I really love this TJ I got in trade, the neck is a masterpiece but the extended fingerboard makes it very difficult to use some of my techniques. I looked on the Zon site at the specs and they seem virtually identical other than the obvious.

Thanks
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You can have the end of the fingerboard taken off. Yours is different though than most TJs as the extension is shorter because the neck pickup is so close to the neck- I'm guessing it's an older one? The Sonus Specials have the two pickups close together and down by the bridge- the Customs would probably be very similar. I've never been sure what differentiated them from regular Sonuses.
 
#745
Bryan R. Tyler said:
You can have the end of the fingerboard taken off. Yours is different though than most TJs as the extension is shorter because the neck pickup is so close to the neck- I'm guessing it's an older one? The Sonus Specials have the two pickups close together and down by the bridge- the Customs would probably be very similar. I've never been sure what differentiated them from regular Sonuses.
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Thanks, I believe it was a custom order. It has a couple different options. It is Ash instead of Alder and the fretboard does not extend all the way to the pickup. Based on the other TJs I have seen (which is not many), it appears that most have the pickups closer together. This is in more of the "Jazz" position. My curiosity is if I can get a bass that is almost identical, but without the extended fretboard and maybe just 24 frets... which sounds like the Custom.
 
#746
You can find regular Sonuses with a similar setup as well.

I just thought back and realized I got my first Zon nine years ago this week- it had a similar pickup location to your TJ. It was a Sonus 6 that I got for a steal on eBay- $1400 IIRC. I really liked it but the sound was such a departure from the Elricks I had played exclusively for several years that I sold it shortly after getting it. Its clarity also highlighted all of my technical deficiencies, of which there were many at the time. Sold it to Damian Erskine who was getting it for a student- wish I had it back now :D. Still have a couple sound clips.
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#747
Thanks Bryan... Funny, I remember you from way back on TB playing elricks. I always wanted one of those too, especially a single cut. This is my first Zon and I was a little skeptical about a bass with a graphite neck, but I was so wrong it's embarrassing. I haven't really dialed the sound in perfect yet, but I find myself preferring the bridge pickup sound which is not typical for me, perhaps it's that clarity you mentioned.
 
#748
Here's the quick and dirty... I hope I'm pretty close on this.

Sonus 4 & 5 - Ash body, optional top or color, two hum-cancelling jazz style pickups in 60's position, 2-band standard
Sonus 4/1 & 5/1 - Ash body, optional top or color, single MM style dual pickup with coil switching
Sonus 4/2 & 5/2 - Ash body, optional top or color, dual MM style pickups with coil switching
Sonus Special 4 or 5 - Standard with bubinga top and ash body... standard pickups are hum-cancelling jazz style and are close together, back towards the bridge for a real burpy tone. Optional humbuckers.
Sonus Custom - Ash body, optional top, two dual coil humbuckers centered over 60's position, 3-band EQ standard
Sonus Custom Special - Same as above with pickup placement closer to bridge.
Sonus TJ - Standard with alder body and quilt maple top (ash and other tops optional), 16.5 mm spacing standard (other spacing optional), 26 frets standard (extended fingerboard on fretless optional), extended cutaway, pickup position of the neck pickup is somewhere between standard spacing and "special" spacing.

Hope that helps!
 
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#755
It's like anything else- there are standard specs, and then there is what you order (that they will or will not do). Lots of variation, and probably very few "standard" TJs made.

The TJs are also usually a body-size up- 5 strings the size of 6 string Sonuses, etc. My 6 string has the standard up-sized body, and my 36 fret 5 string has the standard 5 string body.

If you want 24 frets, you might as well get a Sonus Custom rather than a TJ, because that is more or less what it is anyway.

Just speak enough about how much I like my Zons. I'll probably order another later in the year.
 
#756
Yeah, I definitely understand about the custom thing... I really like the TJ because the body isn't so small, I have a Tobias 5 and the body is so small that it changes my technique and where I leave my hand, etc.

I guess I was just asking if there is any real difference between a Sonus Custom and a TJ. Like, if I were to get a Sonus Custom, I could basically get this same bass, but without the extended fingerboard, etc. It seems like the answer is "yes."

Angus said:
It's like anything else- there are standard specs, and then there is what you order (that they will or will not do). Lots of variation, and probably very few "standard" TJs made.

The TJs are also usually a body-size up- 5 strings the size of 6 string Sonuses, etc. My 6 string has the standard up-sized body, and my 36 fret 5 string has the standard 5 string body.

If you want 24 frets, you might as well get a Sonus Custom rather than a TJ, because that is more or less what it is anyway.

Just speak enough about how much I like my Zons. I'll probably order another later in the year.
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