Sorry if you already said this and I missed it, but have you been communicating with them on the phone this whole time too?
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Joe has always replied promptly to my emails. So, no, I have not talked to him by phone since I placed the order. When I placed the order, he called me to get the credit card information for the deposit and we had a long chat about Michael Manring's Hyperbass, that I had just seen 'up close' at a clinic. I asked him about how they achieved the really dark finish on the board of Michael's Hyperbass, that I find really beautiful. Subsequently, he sent photos of the wood they are going to use for the top of my bass.
This will be my fourth ZON and the second I have ordered directly from the shop. My last instrument from ZON took about two years and Bartolini was blamed for the delay. I was hesitant to order another but I was encouraged by Martin's emails that suggested that they saw no reason why they would not be able to meet the 7-8 month construction schedule because there are no non-standard specs on this instrument. The wood for the top is a little bit unusual for ZON, but they were able to get a piece shortly after I placed the order and it has not caused any delays.
I think as I said before it is a fretless 4 string bass with standard pickups and fittings. Joe did suggest, when I talked to him, the possibility of using pickups that were voiced for a fretless but I was against it because I wanted to have the bass for a trip to Europe at the start of 2013 and the experience I had with the previous instrument suggested that non-standard pickups could cause delays.
That is about it.
I absolutely love my Zon, my favorite bass by far, but I would never order a new build from them. Why? Because I would probably go crazy waiting. Your story is one of many I have read about endless waits. That is what I love about the Zon club thread, it gave me a heads up about the horrible customer service and long waits, without it I probably would have made an order through them. I also experienced it first hand when trying to get a hold of them via phone and email for a while.
My neck for my Legacy Elite 6 string has already been made and Joe picked out a nice piece of Koa for me and I was told a few days ago that they would be gluing the neck to the body in about 2 to 3 weeks so I hope this moves along and I don't wait 18 to 30 months.
I too love my Zon bass, and it is my favorite bass that I've ever played and I've had the opportunity to play many high end basses My Zon is a keeper and will NEVER be sold
What the company reminds me a little of is Fodera before they got some help from Jason (their new PR,QC guy) .he was able to shorten the wait times and organize the work flow, and be a web/forum presence, so that you could get a bass built at first within 18 months to I believe to 12 months now (it used to be anywhere from 2 to 4 years of wait time). But, Fodera has the higher retail price tag to accommodate such an employee, having said that I think with the prices Joe charges it's really amazing for the quality of world class work you receive. Of all the basses on the planet I won't be the first to say the Zon is in the top 5 basses/luthiers in the world, and anyone lucky enough to get one built the way they like will certainly attest to this. But it sounds like the're at that breaking point in any business where the rate of expansion is hurting their sales and rep. because of not enough people in the right positions to accommodate the demand. Is it "more wait time" for lower more affordable pricing?, or "far less wait time" for higher retail costs? Joe and Mark are some of the very best luthiers in the biz, with a product that is so amazingly unique, I just hate see them get crushed under their own weight of success
+1 on all points.
I too love my Zon bass, and it is my favorite bass that I've ever played and I've had the opportunity to play many high end basses My Zon is a keeper and will NEVER be sold
What the company reminds me a little of is Fodera before they got some help from Jason (their new PR,QC guy) .he was able to shorten the wait times and organize the work flow, and be a web/forum presence, so that you could get a bass built at first within 18 months to I believe to 12 months now (it used to be anywhere from 2 to 4 years of wait time). But, Fodera has the higher retail price tag to accommodate such an employee, having said that I think with the prices Joe charges it's really amazing for the quality of world class work you receive. Of all the basses on the planet I won't be the first to say the Zon is in the top 5 basses/luthiers in the world, and anyone lucky enough to get one built the way they like will certainly attest to this. But it sounds like the're at that breaking point in any business where the rate of expansion is hurting their sales and rep. because of not enough people in the right positions to accommodate the demand. Is it "more wait time" for lower more affordable pricing?, or "far less wait time" for higher retail costs? Joe and Mark are some of the very best luthiers in the biz, with a product that is so amazingly unique, I just hate see them get crushed under their own weight of success
You just missed this post. Sorry for the late reply, i just don't get on Talkbass as much as I used to.
- Dec 12, 2007
- 2,268
- 43
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Zon Guitars, Tsunami Cables, DR Strings, GK
New Zon in my collection.
Can't seem to put this one down.
Hats off to Zon for making such a great instrument.
Can't seem to put this one down.
Hats off to Zon for making such a great instrument.
- Apr 3, 2003
- 35,516
- 19,951
- Disclosures
- Editor-in-Chief, Bass Gear Magazine
- Dec 12, 2007
- 2,268
- 43
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Zon Guitars, Tsunami Cables, DR Strings, GK
Boy, she sure cleaned up nice!
Thanks Tom. That thing was a dirty pig
Gotta call the shop to see if I can split the Duncan dual coils. These pickups are ferocious!!! But I'd love to tap the singles for thumbing
Ive ordered two custom builds .One from Zon and one from Modulus.They were both a month or two late.They don't call you ,and say yeah I know we said seven months and its ten sorry.You keep looking at the calendar and then out in the empty street for the Fed x person who isn't showing up. I would have ended up swan diving off the top of a thirteen story building if I had to wait that long. But I guess Iam a bit short on patience.Hope it shows up soon.
Okay let me understand this, you ordered a Zon and a Modulus or just a Zon because Modulus is totally out of business and you'll be waiting a real longgggggggggggg time so I'm assuming you must be talking about that you had ordered a Zon you are waiting for?
I was slightly confused by the last part that he said about hoping it will show up soon.
"Hope [your bass that has not yet been delivered] will show up soon."
His writing does require a bit of translation.
For those of you that have been waiting patiently for your bass, did you order direct from Zon or a dealer?
This might be an odd place to ask this question, but if anyone knows I figure you folks will.
I have a mid-90's fretless Sonus, and the finish on the neck is, for lack of a better word, failing. It has several hairline cracks, including some that extend from almost all the tuner holes, from each side of the nut, and one that wraps around from the front of the headstock to the back and runs down the neck for 5 inches or so. There are also places in the neck finish that have turned lighter in color.
I've seen other reports of this problem on the internet (the cracks, but not the color change), and wonder if it is at all common from instruments of that era or if they are more isolated incidents? Has anyone here seen it happen?
I sent Zon an email with no response, and probably need to call--but I expect the price and wait time for a refinish/replacement will be rough. I think Moses is an option but I'm not crazy about their head stock shape...anyone know of other replacement/repair options? Thanks!
I have a mid-90's fretless Sonus, and the finish on the neck is, for lack of a better word, failing. It has several hairline cracks, including some that extend from almost all the tuner holes, from each side of the nut, and one that wraps around from the front of the headstock to the back and runs down the neck for 5 inches or so. There are also places in the neck finish that have turned lighter in color.
I've seen other reports of this problem on the internet (the cracks, but not the color change), and wonder if it is at all common from instruments of that era or if they are more isolated incidents? Has anyone here seen it happen?
I sent Zon an email with no response, and probably need to call--but I expect the price and wait time for a refinish/replacement will be rough. I think Moses is an option but I'm not crazy about their head stock shape...anyone know of other replacement/repair options? Thanks!
- Dec 12, 2007
- 2,268
- 43
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Zon Guitars, Tsunami Cables, DR Strings, GK
I'd give them a call. Perhaps it's something they can just refinish. A Moses neck IMHO is not comparable. I've had them. It's not close.
A custom build is a very exciting thing.I did have reservations about ordering a custom build again when I ordered my Zon. The biggest reason was I didnt want to be told seven months and have to wait ten . This tends to be a common thing with custom builds. Like people have said its not how they probably want it just what ends up happening . Part of it may be due to Zons success. Alot of people want or are considering these fine instruments .I feel very fortunate to have a Zon especially after selling it and then buying it back after realising my decision to move on was not very well thought out.( like some of my posts) .I did not have all the money to purchase the bass when I ordered it so the build time gave me time to put away for it.I did order mine thru a dealer. I also paid it off little by little and had it fully paid for by the due date of the instrument.You are all going to really be happy with your purchase.I played a Mexican P bass while I waited so you can imagine the difference when it arrived. I dont care what anyone sais thirty months seems a bit excessive. Rome wasnt built in a day but hope everyone gets their instruments soon and its gonna be awesome man.Really Really awesome.
