will a Zon bass neck ever move?

[fretless Bob]

after reading trough this thread and a few others i think that a 519 is not necessary, if i can get all the tone and a better feel then i might as well go with a sonus special. I measured my six and that has 17.5" string spacing at the bridge so i should be ok.


Dave

 

[bassjigga]

The 519 is a popular one. If you like the spacing and scale go for it. I myself prefer 34" scale, and have no problem with 17 mm spacing.

 

[bassjamn]

I have a 2000 sonus 5/1 that has been very solid, the neck feels as great as when i bought it.

Also have a 2005 custom 5, Neck's great on that too. This neck has a bit more mass on it then my older zon, a slight difference but i can tell. Possibly to beef it up in case of movement(?) I should ask Joe Z.

Plus i bought Basso Gruvita's Fretless 5 a few years back, plays great, that bass sings

If Joe Z is putting trussrods in all 2006 models, really makes this thread pointless as the (rare) problem may be solved.

 

[Vic]

Plus i bought Basso Gruvita's Fretless 5 a few years back, plays great, that bass sings

Ok, so as a follow up, what happened with the neck? Did you pay the money to have it dealt with? I'm assuming this is one of the two that he had problems with.

 

[turnuptheBASS]

I might of missed it on this thread, but what does it mean when you say that the "fingerboard settles"?

 

[bassjamn]

Ok, so as a follow up, what happened with the neck? Did you pay the money to have it dealt with? I'm assuming this is one of the two that he had problems with.

The one he sold me didnt have any neck problems, he was selling all his other zon's.

 

[Vic]

Thanks Vic. It's all good.

So now I'm curious... what did happen to the 2 you had probs with... sold them cheap to someone and they spent the money to fix then? Any follow up to this? If nunnamybiz, no prob... just curious.

 

[Basso Gruvitas]

So now I'm curious... what did happen to the 2 you had probs with... sold them cheap to someone and they spent the money to fix then? Any follow up to this? If nunnamybiz, no prob... just curious.

Okay, I sold the Legacy Std to a guy in Japan. This is the bass where Joe quoted me $500 to repair/replace the fingerboard. I told the guy in Japan about the fingerboard issue but he was SO hot on getting a Zon, so I went ahead with the sale.

Bassjamn has a fretless Sonus 5 that I also owned. That is a very nice bass with no fingerboard issues. I sold it because I had just bought a Roscoe fretless and prefer it.

The 3rd Zon (but the 2nd defective one) I bought at the Dallas Guitar show. It was old new stock (the retailer went out of business and the bank forwarded it to another retailer to sell). I bought it and took it to a luthier because it had some fret buzz. He said – guess what? – the fingerboard has settled and the relief is too great. He advised me to get rid of the bass. I called Joe, and instead of swapping out the neck (because it was a NEW bass), he said he couldn’t honor the warranty because I bought it through a non-authorized Zon dealer. So I took it back to the retailer I bought it from and got my money back.


This concludes today's episode of "As the Zon Turns."

 

[Vic]

This concludes today's episode of "As the Zon Turns."

Thanks. I appreciate it. I was really curious.

 

[deckard]

BG's experiences with his Zons really concern me, as I have recently been very interested in acquiring a Sonus 4 lined fretless - probably used, as I can't afford a new one right now - the one I played (wasn't for sale, btw) had no deadspots in the neck and had "The Sound"...

However, there seems to be be far too much "caveat emptor" going on:

the maker knows there are occasional problems with the necks but refuses to put things right if the instrument is off warranty and/or purchased from a nonZon-authorized dealer, w/o a fairly substantial cash outlay by the owner of the bass.

That's not customer service no matter how you slice it, esp. in BG's case where he has spent considerable coin with the maker.

Makes me think twice about getting a used one, if it's a roll of the dice re: neck issues and maker-service.

For-sale used Sonus 4 lined fretlesses seem to be rare as hen's teeth as it is, w/o the worry of possible neck issues...

JMHO

 

[Vic]

However, there seems to be be far too much "caveat emptor" going on

Dude, it's a microscopic sampling of Joe's customer base, and ridiculously insane against the odds case with extenuating circumstances. Buy with confidence.

In fact, all the hublub here is around ONE story, and the reason for all the confusion and alarm is because it's quite the opposite of the VAST majority of the Zon experiences.

 

[dunamis]

Dude, it's a microscopic sampling of Joe's customer base, and ridiculously insane against the odds case with extenuating circumstances. Buy with confidence.

In fact, all the hublub here is around ONE story, and the reason for all the confusion and alarm is because it's quite the opposite of the VAST majority of the Zon experiences.

Definitely. +1

I wouldn't hesitate to buy another Zon.

 

[Akami]

BG's experiences with his Zons really concern me, as I have recently been very interested in acquiring a Sonus 4 lined fretless - probably used, as I can't afford a new one right now - the one I played (wasn't for sale, btw) had no deadspots in the neck and had "The Sound"...

However, there seems to be be far too much "caveat emptor" going on:

the maker knows there are occasional problems with the necks but refuses to put things right if the instrument is off warranty and/or purchased from a nonZon-authorized dealer, w/o a fairly substantial cash outlay by the owner of the bass.

That's not customer service no matter how you slice it, esp. in BG's case where he has spent considerable coin with the maker.

Makes me think twice about getting a used one, if it's a roll of the dice re: neck issues and maker-service.

For-sale used Sonus 4 lined fretlesses seem to be rare as hen's teeth as it is, w/o the worry of possible neck issues...

JMHO

First off I really like Zon basses but I can't help but think of how this contrasts with some of my experiences with other companies, in particular ones who will repair anything they've made if it can at all be construed as having been caused by a defect, as opposed to misuse.

If I was the maker I would want to fix anything that was my fault, which it appears that this settling fingerboard issue is.

After the first fingerboard settled, I called Joe and he said it happens to about 2 to 3 basses per production year.

Happens to 2 or 3 $2000+ basses per year?!?

I really think a policy of immediate repair for any problems of this nature would be a no brainer.

Apparently no one else on TB has had this experience, but that's because it only happens to 2 or 3 people a year who happen not to be TBers.

I can already hear slides being pulled back on loaded keyboards so I think I'll make a quiet exit now.