Haven't heard back about pickup placement since they asked and I responded if what we had talked about previously is still OK. Sent a follow up asking again...that was maybe 2-3 weeks ago.
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Zon basses - is everything OK ?
- Thread starter Rumblefisher
- Start date
Haven't heard back about pickup placement since they asked and I responded if what we had talked about previously is still OK. Sent a follow up asking again...that was maybe 2-3 weeks ago.
- Dec 21, 2007
- 15,233
- 45,131
- Disclosures
- Lark in the Morning Instructional Videos; Audix Microphones
A bunch of the long-waiters got their instruments. There is only one outstanding from that group, but several more have come in with 2 or more year waits.
- Dec 21, 2007
- 15,233
- 45,131
- Disclosures
- Lark in the Morning Instructional Videos; Audix Microphones
For the sake of archiving Otis is talking about this one :
Not unless he really biffed the specs
That thing is GORGEOUS, but it's not mine. I haven't heard anything in awhile.
Side note: that bridge doesn't have separate intonation for the octaves? Or am I missing something?
Not unless he really biffed the specs
That thing is GORGEOUS, but it's not mine. I haven't heard anything in awhile.
Side note: that bridge doesn't have separate intonation for the octaves? Or am I missing something?
The intonation: yes, it looks like one-saddle-per-pair for me. Thinking back, all the Zon 8's I've seen (3 or 4) over the years have had a similar arrangement, though not that exact same bridge.
Of course, there may be some with a bridge where bass & octave strings are adjusted independently, but I'v not see one.
Hmm, have you seen the 8-string bridge Brad Lowe designed? Those have individual saddles.
Now we just need to get Joe to use them!
Hmm, have you seen the 8-string bridge Brad Lowe designed? Those have individual saddles.
Now we just need to get Joe to use them!
Yeah, that looks nice, and there have been other solutions before that, but for some reason it seems that Zon choose not to use them.
To be honest, with my inaccurate hearing I couldn't much spot the mis-intonation on the last one I tried (2010s legacy 8), but I'm sure many others might.
Both of my Zon 8s have bridges with individually adjustable intonation. When I ordered my new 8 he offered a bridge with paired strings which I declined because I like his bridges. In one of our more recent conversations he tried to talk me out of black hardware which I politely declined. Apparently that did prompt a call from Joe Zon to Brad Lowe to see if he had a black bridge, which he didn't. So the last update I got was that the bridge was still at the plating shop after being dropped off a month previous. That was six weeks ago.
I'm mildly amused because I provided literally everything to Joe besides the body, neck, nut, and bridge, and the bridge is the thing holding up my build.
Interesting. If you could share, was there a suggestion as to why they seem to prefer / default-to paired-string bridges? Good to hear that individually-adjustable saddles are also available on request - fingers crossed that the delay isn't much longer.
I got the impression that the bridges with the individually adjustable intonation are either no longer available (if they were purchased from a vender) or cost-prohibitive (if they were his design). It seemed like he wanted to move on from them for some reason or another. And coming up with a black bridge with individual intonation definitely wasn't something that Joe was looking forward to.
I have this weird bias against chrome hardware on high end basses. This is the first time (and probably the last) that I order a fully custom instrument so I didn't want chrome, but I had no idea how weird it would get.
I'm not worried about the wait right now. We're wrapping up some recording so it wasn't done in time to be a part of these songs. I'm switching jobs next month, possibly moving, and the engine in my vehicle recently blew up. So if I have to wait a bit longer to have to pay the remainder on the instrument, I'm good with that. But if he calls me tomorrow and says it's ready, I'll probably get a speeding ticket on my way to pick it up!
From my '96 Sonus-8:
From my '04 Sonus-8:
There are a lot of pieces there. The two outer set screws on each saddle set the saddle height. The middle one locks the saddle so it can't be moved. The biggest issue from a user standpoint is sliding the saddles to set the intonation usually requires the string to be loosened.
From my '04 Sonus-8:
There are a lot of pieces there. The two outer set screws on each saddle set the saddle height. The middle one locks the saddle so it can't be moved. The biggest issue from a user standpoint is sliding the saddles to set the intonation usually requires the string to be loosened.
Back when I was waiting on my Zon, I was in PM communication with at least 3 others who were also waiting, and each one of us got the "waiting on Bartolini pickups" excuse for delays -- which I've seen other Zon customers post in public TB threads. If you provided the pickups for your build, that might explain why you didn't hear that one.
(Overall point: Zon seems to avoid saying "just haven't been able to get to it yet")
While that wasn't the reason I didn't go with Barts, I was hoping to avoid that as an excuse. So much so that I even provided the tuners, knobs, and output jacks. Well, that and I've done experimenting on my other 8s to figure out exactly what I want, and the dual-output jack plate has to be the same so the cables work.Back when I was waiting on my Zon, I was in PM communication with at least 3 others who were also waiting, and each one of us got the "waiting on Bartolini pickups" excuse for delays -- which I've seen other Zon customers post in public TB threads. If you provided the pickups for your build, that might explain why you didn't hear that one.
(Overall point: Zon seems to avoid saying "just haven't been able to get to it yet")
And if they would just say that it would smooth out a lot of bad vibes instead of excuses or worse no communication at all.Back when I was waiting on my Zon, I was in PM communication with at least 3 others who were also waiting, and each one of us got the "waiting on Bartolini pickups" excuse for delays -- which I've seen other Zon customers post in public TB threads. If you provided the pickups for your build, that might explain why you didn't hear that one.
(Overall point: Zon seems to avoid saying "just haven't been able to get to it yet")
Hey guys, anyone well versed in Lane Poor pickups?
Zon had sent me a message about a month ago asking if I wanted P/J positioning on the pickups or something else...Mr Zon and I had spoken about maybe doing a sidewinder single coil Lane Poor in the P position, and we settled on speaking at some point to hash it out...I sent Zon a message about speaking on the phone soon to close the loop on which pickups and where, so I want to be a little bit prepared for that conversation, which may happen today or tomorrow.
I've gone over a number of different options in my mind and like a few options...FWIW, I do better usually with *less* choice (less fiddling/twiddling) and prefer middier/fatter tone (P to J). Not a fan of scooped really. I rarely, if ever, use bridge pickups. With that in mind, I have the following pickup sets:
2 Lane Poor SB 3950s...wide aperture, single coil (I *think* there's a dummy coil to minimize hum when used solo). Supposedly P bassish.
2 Lane Poor M3.5HBs...2 narrow aperture coils reverse wound reverse polarity so they are true hum cancelling. Supposedly MMish.
1 Lane Poor M3.5W...same as the SB but in a bigger EMG style shell, which I think would look better if going with 1 pickup bass.
Idea #1:
Anyone like the idea of BOTH of the SBs right next to each other, wired in series to make a "twin jazz" kind of thing in the P position? In theory I think this would sound like an overwound P bass, but with the LP clarity and air it may be the sound I've been chasing forever. Or is that pie in the sky and it'll end up being a middy, muddy, hummy mess? Or maybe it'll turn out to be a Wunkay kind of tone, which I am a fan of! I need someone who knows these pickups to help with that!
Idea #2:
SBs in P/J position, don't mess with what ain't broke.
Idea #3:
2 HBs in MM and Pish positions. BrInG tHe ThUnDeR (TM)
Idea #4:
M3.5W in the P position. KISS.
Idea #5:
Single SB in the P position. sleeeeeek.
Idea #6:
Last one...HB in bridge position, M3.5W in neck position. Another classic setup.
Any insight or help is much appreciated. Also, I've reached out to a couple of LP experts (here on TB and not on TB) but haven't heard anything back yet. I guess some people aren't glued to their smartphone and addicted to this forum. I am not one of those people.
Thought about making this its own thread, but ultimately thought it may be better here. Thank you guys again in advance. I've put this bass out of my mind for so long, it's way past time to get back on it and start giving a push.
Zon had sent me a message about a month ago asking if I wanted P/J positioning on the pickups or something else...Mr Zon and I had spoken about maybe doing a sidewinder single coil Lane Poor in the P position, and we settled on speaking at some point to hash it out...I sent Zon a message about speaking on the phone soon to close the loop on which pickups and where, so I want to be a little bit prepared for that conversation, which may happen today or tomorrow.
I've gone over a number of different options in my mind and like a few options...FWIW, I do better usually with *less* choice (less fiddling/twiddling) and prefer middier/fatter tone (P to J). Not a fan of scooped really. I rarely, if ever, use bridge pickups. With that in mind, I have the following pickup sets:
2 Lane Poor SB 3950s...wide aperture, single coil (I *think* there's a dummy coil to minimize hum when used solo). Supposedly P bassish.
2 Lane Poor M3.5HBs...2 narrow aperture coils reverse wound reverse polarity so they are true hum cancelling. Supposedly MMish.
1 Lane Poor M3.5W...same as the SB but in a bigger EMG style shell, which I think would look better if going with 1 pickup bass.
Idea #1:
Anyone like the idea of BOTH of the SBs right next to each other, wired in series to make a "twin jazz" kind of thing in the P position? In theory I think this would sound like an overwound P bass, but with the LP clarity and air it may be the sound I've been chasing forever. Or is that pie in the sky and it'll end up being a middy, muddy, hummy mess? Or maybe it'll turn out to be a Wunkay kind of tone, which I am a fan of! I need someone who knows these pickups to help with that!
Idea #2:
SBs in P/J position, don't mess with what ain't broke.
Idea #3:
2 HBs in MM and Pish positions. BrInG tHe ThUnDeR (TM)
Idea #4:
M3.5W in the P position. KISS.
Idea #5:
Single SB in the P position. sleeeeeek.
Idea #6:
Last one...HB in bridge position, M3.5W in neck position. Another classic setup.
Any insight or help is much appreciated. Also, I've reached out to a couple of LP experts (here on TB and not on TB) but haven't heard anything back yet. I guess some people aren't glued to their smartphone and addicted to this forum. I am not one of those people.
Thought about making this its own thread, but ultimately thought it may be better here. Thank you guys again in advance. I've put this bass out of my mind for so long, it's way past time to get back on it and start giving a push.
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