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Zon basses - is everything OK ?
- Thread starter Rumblefisher
- Start date
Point!
@Rumblefisher , did you get the bass or hear from Joe yet?
In other news, I did hear from Martin on my build, and he promised me that it's in the que and currently scheduled for August shipment.
I am guardedly optimistic.
I will provide more information as it comes to me.
I am guardedly optimistic.
I will provide more information as it comes to me.
I’ve spent some time in the last couple days going through and reading this thread. As an owner of a Zon bass, even a lower end Sonus Standard that I’ve enjoyed for years, it makes me so upset that all of this is going on and has been for such a long time. I hate to say it, but at this point I think legal action needs to be taken against Zon. I can’t see any other way forward for those impacted by what seems to be completely criminal.
Good morning fellow Talkbassers,
Please forgive the choppy nature of this post, I'm trying to write this at work while being interrupted every 2 minutes by fellows/nurses/phone calls...
I would like to address some things that have been cropping up in this thread and through private messages.
This thread was NEVER meant to badmouth Joe Zon. I want to reiterate that, if you re-read this thread, it started out as a genuine concern of: Is he alright? (I'm happy to say that he is). I also want to point out that, along the way, I have mentioned SEVERAL times that 1. He and Martin have always been cordial, approachable, and have taken my feelings/suggestions/etc into account and 2. my situation is a fluke...a rogue wave as it were. Not only was there a once-in-a-lifetime event (COVID19 pandemic) involved, but also a shop move, warehouse FIRE, and personal circumstances of Joe Zon that I won't get into detail about as it's not my place (suffice it to say he was kind enough to share what those were with me and they absolutely took precedence over everything else). In addition, I asked for a scale length change and was told upfront that this would set the build back - which was ok with me. Again, if you re-read the thread, I have always taken the onus of this particular point as it should not be overlooked.
I've spoken with Martin and Joe many times over the last few years. They have always been kind to me with their time. I understand that there are many, many facets to running your own business and that timelines are cannot always be concrete. I have been fine with it and again I've contributed to the delay in no small part. I APPRECIATE where the indignation on my behalf is coming from, I get it's from a good place of linear thinking (pay money, receive product)...in truth, it's always made me uncomfortable because of my fault in perpetuating delay and because I didn't want it to hurt Joe Zon either on a personal level or business level.
Unfortunately, that's happened. Joe mentioned in our last call that he has gotten a few cancellations of orders lately because of this thread. He DID NOT ask me to write this message, nor is he compensating me in any way shape or form. This comes directly from me for several reasons: 1. Zon makes a DAMN fine bass! 2. Joe Zon is a good person who has been in business for decades for good reason 3. Yes I do feel badly that this thread is directly affecting a business and I wish to correct that.
If I could place my order again with Zon, I would with the exception of being sure of what I wanted and remaining resolute in those things. If any one of those cancellations were from TB members who see this, I would ask that you reconsider. I do firmly believe Joe Zon and company are working breakneck speed to meet demand, and there is a lot of demand because they make exceptional instruments. To anyone reading this thread, I would still recommend Zon basses...I've owned 2 and cannot wait to take delivery of my custom Vinny.
I will also ask that any negative comments/posts/energy be put toward something else, and left out of this thread from here on out. If anyone has something positive to say (i.e. "Hey, spoke with Joe today, he was cool with such and such specs, etc), go for it. Thanks in advance, I appreciate you guys.
Joe, if you ever read this, thank you for not holding this thread against me or ever saying a negative word in my direction. I'm sure most would have been irate (even accounting for the fact that this was not the intended spirit of the thread). It's a reflection of the fact that you are a good person who just wants to make amazing basses.
Please forgive the choppy nature of this post, I'm trying to write this at work while being interrupted every 2 minutes by fellows/nurses/phone calls...
I would like to address some things that have been cropping up in this thread and through private messages.
This thread was NEVER meant to badmouth Joe Zon. I want to reiterate that, if you re-read this thread, it started out as a genuine concern of: Is he alright? (I'm happy to say that he is). I also want to point out that, along the way, I have mentioned SEVERAL times that 1. He and Martin have always been cordial, approachable, and have taken my feelings/suggestions/etc into account and 2. my situation is a fluke...a rogue wave as it were. Not only was there a once-in-a-lifetime event (COVID19 pandemic) involved, but also a shop move, warehouse FIRE, and personal circumstances of Joe Zon that I won't get into detail about as it's not my place (suffice it to say he was kind enough to share what those were with me and they absolutely took precedence over everything else). In addition, I asked for a scale length change and was told upfront that this would set the build back - which was ok with me. Again, if you re-read the thread, I have always taken the onus of this particular point as it should not be overlooked.
I've spoken with Martin and Joe many times over the last few years. They have always been kind to me with their time. I understand that there are many, many facets to running your own business and that timelines are cannot always be concrete. I have been fine with it and again I've contributed to the delay in no small part. I APPRECIATE where the indignation on my behalf is coming from, I get it's from a good place of linear thinking (pay money, receive product)...in truth, it's always made me uncomfortable because of my fault in perpetuating delay and because I didn't want it to hurt Joe Zon either on a personal level or business level.
Unfortunately, that's happened. Joe mentioned in our last call that he has gotten a few cancellations of orders lately because of this thread. He DID NOT ask me to write this message, nor is he compensating me in any way shape or form. This comes directly from me for several reasons: 1. Zon makes a DAMN fine bass! 2. Joe Zon is a good person who has been in business for decades for good reason 3. Yes I do feel badly that this thread is directly affecting a business and I wish to correct that.
If I could place my order again with Zon, I would with the exception of being sure of what I wanted and remaining resolute in those things. If any one of those cancellations were from TB members who see this, I would ask that you reconsider. I do firmly believe Joe Zon and company are working breakneck speed to meet demand, and there is a lot of demand because they make exceptional instruments. To anyone reading this thread, I would still recommend Zon basses...I've owned 2 and cannot wait to take delivery of my custom Vinny.
I will also ask that any negative comments/posts/energy be put toward something else, and left out of this thread from here on out. If anyone has something positive to say (i.e. "Hey, spoke with Joe today, he was cool with such and such specs, etc), go for it. Thanks in advance, I appreciate you guys.
Joe, if you ever read this, thank you for not holding this thread against me or ever saying a negative word in my direction. I'm sure most would have been irate (even accounting for the fact that this was not the intended spirit of the thread). It's a reflection of the fact that you are a good person who just wants to make amazing basses.
I will also add that I SHOULD have updated these as I spoke with Joe shortly afterward, and several times since as the build progresses.
I know there will be a lot of people saying "Oh well why did it take even this long" or something like that...I would urge if you have the time to look back and see that I wanted some changes, which I thought would be fine as the build hadn't started yet, but was told upfront that it would delay things further. Add COVID, warehouse fire, personal circumstance, etc...and there you have it.
I appreciate your thoughts, but respectfully, this thread is now much bigger than you. You might be the OP, but you are far from the only one to have suffered an extraordinarily long wait for a Zon instrument or repair. It's happened to numerous others, both before and after you posted. And while it's nice that Zon has been communicative with you, others suffering long waits have reported that they've been ghosted by Zon.
Here's one upside: since this thread began, the Zon Club thread has become the outlet for positive experiences with Zon. Yes, this thread now serves to document the less-than-positive experiences, but this truth is useful to the bass buying public and should not be suppressed. If there have been cancellations of Zon orders, then you and/or this thread are not to blame, Zon is.
No builder is perfect. If you were the only one to have suffered an inexcusably long wait, I doubt any cancellations would have occurred. The problem is the frequency of these occurrences. It's important to note that at least one person in this thread has ordered a Zon despite what he read here.
This isn't an attack thread -- the mods do a great job of cleaning up the nonsense that comes from bystanders (the D. Huff thread remains closed for that reason). To the contrary, I believe we all agree that Zon builds excellent basses and we wish the very best for him and the company... and also the customers who have outstanding orders.
^This.
Yep, this thread has grown way beyond just the OP's experience with Zon. I'm actually amazed at the response of the OP....and really am not sure whether to be impressed with the complete endless patience, despite the obvious fraudulent business practices of Zon, or to be in complete disdain. At one time I was actually considering a Zon bass purchase, but after seeing the facts of how they have treated multiple customers, couldn't bring myself to do so. As I wrote way back in this thread, what they've done actually fits the definition of theft and fraud in the state of California (and many others), so not gonna re-hash that. If their business suffers the consequences of unethical practices, then that's on them, not the OP.
I can’t believe how patient OP has been with this situation. I don’t think I would be able to do it. Hats off to you, Rumblefisher.
I'm not cancelling my order. I don't have high hopes it will arrive by August this year, but I'm confident that it will arrive and it will be beautiful.
No, he’s not up to the task, don’t blame yourself..
But he was still taking orders. Aka money from customers with a lot of backlog work increasing the problem
So he blamed us for his fraudulent practice..
Look, I'm sorry, I really hope that all customers get the bass they ordered soon, but money doesn't grow on trees and over time that money could have been spent on your loved ones or other things you like. Zon builds and sells basses, it's his job. In our jobs we cannot be irresponsible like him..
You're a good egg. You also have the patience of a saint. I have no doubt that whenever you do get your bass it will be love at first note.
This is a very kind message.
I actually have dealings ongoing with ZON and so far the experience has been great...BUT I knew and came with the right expectation (ie : it will be ready when it's ready), so in my view if you place an order with them you should know what you're committing for, and cancelling order is not right.
By the way, in all fairness the initial deposit for a ZON is pretty low (I don't have an extended benchmark but there is not so much money upfrond and "at risk"), that's what drive my confidence.
I'm lucky to already have a couple of their bass which are a dream (and will get a rework one this month
)Now, I would like that they communicate more actively :
- Confirm they have stopped taking new orders to complete the backlog
- Focus on completing backlog and communicating on the deliveries that are happening
I think that alone will show everyon they are active and things are moving.
I will communicate about my positive experience once I receive my instrument in a few weeks (pumped)
Joe says that in a comment on facebook but I don't think they are actually declining order.
I personally believe it's the right thing to do to clear the backlog, and I think there would be NO impact financially or on reputation
