SOLD: Zon Sonus Custom 4 Fretless (plus Roland GK-3b Pickup). £1200

[pantherairsoft]

Cash price: [s]£975 [/s]SOLD

Hey folks,

After much soul searching, I have decided to give up the bass for a while and concentrate on other musical avenues. I may stick with bass a bit longer if someone offers a trade that really inspires me (even if it's a lower price bass, I may still trade!). As such, up for grabs is this fairly recently acquired, and updated Zon Sonus Custom 4 fretless.

I picked up the bass a few months back in a part ex deal, and it required some work to make it perfect. In order to be as transparent as possible, here are a few points to be aware of:

1. It has a long line of owners, one of which somewhere over the years was not kind to it, and did some mischief to the neck, which resulted in a tiny split in the external surface of the composite. After serious testing by myself, and a reliable bass tech, I can confirm this is not an issue, and is not going to cause the neck to get worse unless you start jumping on it. The split is barely noticeable, you can't feel it, and unless I told it was there, you'd probably never know.

2. The neck in general is not as strong as many modern composite graphite necks, in the sense that it does move like an average wooden neck when you change tension in string types, or from extreme weather etc. This fact does not bother me, as I have spent my life tweaking actions etc for basses, but those of you buying composite for it's stability alone should look else where. It's considerably slimmer a neck than other composite necks I've tried (including other Zon's), which may add to this fact, but I suspect really, it's just had a hard life!

3. The neck has had a shim added to raise it from the body to allow better use of the bridge saddles. This is an older bass (dating can't be confirmed as Zon's serial number records are incomplete) but I believe late 90's due it it originally having a Wilkinson bridge, which was the bridge of choice around that time. IMO the body was made for a fretted bass, and then a fretless neck was added instead in the factory as the bridge felt like it wanted the height of the frets there to allow perfect low action. I was unable to get the action as low as I'd like for a fretless with my soft touch, so the shim was done. It's fixed the issue perfectly, allowing the bridge to be used correctly, and allowing very low, action.

Now the good stuff...

I've done a full hardware replacement, including swapping the old silver 'Z' branded tuners for new style Schaller black ones, the horrid Wilksinson bridge for a new Hipshot TransTone bridge, and the plastic knobs have been changed for Hipshot O-Rings (my favourite knob!). The bass looks bloody wicked in all black!!!!

The fingerboard has been sanded back professionally to remove the small bumps and imperfections caused by years and years of use. It's is now perfectly smooth with no dead spots, and has a very sexy matt finish as opposed to the worn gloss look it had before.

There are no dings or marks to speak off, just slight signs of wear, such as small marks where the picking finger would rest when playing slap bass etc. For a bass of this age, and having had many owners, it's in stunning condition.

There is a Roland GK-3B MIDI Pickup mounted on the bass at the moment, and it is included in the sale (you can still use the bass normally with the pickup mounted). I am happy to remove this prior to sale, and will knock £50 off the price for doing so, but you will be left with 2 small screw holes where it was mounted if you choose to do this.

Spec...
Ash body (very dark brown stain, looks black under most light).
Very slim and balanced composite neck.
34" scale
24 fret
Bartolini J Pups
Bartolini 3-band Active EQ, with active/passive push/pull and 3 position mids switch
Brand new black hardware (all original hardware will be included as well!)
Roland GK-3B MIDI pickup (with all packaging etc)
Removable finger ramp ([i]Photos added below[/i])
Dunlop strap pins
Warwick Rockcase hardcase (worth over £70 - [url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/rockcase_rc_abs_10505b_sb_e_bass_case.htm"]http://www.thomann.d...e_bass_case.htm[/url])
Gruv Gear fret wrap thrown in for good measure.
Currently strung with a new set of D'addario Chromes.

The bass owes me £1500, plus all the upgrades listed above, but given the fact the neck isn't 'perfect' (though I must say again, it plays and feels great) I don't expect to get that, so [b]I am asking [s]£1200[/s] [s]£1000 £975[/s] SOLD[/b]. Collection from Derby, UK, where you are welcome to come and try it out, or shipped at your cost (you arrange the courier, I'll pack it up!). Valued at £1200 for trade purposes, though I may trade for a cheaper instrument if it's something exciting.

I may consider trades, particularly a part-ex on a cheaper instrument, such as an Ibanez or Yamaha around the £500-700 marker, plus cash to make up the difference, or a good synth/midi keyboard plus cash. I am unlikely to say yes to any straight trades, but you are welcome to try me with pretty much anything (4/5/6/7 strings, fretted or fretless). A cheaper bass and a selection of effects pedals might tempt me.

[i]UPDATE: Given the marketplace is so saturated at the moment, please feel free to make a sensible offer, either in terms of a cash sale, or a trade with a synth, or a bass (maybe a cheaper bass and a combo) that may re-inspire me to get back into the bass playing game, even if it's financial 'worth' is lower than the Zon. Particularly interested in 6 strings again. I'm trying to see passed the money (to a certain degree... No Squire P Basses please!), and focus on whats important... loving the bass again![/i]

I also have a Roland GR-55, boxed in mint condition which will be listed soon, but would be happy to work out a deal if you wanted to take it as well (putting that MIDI pickup to use!).

Pics:








With the removable finger ramp in place:




Any questions, please ask.

This is a killer bass, and the ONLY bass I own these days, so selling up doesn't come lightly. Hope it goes to a good home!

Shep

Edited June 17, 2015 by pantherairsoft

[juliusmonk]

Ah, I used to have this! Best fretless I've had, and that was before Shep's impressive QC (it was a perfectly working bass for most of us mere mortals, but his attention to detail and perfectionism is astonishing!) - so I am sure that this is now an *unbelievable* bass, plus the Roland pickup, at a bargain price!

GLWTS

[pantherairsoft]

[quote name='juliusmonk' timestamp='1431333461' post='2769981']
Ah, I used to have this! Best fretless I've had, and that was before Shep's impressive QC (it was a perfectly working bass for most of us mere mortals, but his attention to detail and perfectionism is astonishing!)...
[/quote]

This is a valid point. I am seriously anal about the fine details. The things I have listed as 'negatives' above would probably not bother 99.9% of bass players. Please come be put off. I'm am a perfectionist.

[Brother Jones]

I [i]think[/i] I might have owned this too (bought here in 2005 or so). But the action was incredibly low even then, and it didn't have the neck imperfection... It was an amazing bass.

[pantherairsoft]

[quote name='Brother Jones' timestamp='1431478506' post='2771832']
I [i]think[/i] I might have owned this too (bought here in 2005 or so). But the action was incredibly low even then, and it didn't have the neck imperfection... It was an amazing bass.
[/quote]

I'm confident that it plays better now than it ever did!

Update: Photo's of the removable finger ramp added!

Update 2: Given the marketplace is so saturated at the moment, please feel free to make a sensible offer, either in terms of a cash sale, or a trade with a synth, or a bass (maybe a cheaper bass and a combo) that may re-inspire me to get back into the bass playing game, even if it's financial 'worth' is lower than the Zon. Particularly interested in 6 strings again. I'm trying to see passed the money (to a certain degree... No Squire P Basses please!), and focus on whats important... loving the bass again!

Edited May 14, 2015 by pantherairsoft

[pantherairsoft]

Bump.

Given the marketplace is pretty swamped right now, and I'm eager to move onto other stuff, I'm giving this a substantial price drop already in view of a quick sale. £1000 takes it. That's SERIOUS bass for the money. I don't want it sat in a stand whilst I stare at it for a month.

Want to come try her out for a few hours? No problem. Want to pay over a few months? No problem (I've done this on many occasions with bass chatters).

Shep

Edited May 14, 2015 by pantherairsoft

[juliusmonk]

Bargain of the year!!!

[Guest Jecklin]

Oh Shep!

Are you sure you want to sell?

If this was the single pick up version I would be on the train to Derby now.

Good luck with the sale.

[pantherairsoft]

[quote name='Jecklin' timestamp='1431686023' post='2773933']
Oh Shep!

Are you sure you want to sell?

If this was the single pick up version I would be on the train to Derby now.

Good luck with the sale.
[/quote]

I had a good play this morning while asking myself the same question. I'm really thinking a break from the bass might do me good, but if I am going to stick with it I think I'd like something 'different', either back with 6 strings, or a bit quirky.... Or an off the shelf workhorse (hence the Ibanez or Yamaha mention) and put a few quid in my pocket.

This is a stunning fretless, with an excellent tone. Composite necks/boards really owe them selfs to fretless tone. I can't deny that fact. I'm just searching for inspiration

[Guest Jecklin]

These basses are the bomb!

Like you I don't perform bass guitar live currently, but I use one to write and create music which is then played live in a different format, so I can get by with something more workmanlike. The Zon is a dream pro bass!

I totally understand.

Someone is going to get a bargain!

[pantherairsoft]

BUMP.

Now £975 cash, (£1325 including a boxed Roland GR-55) or part-ex/trade for something inspiring.

Thats a Zon for under a grand folks.

[pantherairsoft]

Had a friend over last night who is an insane fretless player. Watched him play the Zon for an hour. Wow. He called it the nicest fretless he'd ever played. I woke up this morning excited to play and thought I was going to keep it, but after some jamming this morning, it's obvious it's just not me, and needs to be in the hands of someone it suits.

I am however, quite motivated to get playing, so throw some interesting trade offers at me!!

If someone wants to buy me a new Ibanez Fanned Fret SRFF806 I might even consider it!

Shep.

[pantherairsoft]

SOLD

Edited June 17, 2015 by pantherairsoft