Zenith Bass

[Daryl M]

I gigged with the Zenith bass this weekend. I played the fretless one with the nylon strings. It was, overall, the best bass I've ever played for bluegrass/acoustic music. You get all the percussion and 'thump' you'd want from an upright bass, and the sustain you'd want from an electric. With the two inputs, there are lots of tone options. Both on the road and at the Opry, I had several people asking "What IS that?" because it looks so unique and sounds so good. No real negatives at all other than it's pretty heavy. I will want to install strap locks on mine when I get it, but I HAVE to have one now! If you get a chance, give one a test drive.

[Golem]

`

 

There's none around here to drive. But *maybe* you can help

me ... if you've played any similar basses to the Zenith, IOW

any thinline, chambered, quasi-acoustic with piezos or other

non-magnetic PUs aboard. That way, you could weigh in on

the degree, and/or direction of difference between the Zenith

and it's ancestors.

 

I looooove a hybrid piezo-magnetic bass, especially FL, and

extra especially a thinline hollow FL. Therefore I really, quite

viscerially, appreciate how blown away you are by the Zenith.

What I can't know from here, is will the Zenith blow me away

in a manner that's actually different enuf from it's ancestors

to win a place in my existing stable that is well stocked with

those same ancestors ?

 

 

---------------------------------------

 

 

So ... if you [or anyone else here] is already familiar with the

magic of this genre, and can report on what new magic this

newcomer brings to the tribe, then I may seek one out. But

without such news, I'll hafta assume that the Nanoflex and

Nanomag mixture does not differ too much from a piezo and

magnetic mix .... of which I have a variety on hand already.

 

Which is NOT at all meant to rain on Daryl's enthusiasm ...

which I share !! Whether the mixture is Nanoflex-Nanomag

or piezo-magnetic, either way it's a double system with both

acoustic and electric PU's,and that is where the voodoo lives.

So I feel your excitement Daryl. My wondering whether the

magic is Old School or Next Generation doesn't reduce that,

but it does bear on my buying decisions.

 

 

 

`

[Hungrycat]

I gigged with the Zenith bass this weekend. I played the fretless one with the nylon strings. It was, overall, the best bass I've ever played for bluegrass/acoustic music. You get all the percussion and 'thump' you'd want from an upright bass, and the sustain you'd want from an electric. With the two inputs, there are lots of tone options. Both on the road and at the Opry, I had several people asking "What IS that?" because it looks so unique and sounds so good. No real negatives at all other than it's pretty heavy. I will want to install strap locks on mine when I get it, but I HAVE to have one now! If you get a chance, give one a test drive.

 

Shameless product promotion from Gibson/Epiphone pretending to be a forum member. (See "Customer Service Team" That means he gets a paycheck from Gibson...) Not that the Zeniths aren't cool, they're bad to the bone in fact, but this "review" has NO credibility. It's a ADVERTISEMENT. Isn't that prohibited? I'd rather have other garbage like pop-ups than ads disguised as forum posts. I guess Gibson really IS one of those giant evil corporations trying to control our thoughts (surprise, surprise...)

 

Go ahead. Drop that ban-hammer. I ain't even mad.

[Golem]

... I guess Gibson really IS one of those giant evil corporations

trying to control our thoughts (surprise, surprise...)

Well, if you'd like a non-custom, factory-built American ax

without having to deal with an evil giant corporation, look at

EBMM or Peavey. They're good sized companies, but they

are run hands-on by the doods whose family names are on

the headstocks .... They are corporations, but not giant evil

entities [altho Sterling Ball can get a tidge grumpy].

 

 

 

`

[Daryl M]

Just to clarify...

 

I do work for Gibson, yes. But, working for Gibson has nothing to do with my experience with the Zenith. I toured professionally for over 10 years, and still work 40 or so road dates each year playing upright and electric bass. I was looking for a hollow or semi-hollow bass and had tried several different brands before I tried out the Zenith. (It was owned by a friend who loaned it to me.) I was not asked by Gibson/Epiphone to try it out, and I was not asked to write about it.

 

My experience with the Zenith was exactly as I stated, and was not sanctioned by Gibson/Epiphone in any way. I just happen to really like the thing and wanted to share, which is what I thought folks did on the forums. Bottom line is, I tried several models but this one is the one that I want.

 

I understand you being skeptical, but there is no evil intent here. Just a bass player sharing an experience with other bass players.

[Golem]

.............. I tried several models but this one is the one that I want.

 

.... Just a bass player sharing an experience with other bass players.

 

If you please, what are the other models and what sets the Zenith

apart or above other basses in the genre ? The genre I expect we

are talking about is hollow or semi-hollw FL basses with acoustic

and magnetic PU's on board. That is "my" genre, and I'm curious

how the new contender from Epi would fit with, or replace, any of

my basses currently on hand.

 

The Zenith is very similar to the alternatives, except that it uses

the Nanomag and Nanoflex PU's in place of typical magnetic and

piezo PUs. So it seems that any significant difference would have

to derive from the PU's.

 

If I were shopping for my first ax in the genre, just news from you

something like "I tried a bunch, and I prefer this one" could be a

major recommendation. And so far, that IS the summation of your

sharing with us. Well ... myself might say "I tried a bunch, and a

bunch of them stuck to me ... what improvement or cool variation

might earn this Zenith its membership in The Bunch ? "

 

I wish there were a Zenith FL hanging locally, so I'd not need to

ask such specific questions, but legwork turns up no examples.

 

 

 

`

[RobinTheHood]

Just to clarify...blah blah blah

 

Yeah, man. Answer Golem's questions!

 

We all like HC and all, but his poke at you didnt really require a defense in lieu of a response to legit questions.

Anyone that peruses the Gibson area sees you around, chatting and posting as a regular person despite your Gibson status.

 

Now answer up, homie! I want to know too.

[Daryl M]

I can only tell you the things that set the Zenith apart for me. Playing primarily bluegrass, I've long been an upright player, but it's tough to fly with one, so that usually put me on an electric. I have played several acoustic/electrics in the past but none seem to have any 'punch'. Since bluegrass typically has no drums, there is a percussion sound you get out of an upright that I have never seen duplicated in any electric or an acoustic electric. The Zenith actually does have that 'thump' and that is the one thing that really sold me. Having the nylon strings helps, I am sure. Being fretless probably makes a difference too, but whatever it is, it's the best non-upright bass I've ever heard for bluegrass.

 

As far as the pickups, I was playing through a Hartke kick back and an G/K. I could notice some difference between the two outputs, but the difference was not significant enough for me to prefer one over the other in the short time I had it. I am sure, once I purchase mine, I will spend a lot of time 'tweeking' and become familiar with the options and which way(s) I prefer but with the loaner, I just didn't have time.

 

It seems more of a solid body than a semi, which I am sure adds to the weight. After a full set, I was feeling in on my left shoulder, but the tone, sustain, and 'thump' was what I loved and made it worth it. The fact that I think it looks so cool just adds to it. I have not seen the black one, but I hear it looks better in person than in the picture. It's fretted and with steel strings, though, so I'm sticking to the natural one.

[RobinTheHood]

So you can put nylon OR steel strings on the Zenith? That seems cool...but odd. Probably requires a major setup between the two.

 

I've been looking hard at acoustic/electric basses lately and the Zenith piqued my interest a little - even though its a hollow body. Some of the songs we do are very folky with bluegrass undertones and I've been looking for a more 'upright' sound for those songs. I've never played a standup bass, so I have no real experience to judge. Your info was very helpful. I will surely keep it in mind when the time comes to purchase.

 

Thanks!

[Golem]

`

 

Verrry innerressin ...

 

I'll hafta wait til I can meet one face to face ....

or until it fails in the marketplace and GC bumps

it out for a pitifully tempting clearance price. Can't

spend $850 on it sight unseen, and sound unheard.

 

One must beware of thumping sounds from acoustic

PUs, cuz it may be difficult to NOT thump when you

want no thumping. Bendare dunndatt ....

 

---------------------------------------

 

I'm not bothered whether it's really truly semi-hollow,

semi-semi-hollow, or barely chambered, or whatever.

Some of my hybrids are 'normal' solid bodies, and

when amped up, you hear the acoustic voices of the

neck and body woods interacting with the strings, as

heard by the acoustic PUs. With the amp being an

always-present necessity, every ax is acoustic, not

just the hollow ones. It's those acoustically enabled

PUs that define what basses are [amped] acoustics,

not the volume of air inside. So, natcherlee, since a

Zenith offers an unfamiliar type of acoustic PU, I'm

curious just what difference I might hear.

 

----------------------------------------

 

I spoze I'm an odd customer. I don't simply wanna

know that a bass can or cannot do something ... I

wanna know how it differs from other basses that

can nominally do that same type of 'something'.

 

Guess I'll just hafta wait til I meet one.

 

 

`