SPIKE

Frans van Zoest (The Hague, May 28, 1984), better known by his stage name Spike, is the songwriter, guitarist and second vocalist of the successful Dutch rock band Di-rect.

Van Zoest was also active as a DJ. Under the name DJ Spike he initially performed in small clubs, but later also at larger events such as the Dance4Life event in the GelreDome at the end of 2004. He often did this together with DJ Jamie (Jamie Westland), who is also a member of the band. Straight away.

In 2004 Van Zoest could be heard as a guest musician of the Dutch rap group ADHD. Together with the group he released the single Beng Je Hoofd.

In 2007 Van Zoest founded the garage rock band The Deaf, a sixties beat inspired garage rock band consisting of Van Zoest, keyboardist Mau, bassist Janneke Nijhuijs (Miss Fuzz) and drummer Kit Carrera. The Deaf toured in 2009 with The Spades, Furry 161, Ottoboy and DJ Dikke Dennis during the 2009 Rock & Roll Revue.

In 2014, Van Zoest acted as a coach in the RTL program Tourette on Tour, in which six young people with Gilles de la Tourette and musical talent were prepared for a concert for a large audience.

In December 2014, Van Zoest won the golden baton as a conductor in the television program called Maestro, which included a performance of Land of Hope and Glory, a work by Edward Elgar. 

Spike is now mostly engaged with the band Di-rect. Di-rect is a rock band from The Hague, the Netherlands, which was formed in 1999. The current line-up consists of Jamie Westland (drums), Frans “Spike” van Zoest (guitar), Bas van Wageningen (bass), Paul Jan Bakker (guitar) and Marcel Veenendaal (lead vocals).

Di-rect released over 9 albums and has been touring in Holland, Belgium, Italy, Indonesia and other countries.

DI-RECT (https://www.di-rect.com/)

SPIKE CUSTOM SIGNATURE JUMBO SPECIFICATIONS

Body 

Shape – Jumbo
Top wood (solid) – Adirondack AAA
Rosette – Herringbone inside and white black white line on the outside
Back & side wood (solid) – Rosewood
Side sizes – Standard Jumbo
Back (body) – Three pieces
Purfling – Herring bone with white line
Binding – Tamarind wood with line

Neck

Style – Slim Shape
Nut width – 44,45mm
Neck & heel – Mahogany 1 piece
Fretboard wood – Ebony (Rounded shape end)
Number of frets – 20 (14 from nut to body)
Fretboard inlay decoration – Lotus with block from Gold MoP
Binding – Binding Tamarind with line, on the end round
Fret Wire – Bronze 

Headstock

Shape – Closed Headstock
Overlay/verneer – Ebony
Peg head – Grover tuners Gold
Head custom brand/ornament – Homestead logo from Gold MoP, without initial

Finishing

Colour headstock overlay – Natural (NC paint)
Colour neck – Darker in tone with the same back and side of the body (NC paint)
Colour top (body) – Shell Pink (pantone code 939C)
Colour side and back (body) – Natural (NC paint)
Finishing headstock overlay – Semi Gloss (NC paint)
Finishing neck – Semi Gloss (NC paint)
Finishing body – Semi Gloss (NC paint)

Accessories

Pickup – K&K The Pure Pickup
Nut & saddle – Bone
Pickguard – Retro
Special remarks – Bridge with two dots from Gold MoP on the side