Cool invention!
Not only lower priced basses used them. Burns basses have a zero fret. Mr. Burns was seen as the British Leo Fender (I would prefer the British Les Paul) and made expensive basses with lots of nice touches. Gretsch was already mentioned.
Apart from the cheap German basses of the past, the popular German brand Sandberg uses a zero fret too. And some more boutique builders nowadays.
And of course the Rick of Macca, but that is aftermarket.