Gibson Guitar Introduces the Zoot Suit SG Electric Guitar

by Staff.

Though at first glance the look of the Gibson Zoot Suit SG electric guitar might be more reminiscent of '60s era psychedelia than the zoot suits of the '30s and '40s, behind the name are some interesting construction twists certain to garner interest from players and possibly collectors. This new entry from Gibson USA has not started to ship yet, but is expected to carry an MSRP of $1,999 with a likely street price from retailers in the area of $1,199.

The instrument comes in six color schemes: Rainbow, Black and Red, Black and Natural, Black and Orange, and Red and Blue. While certainly colorful, it's interesting to note that they are not painted. Instead, the Zoot Suit SG is constructed from a number of laminated birch wood pieces (each approximately .075" thick) dyed with a different color, given two coats of satin nitrocellulose lacquer, then bonded together to form the body and the neck. In addition to the cosmetic effect, Gibson claims that the construction method "...yields maximum sustain and resonance." The body weighs in at 5.7 lbs, "...which is slightly heavier than normal but actually creates more balance, a solid feel, and brighter tones that prove compatible with the pickup configuration." The pickups are one Gibson 496R (machine wound 5,700 times) and one Gibson 500T (machine wound 7,500 times). The neck, with an average weight of 1.12 lbs, follows the same multi-piece construction method and sports an ebony fretboard.

Related Link
Gibson USA Zoot Suit SG Specs and Info on Gibson.com

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