The body of the Zoot Suit features a brand new body built with multiple birch wood laminate pieces (each one approximately .075” thick), each dyed with a different color then compressed and bonded together to form one solid block of wood. No paint is used. Each body is given two coats of satin nitrocellulose lacquer.
Average Weight
The average weight of a Zoot Suit body is 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.
Tonal Characteristics
The solid body yields maximum sustain and enhanced resonance.
Other Materials
The glue is a proprietary Type 1 glue that forms an everlasting bond, and enhances the tonal characteristics of the body.
Neck and Headstock Species
The neck of the Zoot Suit is also constructed using multiple birch wood laminate pieces (each one approximately .075” thick), each dyed with a different color then compressed and bonded together to form one solid block of wood. By reorienting the dyed laminates opposite from the body, you can view the pin-stripe color pattern through relief designs that have been machined out of the head veneers, which also allows maximum strength to the overall structure of the neck.
Truss Rod
Through the center of the neck is the same historically proven and recognized truss rod for the fine adjustments needed to ensure ultimate and personalized string action and sustain.
Profile
Gibson’s traditional rounded profile is hand-carved into the neck, delivering a comfortable, super-fast feel to one of the quickest necks in the industry.
J
oint Angle
3.0°
Headstock Angle
The headstock is carefully angled at 17 degrees, which increases pressure on the strings and helps them stay in the nut slots. An increase in string pressure also means there is no loss of string vibration between the nut and the tuners, which equals better sustain.
Headstock Logo
The classic Gibson logo is silk-screened onto the face of the headstock veneer. It is the most recognizable in all of music, representing more than a century of originality and excellence. There is simply no equal.
Tonal Characteristics
The angled, classical-style peg head, when matched with the larger tenon, offers enhanced sustain. Fingerboard
Average Weight
The average weight of a Zoot Suit neck is approximately 1.12 lbs.
Fingerboard Species
The fingerboard on the Zoot Suit is constructed from the highest grade ebony on the planet. The resilience of this dense and durable wood makes the fingerboard extremely balanced and stable.
Radius
The 12-inch radius of the fingerboard provides smooth note bending capabilities and eliminates “dead” or “choked out” notes, common occurrences on fingerboards with lesser radiuses.
Frets
The traditional “medium/jumbo” fret wire is a combination nickel and silver alloy (approximately 80 percent nickel and 20 percent silver) specifically designed for long life and superior wear. After hand pressing it into the fingerboard, a machine press finishes the job to eliminate the gap between the bottom of the fret wire and the fingerboard.
Average Weight
The average weight of an ebony fingerboard is approximately .38 lbs.
Tonal Characteristics
Ebony is always rich in tonal response, and gives each chord and note unparalleled clarity and bite.
Nut Material
The nut on the Zoot Suit is made from Corian, which is mainly composed of acrylic polymer. It’s a very durable material, delivers enhanced sustain, and holds the tolerances of the precision cuts made by the PLEK machine. It is installed into the top surface of the neck, butting up to the end of the fingerboard, which ensures proper tone and sustain transfer between them.
Width
The width of the nut on the Zoot Suit is approximately 1.695”.
Neck Fit Joint
The style of joint used in joining the neck to the body is called a Mortis & Tenon joint, which has been used for years in joining two pieces of wood to make one solid piece, especially in the building of ancient ships and cabinetry. It actually enables the neck and body to become stronger together than if the instrument was made from one piece of wood. The Zoot Suit is equipped with a larger neck tenon that increases the guitar’s level of sustain.
Adhesive
The adhesive used to join the neck and body is Franklin Titebond 50, one of the strongest glues on the market today.
Tolerance
Precise measuring equipment are implemented when fitting the neck and body together so that all angles, pitches and alignments exhibit a tolerance of less than .005”, which is required to maintain accuracy and proper string alignment relative to the fingerboard.
Joint Angle
3.0° (+/- 15 seconds)
Finish Color
The Zoot Suit comes in five extraordinary and colorful combinations: Rainbow, Black and Red, Black and White, Black and Natural, and Red and Blue.
Surface Texture
The satin finish gives the Zoot Suit a more “natural” look. It is precisely the same material as its glossy counterpart; it just has a chemical additive to make it dry with a particular degree of sheen.
Process
The new Zoot Suit from Gibson USA features a brand new body built with multiple birch wood laminate pieces, each dyed with a different color then compressed and bonded together to form one solid block of wood. No paint is used. Two coats of satin lacquer are then applied at a 30 sheen to provide a smooth finish and also help protect the body from any damage.
Electronics Volume Control
The Zoot Suit features one master volume control with a potentiometer made by CTS. The pot (short for potentiometer) has an ohm reading of 300k, which allows for a smooth variation from soft to loud.
Tone Control
The Zoot Suit features one master tone control with a potentiometer made by CTS. The pot (short for potentiometer) has an ohm reading of 500k, which is the highest value for a panel pot, and allows for a very smooth transition from highs and lows.
Toggle Switch
The Zoot Suit features one three-way toggle switch made of stainless steel, which acts as the instrument’s pickup selector. In the down position, only the bridge pickup is active. In the middle position, both pickups are active. In the up position, only the neck pickup is active.
Input Jack
The Zoot Suit features a ¼” input jack made by Switchcraft. Its super heavy duty construction holds your guitar cable securely in place for a superior electrical connection and tight positive feel.
Pickups Model
Gibson’s legendary 496R and 500T pickups, which feature clear coil forms to see the copper wire, ceramic magnets, and plenty of wire for a screaming’ hot pick up.
Winds
The coil on the 496R pickup is machine wound 5,700 times, while the coil on the 500T pickup is machine wound 7,500 times.
Wire Material
The wire used in these pickups is made from polysol copper, which is insulated to reduce capacitance leakage. It is the same wire used in pickup manufacturing in the 1950s and 1960s.
Coil Material
The coil of each pickup is made from ABS plastic, which is hard and durable and can withstand a broad range of temperatures.
Pole Piece Material
The pole pieces inside each pickup are made from 416-grade stainless steel – a highly machinable steel that is hardened by heat treatment. It is also known for its resistance to wear and corrosion.
P
ole Piece Position From Nut
In the 496R pickup, the pole pieces are positioned 19.44” from the nut, while the pole pieces in the 500T pickup are positioned 23.625” from the nut.
Magnet Material
The magnets in both the 496R and 500T pickups are Ceramic Five magnets manufactured at just the right temperature to ensure high intrinsic coercive force.
Magnet Position From Nut
The magnet in the 496R pickup is positioned 20.13” from the nut, while the magnet in the 500T is positioned 22.94” from the nut.
Tonal Characteristics
The 496R produces incredible sustain and cutting power with its, adding more highs with increased definition and no muddiness at all. The 500T is one of Gibson’s most powerful pickups, and contains a three ceramic magnet structure, which enables a no-holds-barred rock and roll crunch that never loses its rich combination of enhanced lows and crystal clear highs.
Hardware tuning Keys
Grover Rotomatic tuners are staples of Gibson guitars. With a gear ratio of 14:1, the Rotomatics deliver precision tuning in a durable housing that provides maximum protection for the gear and string post. All moving parts are cut for exact meshing, eliminating the possibility of slippage. A countersunk tension screw lets players regulate the tuning tension to any degree. A special lubricant inside the gear box provides smooth and accurate tuning stability.
Bridge
The Tune-o-matic bridge was the brainchild of legendary Gibson president Ted McCarty in 1954. It set a standard for simplicity and functionality that has never been bettered. It provides a firm seating for the strings, allowing the player to adjust and fine-tune the intonation and string height in a matter of minutes. It also yields a great union between the strings and body, which results in excellent tone and sustain. They are made from Zinc then plated with Chrome, and each one weighs approximately .118 lbs.
Tailpiece
Every Tune-o-matic bridge is combined with a separate “stopbar” tailpiece, which is essentially a modified version of the earlier wraparound bridge. It also enhances the connection between the strings and the body, resulting in excellent tone and sustain. They are made from Zinc then plated with Chrome, and each one weighs approximately .168 lbs.
Strap Buttons
The strap buttons are the same style and design that Gibson has used since the early 1950s. They are made from aluminum. Strings
Gauge
The Zoot Suit is fitted with genuine Gibson strings, sizes .010 – .046.
Dimensions
The following two graphs show the Zoot Suit’s string dimensions for the headstock, and between the Tune-o-matic bridge and stopbar tailpiece.
Plastics Truss Rod Cover
As with most Gibson guitars, the truss rod cover on the Zoot Suit is made from vinyl plastic, and has the “SG” logo silkscreened directly on top. It is the same truss rod cover found on many of Gibson’s SG models.
Control Knobs
The control knobs on the Zoot Suit are Gibson’s traditional Top Hat knobs. For the Zoot Suit, however, the knobs are clear to let the color of the wood show through. They are made from ABS plastic.
Control Plate(s)
The control plate on the back of the Zoot Suit is black and made from vinyl plastic. It has a thickness of .090”.
Pickup Trim Rings
The pickup trim rings on the Zoot Suit are made of clear ABS plastic to show off the bobbins and copper wire, and are exclusive to the Zoot Suit model.
Accessories Case/Gig Bag
Each Zoot Suit comes with a deluxe gig bag that features the classic Gibson logo silkscreened on the front, and plush lining on the inside to protect the guitar.
