Author Topic: Frank Zappa Guitar Tone (Read 7190 times)

willo · « **on:** October 27, 2005, 10:29:43 PM »

So, anyone know much about how to get that Zappa tone?

I'm listening to Uncle Remus now and I love that guitar tone; same as on Dirty Love, Muffin Man and everything. I know he used an SG mostly, but what about the backline set up? (i think i can see some plexi heads in 'Baby Snakes' amongst others) Also, what kind of BKP would get close to this sound???

VIVA ZAPPA

Bird · « **Reply #1 on:** October 28, 2005, 03:09:12 AM »

There's no one solution for achieving that

This article anwers a lot of those questions, especially the "Ice Pick in the Forehead" section at the bottom. If you click on the articles index at the bottome there are a whole lot more Zappa articles to read through. There's also www.zappa.com

http://home.online.no/~corneliu/gp95.htm

HJM · « **Reply #2 on:** October 28, 2005, 06:26:40 AM »

I seem to recall he had a pignose for a lot of his tones....

Actually, I've got a decent Zappa tone by using magnetic and piezo bridge sadles together, gets the extened high end content Zappa had

willo · « **Reply #3 on:** October 28, 2005, 11:23:26 AM »

nice article brown, a lot of information - i'll give it a proper read later, thanks!

HJM, i'm sure i've seen photos of him with a pignose too, actually...

Elliot · « **Reply #4 on:** October 28, 2005, 01:08:23 PM »

Zappa'a SG also had P90s

willo · « **Reply #5 on:** October 28, 2005, 01:16:33 PM »

Quote from: Elliot

Zappa'a SG also had P90s

Yeah, i thought so...I'm already concocting a p90 guitar in my head...

Bob Johnson · « **Reply #6 on:** October 28, 2005, 06:35:58 PM »

I'm building a really unique guitars right now that will take BKP-92's (when Tim Gets round to building 'em). It's just another "what if" guitar at the moment but the really unique bit is that the body and neck timber, Burmese Teak, started life as a bar top in an East End pub in 1897. It looks fabulous, I just hope it sounds as good.

willo · « **Reply #7 on:** October 28, 2005, 08:03:49 PM »

yeah, give us some photos when its done! :D

Bainzy · « **Reply #8 on:** October 29, 2005, 08:40:23 PM »

Quote from: Bob Johnson

the really unique bit is that the body and neck timber, Burmese Teak, started life as a bar top in an East End pub in 1897

how cool is that! \m/

rinse_master · « **Reply #9 on:** January 11, 2006, 12:29:56 AM »

Quote from: Bainzy

Quote from: Bob Johnson
the really unique bit is that the body and neck timber, Burmese Teak, started life as a bar top in an East End pub in 1897

how cool is that! \m/

Nice, like a guitar that has already been broken in with 109 years of gigging conditions :)

Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but I got the Baby Snakes DVD for crimbo and was pretty astounded by the amount of gear he has (although I knew he liked gadgets). There was a plexi head, a jazz chorus, a few weird 4x12 red cabs with speakers that have silver cones like a jc, a huge rack and 2 big midi like boards, oh and the toy police car an integral tone ingredient. :roll: No doubt there was probably more...

willo · « **Reply #10 on:** January 11, 2006, 01:15:16 AM »

ah zappa was the man though. 'Baby Snakes' is a cool DVD but I don't care for the 'claymation' sections. However, 'Camarillo Brillo', 'San Berdino' and the 'Muffin Man' segue rock. Man, I love Zappa. :D

Oh, and Punky Whips...

rinse_master · « **Reply #11 on:** January 11, 2006, 10:42:28 PM »

Yeah, I must agree, the clay stuff is a bit annoying, but the rest of the DVD is cool, I have been on a bit of a Zappa mission lately, his back catalog is immense though...