A 'Frank Zappa Roxy SG' for peanuts

Just thought I'd add my personal choices lined up to re-create that Roxy SG classic sound. (Because if you ever read this Gibson, the Roxy SG is almost impossible to find.)

Guitar: Tokai SG.
Pickups: Epiphone Alnicopro Classic 57 4 wire versions. (Removing the covers)
Vibrato: Made in China Vibrola that looks identical but without the wiz bang Gibson detail on the top.
Toggles and electronics, adding the 2 toggle switches for split and out of phase modes and changing any electronics to match the values as used in the Roxy SG schematic(fingers crossed that schematic is still available.)

I'll post another update when it's all together.
 
Hi there

New here and planning to make a Zappa SG from an epiphone SG as a little project. Trying to find the Zappa pickup values for a friend to make me a set. Anyone got a wiring diagram for the electronics?
Thanks




funny_polymath said:
So, I really didn't have the money (or inclination) to pony up mega bucks for Gibson's limited edition Roxy SG. However, I did have a hankering for its tonal variety. What to do?

1) Take my Epiphone Custom Shop 1962 SG Reissue ($350.00 off of Ebay)
2) Buy two genuine Gibson 57/57+ pickups (four conductor) for $125.00 off of Ebay - Gibson would NOT sell me the exact ones used in the Zappa SG - and they would have cost lots more - these are reputed to be very close. They may even be identical - Gibson has not made a lot of 4 conducter humbuckers, so who knows?
3) Get ahold of Gibson's two wiring diagrams for the Roxy SG
4) Have the most righteous Matt at 30th st. guitars rewire the pups (and flip the magnets on the 57+ as the scheme requires that to be reverse polarity).
5) Brainstorm with Matt on the location of the toggle switches, as Zappa had 'em right where I'd strum, which would obviously be a problem. He suggests we change the two tone pots to push-pull (I like push-push but have found them to be much less reliable). Lower one splits the coils, upper one puts pups out of phase for that gnarly nasal zappa lead tone. Matt does the whole job for circa $200.00 dollars, including new capacitors, wiring!
6) VOILA! Amazing (and NOISE CANCELING when using both pickups) quacky single-coil strat-like sound! Big thick humbucker sound, crazy-ass out of phase sound (which needs a boost in DBs, as it's quite a bit lower in output when you're in single coil mode). This thing WORKS! Along with my S-1 Burton Strat-0-Tele wired Strat, this thing is now one of my most versatile guitars! I Fu$#ing love it! And I think Matt's idea of replacing the toggle switches with the push-pulls was genius.

Total outlay under $700.00.

And... I think my Epiphone actually plays BETTER than recent-vintage Gibson SG's I've played. In fact, I had to get the action raised a touch - it was too low!
Click to expand...
 
Have you got the Zappa SG wiring diagram?


funny_polymath said:
So, I really didn't have the money (or inclination) to pony up mega bucks for Gibson's limited edition Roxy SG. However, I did have a hankering for its tonal variety. What to do?

1) Take my Epiphone Custom Shop 1962 SG Reissue ($350.00 off of Ebay)
2) Buy two genuine Gibson 57/57+ pickups (four conductor) for $125.00 off of Ebay - Gibson would NOT sell me the exact ones used in the Zappa SG - and they would have cost lots more - these are reputed to be very close. They may even be identical - Gibson has not made a lot of 4 conducter humbuckers, so who knows?
3) Get ahold of Gibson's two wiring diagrams for the Roxy SG
4) Have the most righteous Matt at 30th st. guitars rewire the pups (and flip the magnets on the 57+ as the scheme requires that to be reverse polarity).
5) Brainstorm with Matt on the location of the toggle switches, as Zappa had 'em right where I'd strum, which would obviously be a problem. He suggests we change the two tone pots to push-pull (I like push-push but have found them to be much less reliable). Lower one splits the coils, upper one puts pups out of phase for that gnarly nasal zappa lead tone. Matt does the whole job for circa $200.00 dollars, including new capacitors, wiring!
6) VOILA! Amazing (and NOISE CANCELING when using both pickups) quacky single-coil strat-like sound! Big thick humbucker sound, crazy-ass out of phase sound (which needs a boost in DBs, as it's quite a bit lower in output when you're in single coil mode). This thing WORKS! Along with my S-1 Burton Strat-0-Tele wired Strat, this thing is now one of my most versatile guitars! I Fu$#ing love it! And I think Matt's idea of replacing the toggle switches with the push-pulls was genius.

Total outlay under $700.00.

And... I think my Epiphone actually plays BETTER than recent-vintage Gibson SG's I've played. In fact, I had to get the action raised a touch - it was too low!
Click to expand...
 
saw Dweezil last night doing his bit at Experience Hendrix , no Roxy in sight (expected, but lotsa sweet Fenders up there...Eric Johnson’s particularly....
I do love my Roxy Sg except for the tuning hassles that ancient Trem setup creates.......
 
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