Dweezil Zappa, known for his sizzling guitar work and for honouring his father Frank Zappa’s musical legacy, is gearing up for a special tour. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Frank Zappa’s iconic albums Apostrophe and Roxy & Elsewhere, Dweezil will be armed with a brand new signature guitar – and it’s a real scorcher.
Dweezil Zappa
Built by Shabat Guitars, the custom axe is a modified version of the Shabat Lynx, a high-end HSS S-style guitar.
Dweezil describes it as “the ultimate rock machine,” and with its unique features and killer sound, it’s easy to see why.
Classic foundation with a twist
The guitar boasts a familiar alder body and bolt-on maple neck with a maple fretboard reminiscent of the iconic Fender Stratocaster. But Shabat Guitars injects some serious custom flair.
The body features a heavily distressed nitrocellulose lacquer finish for a vintage vibe, while the hardware is top-notch, including Kluson Deluxe tuners and a Vega-Trem VT1 Ultra Trem system.
Pickups and the “weird knob”
Lollar pickups take centre stage in the tonal arena. The bridge position features a Lollar El Rayo humbucker with a custom grille flanked by a pair of Lollar Special single-coils in the middle and neck positions.
But the real intrigue lies in the single “tea-cup” knob. This knob has a push/pull function that activates a phase-shift effect Dweezil calls “the weird knob.” In practice, it delivers a swampy, octave-like character that adds a whole new dimension to the guitar’s sonic palette.
Personality and performance
Dweezil is impressed by the guitar’s unique personality. “They’ve got personality straight out of the gate,” he says of Shabat Guitars. “It’s got the vintage feel but it is its own thing.”
And let’s not forget performance. Dweezil emphasizes that this guitar is built to rock. “This is the rock machine where you feel like you are ready to dig in and just make this thing scream,” he says.
See it in action and grab yours
For a glimpse of the guitar’s sonic prowess, check out the demo video above. And if you’re looking to own a piece of rock and roll history, head over to Shabat Guitars. These custom-built instruments don’t come cheap, with a starting price of $4499, but for serious Zappa fans and guitar aficionados, it might just be the ultimate rock machine.
