Official Luthiers Forum!

I keep seeing reference to Bob Cefalu's wood being referred to as "Zoot". Forgive a relative newbie -- but my curiousity finally got the better of me to ask.

Anthony maybe Steve K. will chime in because he's the one that gave me that moniker. Bobc38671.819224537

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Beautiful and unusual tone woods at a reasonable price.
http://www.rctonewoods.com/RCT_Store
The Zootman
1109 Military Rd.
Kenmore, NY 14217
(716) 874-1498

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.


A zoot suit is a man's suit with wide-legged, tight-cuffed, or "pegged," trousers (called tramas); and a long coat with wide lapels, and wide, padded shoulders (called the carlango). Often zoot suiters wear a felt hat with a long feather (called a tapa or tanda) and pointy, French-style shoes (called calcos). A young Malcolm X described the zoot suit this way: "a killer-diller coat with a drape shape, reet pleats and shoulders padded like a lunatic's cell." The trousers sometimes, reputedly, had a special hidden pocket sewn in, the perfect size and shape to contain a billy club for use as a weapon in street violence.

Zoot suits first gained popularity in Harlem jazz culture in the early 1930s. The word "zoot" probably comes from the French word zut (meaning "dang!"). They were extremely popular with African-American youth and also with young Latinos, most particularly in the Los Angeles Chicano community. In March of 1942, the War Production Board banned zoot suit production - allegedly because it deemed the style wasteful of valuable suiting material during wartime, but the measure was taken in a climate of general anxiety and fear of latino youths. The fashion persisted, despite restrictions placed on the amount of fabric in the production of garments.

Hmmm, perhaps Bob was quite the fancy dresser in his youth.

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Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.

"Back in the day" when zoot suits were the rage in men's fashion, it was considered the fanciest and hippest (coolest, most rad, etc etc.) suit on the market. Now apply that to wood...

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"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

[QUOTE=Don Williams] "Back in the day" when zoot suits were the rage in men's fashion, it was considered the fanciest and hippest (coolest, most rad, etc etc.) suit on the market. Now apply that to wood...[/QUOTE]
Don's right on target. It's in reference to the wood certainly not my clothes.

_________________
Beautiful and unusual tone woods at a reasonable price.
http://www.rctonewoods.com/RCT_Store
The Zootman
1109 Military Rd.
Kenmore, NY 14217
(716) 874-1498

In this case it is that quality that will set it above other specimens of like species. We guitarmakers hope to induce G.A.S in players while we only get W.A.S.

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Tickle your guitar daily, and it'll tickle you back.

Zoot= Does it right, does it with class.

Anthony, what they are saying is correct.
The zoot suit was something totally over the top, completely outrageous.
And like Don said, when you apply that to cellulose, well... you've got "zoot" in a format that we can all agree upon. E.g., think of that quilted Sapele that was offered a while back.

BobC got dubbed the zootman as an endearment, because he was / is such a fine fellow, but mainly because he carried such amazing wares at such reasonable prices. Which put the zoot within everyone's reach.
But to be fair, there are a number of fine suppliers here that carry some amazing wood worthy of that crazy term.

I bet you're getting the idea?

Steve

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

[QUOTE=Steve Kinnaird]
I bet you're getting the idea?
Steve [/QUOTE]

Yes indeed, I've got it!! Thanks guys!      

I like that French derivation. Thats what I say everytime I see some of BoBC's fine wood.

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Don Atwood
Arlington, VA

Here a couple of pic's to help visualize.
Can you see the simularity?

Zoot suit gold.


Zoot Wood Gold

_________________
Beautiful and unusual tone woods at a reasonable price.
http://www.rctonewoods.com/RCT_Store
The Zootman
1109 Military Rd.
Kenmore, NY 14217
(716) 874-1498

How many "sets" of the first zoot do you have on hand? You know, the
one with the snakewood trim (sometimes called shoes)?
Craig

[QUOTE=csullivan] How many "sets" of the first zoot do you have on hand? You know, the
one with the snakewood trim (sometimes called shoes)?
Craig[/QUOTE]
Just one and I only wear them on Easter Sunday

_________________
Beautiful and unusual tone woods at a reasonable price.
http://www.rctonewoods.com/RCT_Store
The Zootman
1109 Military Rd.
Kenmore, NY 14217
(716) 874-1498