Justin started playing guitar in 1999, and progressed to many more instruments in the following years including drums, bass, keys, and more. He’s a freelancer around Chicago playing in local bands, teaching guitar, and playing Musician’s Union shows. At zZounds, he’s often on camera as the host of Gear Wire, product demo specialist, and audio/mixing engineer. Off-camera, Justin is a burgeoning vinyl hunter and amateur astronomer.
Legends of Tone: AC/DC
Where to start? If I somehow ended up in another universe and needed to explain what rock music was, I’d just put on an AC/DC record and be done with it. They are an absolute powerhouse of a group and are undeniably one of the most successful rock bands in history. For any doubters out […]
JHS Overdrive Shootout
We here at zZounds were fortunate enough to receive a small bounty (no pun intended) of old and new JHS drive pedals for a shootout. Since JHS offers a wealth of drive options for players, I figured a demonstration of the tone of each would be a worthwhile pursuit. As an added bonus, the JHS […]
Building a Guitar, Part 5: Installing Tuners
Welcome back! In this installment, I’m going to do a basic walkthrough on a very common and practical guitar modification: installing tuners. Depending on the model and brand you have, this process can have slight variations, but the installation is largely universal. Here’s what you’ll need: Supplies Tuners of your choice (I went with Gotoh […]
Legends of Tone – Frank Zappa
Here at zZounds, we’ve done more than a few Legends of Tone features the past couple of years. This time, we’re putting the spotlight on perhaps one of the most prolific, bizarre, and brilliant minds of the 20th century: Frank Zappa. He released an astounding 62 albums during his lifetime, almost all self-produced. After his death, […]
Legends of Tone: Heart
In our next installment of Legends of Tone, we’re showcasing a band that certainly deserves this special title based upon their influence on hard rock. That band is none other than Heart, a genre-defying group that reshaped what the general landscape of rock was or could be. They are considered the very first female-fronted hard […]
Building a Guitar Part 4: Installing Pickups
Welcome back to the next installment of Building a Guitar! At this point in the build I’ve already discussed tips on choosing the right body and neck, proper hardware best suited for your needs, and given a tutorial on adding a custom neck finish. The last step to completing the body of the guitar is […]
Legends of Tone: Andy Summers
The Police have had a long, storied, and downright tumultuous career in the history of rock, and oh what a story it’s been! At one point, they were considered the biggest rock band in the world, regularly selling out the largest capacity venues worldwide with no signs of quitting. Four of the band’s 5 albums […]
Inside the Earthquaker Devices Pyramids Stereo Flanger
EarthQuaker Devices recently unveiled a new stereo flanger pedal dubbed “Pyramids” – and what a pedal it is! Admittedly, my experience with true stereo flanging pedals was minimal, so I delved into this pedal with a healthy dose of extra curiosity. It paid off, as this particular pedal was versatile as a normal run-of-the-mill flanger, […]
Legends of Tone: The Allman Brothers Band
This month’s Legends of Tone installment truly is legendary, featuring none other than The Allman Brothers Band. I thought it would be a great idea to feature an aspect of the band that was completely definitive to their sound: guitar harmonies! The band’s catalog is chock-full of them, but I chose three songs that I […]
