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: Slayer (Kerry King/Jeff Hanneman)
When you think of metal, the most barbarous of metal, Southern California isn’t exactly the place that comes to mind….that is, until the emergence of Slayer. Legions of fans can’t help but bellow out the sinister-sounding name to show their devotion – SLAYER!!! Though polarizing, their sound was just as much brutal and original as […]
Legends of Tone: Dick Dale
Dick Dale is the undisputed founder and King of Surf Guitar. While many know his name, they may not know much about his interesting past and contribution to the world of guitar in general. This includes several innovations of amplification and a personal playing style that changed how many thought to manipulate the instrument. Here […]
Building a Guitar, Part 1: Choosing Hardware
Welcome to Part 1 of how to build a parts guitar! Over this series of posts, I will be doing a general walkthrough on how to choose parts, with several guides on how to do basic DIY guitar work at home. I certainly know when assembling your own custom guitar, or simply modifying a guitar […]
Legends of Tone: Brian May
If you know much about Brian May, you know that he may just be the most interesting man in the world. Not only is he the legendary guitarist of the world-renowned rock band Queen, he’s also a doctor of astrophysics, and he owns a company that specializes in 3D stereoscopic imaging, a lifelong fascination of […]
Legends of Tone: Stevie Ray Vaughan
Stevie Ray Vaughan – even the name sounds legendary, huh? SRV was a part of the later period of the “Blues Revival” that initially started in the 1960s. The demand for authentic blues music in the 1970s and ’80s opened the door for Stevie and his rude brand of the blues to take the Austin […]
Legends of Tone: David Gilmour
David Gilmour, the legendary guitarist of Pink Floyd, successful solo artist in his own right, and 20-year veteran of the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, has been wowing fans for decades with his tasteful brand of guitar playing. Gilmour’s hallmarks are smart chord progressions, great phrasing, and tone to kill for. He was a […]
Iconic Rigs (on a Budget): Randy Rhoads
Randy Rhoads’ short but substantial contribution to the rock and metal scene was undeniably relevant and has continued to withstand the test of time. If you need any proof, just roll the solo from “Crazy Train” and see if your face doesn’t end up in a puddle on the floor. Spoiler alert: it will. Now, with […]
Iconic Rigs (on a Budget): Tony Iommi
Over the course of Black Sabbath’s long and storied history, there always remained one key component of their sound: guitarist Tony Iommi. Gilded in absolutely legendary status, he remains one of the pivotal guitarists who helped to establish and define what the true sound of metal guitar was and still is today. When delving into […]
Iconic Rigs (on a Budget): Jimi Hendrix
If I asked you to name the most iconic and influential rock guitarist of the past, say, 50 years, I’d bet a considerably large sum of money that you’d say none other than Jimi Hendrix. There are several reasons why he is considered to be so important, but the most striking thing was his brazen, […]
