Mason has played guitar since age 14 and has remained a charmingly amateurish musician ever since. Mason joined zZounds in 2014 and serves as editor of the zZounds Blog, as well as Accessories Merchandiser. Prior to zZounds, he earned a degree in journalism and worked as a newspaper editor and freelance writer. When not writing or editing for zZounds, you can find him playing his Strat, hosting bar trivia, and chasing his toddler around the house.
Guitar Workbench Collection: Setting Up Your Guitar
Whether you’ve just unboxed a brand-new axe or you’re looking to dust off an old favorite, chances are going through a few simple setup procedures will bring out the best in your playing and make it easier to form a bond with your instrument. In this collection, we’ve put together some of our helpful Guitar […]
Gibson Names a New CEO and Officials
Gibson announced today that James “JC” Curleigh will serve as the Nashville company’s president and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), replacing ousted former CEO Henry Juszkiewicz. Curleigh previously served as president of the Levi’s brand for Levi Strauss and Co. Other new senior team appointments include Cesar Gueikian as Chief Merchant Officer, (CMO) Kim Mattoon as […]
Talking Shop: The Gear That Got Away
If you’ve been playing music long enough, you’ve probably experienced the hardship of losing gear you love. Whether sold to pay bills, swapped in an ill-advised gear trade, or stolen, lost gear leaves a painful memory for many musicians. Today, zZounds staffers are looking back at the gear they miss dearly, from tonally supreme amps […]
Boss Announces DC-2W and MT-2W Pedals
Pedal heads have a lot to be excited about today: Boss has just announced the DC-2W Dimension C and MT-2W Metal Zone! Like other pedals in the Waza Craft series, these pedals are made in Japan and incorporate a best-of-both worlds approach, letting players instantly recall the familiar tones available in these classic pedals, while […]
Behind the Design: Seymour Duncan
Seymour Duncan (the company) has been producing top-tier pickups since 1976, but Seymour Duncan (the man) got his start in the late ’60s wiring pickups for the likes of Jeff Beck, Jimi Hendrix and Jimmy Page, and working with Seth Lover (the inventor of the humbucker) as a mentor. Seymour Duncan guitar and bass pickups […]
Yamaha Teases New Synth Announcement
If you’re a synthophile, there’s been a lot to be excited about lately. Just this past weekend, Knobcon’s seventh annual event took place, and the zZounds Blog was there — check out the photos! Roland is set to debut new synth and drum products Thursday per its “Music Connects” site. And now, hot on its heels, […]
Talking Shop: Essential Gear
Take a moment to think about the most important piece of gear in your rig or studio. Maybe it’s your most powerful, most capable, or most expensive piece of gear. But what happens when the strap comes off your vintage guitar and all its sweet, inherent mojo falls from your shoulder to make contact with […]
EarthQuaker Devices Releases Aqueduct Vibrato
EarthQuaker Devices’ newest pedal, the Aqueduct Vibrato, is a pitch-shifting enigma that just emerged from the watery depths, sending the High Council of Tone into a frenzy. Are its intentions good or evil? Are its eight modes of vibrato meant to bring peace to the Planet Ohio, or to destroy it from within and defile […]
Remain Calm: DigiTech FreqOut Demo
The FreqOut Natural Feedback Creator is another entry in DigiTech’s legacy of creating pedals fueled by some truly next-level inspiration. The FreqOut replicates the sound of feedback created by playing your guitar or bass close to a blaring amp. And it doesn’t just give you one tonality but seven, letting you cherry-pick the frequency of your […]
