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.
Top Tones: JHS Sweet Tea V3
What’s more American than sippin’ on sweet tea on a summer day? If you answered grabbing a Player Series HH Telecaster, plugging into a versatile OD/Distortion combo pedal and wailing from sea to shining sea with tones as majestic as purple mountains and as tasty as freedom fries, you’ve got us there. Thankfully, we experienced […]
Top Tones – Walrus Audio Emissary Parallel Boost
For just having two knobs, the Walrus Audio Emissary Parallel Boost is a damn versatile pedal. From girthy midrange to sizzling top end, hear all the tones we were able to make with this pedal and a Fender Vibro Champ in this Top Tones video!
Dunlop at Summer NAMM
There was so much to see at the Dunlop booth, we had to split it across three videos! Thankfully, the one-and-only Bryan Kehoe was there to guide us through the lineup of new pedals from Dunlop brands, including the MXR Dyna Comp Deluxe, EVH 5150 Chorus, and Way Huge Overrated Special Smalls. We apologize for […]
Guitar Workbench Collection: Modding Your Guitar
Sometimes, you find a guitar that’s 100% perfect for you right off the bat, and no changes are necessary beyond a minor setup. When that happens, it’s a truly beautiful thing, but that isn’t always the case. Sometimes you may find yourself wishing your guitar had this or that feature, or had a tonality you […]
Boss at Summer NAMM 2018
We stopped in at the Boss booth at this year’s Summer NAMM show to catch up on what the pedal and amp gurus had in store for us this year. With the introduction of their incredible wireless systems and a closer look at their flagship multieffects unit, there was plenty to see. Check it out […]
Fender at Summer NAMM 2018
Fender and Squier had plenty to show at Summer NAMM, from incredible Custom Shop models to a revamped edition of their top-selling series, to new effects and affordable, contemporary takes on classic models. Check out our video tour of some of the highlights below! Fender Player Series The new Player Series replaces Fender’s longtime best-selling, […]
Brian and Scott Ball on the 2018 StingRay Bass
Music Man’s 2018 incarnation of the venerable StingRay Bass incorporates the best of the instrument’s legacy and adds stunning new features, like a powerful 18-volt active preamp for ultra-high clean headroom and some extra beef in the low end. The humbucking pickups have also been upgraded with neodymium magnets for increased output. And thanks to the […]
Summer NAMM 2018
There was a ton to see at this year’s Summer NAMM, and if pictures are worth a thousand words, videos have to be worth what, a million? Check out our videos showcasing the best of what we saw from Fender, Boss, Vox, Taylor, D’Angelico, Guild and Cordoba! Plus, scroll down or click here to see […]
EHX Announces Oceans 11 Reverb
Electro-Harmonix just announced a new reverb pedal called Oceans 11. With 11 unique modes, it’s aimed at satisfying any player’s ambient needs, going from Clooney-smooth spring and plate sounds to more Pitt-esque dramatic shimmer and polyphonic reverb types. Much like its cousin the Canyon Delay, Oceans 11 lets users dig deep into the parameters of […]
