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.
The Coolest Things we saw at NAMM 2018
Team zZounds is back from this year’s NAMM show and everyone’s still buzzing about all the sick gear they saw. From signature stacks to a new PA that sounds unbelievable for its size, to a certain nu metal icon, here’s the gear (and people) they were most excited to see. Electro-Harmonix 95000 Looper I was […]
NAMM 2018 Coverage
The zZounds crew is at the 2018 NAMM show in Anaheim, checking out all of the latest, greatest gear, and we’re documenting it all on our blog! Comb through our photo galleries, organized neatly by type of gear, to see it all — you’ll even find links in some captions to take you to zZounds […]
Taylor Guitars V-Class: Stillness Meets
Motion
Taylor Guitars is shaking things up for 2018 (and beyond) with a completely redesigned bracing pattern called V-Class. Developed by Master Designer Andy Powers, this unique V-shaped bracing achieves two characteristics in acoustic guitar design: rigidity for sustain and flexibility for volume. The V-Class bracing creates strength and stability through the middle of the top, […]
Gibson At CES: Mysterious New V Guitar and Semi-Hollow Modern Double Cut
This year, Gibson chose to showcase their wares at the Consumer Electronics Show rather than at NAMM, and like at last year’s show, there’s buzz surrounding their Modern Double Cut model — this time with a semi-hollow body. Like the original Modern Double Cut, this model is made by the Gibson Custom Shop and costs […]
NAMM 2018 Rumor Roundup
With NAMM 2018 just around the corner, we’ve rounded up some of the hottest rumors and rumblings we’ve heard through the grapevine — along with some actual, confirmed gear news — and compiled it all here, organized alphabetically by brand and complete with a handy guide to let you know how sure or unsure we […]
Ibanez Nu Tubescreamer Revealed
Over the weekend, news broke via Effects Database and Youtuber Remy Hansen of Ibanez’s latest overdrive pedal, the Nu Tubescreamer. Pairing the legendary tones and styling of the classic TS808 overdrive pedal with Nutube technology from Korg, the Nu Tubescreamer features true bypasss switching and the same drive, tone and level controls as the original. Where […]
Gibson Ceases Development of Cakewalk Products
Earlier this week, Gibson Brands released a statement announcing that they are ceasing production and development of Cakewalk products. From the press release: “Gibson Brands announced today that it is ceasing active development and production of Cakewalk branded products. The decision was made to better align with the company’s acquisition strategy that is heavily focused […]
zZounds 2017 Holiday Gift Guide
If your shopping list this season includes any musicians, here’s a tip: don’t get them socks, get them a gear gift they’ll really want! We’ve put together this list of gift ideas at an array of price points, all under $200. From stocking stuffers to innovative gifts that are sure to wow, check out our […]
Boss Announces Collectors Club, Pedal Perks
Update: Boss has made their announcement! Boss Collector’s Club was announced last Friday. The program is described as “a new platform for you to register your purchases and find out about new and exciting Boss events.” By registering their purchases with the club, users can earn Pedal Perks, or rewards for their purchases. First up […]
