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.
D’Angelico Electrozinc Strings: Roundtable Review
D’Angelico Electrozinc strings are technically a new product, having been released in 2016, but the truth is, their origins go back much farther. A collaboration between famed John D’Angelico and string innovator John D’Addario, Electrozinc strings were first produced in the late 1930s using “Bethanized” steel from the Bethlehem (PA) Steel Corporation. Though production stopped […]
Gibson 2018 – Video Overview & Interview
During our time in Nashville for Summer NAMM 2017, the zZounds Crew paid a visit to Gibson USA to check out the 2018 line of Gibson guitars. We were treated to any guitarists’ dream: a room full of Gibson’s finest. From classic favorites like the Les Paul and SG, to Memphis semi-hollowbody guitars to acoustic […]
Interview with Tom Jones of TV Jones
Tom “TV” Jones is one of a handful of elite luthiers and pickup winders guitarists know by name. His interpretation of the classic Filter’Tron pickups found in vintage Gretsch guitars are regarded as the best out there –Gretsch themselves commissioned Jones to develop pickups for their higher end models, and TV Jones pickups are loved by […]
Gibson Announces New Slash Les Paul in Anaconda Burst
With the recent news that Gibson had named guitarist Slash as its global brand ambassador, the timing seems perfect that the Gibson Custom Shop is releasing a new version of perhaps the most famous signature model of Les Paul’s signature model. This Gibson Custom Shop Slash Les Paul features a stunning and bold new finish […]
EHX Announces Green Russian Big Muff
As much as The Dude is synonymous with his favorite cocktail, the White Russian, fans of heavy riffage have flocked to the so-called “Green Russian Big Muff” — a variant of the famed Big Muff Pi pedal produced by Sovtek in Russia in the mid-’90s. Beloved for its low-end growl, this variant has become a […]
How to Install a Pre-Wired Pickguard
Perhaps the most drastic way to change your guitar’s tone is by installing a new set of pickups. And whether you’re making a big change in the type of pickup — like going from a single-coil pickup to a humbucker, or installing active pickups where you had passive pickups — or just installing a different […]
Roland Announces SH-01A and TR-08 for 808 Day
August 8th isn’t an official holiday per say, but for synthesizer fans it’s one of the best days of the year — 808 day! Roland (the company who released the groundbreaking TR-808 Rhythm Composer in 1980) has marked August 8th in recent years with big announcements and events, and 2017’s edition is no exception. This […]
Perfect Pairings: Hagstrom Retroscape H8 Bass & Supro Thunderbolt Plus
In this edition of Perfect Pairings, we’re introducing the funky 8-string Hagstrom Retroscape bass with the 15″ speaker-loaded Supro Thunderbolt S6420+ for earth-shaking, yet harmonically rich low-end grooves. Check it out in the video above, and learn more about the gear below! Hagstrom Retroscape H8 Bass An instrument as unique as the Hagstrom Retroscape H8 […]
Brad Paisley Interview at Summer NAMM 2017
This year’s Summer NAMM show was packed with incredible gear, but the highlight of our time in Nashville had to be meeting country and guitar superstar Brad Paisley. We were lucky enough to get to talk with him about his side gig in comedy, love of the Fender Telecaster, and of course, his new signature […]
