I’m a guitar and amp addict who loves Wilco, guitar history, and loud, cranked up small-box amplifiers. I go to a lot of local rock shows, record stores, and anywhere with fried food.
Six Great Books for Guitarists
As someone who consumes a lot of documentaries, interviews of my favorite musicians on YouTube, and being an all-around nerd about guitars and guitar history, I thought I’d share some of my favorite books for guitarists. These books cover everything from guitar history to autobiographies to lessons. Give your eyes a rest from the screens […]
Shred It! Kramer The 84, Ibanez Prestige AZ2402, Jackson Pro Soloist SL2Q
Here at zZounds, we love all kinds of guitars. And sometimes, you just need a guitar made to rip a face-melting solo through a full stack. But with so many high-performance models, it can be difficult to choose. We brought together some of our favorites from Jackson, Kramer, and Ibanez to see what these instruments […]
zZounds Exclusive Interview with Jeff Bridges
zZounds is pleased to share an exclusive interview with Academy Award®-winning actor, musician and environmentalist Jeff Bridges, whose passion for preserving and honoring the world’s great rainforests dovetails with Breedlove’s commitment to sustainability and to making great-sounding guitars without using any clear-cut tonewoods. Bridges and Breedlove have collaborated on three signature instruments, including a myrtlewood […]
Gibson Southern Jumbo Review
The Gibson Southern Jumbo was introduced in 1942 as a more “deluxe” version of the J-45. Of course, the Southern Jumbo has gone through some changes since its introduction in the early 1940s. I got the chance to try Gibson’s 2020 iteration of this classic model for myself. Read below for my thoughts, and listen […]
What’s the Deal with Nashville Tuning?
Nashville, Tennessee has enough musical jargon to fill an entire dictionary. Today we’re going to dive into the world of Nashville tuning, which is also called high strung tuning. So what’s the deal? All you need for this tuning is get a 12-string pack of strings, pick out the octave strings, and string up your […]
Demos: Gibson ’60s J-45, Hummingbird Studio Rosewood, & L-00 Studio Rosewood
Since 1834, Gibson has been producing some of music’s most beloved acoustic guitars. Now, Gibson has curated their acoustic models into the Original Collection, Modern Collection, and Gibson Custom Historic. The new Original Collection of acoustic guitars pays tribute to the LG-2, J-45, SJ-200, and many more. If you’re looking for extra playability in a […]
Demo: Epiphone Exclusive Riviera 12-String
After Gibson purchased Epiphone in 1957, nearly every Gibson guitar had an Epiphone equivalent. Until Epiphone became an import brand in the 1970s, all Epiphone guitars were made by the same Gibson employees at the Gibson factory in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The Riviera was the Epiphone counterpart to the Gibson ES-335, but while the ES-335s were […]
Gibson Exclusive Firebird I Demo
In the early 1960s, a well-known car designer by the name of Ray Dietrich retired to Kalamazoo, Michigan. He had done some styling work in the auto industry for manufacturers like Packard and Lincoln as well as designing some custom luxury vehicles. Soon after he had moved to Kalamazoo, Ted McCarty, then president of Gibson, […]
Victory Amps Kraken, Duchess & Countess MKII Amps Demo
Victory designs amps with modern versatility that sound like vintage classics. We put three of their top varieties to the test here at zZounds. Listen to the video above to hear The Duchess, The Countess, and The Kraken in action for yourself! Plus, shop our guide on zZounds to see even more Victory Amps! All […]
