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.
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 […]
A Tour of the C.F. Martin Guitar Museum and Factory
There are not many companies that have been open since the 1830s. For their first six years, all Martin guitars were made on Hudson Street in New York City before moving to Nazareth, Pennsylvania. In 1839, C.F. Martin and his family moved to rural Pennsylvania because it reminded them of where they grew up in […]
Are Two Guitar Amps Better Than One?
Setting up a rig with two amps really inspired my playing, because nothing else can really capture that sound. While the sound increase isn’t as big as you’d expect, the tone can be transformative. It’s also simple to do, so don’t be afraid to pick up the necessary ingredients to start your path onto new […]
Vintage Corner: 1962 Fender Champ-Amp
My Fender Champ was built in 1962 in Fullerton, California. There were a few different variations of this amp, but this version started in 1957 with the 5F1 circuit giving it more gain when you crank the volume, and it was the cheapest amp Fender had made at the time since 1950. The only setting […]
Vintage Vibrato Systems
What do a Fender Stratocaster, a Fender Jazzmaster, and a Gretsch 5420T have in common? If you said “each one has a vibrato system,” you’re correct. And, if you added an asterisk to your answer because each of their vibrato systems are different, then go ahead and give yourself a gold star. These different vibrato systems […]
1956 Harmony H2 Lap Steel
I bought this vintage Harmony lap steel at a time when I was really diving deep into alternative country music. The guitar is 100% original and according to the potentiometer date codes, they were made on the 13th week of 1956 by Cetralab. Lap steel guitars originated from Hawaii, which is probably why they are […]
Overdrive from an Amplifier or a Pedal?
Getting overdrive primarily from an amplifier versus overdrive from a pedal has always been an interesting subject to me. Why is it that people get so obsessed with finding the best overdrive pedal or combination of pedals just to mimic what an amplifier sounds like when it’s being overdriven? Sure, The Beatles would also plug […]
