Gear 7
The Oldest Music Gear You Can Still Buy Brand New (That Hasn’t Really Changed a Bit)
zZounds has been around since 1996, which seems like a long time ago — until you consider the music gear that was already old when we opened our doors! Among the thousands of products we carry are a number of instruments and tools that have been in continuous production for decades longer than we’ve been […]
Where to Start a Pedalboard: 7 First Pedals Under $150
You’ve got your guitar set up and your amp dialed in, but your favorite artists are standing in front of dozens of stompboxes on stage. Pedals are a world of their own and some of the most fun you’ll have while exploring gear and building your unique rig. But when you’re staring down a massive […]
Does It Rock? A Personal Journey With the Fender Vintera III Strat
When I was 15 years old, my dad sat me in front of his computer and pressed play on a video that would change my life forever. It was a live performance of Slash performing “Anastasia,” a song loaded with intricate riffs and the most awe-inspiring outro guitar solo I had ever witnessed. It was […]
Using the Rode Wireless PRO Recording System
Touted by Rode as “crystal clear” and “incredibly stable”, the Wireless PRO dual-channel recording system is positioned as a fully featured and affordable solution for audio-for-video. But what is it like to use in a real-world situation? With an upcoming video shoot involving interviews and two live performances, I snagged two Wireless PRO systems with […]
Inside Martin’s Storied Legacy: Factory and Museum Tour
In November of 2025, the zZounds crew traveled to Nazareth, PA, to embark on an exciting journey through Martin’s world-renowned factory and museum. During our factory tour, we witnessed Martin’s time-tested processes, which incorporate remarkable manual craftsmanship complemented by a small handful of pre-programmed machines. The museum, which sits mere feet from the entrance to […]
Martin Jason Isbell 0-10E Retro Exclusive Demo
Jason Isbell’s understated acoustic-guitar style serves as the gentle sonic wind beneath his captivating lyrics. Now, he’s teamed up with Martin for a signature so you can capture his heartfelt Americana sound for your rig. Isbell’s signature Martin 0-10E Retro is an inspired and accessible recreation of the historic 1940 0-17 that graced his recent […]
Our 3 Favorite Overdrive Pedals
There’s nothing like an amplifier on the edge of breakup. But most of the time you can’t “dime out” your amp to get that great tone, and that’s where overdrive pedals come in. Watch as our zZounds crew sits down to talk about their 3 favorite pedals for overdrive tones!
Our Top 3 Pedals For Shoegaze Tone
Bands like My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive, and Lush built the guitar-based, wall-of-noise genre shoegaze into what is it today with their powerful tones. Now with more options than ever before, it’s easy to get lost in the mix of what you need to play a part in this incredible genre. That’s where zZounds experts come […]
Why Teenage Engineering Is More Than Just a “Hipster Brand”
You know, the more I research Teenage Engineering, the more I picture peeling back an onion. For an instrument company, Teenage Engineering seem to aspire to be more than that. Whether functioning as a pseudo-design house—working for clients like the “Nothing” brand or IKEA, taking on little-known commissions for figures like the late, great fashion […]
