Benjamin Wood
Benjamin taught himself guitar and, later, how to build and mod his own pedals in a spare room in Derby, driven more by curiosity than any grand plan. He loves the point where tone meets electronics. He writes about guitars, effects and gear.
Articles by Benjamin Wood
Everything You Need to Know About Boom Cymbal Stand
A boom cymbal stand is the key to a comfortable, professional drum kit layout. Discover how to position cymbals efficiently and unlock better sound and playability.
Common Line 6 Company Mistakes to Avoid
Most of the frustration isn't really about the technology. It's a handful of avoidable setup decisions made early on.
Amp Head: A Complete Buyer's Guide
Choosing the right amp head means understanding wattage, circuit type and cabinet compatibility. This guide covers every decision point for a confident purchase.
Bass Guitar Overdrive Pedals: A Complete Guide
Bass overdrive pedals add warmth and character to your tone without sacrificing definition. This guide explains how they work, what to listen for, and which models suit different playing styles.
The Complete Guide to Fender Locking Tuners
Fender locking tuners have become a staple upgrade for guitarists seeking improved tuning stability and performance. Whether you play a Stratocaster or any other Fender instrument, understanding what...
Istanbul Agop Cymbals for Beginners: A Complete Guide
These hand-hammered B20 bronze cymbals represent a specific Turkish tradition — warm, dark and complex in character. Here is what new players need to understand before buying.
Make a Bass Guitar Explained: Features, Types and Tips
String count, scale length, pickups and electronics all change how a bass feels. Here's the real anatomy of the decision.
Left Handed Acoustic Guitars for Beginners: A Complete Guide
Don't settle for a guitar that's just been restrung. Here's the honest, encouraging way into your first left-handed acoustic guitar.
Marimba Explained: Features, Types and Tips
Ever wondered what actually makes a marimba sound the way it does? Here's how the bars, resonators and ranges fit together, explained without the jargon.
Paiste Cymbals for Beginners: A Complete Guide
Paiste cymbals can look overwhelming from the outside — here's which ones to start with and how to use them correctly from day one.
The Best Guitar Nuts for the Money
The best guitar nut isn't the priciest — it's the right material for the instrument, correctly fitted. Here's how to think about value at each tier.
Common Alesis Nitro Max Mistakes to Avoid
The setup and habit mistakes that catch new Alesis Nitro Max owners out, and exactly how to fix each one properly.
Common Gibson Bass Guitar Mistakes to Avoid
Gibson's distinctive bass range rewards informed buyers. Knowing the consistent patterns of mistake in advance makes for a better purchase and a better playing experience.
The Best Brushes Drums for the Money
A clear guide to the best drum brushes at each price point, from entry-level wire designs to professional fixed-spread options.
The Complete Guide to Roland Pm 100
The Roland PM-100 gives every band member independent control over their personal monitor mix during live performances. Lightweight, battery-powered and reliable, it's the industry standard for perfor...
Common Chapman Guitar Mistakes to Avoid
A few avoidable errors trip up a fair few buyers before they even get to play the thing. Here's what actually goes wrong, and the fix for each.
Common Tambourine Mistakes to Avoid
Tambourine mistakes come down to not listening carefully enough to the instrument in the mix. Here are the most common problems and the corrections that make a real difference.
A Guide to Cabasa Instrument
That bright metallic sizzle in countless Latin and funk recordings usually comes from a cabasa. Here's what it is and how it actually works.
Everything You Need to Know About Gretsch Drum Kits
Gretsch drum kits combine distinctive warm tone, meticulous craftsmanship, and professional reliability, making them preferred instruments for touring drummers, studio specialists, and percussion enth...
Sabian Cymbals: A Complete Buyer's Guide
The Sabian range runs from budget B8 bronze to hand-crafted Artisan. This buyer's guide maps each series to the right playing level and style, so you buy the right cymbals the first time.
Ride Cymbal: A Complete Buyer's Guide
Choosing a ride cymbal involves size, weight, alloy, and genre context. This buyer's guide works through each decision so you end up with the right instrument for how you actually play.
Powered Amplifiers: A Complete Buyer's Guide
Every manufacturer's spec sheet seems to disagree with the next. Here is how to read past the marketing and buy the right unit for your system.
What Benjamin Wood covers
ESP
High-performance electric guitars with fast playability, strong output and a bold look suited to rock and metal.
Fender
Fender guitars and related instruments trusted for classic design, tone and versatility.
51 topics
Fender Stratocaster
The fender stratocaster is a versatile electric guitar known for bright tones, comfort and wide genre appeal.
8 topics
Guitar Tuners
Reliable tuning hardware for acoustic, electric and bass guitars, with options for upgrades, replacements and classic re...
1 topic
Les Paul
Iconic solid-body electrics known for sustain, thick tone and a classic rock and blues feel.
14 topics
Sheet Music & Learning
Your guide to sheet music, scores, music theory books, and graded exam resources for UK musicians — from beginner method...
54 topics
Stratocaster
Iconic double-cut electric guitars with versatile tones, comfortable contours and wide appeal across many genres.
21 topics
Telecaster
The Telecaster delivers bright tone, simple controls and reliable versatility for stage, studio and rehearsal.
17 topicsPopular topics
AllLatest articles
All newsSections
Index- Guitars 1,525
- Pianos & Keyboards 491
- Drums & Percussion 278
- Orchestral Strings 76
- Wind & Woodwind 97
- Brass Instruments 70
- Folk & World Instruments 108
- Studio Recording 484
- Music Software & DAWs 250
- DJ & Electronic Production 199
- Live Sound & PA 143
- Music Accessories 165
- Sheet Music & Learning 63
- Music Genres 285
- Music News & Industry 246
- Hi-Fi & Home Audio 64
- Artists & Bands 39