James Harrison
James learned guitar in a cold Leeds practice room and taught himself to fix his own gear when he couldn't afford to replace it. That DIY instinct became a lifelong obsession with how instruments are built and why some just feel right. He writes buying guides and gear features for players who want the honest version, not the sales pitch.
Common Fender Mustang Amps Mistakes to Avoid
Almost never a faulty unit. Here's what actually trips people up with a Fender Mustang, and the fix.
Common Bass Cabinet Mistakes to Avoid
Bass cabinet mistakes are easy to make and some are expensive. Here are the most common errors — from impedance mismatches to buying more cab than you need — and how to avoid them.
The Complete Guide to Fender Player Jaguar
The Fender Player Jaguar brings authentic offset guitar character to modern players at an accessible price, blending classic design heritage with contemporary manufacturing excellence.
Common Marshall Mg 30 Fx Mistakes to Avoid
Most problems with the Marshall MG 30 FX come down to a few consistent errors — too much gain, an ignored Contour knob, and mismatched channel volumes. Here is how to avoid them.
Drum Throne: A Complete Buyer's Guide
Buying a drum throne? Know what to test in the shop, how to spot a solid base and padding that lasts, and how much you need to spend for a reliable throne.
How to Set Up and Use Make a Bass Guitar
Buzzing frets and sharp notes usually mean an unset bass, not a bad one. Here's how to fix the three things that matter most.
Guitar Gig Bag for Beginners: A Complete Guide
A guitar gig bag is the right first case for most beginners — here is how to choose one without overspending or getting the wrong fit.
The Best British Guitars for the Money
No made-up rankings, just an honest sort of the best British guitars by what you're actually chasing — vintage looks, workshop craft, or that famous amp-driven tone.
The Complete Guide to Full Size Guitar
Full-size guitars offer the optimal balance of playability, tonal depth, and comfort for serious musicians. This guide covers dimensions, types, and how to choose the right instrument.
In Ear Monitoring Explained: Features, Types and Tips
In-ear monitoring delivers a personal mix directly to a performer's earpiece, replacing traditional wedge monitors. Learn how the system works and why it's the professional standard.
4 Channel Mixer: A Complete Buyer's Guide
The right mixer format depends on your signal sources, not the channel count. Live sound, DJ performance, USB recording and line mixing all use four channels differently, and buying the wrong type is...
Tubular Bells: A Complete Buyer's Guide
A big, heavy, specialist instrument deserves a proper buying checklist. Here's what actually matters before you commit to a set — no sales patter.
Cowbell: A Complete Buyer's Guide
The honest version of what matters when buying a cowbell: shell material, size, mounting, and whether you need more than one.
Powered Mixer: A Complete Buyer's Guide
A powered mixer simplifies your PA setup but only if you choose the right one. Here is how to match the unit to your application and what to look for at each price.
Cajon Drumming Explained: Features, Types and Tips
One box, three drum-kit sounds: here is what cajon drumming actually is, its Afro-Peruvian and flamenco history, and how the instrument works.
Tablet Stand: A Complete Buyer's Guide
The checklist worth working through before buying a tablet stand, from measuring your tablet with its case on to testing real-world stability.
Common Tanglewood Mistakes to Avoid
The recurring, easily avoidable mistakes buyers make with Tanglewood guitars, laid out plainly.
The Best Tanglewood Guitars for the Money
No invented "best of" chart — just an honest match between player, budget and which tier actually earns its keep.
Drum and Bass Subgenres, Explained
Drum and bass isn't one sound wearing different outfits. Here's each subgenre broken down plainly, with a starting point for each mood.
Stage Piano: A Complete Buyer's Guide
Choosing a stage piano comes down to key action quality, sound quality, weight and price. From the Roland FP-90X to the Nord Stage 4 — here is the buying breakdown at each tier.
Tanglewood Electric Guitar for Beginners: A Complete Guide
Starting with a Tanglewood electric guitar is a solid choice for beginners. Here's what to buy, what to buy alongside it and how to get started.
Common Amp Stand Mistakes to Avoid
Most amp stand problems come from a small set of avoidable mistakes. This guide covers overloading, locking failures, tilt errors and transport damage.
Common Les Paul Mistakes to Avoid
Buying or owning a Les Paul comes with a few well-worn pitfalls. Here are the mistakes that catch people out most often — and how to sidestep every one of them.
Line 6 Hx Stomp: A Complete Buyer's Guide
The Line 6 HX Stomp suits players who want the full HX engine in a compact form. Here is how to decide between variants and how it sits against the competition.
What James Harrison covers
Acoustic Guitar
An acoustic guitar is a versatile steel-string instrument for strumming, fingerstyle, songwriting and live performance.
23 topics
Electric Guitar
A versatile amplified instrument for rhythm, lead and genre-spanning performance, from clean tones to high-gain sounds.
27 topics
Fender Stratocaster
The fender stratocaster is a versatile electric guitar known for bright tones, comfort and wide genre appeal.
8 topics
Guitar Guitar
Guitar guitar is a broad category for instruments and accessories suited to players at every level and style.
Guitar Tuners
Reliable tuning hardware for acoustic, electric and bass guitars, with options for upgrades, replacements and classic re...
1 topic
Music Accessories
Essential music accessories for UK musicians: instrument cases, stands, cables, straps, tuners, metronomes, and instrume...
75 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
