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.
Chapman Stick for Beginners: A Complete Guide
Not secretly easier than guitar, not secretly harder either — here's the honest starting point for learning a Chapman Stick.
Common Cable for Guitar Mistakes to Avoid
Most cable problems aren't the cable's fault. Here are the mistakes that actually cause the trouble, and the easy fixes for each one.
Faith Acoustic Guitar for Beginners: A Complete Guide
A guide for beginners picking up their first solid-top acoustic: setup, first steps, body size choices, and why starting with a well-made instrument matters.
The Best Strymon Decos for the Money
Two versions, several use cases. Here is which one wins in each context and where the money is genuinely well spent.
The Complete Guide to Cabinet Speakers
Bass cabinet speakers are the final critical link between amplifier and audience. Understanding different configurations, acoustic design, and power matching reveals why professional bass players ofte...
A Guide to Mustang Guitar
The Fender Mustang began as a student guitar and became a cult classic in alternative rock. Here's what makes it different.
Sigma Acoustic Guitar for Beginners: A Complete Guide
A Sigma acoustic guitar suits beginners well precisely because its solid-top construction gives something to grow into — the better your playing, the more it responds.
Amp Stand: A Complete Buyer's Guide
Choosing the right amp stand means matching weight capacity, platform size and tilt type to your amplifier and how you use it. This guide covers the key purchasing decisions.
Common Powered Mixer Mistakes to Avoid
Live sound mistakes with a powered mixer tend to be expensive or show-stopping. Here are the recurring ones, clearly explained, with practical ways to avoid them.
Practice Amp Explained: Features, Types and Tips
A practice amp delivers usable tone at bedroom volume. Discover the types, features and buying considerations for finding the right compact amplifier for home playing.
Istanbul Agop Cymbals: A Complete Buyer's Guide
Istanbul Agop cymbals are excellent — but they have a specific character and some series suit specific styles far better than others. This guide tells you which to buy and why.
Corner Bass Traps: A Complete Buyer's Guide
The market is full of products marketed as bass traps that barely touch the frequencies causing your room problems. Here's how to buy corner bass traps that actually work.
Strobe Light: A Complete Buyer's Guide
The plain-spoken version: what actually matters when buying a strobe light, from DMX control to safety features, without the marketing spin.
Everything You Need to Know About Monitor Stage Speakers
Stage monitor speakers provide critical auditory feedback for live performers. This guide covers types, setup, and choosing systems for your venue.
Washburn Acoustic Guitar Explained: Features, Types and Tips
One of America's oldest guitar brands, Washburn has built a reputation for solid-top acoustics at competitive prices. This guide explains the key models, tonewoods and what sets them apart.
Common Smoke Machine Mistakes to Avoid
Most problems blamed on faulty gear are actually avoidable mistakes. Here's how to sidestep the ones that catch out nearly everyone at some point.
Les Paul Guitar Explained: Features, Types and Tips
The Les Paul guitar is one of the most iconic electric guitars ever made. Discover what makes it different, how it sounds, and why it's been a favourite since the 1950s.
The Best Childs Electric Drum Kits for the Money
No fake benchmarks, just an honest read on where the money goes across roll-up mats, compact rack kits and V-Drums-style options for older children.
Pedalboard for Beginners: A Complete Guide
Building your first pedalboard doesn't have to be complicated. Here's the practical path: choose a size, get power right, arrange your effects, and add room to grow.
Wireless Guitar System for Beginners: A Complete Guide
Going wireless for the first time is easier than it looks. Here's the plain, no-jargon way to set one up and get it right first time.
A Guide to Tablet Stand
A plain-spoken look at what a tablet stand needs to get right, and which type suits gigging, studio work or orchestral playing.
Common Guitar Body Mistakes to Avoid
How you position your body with the guitar shapes your technique more than most players realise. These are the most common errors — and how to correct them.
Acoustic Guitar Explained: Features, Types and Tips
An acoustic guitar produces sound through string vibration amplified by the body. Body shape, tonewood and construction all affect tone and playability significantly.
Gretsch White Falcon Guitar for Beginners: A Complete Guide
Big, gold and a little intimidating — here's the plain-spoken truth about starting out on a Gretsch White Falcon, and how to make it work as a first guitar.
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
