Ben Eller - Guitar

Ben Eller is an American guitarist, musician, guitar instructor and online content creator best known for his popular guitar lessons as "Uncle Ben" and his long-running YouTube series This Is Why You Suck at Guitar.

Although Eller has been based in Knoxville, Tennessee, for much of his musical career, reliable information about his exact date and place of birth has not been publicly documented.

Early Career and Human Fuse

Eller became involved in the Knoxville, Tennessee music scene and played guitar in the progressive metal band Human Fuse during the 2000s.

The local scene would prove important to his later career. Human Fuse shared shows with Psychotic Behavior, a band that included future Whitechapel members Phil Bozeman and Ben Savage.

Eller later continued performing with a variety of projects while also developing a career as a professional guitar instructor.

His other musical projects have included Far Far Away and regular performances with musicians and bands including Andy Wood, Skankbanger and the Kennedy Wood Band.

Whitechapel

Eller developed a particularly strong connection with Knoxville deathcore band Whitechapel.

Rather than becoming a permanent member, Eller worked with the band as a guest and session guitarist.

He contributed lead guitar to Whitechapel's self-titled fourth album, Whitechapel, released in 2012, including lead guitar on "I, Dementia" and "Faces".

In 2013, Eller was recruited as a touring guitarist for Whitechapel for approximately a month.

He subsequently continued contributing lead guitar parts to the band's studio recordings, appearing on Our Endless War in 2014 and Mark of the Blade in 2016.

Guitar Instructor and YouTube Career

Alongside his work as a performing musician, Eller established himself as a prominent guitar instructor.

He began uploading material to YouTube in 2010 and started producing guitar tutorials in 2012.

In 2013, he launched the humorous instructional series This Is Why You Suck at Guitar, which became one of his best-known projects.

Eller later expanded his educational material with the weekly Weekend Wankshop series, covering guitar technique, riffs, music theory, equipment and detailed examinations of the playing styles of well-known guitarists and bands.

His online work gradually made "Uncle Ben" a recognizable figure within the international guitar community while he continued working as a session musician, teacher and live guitarist.

Mastodon

In March 2025, Eller received one of the highest-profile opportunities of his career.

Mastodon had unexpectedly parted ways with founding guitarist and vocalist Brent Hinds shortly before the band's scheduled appearance at the Tool Live in the Sand festival in the Dominican Republic.

With only a short period to prepare, Eller was asked to step in and learn a 17-song Mastodon set.

On March 9, 2025, he performed with Mastodon at the festival, handling guitar and backing vocal duties alongside Bill Kelliher, Troy Sanders and Brann Dailor.

Despite speculation that Eller might become Hinds' permanent replacement, his appearance proved to be a temporary assignment. Mastodon subsequently recruited Nick Johnston as their touring guitarist for their May 2025 North American dates.

Machine Head

Eller's association with Machine Head began in 2026 when the band needed another guitarist for its June North American tour with Killswitch Engage.

Machine Head guitarist Reece Scruggs was unavailable for the dates, and the band recruited Eller as a touring guitarist.

Eller made his first appearance with Machine Head in Pittsburgh on June 1, 2026, joining the band for the final three songs of the concert.

Two days later, on June 3 at The Fillmore in Detroit, Michigan, Eller performed his first complete concert with Machine Head.

Frontman Robb Flynn introduced Eller to the audience and explained that the Detroit performance was his first full show with the band.

Eller subsequently continued performing with Machine Head during the June 2026 tour dates, temporarily filling the second guitar position alongside Flynn.

Like Walter Ryan and Will Carroll before him, Eller was brought into Machine Head as a touring musician rather than as a permanent member of the band.

Current Career

Ben Eller continues to combine performing and session work with his career as a guitar instructor and online content creator.

His unusual career has allowed him to move between several different areas of the music industry – from teaching guitar and producing instructional videos to contributing lead guitar to Whitechapel albums and performing onstage with internationally established metal bands such as Mastodon and Machine Head.

His brief Machine Head tenure in 2026 added another notable chapter to a career built around his versatility as a guitarist and his ability to step into technically demanding musical situations at short notice.