Guitar shops in Bristol?

cgumtree

Visiting for the weekend. Any shops I should visit? Ideally somewhere with a nice vintage selection!

Keefy

PMT - mainly new, some used, hardly ever vintage.
Hobgoblin - almost exclusively acoustic/folk, and the staff have ill-advised facial hair.
Rikaxxe - worth a look, you might be lucky, you might not.
Electric Ladyland - I really don't know where to start with this place, but here goes - loads of old kit in varying states of disrepair, no prices marked, he only opens when he feels like it, and if he doesn't like you he won't serve you.
Mickleburgh - new stuff, mainly Fender/Squier.
PK Music Exchange - don't think I've ever visited, but website looks promising.
Treblerock - out of the centre in Clifton - worth a look, you never know.

Fortheloveofguitar

Keefy said:

PMT - mainly new, some used, hardly ever vintage.
Hobgoblin - almost exclusively acoustic/folk, and the staff have ill-advised facial hair.
Rikaxxe - worth a look, you might be lucky, you might not.
Electric Ladyland - I really don't know where to start with this place, but here goes - loads of old kit in varying states of disrepair, no prices marked, he only opens when he feels like it, and if he doesn't like you he won't serve you.
Mickleburgh - new stuff, mainly Fender/Squier.
PK Music Exchange - don't think I've ever visited, but website looks promising.
Treblerock - out of the centre in Clifton - worth a look, you never know.

Treblerock has some nice gear but his prices are  ridiculous 

Maynehead

Take a detour to Vintage n Rare guitars Bath?

jeztone2

Keefy said:

PMT - mainly new, some used, hardly ever vintage.
Hobgoblin - almost exclusively acoustic/folk, and the staff have ill-advised facial hair.
Rikaxxe - worth a look, you might be lucky, you might not.
Electric Ladyland - I really don't know where to start with this place, but here goes - loads of old kit in varying states of disrepair, no prices marked, he only opens when he feels like it, and if he doesn't like you he won't serve you.
Mickleburgh - new stuff, mainly Fender/Squier.
PK Music Exchange - don't think I've ever visited, but website looks promising.
Treblerock - out of the centre in Clifton - worth a look, you never know.

Oh my mate lives near Electric Ladyland. I’ve never ever seen it open. 

cgumtree

Maynehead said:

Take a detour to Vintage n Rare guitars Bath?

Yeah, planning to do this on Sunday.

KDS

jeztone2 said:

Keefy said:

PMT - mainly new, some used, hardly ever vintage.
Hobgoblin - almost exclusively acoustic/folk, and the staff have ill-advised facial hair.
Rikaxxe - worth a look, you might be lucky, you might not.
Electric Ladyland - I really don't know where to start with this place, but here goes - loads of old kit in varying states of disrepair, no prices marked, he only opens when he feels like it, and if he doesn't like you he won't serve you.
Mickleburgh - new stuff, mainly Fender/Squier.
PK Music Exchange - don't think I've ever visited, but website looks promising.
Treblerock - out of the centre in Clifton - worth a look, you never know.

Oh my mate lives near Electric Ladyland. I’ve never ever seen it open. 

Electric lady land is an experience, I’ve been in and looked round, I really like vintage and quirky stuff, but it’s hard to see wood for the trees, it really is floor to ceiling packed with gear, correctly pointed out in varying states of repair, the owner is quite a character, I didn’t get the impression he wanted to sell anything

IvisonGuitars

Keefy said:

PMT - mainly new, some used, hardly ever vintage.
Hobgoblin - almost exclusively acoustic/folk, and the staff have ill-advised facial hair.
Rikaxxe - worth a look, you might be lucky, you might not.
Electric Ladyland - I really don't know where to start with this place, but here goes - loads of old kit in varying states of disrepair, no prices marked, he only opens when he feels like it, and if he doesn't like you he won't serve you.
Mickleburgh - new stuff, mainly Fender/Squier.
PK Music Exchange - don't think I've ever visited, but website looks promising.
Treblerock - out of the centre in Clifton - worth a look, you never know.

Great descriptions @keefy!

I once went to Electric Ladyland, spent 10 minutes trying to make myself heard as the door was ajar....so I went in, slide myself around the shop squeezed between mountains of WEM columns and Hiwatt/Marshall 4x12s towards the counter...only to find a rather scared looking FedEx man squeezing his way back towards me! The owner was nowhere to be seen, eventually emerging from the basement 5 minutes later...

fretfinder

I went to Electric Ladyland a few years ago and the owner told me all the best stuff was under his bed - ‘it’s my pension’. He also came out with that choice phrase ‘I’ve forgotten more about old guitars that you’ll ever know.’ 

I don’t think he really cares whether he sells anything, he’s just a curator of a shitload of dusty old gear. Oh, and some good stuff under his bed...

mburekenge

PMT is a soulless box shifter. Staff are friendly enough. I did however pick up a killer White Falcon and they can be flexible on price.

Keefy

fretfinder said:

...

I don’t think he really cares whether he sells anything, he’s just a curator of a shitload of dusty old gear. Oh, and some good stuff under his bed...

Perfect description!

Keefy

Fortheloveofguitar said:

Keefy said:

PMT - mainly new, some used, hardly ever vintage.
Hobgoblin - almost exclusively acoustic/folk, and the staff have ill-advised facial hair.
Rikaxxe - worth a look, you might be lucky, you might not.
Electric Ladyland - I really don't know where to start with this place, but here goes - loads of old kit in varying states of disrepair, no prices marked, he only opens when he feels like it, and if he doesn't like you he won't serve you.
Mickleburgh - new stuff, mainly Fender/Squier.
PK Music Exchange - don't think I've ever visited, but website looks promising.
Treblerock - out of the centre in Clifton - worth a look, you never know.

Treblerock has some nice gear but his prices are  ridiculous 

I tried a PRS in there once and rather liked it, but it had some nasty damage. Shortly afterwards I was in World Guitars and mentioned this, and within a week Jeff (RIP) had found me one in better nick, with better sounding pickups, and charged me 15% less for it.

Parker

Keefy said:

Fortheloveofguitar said:

Keefy said:

PMT - mainly new, some used, hardly ever vintage.
Hobgoblin - almost exclusively acoustic/folk, and the staff have ill-advised facial hair.
Rikaxxe - worth a look, you might be lucky, you might not.
Electric Ladyland - I really don't know where to start with this place, but here goes - loads of old kit in varying states of disrepair, no prices marked, he only opens when he feels like it, and if he doesn't like you he won't serve you.
Mickleburgh - new stuff, mainly Fender/Squier.
PK Music Exchange - don't think I've ever visited, but website looks promising.
Treblerock - out of the centre in Clifton - worth a look, you never know.

Treblerock has some nice gear but his prices are  ridiculous 

I tried a PRS in there once and rather liked it, but it had some nasty damage. Shortly afterwards I was in World Guitars and mentioned this, and within a week Jeff (RIP) had found me one in better nick, with better sounding pickups, and charged me 15% less for it.

If that was when it was in the smaller shop further down the road, then I got a great price on that for my mate. Cherry sunburst. But agree they are ridiculous prices usually. 

Electric Ladyland is great and harks back to the decent shops of the 80’s, before the boxshifters took over. Unlikely you’ll buy anything though as it’s lots of Satellites and Eko in pieces! Gotta love Steve (toothless as he’s affectionately known by my wife).

PMT Bristol is pretty wank. Was when it was Reverb, was when it was Sound Control. 

PK is more hifi and records but his prices are keen on the limited used stock he has - only worth a trip of that side of Bristol. 

Heron Music is pretty decent for used stock. He’s had a good variety of stuff through the years.

Vintage and Rare are great.

Dave_Vader

mburekenge said:

PMT is a soulless box shifter. Staff are friendly enough. I did however pick up a killer White Falcon and they can be flexible on price.

I went there shortly after I turned 40, had a chat with a nice chap about thinking of getting a proper Les Paul for my midlife crisis, he then tried to sell me a Squier Jaguar.

I didn't really want either, and I think my shitty hat and flip flops may have given him the impression I can't afford a Les Paul

(he was right though, and was friendly and chatty)

Keefy

Parker said:

Keefy said:

Fortheloveofguitar said:

Keefy said:

PMT - mainly new, some used, hardly ever vintage.
Hobgoblin - almost exclusively acoustic/folk, and the staff have ill-advised facial hair.
Rikaxxe - worth a look, you might be lucky, you might not.
Electric Ladyland - I really don't know where to start with this place, but here goes - loads of old kit in varying states of disrepair, no prices marked, he only opens when he feels like it, and if he doesn't like you he won't serve you.
Mickleburgh - new stuff, mainly Fender/Squier.
PK Music Exchange - don't think I've ever visited, but website looks promising.
Treblerock - out of the centre in Clifton - worth a look, you never know.

Treblerock has some nice gear but his prices are  ridiculous 

I tried a PRS in there once and rather liked it, but it had some nasty damage. Shortly afterwards I was in World Guitars and mentioned this, and within a week Jeff (RIP) had found me one in better nick, with better sounding pickups, and charged me 15% less for it.

If that was when it was in the smaller shop further down the road, then I got a great price on that for my mate. Cherry sunburst. But agree they are ridiculous prices usually. 

...

No it was gold-top.