Does Your Town Still Have A Guitar Shop ????

oh_pollo

McCormacks might be gone but Glasgow still has an embarrassment of riches when it comes to music shops. 

• Merchant City Music
• Guitar Guitar
• CC Music
• Kennys Music
• Strung Out Guitars 
• Jimmy Egypt & Sons

and I'm probably missing a few...

oh_pollo

McCormacks might be gone but Glasgow still has an embarrassment of riches when it comes to music shops. 

• Merchant City Music
• Guitar Guitar
• CC Music
• Kennys Music
• Strung Out Guitars 
• Jimmy Egypt & Sons

and I'm probably missing a few...

Grocer_Jack

crunchman said:

Grocer_Jack said:

Ooh which are your guitars in Charlie’s?

There is a PRS S2 Singlecut Satin and one of the low end Martins.  Can't see them on the website at the moment.  Don't know if they have sold or whether they have been a bit slow to get them up.

Yeah the website is usually not indicative of what’s actually there. They are good at selling though -they recently sold an amp for methat never actually made it to the website! 

Jetsam1

I did most of my growing up in Huddersfield and the closure of GTR left a big hole in my life. Bought so much gear from Marcus over the years, from Spectre Sound days onwards. It was a really good guitar and general music shop and it was really sad to watch the decline especially as the University went to Dawsons rather than him for Music Department purchases.

Just Dawsons now as far as I know in the town centre.

Budapest is quite good, though only Stageshop is a standout in my opinion. Locally to me now nothing!! Even the nearest big towns have very little.

guitars4you

Jetsam1 said:

I did most of my growing up in Huddersfield and the closure of GTR left a big hole in my life. Bought so much gear from Marcus over the years, from Spectre Sound days onwards. It was a really good guitar and general music shop and it was really sad to watch the decline especially as the University went to Dawsons rather than him for Music Department purchases.

Just Dawsons now as far as I know in the town centre.

Budapest is quite good, though only Stageshop is a standout in my opinion. Locally to me now nothing!! Even the nearest big towns have very little.

My friend just sent me this list of closures in Huddersfield over the years

Woods

Goddard's

Charlie Shaw

Music Centre 

Dandelion Music

Organ Loft/Gear Loft

Kitchens

Spectre Sound

GTR

Dawson's - Closed about 2 months ago

plus 2 gear outlets in Woods basement 

TheBigDipper

In or near the BournemouthChristchurchPoole conurbation there are a few I know of and use...  

Absolute Music - Poole - large superstore, not just guitars, rehearsal complex, decent repair shop. I like it and use it. 
Guitarmania - Parkstone - more “local” in terms of stock, etc., friendly enough but never bought anything there. 
Don Strikes - Westbourne - is famous, locally. Andy Summers, Robert Fripp, Greg Lake and John Wetton were customers in the 60s/70s. I’m surprised and pleased it’s still going but have no idea why. 
Music Is Life - Southbourne - single-handedly flying the Ukelele flag. 
Oasis - Ringwood - which I like a lot. Small but crams a lot of interesting stock in. Some interesting high end guitars and amps, plus some entry level stuff. 

Jetsam1

guitars4you said:

My friend just sent me this list of closures in Huddersfield over the years

Woods

Goddard's

Charlie Shaw

Music Centre 

Dandelion Music

Organ Loft/Gear Loft

Kitchens

Spectre Sound

GTR

Dawson's - Closed about 2 months ago

plus 2 gear outlets in Woods basement 

And Huddersfield was really quite good for music in the late 90s. It does show how even a big town with historically a strong local music scene ends up with no music shops left. Dunno what it means or how to solve it.

Fez

With Bedrock and Hobgoblin long gone Crawley only has The Music Company which is mainly focused on school and entry level stuff. I have bought a guitar there and I try and get bits and pieces there. Otherwise it's GAK, Andertons, Guitar Guitar or if I am up norf visiting my sister Sounds Great.

Nikc

Andover in Hampshire - nice shop called string brokers - above the Blue Onion coffee shop. Run by decent people who are friendly and helpful 

ZenOvertone

Nearest to me, Canterbury has County Music (only local Fender dealer) and Hobgoblin Music.  Ashford has Right Track Music (with rehearsal rooms complex).  Herne Bay has Music Bay but quite a few have gone over the years though sadly in Kent...

stephen.wood125

I'm in Frodsham, there is Frailers just along the road in Runcorn and I've just bought a Martin from PMT in Salford.

I grew up with Hessey's, Micro Music and Curley Music in Liverpool

stonevibe

VimFuego said:

hmmm, there are several music shops in Exeter (including 2 specialist guitar shops) and I guess that's what counts as local for me. There is a general music shop in Barnstaple, but I've never been there, and a guitar maker in Bideford, that's about as large as towns get round here, everywhere else wouldn't even be classed a village in more populated regions.  

Also WM guitars in Ashburton is really good.

I'm in Exeter, but my friend lives a few doors down from them on the little high street and so I pop in there when I go visit them.

https://www.wmguitars.com

aspnet

prowla said:

sev112 said:

Reading we have Dawson’s and Hickies  - pretty much corporate 
Lost Amen Corner last month (owner died )
Apex music - nice non- corporate, some interesting used electric stock, and range of acoustics,  also drums, and other bits and pieces including amps 

TBH, I don't know how Amen Corner survived anyway - they were hidden away and never advertised. I went there and they were paving the small car park, next time I went it was closed, and then last time it was closed down.

There's also The Music Man in Reading (Oxford Road) who deals in s/h stuff and vinyl & CDs, and of course Cash Converters.

It's a shame the bass shop by Twyford railway station closed down; I only happened across them in their final year.

There was a bass shop in Twyford??? Had no idea and I've lived around the area for most of my life...also hadn't heard of Amen Corner until I saw the thread about the closing down sale. Might just need to get out more...

Used to really enjoy Guitar Works in Reading when they were there while the Mrs went shopping...also Mr Music in the Bishops Centre in Taplow until it was knocked down to make a Tesco. I try and make sure I buy something whenever I'm in Hickies or Dawsons (strings, strap, tuition book etc) but I don't think I've ever bought a guitar or amp from either

Going back further there used to be Modern Music in Reading, another guitar shop in Maidenhead and a fairly large store on Farnham Rd in Slough but both were long gone before FB etc so can't track down their names. Also a drum store in Woodley

Voxman

My wife told me a few days back that Soundgarden in Barnet has shut down...she said it was empty and stripped out.  Parking was a problem and probably a big contributor as it meant not much footfall. But their website is still up though.  Can anyone verify?

Arjailer

Aberdeen - all we have is a Kenny's Music ... and it"s not great.

It used to be R&B Music, which was pretty decent - friendly and well stocked. Bought my PRS SE there.

But since it's changed to Kenny's it's been very disappointing. I've only been in 2 or 3 times in the last 3 years, but I don't think the selection of 20-30 guitars has changed in that time.

It's just thoroughly ... uninspiring   

I guess that, despite all the oil money up here, Aberdeen just isn't big enough to sustain a decent shop.

RustySpanner

In beautiful downtown Burnley we're lucky enough to have ProSolo. 
Only a small shop, but very well run and well thought of. 
Have bought an LAG and Faith acoustic there, both at very good prices and set up perfectly. Paul is spot on - very well respected and a very pleasant bloke to do business with. 
Cort, Blackstar, Faith, Vintage, SX, Simon & Patrick etc, plus a few choice secondhand guitars and amps. 
Old fashioned, proper service and advice. His setups are comprehensive and very, very good value. Highly recommended. 

Down the road in Colne is Louandy's. Even smaller but an eclectic selection of gear including Tokai and loads of beautifully set up Tanglewood acoustics. Again, extremely friendly and helpful. Haven't bought from them yet, but they have an immaculate G&L Tribute S500 at a crazy price which just keeps tugging at my heartstrings......

Of the bigger shops, PMT in Salford are a friendly bunch, Giz in particular, very nice bloke. 
Rimmers in Leyland impress me too, helpful, decent stock and friendly service. 

All in all I feel very lucky to have such decent shops nearby. 

simonhpieman

TheBigDipper said:

In or near the BournemouthChristchurchPoole conurbation there are a few I know of and use...  

Absolute Music - Poole - large superstore, not just guitars, rehearsal complex, decent repair shop. I like it and use it. 
Guitarmania - Parkstone - more “local” in terms of stock, etc., friendly enough but never bought anything there. 
Don Strikes - Westbourne - is famous, locally. Andy Summers, Robert Fripp, Greg Lake and John Wetton were customers in the 60s/70s. I’m surprised and pleased it’s still going but have no idea why. 
Music Is Life - Southbourne - single-handedly flying the Ukelele flag. 
Oasis - Ringwood - which I like a lot. Small but crams a lot of interesting stock in. Some interesting high end guitars and amps, plus some entry level stuff. 

I'm amazed Don Strike's is still there. ALMOST bought my first guitar there (an Epi SG called to me through that window) but Guitar Mania had me on a sweet LP Special.

Oasis is great, got my LP Studio there used for £415. Prize if you can guess the year!

octatonic

Singapore has about 5 major retailers of musical instruments and they are all considerably more expensive than simply ordering from Thomann and waiting a week, then paying import tax.

I’ve mostly bought from Thomann because of this.

Lewy

aspnet said:

Going back further there used to be Modern Music in Reading, another guitar shop in Maidenhead

Music Machine Bought my first giggable amp in there (a well used Peavy Classic VT)

There was Langley Guitar Centre too (may still be for all I know?)

tone1

hollywoodrox said:

I live in Torquay we no longer have any guitar shops . Had a beauty in the 80s early 90s.

We have had a few guitar/shops come and go but for shops serving such a small town choice is always going to be limited and with the internet stores offering everything you can think of at bargain prices it’s hard to compete. I just got a great deal at Andertons online  and using the internet you can track down real rarities , slime green charvel, yellow Jackson’s , pink Ibanez , slash signature Les paul’s , joe perry signatures etc .

i think a second hand dealer is the way to go now selling decent second hand guitars  amps  fx etc. 

@hollywoodrox  was just that the one in Abbey Road Torquay?

There’s next to nothing left in Torbay now of any note since Hartnoll’s closed down. We have WM Music in Ashburton, Project Music and Mansons in Exeter, Music Room West in Paignton and Norman Reed Guitar making school in Totnes  used to have a few things for sale...