For those who remember Musical Exchanges Birmingham in the ‘80’s.

HarrySeven

This will be interesting news...

https://fb.watch/26mVRAl5ii/

guitars4you

wow - I knew Gary had left PMT - did not expect this - Thought he had just retired - A great bloke and very popular 

Wazmeister

Ha !

I thought Garry was still at PMT.... mind you, the ‘new’ PMT Store in Bham is miles from anywhere and looks like a failure to me...

Lodious

Wazmeister said:

Ha !

I thought Garry was still at PMT.... mind you, the ‘new’ PMT Store in Bham is miles from anywhere and looks like a failure to me...

Agreed...it's like CostCo without the charm. 

YellowLedBetterMan

Yeah the new PMT is a bit naff.

I always liked Garry. Even if he did sell one of my gigbags from behind the counter when I took my bass in to try amps.

Hopefully he sorts out Fair Deal too. Last time I went there the snotty bratty teenage girl there asked me to leave the store because (and I quote) "you can't keep touching all the guitars because they're too expensive for you and you'll break one". Admittedly this was about 3 years ago, but I've made a point to avoid the place since.

west

Its goodnight from me, and its goodnight from him...  the 2 Gazzes ... 

DB1

I remember Musical Exchanges well. I think I set the record for the longest time spent in the shop being ignored by the staff. About three hours, I think, but I'm sure there are other contenders.

JamesSGBrown

Maybe I'm biased, but The Little Guitar Shop is all Brum needs
Actually not been to Fair Deal since they moved. Never liked it there, but admittedly have warmed to the staff more since doing shows. PMT can get in the bin.

Schnozz

I like both Fair Deal and PMT in Birmingham. I've met Garry and thought he was a good character.

I found Express Music and The Little Guitar Shop very odd.

markslade07

Used to love Musical Exchanges back in the day...bought loads of stuff in there. That little cove of second hand goodies was always worth a cheeky look. Not been to the new PMT since it moved (though I live nowhere near now so not surprising!). 

p90fool

DB1 said:

I remember Musical Exchanges well. I think I set the record for the longest time spent in the shop being ignored by the staff. About three hours, I think, but I'm sure there are other contenders.

I once went in there with 500 quid in cash to buy an amp, on the way to the ferry to a series of gigs in France. 

I wasn't in a rush, I had an hour or so to spare, but totally failed to get served at all. It was a deafening racket of teenagers playing Nirvana riffs on three grand guitars and I was told to "wait a minute chap" by three different bored looking staff. 

I'm not an attention whore rock star (at least not while shopping), but not a shrinking violet either, I just wanted someone to put their magazine down and take my money. 

I told the manager he was a dickhead, and bought an amp in Cherbourg in a great little shop which was actually cheaper. 

TheMarlin

I don’t have Facebook, can’t ready it. 

Brief summary?

Bod

I've bought a couple of guitars from there over the years.  About 10 years ago, they refused to deal with a warranty issue that needed a dealer to send the guitar back to Yamaha - citing that it was user damage (fretboard binding peeling), so I haven't been back since.  Sheehan's in Leicester helped me out in the end, and I didn't even buy the guitar from them.  Miss those guys... 

usedtobe

TheMarlin said:

I don’t have Facebook, can’t ready it. 

Brief summary?

Fair Deal Music. It’s open. Come on down. Two guys gooning about..

HarrySeven

TheMarlin said:

I don’t have Facebook, can’t read it. 

Brief summary?

Back in the mists of time, Musical Exchanges was THE regional emporium for everything sexy guitar-wise. In short, the vid features two mainstay ex-staff members (Garry Chapman and Gaz Morris), now reunited at Fair Deal Music in Birmingham.

TheMarlin

HarrySeven said:

TheMarlin said:

I don’t have Facebook, can’t read it. 

Brief summary?

Back in the mists of time, Musical Exchanges was THE regional emporium for everything sexy guitar-wise. In short, the vid features two mainstay ex-staff members (Garry Chapman and Gaz Morris), now reunited at Fair Deal Music in Birmingham.

Ah. Ok. Thanks. I grew up in Birminghsm, and have bought several guitars & amps from Musical Exchanges.  I always found the staff there more desperate to show you their personal lick library than sell you anything. 

My only regret is not buying the Fender Mustang they had on sale for £80!

EricTheWeary

My memories of MX are pretty vague, it was this famous, interesting place. I bought my Laney LC50 there, although it may have been one of the later incarnations of the store ( Reverb for a bit and something else?).   
The Gaz with the shaggy hair lives somewhere near me and MrsTheWeary knew his wife and met him a couple of times. 
Fair Deal always had truly terrible customer service ( just rude, more bothered about showing off licks than selling); I suspect that GuitarGuitar with actually helpful staff gave them a bit of a kick up the arse.  

Cirrus

I think with any music shop, it's pot luck any time you go in as to whether you'll get good service or leave shaking your head. PMT have been the most diverse for me. I've been in there and just not every been served, and one time I was refused a pack of strings unless I gave my address.

I really like the new fair deal. Bought an old piano from there, which was nice.

YellowLedBetterMan

Was Musical Exchanges what eventually became Reverb? The one in Snow Hill?

If so then yeah that's where 13 year old me spunked all his birthday money on a bass he barely played for the next 5 years.

LooseMoose

Oh, MX how I miss you.  I bought a s/h Eggle from them for £400 - what a berk I was, selling that...

LOVED that shop, was gutted when it closed.

With Gaz moving from PMT, I wonder if he knows something about the viability of the company that we don't? 

I was very disappointed with the new store, delighted with the parking but that was about it - the layout (one massive room) just doesn't work, gets too noisy and has no vibe.  Leave the shiny newness to guitarguitar and their ilk and go for the Alladin's Cave / sticky floor vibe...

EricTheWeary

LooseMoose said:

Oh, MX how I miss you.  I bought a s/h Eggle from them for £400 - what a berk I was, selling that...

LOVED that shop, was gutted when it closed.

With Gaz moving from PMT, I wonder if he knows something about the viability of the company that we don't? 

I was very disappointed with the new store, delighted with the parking but that was about it - the layout (one massive room) just doesn't work, gets too noisy and has no vibe.  Leave the shiny newness to guitarguitar and their ilk and go for the Alladin's Cave / sticky floor vibe...

Oh I bought my Eggle from MX, forgotten that.