North East Guitar Show - Sunday 7th April - Houghton Le Spring

guitars4you

North East Guitar Show – Sunday 7th April – Houghton Le Spring – 10 mins of A1 (Jct 62 – A690)

Live demo’s on the day including Jamie Oliver and his band  – Refreshments – Free Parking on site

Good selection of used, cool, weird, wonderful, odd ball etc – Guitars, amps, pedals, spares, accessories – More used gear than new on display, but there will be a good selection of new custom/boutique gear, from various UK builders, again be it amps, pedals, guitars etc – Probably around 800/1200 guitars on display via the various exhibitors – Hence an interesting selection of gear that you don’t see in the corporate/box shifting  high street shops

Guitars4You will be there so come and say hi – At this stage I’m not sure what guitars I’ll be taking, but if you see anything that is listed on my web site, that you might be interested in buying and want me to bring it along, then get in touch with me nearer the time

guitars4you

guitars4you

Looking at exhibitor listings for this show there are a few other FB manufactures exhibiting, so hopefully they will post updates as well

guitars4you

Plug time for the North East Show - Only just over a week to go

ditchboy

I might be popping in. I’ve been meaning to go for a while!

Dontgiveupyourdayjob

I was supposed to be playing a gig that afternoon but it got cancelled. Might be able to swing by!

BGG

Parking was mental last year, so busy. 

Sadly on call all weekend so can’t make it. 

ditchboy

BGG said:

Parking was mental last year, so busy. 

Sadly on call all weekend so can’t make it. 

Must be a fair amount of places around the arena you can ditch the car within walking distance?

I’m hoping somebody there can fit me some new pickups while I wait. Anybody offering that kind of service on the day? 

Panama_Jack666

I'll be there on bass with @jamesoliver1234 ;

Come say hello if you see me wandering about!

guitars4you

ditchboy said:

BGG said:

Parking was mental last year, so busy. 

Sadly on call all weekend so can’t make it. 

Must be a fair amount of places around the arena you can ditch the car within walking distance?

I’m hoping somebody there can fit me some new pickups while I wait. Anybody offering that kind of service on the day? 

I recall the public having to queue to get in as it was that busy - I think there was even talk about reaching fire safety levels and as such waiting for some to leave before letting more in - It is a big car park so was surprised no spaces - But equally it is on a trading estate, so on a. Sunday there should be plenty of side roads and even other units where you can park - I'll mention it to the show organisers

stufisher

The parking challenge hasn't really been resolved. At the 2022 show I ended up parking in the housing estate on the other side of the dual carriageway ... I got permission from a resident to park outside their house because of the limitations at the show.

Yes, there are lots of open spaces and side roads on the industrial estate but there are CCTVs, no parking signs, double yellows and auto-raise bollards in business car parks so I avoided like the plague.

The last thing you wanna do is get clamped or trapped in an employee car park ... that'll really mess-up your weekend methinks.

guitars4you

stufisher said:

The parking challenge hasn't really been resolved. At the 2022 show I ended up parking in the housing estate on the other side of the dual carriageway ... I got permission from a resident to park outside their house because of the limitations at the show.

Yes, there are lots of open spaces and side roads on the industrial estate but there are CCTVs, no parking signs, double yellows and auto-raise bollards in business car parks so I avoided like the plague.

The last thing you wanna do is get clamped or trapped in an employee car park ... that'll really mess-up your weekend methinks.

Thanks for this - I'll pass it on to Peter - I don't see it as I'm there at 7am to load up and when I arrive it is just a vast empty car park - Last think anyone wants is a) you to not bother to attend and b) getting any parking fines etc

guitarjack66

Do any of these regional UK shows go up on youtube in the way those US youtube guitar people are attracted to those NAMM shows and guitar flea markets like flies around excrement?

guitars4you

Spoke to Peter who runs/owns the NE Guitar Show, about the car park and queuing situation - It turns out that since the return of such shows, post covid, that for whatever reason, that attendance has moved north, considerably - Levels of you the customer attending has risen well above that of pre-covid - No way can anyone take this into account - It might be to late to make any adjustments for this weekend, but when they start to prepare shows for 2025 and speak to the venue owners they will look at ways to improve the current situation

PLOP

BGG said:

Parking was mental last year, so busy. 

Sadly on call all weekend so can’t make it. 

They also don’t cater at all for even one single bike to be locked up. I cycled in last time and had to chain it to a metal pole behind a fire door. When I asked the staff where I could lock my bike up they looked at me like I’d asked where I can keep my horse tied up while I’m inside. 

guitars4you

PLOP said:

BGG said:

Parking was mental last year, so busy. 

Sadly on call all weekend so can’t make it. 

They also don’t cater at all for even one single bike to be locked up. I cycled in last time and had to chain it to a metal pole behind a fire door. When I asked the staff where I could lock my bike up they looked at me like I’d asked where I can keep my horse tied up while I’m inside. 

I must admit that is a first for me - Hard to cycle home with a guitar purchase !!!! - But to be fair, what would you do if you went on your bike to the pub, supermarket, newsagent etc 

Jetfire

guitarjack66 said:

Do any of these regional UK shows go up on youtube in the way those US youtube guitar people are attracted to those NAMM shows and guitar flea markets like flies around excrement?

I dunno what you're asking but I love the way you've asked it lol 

guitarjack66

Jetfire said:

guitarjack66 said:

Do any of these regional UK shows go up on youtube in the way those US youtube guitar people are attracted to those NAMM shows and guitar flea markets like flies around excrement?

I dunno what you're asking but I love the way you've asked it lol 

I was asking if anybody videos the shows and the exhibitors and puts the video on youtube etc. I think it's fascinating to see some of the US guitar flea markets and so on but there doesn't appear to be UK versions being filmed and shown. Not to my knowledge anyhow.

PLOP

guitars4you said:

PLOP said:

BGG said:

Parking was mental last year, so busy. 

Sadly on call all weekend so can’t make it. 

They also don’t cater at all for even one single bike to be locked up. I cycled in last time and had to chain it to a metal pole behind a fire door. When I asked the staff where I could lock my bike up they looked at me like I’d asked where I can keep my horse tied up while I’m inside. 

I must admit that is a first for me - Hard to cycle home with a guitar purchase !!!! - But to be fair, what would you do if you went on your bike to the pub, supermarket, newsagent etc 

Honestly, I do those things and I’ve never not had access to bike storage, even if it’s just some rusty bars out in the rain. I have a backpack and bike bags for shopping or whatever.

The Houghton arena hosts events throughout the year too so it’s not just guitar. And with “greenness” being a thing lots of people think about I expected bike bars at the very least. 

mark123

Is Darren Bond ? Doing the stand where you can display/ sell your guitar for £10 ??

guitars4you

mark123 said:

Is Darren Bond ? Doing the stand where you can display/ sell your guitar for £10 ??

I'm sure he wasn't there last year but not sure - Hopefully someone else can update you on that - Otherwise you can walk around with a for sale sign on the case/bag etc