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

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  • NunogilbertoNunogilberto Frets: 1679
    edited July 2019
    No. The last music shop in Ebbw Vale closed about 10 years ago, and other than Cash Generator nobody else sells guitars here.
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  • Toms_DadToms_Dad Frets: 168
    In Bolton we have HW Audio, from whom I have bought before and who also run an excellent repair service for amps. We also have Rimmer’s, a chain of shops round Lancashire. I bought my last guitar and amp there. The latter have been busy expanding their guitar section to include some new new big brands. Both have helpful and friendly staff.
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  • thumpingrugthumpingrug Frets: 2890
    Im half way between Weymouth and Poole in middle of nowhere Dorset.  About 30 mins drive from  https://www.absolutemusic.co.uk  and their mega warehouse store.  Pop in occasionally and its a great store with great staff and a good cafe.

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  • Jimbro66Jimbro66 Frets: 2418
    North Kent. The local shop that sold a variety of instruments to serve mainly the school market died a slow death and finally went a couple of years ago. However Strum & Bass in Gillingham and E Street Music in Faversham are two very worthy independent guitar shops that are still going strong.

    In the south-east probably the biggest shocks were the loss of Chandlers and Kingfisher Music, both of which were of huge importance when Andertons was still a small back-street shop.
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  • axisusaxisus Frets: 28280
    We lost Coda from Luton a few years ago, also I had the superb Machinehead in Hitchin just down the road. Well, Machinehead was great whilst Jeff Pumfrett was running it, it was never as good after he left.

    I spent a fair old whack in those shops over the years, bought loads of guitars, amps and countless strings/extras. Coda is still in Stevenage but it's just too much hassle going over there most of the time.
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  • hotpickupshotpickups Frets: 1813
    Yeah we’ve got GuitarBitz and vintage and rare guitars in Bath. They have a great selection of guitars especially the latter who is selling my guitar for me ;)
    Link to my trading feedback:  http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/59452/
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  • StevepageStevepage Frets: 3037
    Nope. I live in Bushey at the moment and I’d have to travel to Barnet, Wembley or St Albans for the nearest one. 

    i usually just go a bit further and go to Coda anyway. 
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  • Philly_QPhilly_Q Frets: 22515
    axisus said:
    We lost Coda from Luton a few years ago, also I had the superb Machinehead in Hitchin just down the road. Well, Machinehead was great whilst Jeff Pumfrett was running it, it was never as good after he left.

    I spent a fair old whack in those shops over the years, bought loads of guitars, amps and countless strings/extras. Coda is still in Stevenage but it's just too much hassle going over there most of the time.

    Coda's the one I'm most likely to travel to now, although I've been to Guitar Village, Andertons, GuitarGuitar Epsom, Charlie Chandler's.  I have some friends who live really close to Peach's old premises but I never went there.  When they were still around I went to Chandlers, Coda Luton, Machinehead… all reasonably accessible by train (I don't drive).

    My main place for actually buying stuff was probably Peter Cook's, I used to study those small-print full-page adverts they had, looking for bargains, then head up to Hanwell.

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  • thecolourboxthecolourbox Frets: 9654
    We have quite a few in Birmingham, big boys like Guitar Guitar, PMT, there's Fair deal who are adequate, but a fair few smaller ones like the Little Guitar Shop and a few others as you get further out. There's not one in bournville where I live but there is a terrible little outfit in Stirchley next door
    Please note my communication is not very good, so please be patient with me
    soundcloud.com/thecolourbox-1
    youtube.com/@TheColourboxMusic
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  • BellycasterBellycaster Frets: 5833
    Sheffield, I think ranks very poor for Guitar Shops. Biggest store with the highest end stock is Richtone, a decent store with some decent staff, but nowhere near the choice of PMT and the like.

    Wavelength sells mid range to cheaper end stuff, has been there for years though and has a sort of "cult status". Has the odd decent used higher end Fender, Gibson etc.

    Wizard Music sells Second Hand gear from Fender, Gibson and some cheaper stuff like Vintage and Revelation. Has some Supro amps, but rest of range is cheaper stuff. From what I've heard, they don't have the greatest customer service skills or endear themselves to potential buyers.
    Only a Fool Would Say That.
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  • skunkwerxskunkwerx Frets: 6838
    I have 3 in Romford, Pmt, dv247 and 
    Musicland. 

    In order of shitness. 

    Peach isnt far, and theres a little place in Leigh on Sea which I forget the name of. But in Southend which isnt much further theres another Pmt. 

    So locally you're sorted for Fenders and Gibsons. 

    Pmt don't often seem to keep more than 1 of each in stock, so its limited that way. 

    I've more often than not just made the trip to Andertons which is about an hour 40 if theres light traffic, including finding parking and a pit stop. 

    Then again I usually want what shops wouldnt keep in, because its not popular. Esp's etc. Even Andertons can be pretty thin on em, but at least their warehouse is close. 

    I've driven to Gak before now to pick a guitar up. About a 2hr drive there. 

    One other thing to note, is distance selling regs. 

    Its much less of a risk to buy online, get it within 24 hours and have a guaranteed refund if you dont like it. 

    Andertons return policy is great, even in store, though I've had to point out the fact it states 'refund' for 'unwanted' items (subject to criteria) to a member of staff who refused to give an exchange (thats all I wanted)  on a 1 day old Boss pedal because 'people treat them like a pedal rental store'. 

    They did refund it based on their policy, then I bought the other one. 

    Did piss me off a little though.. I mean why offer it then complain when people make use of it.. not to mention they have my 'account' which shows I havent bought and returned previous stuff, and can also see my home delivery address on there.. as if I'd bother driving a 3 hour round trip, pay £5 for the QE2 bridge, just to abuse a return policy, which I could have done for much cheaper using distance selling regs by buying on their website.. 

    But I digress. They are still my favourite and most helpful place. I've had one crappy experience and several really good ones, the latest Ibanez fiasco for example. A straight swap in and out. 




    The only easy day, was yesterday...
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  • markslade07markslade07 Frets: 833
    TimmyO said:

    Holmes Music is a larger shop, does a bit of everything and also runs lessons for most instruments out of teaching rooms upstairs. The titular owner also is pretty well plugged in to various charity and local good causes and it's common to see them donate the use of drum kits/PA to charity gigs and suchlike in the area. 

    Saw their drum kit on stage at WRDEUp in Highworth last week.
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  • steveledzepsteveledzep Frets: 1172
    edited July 2019
    I live close to a tiny town (little more than a village) called Crosshands.  We're about 20 miles west of Swansea, 12 miles north of Llanelli and 15 miles east of Carmarthen.  Yet we have Trevada Music who cater for all musical gear from trumpets to triangles (guitars too of course).  Only been in a couple of times, must take another look soon.

    https://www.trevadamusic.co.uk/
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  • martin8708martin8708 Frets: 81
    I live in the Isle of Wight , we have lost 3 good guitar shops , Strings in Ryde was probably the best , got my 63 Precision from Ian at Strings . We also lost Newport Music Central and Palm Grove guitars .
    Volume One in Shanklin has a very interesting mix of used guitars .
    Music de Capo in Newport has a limited selection of new cheapie guitars .
    Fat Willy's guitar shop in Cowes has a pretty good selection , Roland the owner makes sure all the guitars are well set up and tuned and gets some really interesting stuff .
    If you want to scratch the Fender / Gibson itch , a trip to Southampton is required.
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  • hollywoodroxhollywoodrox Frets: 4080
    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. 
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  • DaintyDainty Frets: 18
    edited July 2019
    I have a guitar shop that specialise in quality acoustic guitars. The Fender, Marshall, Gibson dealerships are no longer possible to maintain and offer ZERO margin. I sell Martin, Larrivee, Guild USA, Furch, Lakewood and many other quality brands that don’t support the trash from China that all the big manufacturers  make us take. Not taking anything away from the big brands but the Far East soulless cheap range is just not what this is about! Thanks for reading.

    www.treeoflifeguitars.co.uk

    Dainty 
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  • steveledzepsteveledzep Frets: 1172
    I'd edit your website address if I were you Dainty.
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  • DaintyDainty Frets: 18
    I'd edit your website address if I were you Dainty.
    Thanks.. can’t see!! Bloody mincers! 
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  • ennspekennspek Frets: 1626
    I hear There's a decent one in Ashbourne.....
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  • prowlaprowla Frets: 4896
    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.
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