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

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  • prowlaprowla Frets: 4896
    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 was in Oasis last week - they had a vintage much-used EB0 bass and were overhauling an SG. I had a nice chat.
    Nikc said:
    Andover in Hampshire - nice shop called string brokers - above the Blue Onion coffee shop. Run by decent people who are friendly and helpful 
    I went in there once; it took a while to find it and you have to go through the coffee shop to get to it. Nice bloke, I bought a couple of guitar bits they had leftover.
    aspnet said:
    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
    Bass Gear were in the mini industrial estate just on the right as you go onto the road to go round to the station car park; they had top-end basses there. Closed maybe 3-4 years ago. They were selling off strings and suchlike online for a while.


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  • SeshSesh Frets: 1839
    zepp76 said:
    We've got a couple in Southampton but surprisingly few given the catchment, if you want to compare a good range of guitars or amps in 1 store you've really got to drive all the way to Guildford or Brighton.
    I live in Southampton too, is Frets in Shirley still going? I haven't been up there for years! I mainly use the guitar store down by the train station or a trip out to PMT in Portsmouth could be on the cards.
    Fret Music in Shirley has been gone for a while now.

    As far as I know there's "The Guitar Store" by the train station, which is small but pretty good, and "The Music Shop" in bitterne, but I've not been there. We go in for imaginative names found here.
    There's also Hobgoblin on East Street for your folky shit.
    Can't sing, can't dance, can handle a guitar a little.
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  • zepp76zepp76 Frets: 2534
    Sesh said:
    zepp76 said:
    We've got a couple in Southampton but surprisingly few given the catchment, if you want to compare a good range of guitars or amps in 1 store you've really got to drive all the way to Guildford or Brighton.
    I live in Southampton too, is Frets in Shirley still going? I haven't been up there for years! I mainly use the guitar store down by the train station or a trip out to PMT in Portsmouth could be on the cards.
    Fret Music in Shirley has been gone for a while now.

    As far as I know there's "The Guitar Store" by the train station, which is small but pretty good, and "The Music Shop" in bitterne, but I've not been there. We go in for imaginative names found here.
    There's also Hobgoblin on East Street for your folky shit.
    That's a shame about Fret Music, it was a good store. The Music shop in bitterne has been there for years, I haven't been in there for a long time they had an eclectic mix of stuff. I was going to buy a mandolin and a Chinese Erhu from Hobgoblin but thought I was biting off more than I could chew trying to learn to play them! It is a very folky shop isn't it!
    Tomorrow will be a good day.
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  • skullfunkerryskullfunkerry Frets: 4136
    edited July 2019
    As @skunkwerx has already mentioned, there's a PMT here in Southend - I'd forgotten that there was one in Romford too, actually! The small place he couldn't remember the name of is Leigh Music Co - that's a nice little shop, Tom is very friendly, the service is great and he has some nice gear too.

    I actually live just north of Southend so it's quite easy for me to get out without getting stuck in the town centre/seafront traffic - therefore, I can get to Peach in about an hour, so that's nice
    Too much gain... is just about enough \m/

    I'm probably the only member of this forum mentioned by name in Whiskey in the Jar ;)

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  • timhuliotimhulio Frets: 1286
    tFB Trader
    Voxman said:
    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?
    Nope, it's still there, I just checked in person! 

    Friendly and helpful guys in there, btw. Some nifty Fender stuff you may not expect too. Also some Fredric Effects pedals (plug!)
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  • Jimbro66Jimbro66 Frets: 2418
    aspnet said:
    ........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.

    There was a fairly large branch of ABC Music in Farnham Rd Slough. ABC had maybe half a dozen branches in that region of Berks and Surrey but all are long gone as far as I know. Maybe, like Kingfisher Music, they stayed too long with mail order through guitar mag ads instead of establishing online stores.
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  • guitars4youguitars4you Frets: 14034
    tFB Trader
    Manchester and Great Manchester - Closures from over the years

     Stock and Chapman(All Saints)

    Barrats (used to have 3 locations)

     A1 music-then Academy,then Sound Control in this location.

    Highway Music (Deansgate)

    Muir Music (Chester Road)

    Sounds Acoustic(Next door to Muir)

    Swanns(Oldham Street)

    Highams Harmony House

    Renos

    Mamelok

    Mayer Harrison (Hulme)

    Nield and Hardy (Gorton and Stockport)

    Rhythm House (Stockport)

    Music Exchange (Stockport)

    Reynolds (Salford)

    Soundland (Salford-may not be correct name)

    Tony Savile

    Gary Sharpes Shop in Ancoats (I  cannot remember the name)

    North Greater Manchester--

    Rock Island (Oldham)

    Prince Music (Oldham)

    Spectrum Sound(Bury)

    Dr Rock (Bury and Rochdale)

    Tractor Sound (Rochdale)

    Shorrock and Shorrock (Rochdale)

    Accordion Shop (Rochdale)

    Guitar Player (Rochdale)

    Beats (Rochdale)

    Twangs (Rochdale).


    forgot Music Ground had a shop in Manchester as well, near the BBC/Uni - and also forgot Bass Centre once had a shop in Manchester - Can't recall if it was also part of the Acoustic Centre

    Different gear but I assume The Synthesizer Centre is no longer open in Manchester - One of Amrik's stores (sorry if the name is spelt wrong)
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  • aspnetaspnet Frets: 46
    edited July 2019
    Lewy said:
    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?)

    Music Machine - that was it 

    Years ago went in to buy my first proper guitar and had my heart set on an Epiphone Les Paul (because 'Slash' and no funds for a Gibson). Came out with a Hamer double cut. A year later I 'needed' a guitar with a floyd rose and went in to get an Ibanez. Came out with a Dean superstrat. Both bought on the advice of the shop and I've still got & play them
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  • Grocer_JackGrocer_Jack Frets: 258
    Langley Guitar centre is still going
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  • SteveRobinsonSteveRobinson Frets: 6914
    tFB Trader
    forgot Music Ground had a shop in Manchester as well, near the BBC/Uni - and also forgot Bass Centre once had a shop in Manchester - Can't recall if it was also part of the Acoustic Centre

    Different gear but I assume The Synthesizer Centre is no longer open in Manchester - One of Amrik's stores (sorry if the name is spelt wrong)

    Music Ground came and went quite quickly. People brought me some shocking stuff that they'd bought as vintage fom them.

    The Bass Centre was at the South end of Deansgate.
    Different gear but I assume The Synthesizer Centre is no longer open in Manchester - One of Amrik's stores (sorry if the name is spelt wrong)
    Yes that was part of Chase on Oldham Street I think? I bought my The Paul there in 1980.
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  • guitars4youguitars4you Frets: 14034
    tFB Trader
    Different gear but I assume The Synthesizer Centre is no longer open in Manchester - One of Amrik's stores (sorry if the name is spelt wrong)
    Yes that was part of Chase on Oldham Street I think? I bought my The Paul there in 1980.
    That's it - Chase - I forgot the name - Small shop if I recall but in the day a big turnover
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  • menamestommenamestom Frets: 4641

    Sounds Great near me, about a mile or so.  I don’t go like I used to, not been for a while actually, although gigging too much nowadays to think about gear.

    Dawsons and Forsyths in Manchester if I’m in the office and PMT Salford.  But since you said town I’ll stick with Sounds Great.
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  • hollywoodroxhollywoodrox Frets: 4084
    Nick’s in abbey road used to be totally awesome an alladins cave of gear
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  • LewyLewy Frets: 4126
    aspnet said:
    Lewy said:
    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?)

    Music Machine - that was it 

    Years ago went in to buy my first proper guitar and had my heart set on an Epiphone Les Paul (because 'Slash' and no funds for a Gibson). Came out with a Hamer double cut. A year later I 'needed' a guitar with a floyd rose and went in to get an Ibanez. Came out with a Dean superstrat. Both bought on the advice of the shop and I've still got & play them
    For a couple of years there was Planet Guitar in Flackwell Heath too. Mostly second hand stock but sometimes some interesting stuff and always up for a trade.
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  • MusicwolfMusicwolf Frets: 3627

    Today I made my first visit to Andertons in Guilford.  I've used them online but, since they are >200 miles away, I've never actually been there until now (I have a business meeting in the area tomorrow).

    The shop was absolutely buzzing.  2pm on a Monday and there must have been 20 to 30 customers in there (some of them actually buying stuff).  Loads of stock covering all sorts of price range and the staff, though rushed off their feet, were pleasant.  I spotted a Brian May guitar that had caught my eye one line.  No problem taking it down and having a play (didn't need 'unlocking like some stores).  The thing was actually reasonably set up (don't know if that was down to the factory or Andertons) and was even in tune.  I had to escape fast before I bought it.

    Maybe they'd like to open a branch in the North West?

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  • gusman2xgusman2x Frets: 919
    @ICBM is Southside Music still on Cathcart road? I got my first two guitars and amp from there. Still have the amp (champ112), but both guitars long gone (squire bullet, and a mex std strat). He was a super nice guy
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