Music stores in/near Liverpool (or Manchester)

[Musicman20]

Hi

I'm taking a trip from the North East to Liverpool soon, (possibly via Manchester).

Can anyone recommend any good bass-related shops I can take a look in on the way?

Thanks

[HowieBass]

Your nirvana might well be the Manchester Bass Lounge http://manchesterbasslounge.com/ though I haven't yet dared set foot in it (too tempting). You have to let them know you'd like to call in as I believe visits are by appointment rather than a casual knock on the door. They're a few minutes away from J13 of the M60.

You've also got PMT in Salford, close to the end of the M602 which rather handily would get you to the M60. In Liverpool itself is Dawsons, just off the main pedestrian thoroughfare (the shopping area leading from Lime Street down to the Albert Dock).

[Geek99]

PMT in Manchester were very good.

AND they posted my daughter's George Pig back to us for free. She was very grateful

Edited March 18, 2014 by Geek99

[HowieBass]

+1 for good impressions for PMT - looks like nothing from the outside (anonymous metal shed) but inside it's an Aladdin's cave! Bought my Zoom B9.1ut from there.

[LiamPodmore]

Dawsons is pretty good in Manchester, and if you're into pianos and acoustic guitars, then Forsyths is enough to kill an hour or two wandering around.

Liam

[paulflan0151]

Not much in Liverpool bass wise, better of in the bass lounge or PMT in Manchester

[risingson]

Not sure about Manchester anymore but Liverpool currently (IMO) is awful for music shops. The Dawsons staff are largely terrible, a few nice guys in there but most of them in my experience have little to no idea what they're talking about a lot of the time. Curly Music has got some longterm great staff but the selection of stuff of gear is really bad, although I've stumbled across one or two great finds in there (mid 60's Jazz refin, an unbelievable 80's Musicman Ray that I should have bought). Usually cheap stuff though.

I'd recommend getting out to Hannahs bar or Bierkeller for one of the jam nights though, some mates of mine regularly play in there and they're sick musicians. Loads of good live music in the city right now, check out The Kazamier, The Shipping Forecast.

[Musicman20]

Cheers all! Very helpful.

[Big_Stu]

[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1395151154' post='2399206']
Hi

I'm taking a trip from the North East to Liverpool soon, (possibly via Manchester).

Can anyone recommend any good bass-related shops I can take a look in on the way?

Thanks
[/quote]

Johnny Roadhouse on Oxford Rd Manchester is always worth a check for worthwhile used gear. Bonehead offloaded a Jazz there a few years back, realistic prices too. I've seen Ricks, a vintage Dan Longhorn & various Fenders & Gibsons since then.

[Mark Dyer]

It's Dawsons or bugger all in Liverpool sadly, which considering the musical heritage of the city is damn shameful.

I, on the other hand, can show you round some truly top-notch drinking establishments nearby which should take your mind off the dreadful five mins you will waste wandering around Dawsons.

Apologies to any members of Dawsons Liverpool, who may be reading this, but it is a bit sh*te?

Edited March 18, 2014 by Mark Dyer

[Musicman20]

[quote name='Mark Dyer' timestamp='1395179060' post='2399584']
It's Dawsons or bugger all in Liverpool sadly, which considering the musical heritage of the city is damn shameful.

I, on the other hand, can show you round some truly top-notch drinking establishments nearby which should take your mind off the dreadful five mins you will waste wandering around Dawsons.

Apologies to any members of Dawsons Liverpool, who may be reading this, but it is a bit sh*te?
[/quote]

Haha!

Good bars/venues centrally for a thurs/fri night?

Cheers

[paulconnolly]

Have to agree about Liverpool being a bit crap for buying basses. Dawsons do have quite a few but they're mostly precision/jazz basses of the Fender/Squier/Ibanez/A N other make. Very few interesting ones though there may have been a Gibson in there the other month and I did buy my BH250 from them.

Curly music have even less choice and the staff are even less helpful than Dawsons.

Good bars/venues [b]Musicman20[/b] - what do you want? There's endless chavvy disco and karaoke shoite around concert square and Matthew street and The Academy may have someone decent on. Try the Caledonia on Catherine Street or The Grapes on Roscoe Street (not the one in Matthew Street) for a bit of jazz, real ale and something a bit unusual (The grapes this Thursday has Swingology for Gypsy Jazz stuff). For a Friday take the Wirral line train to Hamilton Square and get a taxi to take you to The Swinging Arm for a bit of rock music.

Sorry thread drifting away from bases to beer. Feel free to pm me for a bigger list of alehouses

[M-Bass-M]

I was in both Curly's and Dawsons at the weekend. Curly's is a waste of time for basses, I think they had about 5 in the shop. Dawsons has a larger number of instruments, but variety is poor - Fenders, Ibanez's and a few interesting Gibsons is about as much as they do. I can't really comment too much on the customer service as I went to school with one of the guys working there, we always have a bit of a chat and he's always willing for me to try pretty much whatever I want.

PMT in Salford is not bad at all, much more variety and stock and well recommended if you're going down the M602. When I went there a year or so ago the staff were really friendly and helpful.

[Musicman20]

[quote name='paulconnolly' timestamp='1395184875' post='2399661']
Have to agree about Liverpool being a bit crap for buying basses. Dawsons do have quite a few but they're mostly precision/jazz basses of the Fender/Squier/Ibanez/A N other make. Very few interesting ones though there may have been a Gibson in there the other month and I did buy my BH250 from them.

Curly music have even less choice and the staff are even less helpful than Dawsons.

Good bars/venues [b]Musicman20[/b] - what do you want? There's endless chavvy disco and karaoke shoite around concert square and Matthew street and The Academy may have someone decent on. Try the Caledonia on Catherine Street or The Grapes on Roscoe Street (not the one in Matthew Street) for a bit of jazz, real ale and something a bit unusual (The grapes this Thursday has Swingology for Gypsy Jazz stuff). For a Friday take the Wirral line train to Hamilton Square and get a taxi to take you to The Swinging Arm for a bit of rock music.

Sorry thread drifting away from bases to beer. Feel free to pm me for a bigger list of alehouses
[/quote]

To be fair, beer/nights out are probably the priority with the trip. I've never been so it will be interesting!

Any indie/rock type bars would be great...I don't mind if they are a little pricey.

[ead]

+1 for MBL

On the downside, I found out last week just how close by workplace is to Johnny Roadhouse. Damn!

[risingson]

[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1395183766' post='2399650']


Haha!

Good bars/venues centrally for a thurs/fri night?

Cheers
[/quote]

Yeh, the places I mentioned.

[paulflan0151]

Starting from the back end of the city centre. Caledonia, Pilgrim, Ye Crack, Grapes (Knight St), Hanahhs Bar (check if theres a band on), Salt Dog Slims (Nice hot dogs), Pouge Mahones, Santos Chupitos, the hidden bar next to Santos Chupito.(Jungle Juice cocktail), The Swan. You can always try Django's Riff and Bar CaVa Although there not really rock bars.

Then there's the Krazy House but that's more of a club. Or The Camp And Furnace-Try and catch rockaoke Vs Food Slam, some tasty grub (Piggy Smalls) and karaoke with a live band. Only problem with he Camp is it's a bit out of the way, maybe a 10/15 min walk (if you don't get lost!) to the nearest bars, there are always taxis though.

[Mark Dyer]

[quote name='paulflan0151' timestamp='1395243951' post='2400139']
....Santos Chupitos, the hidden bar next to Santos Chupito...
[/quote]

Is 'El Bandito'

Camp and Furnace is well worth the short walk, food is always good, I'm there most Friday nights...

[risingson]

[quote name='paulflan0151' timestamp='1395243951' post='2400139']
Starting from the back end of the city centre. Caledonia, Pilgrim, Ye Crack, Grapes (Knight St), Hanahhs Bar (check if theres a band on), Salt Dog Slims (Nice hot dogs), Pouge Mahones, Santos Chupitos, the hidden bar next to Santos Chupito.(Jungle Juice cocktail), The Swan. You can always try Django's Riff and Bar CaVa Although there not really rock bars.

Then there's the Krazy House but that's more of a club. Or The Camp And Furnace-Try and catch rockaoke Vs Food Slam, some tasty grub (Piggy Smalls) and karaoke with a live band. Only problem with he Camp is it's a bit out of the way, maybe a 10/15 min walk (if you don't get lost!) to the nearest bars, there are always taxis though.
[/quote]

Great comprehensive list. Isn't Liverpool just an amazing city to be in right now! There's a hidden whiskey bar on Berry St across the road from the Tribeca pizza place you can check out as well.

[Musicman20]

Well, my trip was short and sweet and we concentrated on doing the usual tourist haunts and I only managed to pop in Dawsons for 10 mins (nice Gibson basses in but that is it).

Bass shops took a back seat. I really enjoyed Liverpool though. What a fantastic city. Huge, not stupidly expensive, lots of music, lots of bars/shops/restaurants and the cool Beatles history.

We are currently considering a move from the North East depending on work over the next 10-12 months, and Liverpool is now top of the list. It seems that one step up in size and the amount of entertainment going on.

The music scene seemed to be thriving, which I really need after having such a quiet time up here.

[paulflan0151]

Glad you liked the place :-D

[HowieBass]

Good to know you liked Liverpool... and since you're talking about a possible relocation, there seem to be plenty of golf courses nearby too.

[Monckyman]

Whoa whoa.. what about manchester?
You can't go gallivanting about stating relocation guff without considering manchester.
Whatever the other place has, we have more : )

[skychaserhigh]

[quote name='Monckyman' timestamp='1396373328' post='2412854']
Whoa whoa.. what about manchester?
You can't go gallivanting about stating relocation guff without considering manchester.
Whatever the other place has, we have more : )
[/quote]
I have to agree !!

[Musicman20]

[quote name='Monckyman' timestamp='1396373328' post='2412854']
Whoa whoa.. what about manchester?
You can't go gallivanting about stating relocation guff without considering manchester.
Whatever the other place has, we have more : )
[/quote]

Ay Manchester is fantastic but I like the dockside (originally from a coastal town so I like being close to the coast).