guitar shops

[Kevin Dean]

Has anyone actually opened one in your area in recent years ?

[T-Bay]

A second hand shop that used to do a few instruments converted to a music shop specialising in guitars, it is tiny though and is barely in double figures of new ones and similar on the used front.

[TheGreek]

Nick Smith opened a Bass shop in Peterboro last year but I think it probably gets used for teaching more than selling.

[yorks5stringer]

Waterloo Music opened in Yeovil a couple of years ago and is still going.

[joeystrange]

A PMT opened in Nottingham in October or November and an independent shop called Nottingham City Guitars opened a couple of years ago too.

[Dazed]

Manchester Bass Lounge opened a few years ago and very nice it was too. It was more of a viewing by appointment type place as opposed to a full on shop. It's since changed to the Great British Bass Lounge, but I understand it's closing or being sold as a going concern. Always very helpful friendly and accommodating, had quite a broad range of bass gear last time I was there.

[Pinball]

[quote name='joeystrange' timestamp='1486247257' post='3230395']
A PMT opened in Nottingham in October or November and an independent shop called Nottingham City Guitars opened a couple of years ago too.
[/quote]

PMT also opened a Cardiff store late last year. The manager is into his basses so they normally have some nice kit.

[pineweasel]

[quote name='Pinball' timestamp='1486251503' post='3230420']


PMT also opened a Cardiff store late last year. The manager is into his basses so they normally have some nice kit.
[/quote]
But Cranes up the road closed, so net balance is the same.

[Bassmanrichi]

Cranes is still open! Check their website out

[pineweasel]

[quote name='Bassmanrichi' timestamp='1486262867' post='3230454']
Cranes is still open! Check their website out
[/quote]
In Swansea yes, but the big Cardiff store is gone.
[edit] aha, it says on Facebook they are relocating this spring, fair enough

Edited February 5, 2017 by pineweasel

[Hobbayne]

[quote name='Kevin Dean' timestamp='1486243618' post='3230362']
Has anyone actually opened one in your area in recent years ?
[/quote]

No. Just the opposite. We have lost 2 in my part of West London in the last year.

[neepheid]

Ramjam Music in Aberdeen - second hand instruments shop, mostly guitars, basses and amps

http://www.ramjammusic.co.uk

[jonnythenotes]

Pete Oakley Music / Guitarsuperstore in Burton on Trent has just expanded into a really nice, and much bigger shop... Great people to deal with, and a wide range of guitars, amps etc. Check their site out.....

Edited February 5, 2017 by jonnythenotes

[Kevin Dean]

How do you think they compete with all the internet stuff , Personal Service , offering set ups ?

[Musicman20]

I think some of the super high end guitar shops probably do quite well. World Guitars as an example. Bass alone is such a niche market, whereas involving bass with a larger selection of high end guitars attracts those willing to spend considerable money who want more of a personal service.

I think the main stores I would use now would be Andertons, Sound Affects (who also have a high end store) and Bass Direct for more bass niche specific gear.

[Musicman20]

Thinking locally, I've been in PMT, Forsyths and Dawsons, (Manc area).

The Dawsons store unfortunately seems to be plagued by younger players just picking gear up without thinking about marking the instruments or asking; I've seen a few examples of basses being sold new that are really pushing even ex-demo condition.

There is also a Dawsons nearby to my home. Much calmer and nicer environment. I have asked them for quotes a few times. I had a fairly larger Roland/Boss order to make and they couldn't move on the prices, despite it being picked up by me, so I went elsewhere and saved a fair amount and had it sent to my house.

There are probably a few other smaller stores I've missed around here, but to be honest, the fun of guitar shops has worn off and I just buy online now.

[stuckinthepod]

Marvel Guitars in Timperley, opened two years ago. Great little store.

Dawsons in Manchester, awful. Dawsons in Altrincham, great, with really nice staff although less stock to choose from.

Is South City Music in Altrincham still open? Closed every time I've been past.

[DorsetBlue]

Pinnow Music opened in Dorchester last year and seems to be doing well. They are a Chowny reseller I believe (we had a chat, when I saw one on the wall upstairs).

[synthaside]

We lost one in the center of Kingston ( Hands music) ,it was always more focused on non-guitar oriented , stuff like sheet music and consuables , with a limited range of guitars upstairs
I had been using it over chandlers due to the fact Chandlers have borked far too many repair jobs for my taste . A rewire job that went back 4 times, each time taking at least 2 weeks . Apparently that's how many times its takes before they actually get charlie to look at it , and a repair to a les paul studio headstock that took 3 months and then broke when they were restringing it to take another month.

I did briefly dream of the idea of renting a vacant shop next door the fighting cocks, ( Rock metal Venue/bar), to open a guitar store that also did coffee and the occasional instore jam night.
But I just dont see how it would compete with the big E-retailers / stores like Andertons / Thomman.

You can tell i want to be at my desk this morning right ?? ;-)

Edited February 6, 2017 by synthaside

[vantagepointrocks]

Edinburgh seems quite stable at the moment, nothing opened recently, but on the other hand nothing has closed down either.

[Musicman20]

[quote name='stuckinthepod' timestamp='1486378890' post='3231180']
Marvel Guitars in Timperley, opened two years ago. Great little store.

Dawsons in Manchester, awful. Dawsons in Altrincham, great, with really nice staff although less stock to choose from.

Is South City Music in Altrincham still open? Closed every time I've been past.
[/quote]

Hey you must be fairly close to me! I'm in that area. I agree the Dawsons in Alty is much better.

[Daz39]

Dawsons in Alty is nice, the ones in Chester and Leeds are good too. PMT in Leeds is a bit lame for Bass, there are a few small random shops about, but you've almost as much chance finding something bargainous in the pawn/payday loan shops on the high street.

[fiatcoupe432]

i guess soon all the small shops will close down .
people prefer to go and buy stuff online.
i always wanted to open one but always kept seeing shops closing down and thats why i have decided not to

[stuckinthepod]

[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1486383754' post='3231238']
Hey you must be fairly close to me! I'm in that area. I agree the Dawsons in Alty is much better.
[/quote]

Hi Musicman, Yes I'm in Sale so a frequenter of all the South Manchester shops. I bought a Marshall DSL40 over at Sounds Great in the last three weeks. Great service and stock over there.

[Muppet]

We have a really good independent shop in Huntingdon that started in 2014 called MusicStreet. The new owner took over a going concern that used to sell low to low mid range gear and has transformed it in to an excellent business competing price-wise with the big boys but with miles better service. Particularly impressive given there's a PMT 16 miles away in Cambridge.