Denmark Street

Cyberjunkie

I decided to use my lunch break creatively and took a walk down to Denmark Street to see if they had a particular guitar I was after (they didn't).

Now I haven't been down this road since I left school (used to visit the old Forbidden Planet when it was two separate shops and then hit the guitar shops during lunch), but damn, it sure has changed.

I don't know why I was expecting more from this place or if I was filled with nostalgia for how it used to be, but somehow the magic has gone and the prices have doubled.

I'm almost dreading to see what the guitar shops in Camden have turned in to.

Is there any unofficial honestly official guide to London Guitar shops? How not to have your memories shattered in the key of E? 

Axe_meister

TBH the days of prime real estate specialist shops has gone.
They are hanging on by the name alone. None of the shops (other than Vintage and Rare) offer anything you can't get at Guitar Guitar or online. Denmark street may even be gone soon if the rumours of Demolition are true.
I can see a time in the future when we will have out of town shopping streets with specialist shops and inner town will only be chain stores and coffee shops.

Guitar_Slinger

Axe_meister said:

TBH the days of prime real estate specialist shops has gone.
They are hanging on by the name alone.

 This is true of all shops that were specialist 30 years ago, unless children have taken over their parents' business.

 I remember reading something about venture capitalists who plough through records of Companies House (or whatever) looking for old businesses whose owners arealing a loss, maybe want to retire and will take low-ball offers, rather.  Then they sell on the business to people like the young Turkish blokes running our local chippy, which has kept the same name but also does burgers and kebabs now, along with a giant "Estd 1949" sticker in the window.

Cyberjunkie

Going by the amount of Crossrail building work, and shops moving again, and again (how many times has Wunjo's moved?), you might be right.
The end of an era.

dindude

I was there briefly only today, it’s shockingly bad, even gone further down hill in the last year. Rose Morris only had some low level PRS and Stagg guitars, that’s it for electrics. Wunjo is now tiny and the stock is a crap-shoot of crap. Regents, which at least had a decent range of the Fender owned brands is now way smaller, the back wall has somehow moved inwards. It will all disappear within 2 years is my guess.

GG in Camden is the best bet for Central London now, not a bad place and decent stock.

Cyberjunkie

I'll try and stretch my next break so I can make it to Camden and feedback.
If nothing else, The Stables can work their magic. 

...I still think it has an odd Blade Runner feel after dark. All those Chinese food stalls and neon. 

Guitar_Slinger

Christ on a bike, just remembered something!

Last Friday I picked up a Peavey Bandit with Sheffield speaker off eBay.  The reason I went for that model was because a mate bought one in Denmark Street 25 years ago, when he came  with me to collect my Fender Stage 112 amp from Mr Boogie.  25 years!

ToneControl

ToneControl

ToneControl

Guitar_Slinger

ToneControl said:

See that bloke on the left in the blue leather jacket?  That's me, that is, standing next to estheroid and wyniro, whilst texting @Bowks.

terada

I've given up on Denmark street at this point. Went to try and see if there were any slightly more obscure mini fuzzes there a week ago. Just found the same old stuff, but unlike other stores there is nowhere to play without bothering everyone, and it just feels really dingy.

On the other hand, went to Guitarguitar in Camden and the staff were helpful and there's more space to try stuff out. Same with the new PMT at Old Street.

Just such a shame that you can't check out a bunch of shops with varied stock all on the same street. 

Winny_Pooh

Crossrail is mostly to blame. Shops on the north side have had floorspace halved. Rising rent in that area means that time is numbered for what remains.

Phil_aka_Pip

Winny_Pooh said:

Crossrail is mostly to blame.

Next they'll be demolishing Earth to make way for a hyperspace bypass.

VimFuego

fucking vegans!!!