Watford area guitar shops

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So the girls are having an outing to the Harry Potter studios and I'll find myself with 4 or 5 hours to kill.  I see that Coda is a possibility.  Anywhere else I should consider?
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  • SnagsSnags Frets: 5326
    There are/used to be a couple in St. Albans although smaller and generally less interesting/wallet threatening than Coda.
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  • JohnnysevenJohnnyseven Frets: 905
    edited October 2018
    There used to be some music shops on Queens Road. Not sure if they're still there.
    My trading feedback can be seen here - http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/58242/
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  • PVO_DavePVO_Dave Frets: 2364
    edited October 2018
    There used to be some music shops on Queens Road. Not sure if they're still there.
    There is one, but not sure I'd recommend it. I went in to try and buy some strap locks, they looked at me as if I was some kind of wizard (all low end guitars too).

    Suggest Coda in Stevenage is your best bet :)
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  • None, unfortunately. Your nearest options are very small stores in St Albans or Hemel Hempstead.
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  • If you have a few hours and really want to go guitar shopping, take a train into London.
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  • crunchmancrunchman Frets: 11411
    edited October 2018
    If you have a few hours and really want to go guitar shopping, take a train into London.
    You would be better off driving to Coda or even Guitar Village.  That would probably only be about 25 minutes from the M25/M3 junction, so should be less than an hour if the traffic is ok.
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  • JalapenoJalapeno Frets: 6378
    edited October 2018
    Coda in Stevenage or Vintage & Modern in Thame are both great places - I'd say they're about the same distance from Watford - 1.5 hrs round trip.  Doing both would take a lot longer.
    Imagine something sharp and witty here ......

    Feedback
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  • crunchman said:
    If you have a few hours and really want to go guitar shopping, take a train into London.
    You would be better off driving to Coda or even Guitar Village.  That would probably only be about 25 minutes from the M25/M3 junction, so should be less than an hour if the traffic is ok.
    My gf lives near GV and I often work in Watford - you'd need a helicopter to do that trip in less than an hour. Various trains go from Watford to London taking half hour or less.
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  • crunchmancrunchman Frets: 11411
    crunchman said:
    If you have a few hours and really want to go guitar shopping, take a train into London.
    You would be better off driving to Coda or even Guitar Village.  That would probably only be about 25 minutes from the M25/M3 junction, so should be less than an hour if the traffic is ok.
    My gf lives near GV and I often work in Watford - you'd need a helicopter to do that trip in less than an hour. Various trains go from Watford to London taking half hour or less.


    Google says 59 minutes:

    https://www.google.com/search?q=watford+to+farnham&sourceid=ie7&rls=com.microsoft:en-GB:IE-Address&ie=&oe=&safe=active&gws_rd=ssl

    Train only gets you as far as Euston.  You then have to get to a decent guitar shop.  That will be at least another 10 minutes - maybe more given that some would argue there are no good shops left in Denmark Street.

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  • BluebeardBluebeard Frets: 228
    edited October 2018
    Wembly Music Centre is not too far from Watford. They have a huge selection of drums and a big guitar selection as well. Haven't been there in a fair few years though so it might have changed. 
    https://www.wembleymusiccentre.com/
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  • Another option is Edgware Music in Edgware (not Edgware Road!!). Everything is old and interesting, and it's a bit of an Aladdin's Cave (even if the owner was literally dancing round the shop on the day the Brexit vote came through).
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  • skunkwerxskunkwerx Frets: 6838
    You mean you don't want to spend it drinking butterbeer and waving your wand about? 


    The only easy day, was yesterday...
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  • DominicDominic Frets: 16004
    Coda will take you 45 mins
    no point going anywhere else...........it's all there unless you want cranky, quirky ,vintage or stolen ( cash converters )
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  • FretwiredFretwired Frets: 24601
    Coda has two stores near each other - one is dedicated to acoustic guitars and the other does everything else - good stock of Fenders, Gibsons, PRS etc. Great place to spend a few hours and you can usually noodle away to your hearts content. Some nice cafes nearby if you want something to eat.

    Remember, it's easier to criticise than create!
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  • JalapenoJalapeno Frets: 6378
    Fretwired said:
    Coda has two stores near each other - one is dedicated to acoustic guitars and the other does everything else - good stock of Fenders, Gibsons, PRS etc. Great place to spend a few hours and you can usually noodle away to your hearts content. Some nice cafes nearby if you want something to eat.
    And friendly staff.

    Vintage & Modern in Thame is pretty similar tbh, packed shop of goodies and nice staff.
    Imagine something sharp and witty here ......

    Feedback
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  • There used to be some music shops on Queens Road. Not sure if they're still there.
    A lot of Queens Road is no longer there. I bought my first guitar from Hammonds on the lower High St in 1974
    "Working" software has only unobserved bugs. (Parroty Error: Pieces of Nine! Pieces of Nine!)
    Seriously: If you value it, take/fetch it yourself
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  • StevepageStevepage Frets: 3037
    There used to be some music shops on Queens Road. Not sure if they're still there.
    A lot of Queens Road is no longer there. I bought my first guitar from Hammonds on the lower High St in 1974
    The last remaining music shop in Queens Road closed recently. There's one shop on St Albans road but it's not worth visiting.

    There's the music dept in St Albans but that's not what it used to be either.

    Best ones are Coda in Stevenage or Wembley Guitar Centre if you're heading that way.
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  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14320
    There used to be some music shops on Queens Road. Not sure if they're still there.
    A lot of Queens Road is no longer there.
    Major redevelopment between the High Street and the Eastern half of the ring road to make way for shopping precincts. :(


    Be seeing you.
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  • Watford was a tip before a lot of it got "redeveloped". It is still a tip afterwards.
    "Working" software has only unobserved bugs. (Parroty Error: Pieces of Nine! Pieces of Nine!)
    Seriously: If you value it, take/fetch it yourself
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  • FretwiredFretwired Frets: 24601
    Watford was a tip before a lot of it got "redeveloped". It is still a tip afterwards.
    Not so. Some nice areas in Watford with multi-million pound homes. I worked there in the 1990s and it boasted two excellent guitar stores and one of the UK's top hi-fi shops near by with some decent pubs and an excellent music scene. Sadly the shops have closed.

    Remember, it's easier to criticise than create!
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