How far/close do you live from a decent guitar shop?

MagicPigDetective

I would like to share my Friday blues with living so far away from decent, well stocked guitar shops. With two young kids, work and endless chores, opportunities to go on a guitar safari are severely limited. I’m driving myself crazy with internet research without being able to try things out. There are a couple of smaller shops nearer but usually with cheap, used stuff.

 

My nearest chain dealer is Dawson’s in Chester ( 1h 40, 68 miles)

Nearest decent independent: Mid Wales Music Centre in Newtown, Powys is 1h33, 62 miles.

 

Does anyone else live in a land that guitar shops forgot?

olafgarten

I'm very lucky, I can get to GuitarGuitar Epsom in less than 15 minutes by car (without traffic) and Andertons is around 30 minutes away. 

If I want I can get a train to London in around 30 minutes, from there I can get the tube to Camden or Denmark Street. 

bbill335

Round the corner from Little guitar shop, 15 mins from fairdeal, 25 mins from PMT and guitarguitar (in opposite directions)

Schnozz

Nearest chain is GuitarGuitar in Newcastle and the nearest independent is probably Merchant City Music in Glasgow.

When I lived in Cardiff it was far easier!

I buy Yamaha and G&L Guitars blind, as I've never had a bad one - Had over 10 of them now.

The 2nd hand market is almost non-existent in Cumbria, so that's not an avenue for me.

Gagaryn

Reddog is my nearest, 1.5 miles from home, 1 mile home from my office

lasermonkey

Around 30 miles away from Coda.

CHRISB50

Charlie Chandlers is a 5 min drive, for set ups and repairs. 

Coda an hour and a bit. For buying guitars and amps.

That is all I need

Guitar Guitar in Epsom is about a 25 min drive. 

Andertons the same. 

Both the are shit for left handed guitarists like me however. Especially Andertons. So I don't really bother with either. 

crunchman

I'm still comparatively well off compared to the OP, but with Chandler's, all three of the Hanwell shops, and the old Digital Village in Acton gone I've got nothing that I'd call local any more.  There are some that are not that far off as the crow flies but could easily take the best part of an hour to get to with London traffic, and/or cost a fortune to park near.

EricTheWeary

Probably 20 minutes to GG, longer to PMT. In theory Fair Deal isn't that far but its awkward to get to and, well. they have famously shit service so it's a bit academic. I've never been to The Little Guitar Shop although that's about as long as PMT. 
I don't know if that helps. 
I used to go past (occasionally into)GG a lot and Friday afternoon is a horrible time to go as it's full of dentists finishing work early for the weekend playing Ticket to Ride on PRSs. So shelve those blues until Monday. 

fandango

Not wishing to rub it in, I've got three/four independents within approx 30 minutes drive, GuitarGuitar is about 50 minutes drive on a good day. And my tech is a quick 15 minutes drive.

not_the_dj

30-45mim drive to Birmingham and all that the fair city has to offer.

Richard's Guitars in Stratford is quite close to me, and there's an Express Music in Cov, but I still usually just got for the trip into Brum for GuitarGuitar and PMT.

Nikko

5 minute drive from my local store (Gig Gear), about 20 miles away from Coda

Not too shabby!

DaevidJ

15min away from PMT Leeds... Dawsons in the centre... 

richardhomer

Given it's size, Manchester's remarkably badly served by decent music shops. 

For acoutics Frailers in Runcorn is well worth the half-hour's drive, as is Amp Guitars in Macclesfield for used stuff.

None of the others merit a mention, really. 

RocknRollDave

Probably 10 mins from GuitarGuitar in Birmingham. 30 mins to PMT (it's not much further than GG, just a bit of a sod getting through the city centre from where I am)
Like @EricTheWeary I don't bother with Fair Deal, I just don't like the place.

professorben

Nothing in Peterborough, Music Street in Huntingdon is closest about 30 mins by car. 

Collings

I,m about 45 mins from the various shops in Birmingham but my last purchases have been guitars from World Guitars which is about 65 miles from me and Coda at around 100 miles. I don,t like buying guitars without trying them so its a case of calling up and letting them know im coming in to try something so they don't sell before get there.

Alterlifeson

Nearest is Mansons in Exeter, bought a few nice things from there and the staff have been very helpful. Luckily its only 40 minutes (ish) away so not too bad. I have driven to Andertons on a couple of occassions though, to get something I know Mansons doesn't have. Very nice shopping experience with them as well.

simonk

15 minutes from the excellent Project Music and Manson's in Exeter.
Secretly I want Bill Greenhalgh's on Fore Street back... the Grace Bros. of music shops.

Johnnyseven

I have Rock Bottom and Feline Guitars close to me in Croydon, plus I work in central London so i'm doing pretty well. Anyone who buys from the internet is partially to blame though for less local guitar shops.

Dopesick

Coda is about five miles away. Lovely really. Pity Stevenage is such a shithole.