Favourite guitar shops?

Kebabkid

From the past, Chandler Guitars (Kew) and Gigsounds (Streatham).

Now, Guitar Guitar (Epsom) have been very good to me and for me, as have Andertons, Charlie Chandlers and Coda

Neilybob

My favourite/local guitar shop closed just before Christmas  

Went to the other guitar shop for a TRS short cable for my pedalboard. Shortest they had was 3m and straight jacks.  

Will have to drop into Anderton's when I am that way next  

fretfinder

prowla said:

Wazmeister said:

Coda Music.
Coda Music.
Coda Music.

StuartMac290 said:

Coda. 

Troglodyte said:

Another vote for Coda.

stickyfiddle said:

Coda is ace. No other comments

Interesting re. Coda

I've been there a few times but not seen anything interesting; the last time I went to Stevenage North I didn't go in.

I like tatty old basses, parts, oddments, projects, so I accept that I may not be their target clientele.

Coda gets my vote too. Basses are not their thing, nor odds and sods, so it’s not surprising that you don’t find what you want there. 

57Deluxe

Whitecat said:

Guitar Village in Farnham has very nice stuff and great staff but it’s a slightly “stuffier” experience

..if you consider visiting a 'frozen in time' insight to a medieval Long House stuffy...!

prowla

57Deluxe said:

Whitecat said:

Guitar Village in Farnham has very nice stuff and great staff but it’s a slightly “stuffier” experience

..if you consider visiting a 'frozen in time' insight to a medieval Long House stuffy...!

I've been there a few times and it can be an adventure finding some of the rooms.

Things there always seem to be a bit overpriced to me.

There's no parking at the shop, but there's a large Waitrose car park up a road a block or so back towards the town cente.

prowla

fretfinder said:

prowla said:

Wazmeister said:

Coda Music.
Coda Music.
Coda Music.

StuartMac290 said:

Coda. 

Troglodyte said:

Another vote for Coda.

stickyfiddle said:

Coda is ace. No other comments

Interesting re. Coda

I've been there a few times but not seen anything interesting; the last time I went to Stevenage North I didn't go in.

I like tatty old basses, parts, oddments, projects, so I accept that I may not be their target clientele.

Coda gets my vote too. Basses are not their thing, nor odds and sods, so it’s not surprising that you don’t find what you want there. 

Aye, but there is a decent Turkish restaurant towards the end of the road (don't eat too much bread though, as they just keep them coming and you realise you've overdone it when the mains arrive!).

Revolutions

I was spoilt growing up with Hanwell a few miles away & Denmark street 30 mins on the tube.

Denmark street still has some browsing value, but the pricing on 2nd hand gear is outrageous.

HAL9000

prowla said:

There's no parking at the shop, but there's a large Waitrose car park up a road a block or so back towards the town cente.

Fortunately (or unfortunately from Mrs9000’s POV) my son’s gaff is only a ten minute walk from GV.

YMMV

Zapple

Another vote for Coda!

LessPaul

Peach Guitars - Essex.
Sixty Sixty - Denmark street

Epsilon

Coda are fantastic. Best in the UK bar none.

GG are the best of the big chains. Tend to have a good secondhand selection and dedicated rooms to try stuff out in a bit of peace.

Andertons is usually fun, particularly the high end room. Their secondhand descriptions online leave much to be desired. Often good in-store discounts you won't see on the website. Avoid weekends if you want to have a bit of space to try stuff out.

Guitar Village - lovely building, but the experience is highly dependent on the mercurial nature of "The Boss" on whatever day you go. After my last experience I won't be back. Also overpriced.

Heard Peach are really good but no direct experience.

Neil

I'll put in a vote for GG in Epsom.

The staff there are always friendly and really helpful. 

mo6020

Another vote for Coda here. NoTom are the best on Denmark St imo. I've always had good experiences with Peach but haven't been in for a while.

Fingers657

GAK have excellent shops in Brighton that are worth a visit.
Guitar Guitar in Camden is also worth a visit.
The Legendary Mkaris historic music store left London and is now in Haywards Heath Sussex.
Deffo one to visit if you’ve not already.

LessPaul

mo6020 said:

Another vote for Coda here. NoTom are the best on Denmark St imo. I've always had good experiences with Peach but haven't been in for a while.

No Tom’s a great shout, but your going to need a healthy wallet.

1Strat2many

Kent, and SE london, near me is a Desert these days compared to a few decades ago. I tend to shop nowadays when on Holiday in and around East Sussex or Dorset, Bonners in Eastbourne has been great for me for many years and Oasis in Ringwood. Also Absolute Music was a good experience puchase-wise and for browsing.

mo6020

LessPaul said:

mo6020 said:

Another vote for Coda here. NoTom are the best on Denmark St imo. I've always had good experiences with Peach but haven't been in for a while.

No Tom’s a great shout, but your going to need a healthy wallet.

Yes, very much so. They are alright with you going in and playing pretty much anything, but the leave your cards at home if you don't have the capability to resist your compulsions in there... I speak from experience 

mo6020

1Strat2many said:

Kent, and SE london, near me is a Desert these days compared to a few decades ago. I tend to shop nowadays when on Holiday in and around East Sussex or Dorset, Bonners in Eastbourne has been great for me for many years and Oasis in Ringwood. Also Absolute Music was a good experience puchase-wise and for browsing.

Oasis and Absolute are both decent. I always try and pop in there when I'm back home in Dorset (which isn't as frequently as I'd like).

lovestrat74

I am nowhere near this shop but I get posts on FB from AMP Guitars in Macclesfield and they always have interesting stuff for sale. I also regularly pop into Guitar Classics in Battersea in my lunch "hour", but this has just closed for a refurb. Again, like AMP, has really interesting stock.

Mattharrier

I would have said Noiseworks in Coventry (pretty slim pickings around here) but as he's closing the shop to focus on repairs and building, it won't be around for much longer.