Hello STW, is there any chance I could ask for some advice or recomendations please?
I'm lucky enough to have a couple days in London next weekend by miself either side of a gig, (quite excited I am). Anyway, I play guitar - not well enough to join the Guitarist thread on here, but enough to enjoy an evening or 2 while Mrs. Cyclebiker watches trash on the tele...
Can I ask if anyone can recomend a / some used shops to go to that might be off the beaten track where I could admire the pedals / gituars on offer please? While I might take a trip to "Vintage and Rare" I'm in no way able to purcahse anything from there...so hidden gems are more than welcome.
I'm staying in central London, but will happily sit on a tube for a bit to get somewhere.
Many thanks
A couple of decent shops on Denmark Street last time I was there.
Denmark Street..... Or simply buy whatever they're selling for about 25% less online....
Denmark Street is an essential nostalgia trip for any middle aged guitar fan but not a sensible place for somebody hoping to buy anything at a sensible price.
I enjoyed my hour of browsing there the other month.
I'm sure there must be a suitable shop in That London, but if you're willing to travel a bit it appears Guilford is about an hour away and home to Andertons which looks as though it should have a decent range of affordable guitars.
London must have something though!
PMT have a shop over near Old Street. It is a fair bit smaller than most of their superstores, but worth a look if you are near that way. Otherwise Denmark street is always worth a mooch - try out the really expensive guitars even if you arent going to buy them. You might be surprised how good the cheap ones are by comparison!
I found the Roland store on Denmark steet had a good selection of pedals to play with (although only a couple of guitars when I was there)
GuitarGuitar in Camden for new and used?
The Denmark street shops do seem overpriced but it's always worth trying to haggle. I did and got a Malekko B:assmaster pedal for a very reasonable price and they chucked in a good quality guitar cable as well.
It's years since I've looked down Denmark St (assuming it's the one off charring cross rd with all the guitar shops 🤔) but re the 'get it cheaper online' comment, really not necessarily.
Most online sellers have a physical shop including on Denmark St eg https://reverb.com/uk/shop/hanks
(tbf and knowing little of posh guitars, those prices are a bit ouch)
but it's a lot easier to haggle in an actual shop. And where similar shops cluster together can be where you find the best deals.
(Accidentally bought a guitar last week for the first time in a few years from an actual shop - with a reverb site - for £100 less than asking, with a decent soft case thrown in.)
Denmark Street's an absolute ghost of its former self now, on the plus side is has some ****y bars and a TK Maxx. But there's still enough, close together, to make it totally worth the visit.
Huge thanks all. Seems like I have a few to look around and some pins to put in Google maps. I know of Denmark Street but have never been there (usually have children in tow).
@wordnumb, I'll try and position myself to try catch flying guitars...I'm sure they would not miss one.
The next challenge might be to sneak something into the house 😃
You might be able to pick something up at the gig.
Just shout out it’s your birthday! One bloke did at a gig I was at, Elbow, at the O2. Guy heard him, walked down to the end of the gangway and asked the blokes name, then Guy got the whole of the O2 to sing ‘Happy Birthday’ to him. Then the band played the next song in the set, during which Guy played guitar. When he finished, he walked back down to the end of the gangway, and gestured to the bloke to come up the barrier, and when he did, Guy said “here you are mate, Happy Birthday” and handed him the guitar! A few minutes later, a roadie went down to the barrier, carrying the case, and handed that over as well! Cue a lot of people shouting out it was their birthday. 🤣
Just checked back, that Elbow gig was December 2012! Time flies, etc…
Thanks, not sure I'll be heard. But I'll give it a shot...
Denmark street is shit
Guitarguitar in Epsom possibly worth a visit
Realistically all the half way decent shops are gone now
But for me Coda music in old Stevenage is the only place worth a visit - electric shop and acoustic shop around the corner
Guitarguitar in Camden if you are truely desperate
Also please don't feel intimidated by the "guitarists of Singletrack" thread. You _have_ to post pics if you get something
Thanks all for your input. Hopefully the train will be running tomorrow and I'll get to the big smoke.
I'll do some wondering and possibly purchase something to make more noise with at home. I'll reply here and post in the guitarist thread (no playing though)
Have a good one. Hope they play that one with the galloping bass line for you.
