Best shop for acoustics in South East?

scarry67 · August 2013

Enjoyed Hobgoblin in Canterbury today. No hassle from staff and played an Atkins model that fair took the breath away. Blueridge stuff impressive too but pricey. Where else can a man of Kent head to try out a nice range of acoustics? I fancy testing out some of the new Sigmas. Or is Denmark St the only way...

mcsdan · August 2013

Guitar Village?

http://guitarvillage.uk.com/

VimFuego · August 2013

depending on how far you're willing to go, CODA in Stevenage have an excellent acoustic section.

scarry67 · August 2013

Both are wonderful shops if a stretch on beloved M25. I could head Surreyward for GV and take in Andertons and even GuitarGuitar in Epsom if the spirit is willing. Upstairs at Stevenage Coda is one of my favourite places to ponder loans...

crunchman · August 2013

Ivor Mairants used to be very good. Haven't been in there for a while though. You can pop into Denmark St while you are there as well.

tonyrath · August 2013

Wunjo's are friendly and do not take part in the usual Denmark St attitudes. Mairants yes, Chappells do stuff other than Yamaha as well and are helpful

Jalapeno · August 2013

All of these are excellent suggestions !

bertie · August 2013

Hobgoblin (just up from Mairants on t'other side of t'road ?) have(had) a good selection of Blueridge (martin clones) if that floats yer boat.

But the last time I was there the strings on these were Timmyo'd

axisus · August 2013

Massive plus one for Guitar Village. I spent an enjoyable couple of hours there trying out a selection of acoustics, Taylors, Matons, Takamines etc. Coda has the 2 shops about 13 miles apart so you can get to both in the same session. Sadly we no longer have Machinehead, which was very conveniently placed beftween the two.

stickyfiddle · August 2013

I love Guitar Village and wish I lived there. Massive acoustic stock and a lovely place to visit.

Kebabkid · August 2013

scarry67 said:

Both are wonderful shops if a stretch on beloved M25. I could head Surreyward for GV and take in Andertons and even GuitarGuitar in Epsom if the spirit is willing. Upstairs at Stevenage Coda is one of my favourite places to ponder loans...

+1 to the "Surrey Trio". Good stock, good staff and good attitude, particularly Guitar Guitar.

scarry67 · August 2013

Agreed. The staff at GV are remarkably relaxed given their stock. There used to be a shop in Canterbury (which went bust) where one particular employee would follow you around the small shop scenting the potential for an imminent citizen's arrest. Most off putting. The American Guitar Centre in Tonbridge can be interesting but rarely economical.

fatherjack · August 2013

scarry67 said:

Agreed. The staff at GV are remarkably relaxed given their stock. There used to be a shop in Canterbury (which went bust) where one particular employee would follow you around the small shop scenting the potential for an imminent citizen's arrest. Most off putting. The American Guitar Centre in Tonbridge can be interesting but rarely economical.

Socodi, with such lovely charming owners.

scarry67 · August 2013

And they appeared to pay the price...

Pazmuzak · August 2013

Great selection and staff at Guitar Guitar!!! IMHO

matdotcodot · August 2013

If you are ever down Brighton way, there is a very small shop/workshop called Woodys in Baker street, The guy who runs it does a lot of set ups for Blueridge guitars at the Hobgoblin warehouse in Worthing, and he always has some nice Blueridge guitars ex-demo at really good prices, seen a few parlours and OMs with nearly £200 off before.
really nice bloke as well.

https://en-gb.facebook.com/pages/Woodys-Music/376828519061810

scarry67 · August 2013

I lived in Brighton as a student and still remember when what became GAK started as a tiny room in an indoor market. Woodys sounds good. Is Tiger Music still there? And what of Peter at Impact Music?! I left in 1994 alas to train as a teacher in Kent. A sorry move perhaps...

matdotcodot · August 2013

Sorry Tiger music is not around anymore although Brighton Guitars is in Sydney Street, (near where Tiger music was),and is pretty interesting, nice Stonebridge/Alvarez guitars upstairs, Alfies in the North Laine area is new and pretty good, lots of secondhand Japanese and Korean Strats / teles last time I checked,
I think Impact music is now called Badlands Guitars and is up by Preston Park, nice shop with the owner Graham running a blues jam night in town once a month

Bit spoilt for choice round these parts.

http://www.alfiesmusic.com/

ToneControl · October 2013

what about the specialist £3k+ shop in Brighton, with the biggest range of top-notch stuff I have ever seen?

http://www.theacousticmusicco.co.uk/

I am not aware of any other shop with this much stuff at this quality level, even the excellent Coda and Ivor Mairants do not compete, I suspect because the owner's objectives are more to do with stocking what he wants rather than doing more business selling cheaper stuff, which is a fair choice if you can accept the lower profits

Everybody who plays acoustic should visit this shop, if only to find out what you like the best and work your way to it. Other stores' stock is patchy in range in comparison

scarry67 · October 2013

Wow. Time for one of those new £2 lottery tickets... On a cheaper note, City Music in Canterbury had a used Faith Saturn for £189 last week.

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Best shop for acoustics in South East?

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