recommended guitar shops in bristol?

[welly_59]

I'm off to bristol next weekend as my missus is taking our niece shopping for her birthday. I plan to skulk off and do a bit of guitar browsing while I'm there so does anyone have a recommendation for me? I'm left handed so preffereably somewhere which has a nice selection of lefties for me

[Parker]

Dont get too excited sadly!

If you dont have a vehicle: PMT, Music Room (There is a Hobgoblin up the road too, but the staff are terrible, so avoid unless you like folky stuff). Up in Clifton Village is a small DV247 that has some nioce Gibsons, but they dont seem to be restocking their guitar wall much these days. Across the road is a new, larger shop Treblerock. They have some nice secondhand stuff. All at high RRP, but they will usually haggle. If you fancy a blast-from-the-past experience, you need to see Steve in Electric Ladyland on Old Market Street. Very interesting shop and owner. Choose wisely, as you wont make all of them on foot unless you are uber fit and have time to burn.

If you have a car: Absolute Guitars in Backwell (just off the A370). He has some nice Fenders (closes at 1300 on a saturday). Not a lot of secondhand stuff though. Heron Music is worth a visit for old-school shop. Cars and Guitars in Kingswood is also worth a trip. I wouldnt bother with EMIS as its a bit too far out and he only has low-mid prisce guitars bar acouple of new old stock PRS that have unrealistic price tags. If you have a spare couple of hours, hit the M5 and go to Stonehouse to visit Jeff in World Guitars.

[Parker]

There are a couple more shops on Glocester Road - Mickleburghs which mainly sells pianos but has some Fenders etc. Much further up is a secondhand store that has some reasonable prices and the odd jem (the name eludes me currently). A bit further up again is the remnents of Drumbank Music that is now really a practise room with a few guitars on sale. Not terrible if you're in that area anyway.

[welly_59]

cheers parker, i'm not taking the car - its not worthwhile paying petrol and bridge tariff when the train is only a tenner. price of the stores is not really and important factor as im not planning to buy just want to have a look and a possible play if any catch my eye as the choice i have in swansea is diabolical

[Parker]

The city centre should quench your thirst for that option. Personnally, I would do PMT, Music Room, Rik Axe (forgot them! They're a few doors along behind Debbenhams) and Mickleburghs. Electric Ladyland is great and only a 10 minute walk from Cabot. Its like stepping back in time with old amps stacked at dangerous heights. Steve still smokes in his shop and has tall tales of the heady days of the Bristol music scene. He seems to know everyone. I have heard tales of people being thrown out as they have annnoyed him, so be nice! It reminds me a bit of a really messy Mo's Broadway if you recall them in Cardiff?

[bertie]

If you have a car: Absolute Guitars in Backwell (just off the A370). He has some nice Fenders (closes at 1300 on a saturday). Not a lot of secondhand stuff though. Heron Music is worth a visit for old-school shop. Cars and Guitars in Kingswood is also worth a trip. I wouldnt bother with EMIS as its a bit too far out and he only has low-mid prisce guitars bar acouple of new old stock PRS that have unrealistic price tags. If you have a spare couple of hours, hit the M5 and go to Stonehouse to visit Jeff in World Guitars.

or Intersound in Dursley, about 1/2 way between Bristol and Stonehouse

[Parker]

or Intersound in Dursley, about 1/2 way between Bristol and Stonehouse

+1 for Intersound. I only 'found' them fairly recently. Nice lads.

[ianpdq]

Cleavedon music would have been worth a visit as well if you had your car