Good, Big Guitar Shops in the South East

[Gizmo]

The best ones are:
Guitar Village
Guitarguitar
Peach
Coda-Music
Andertons
Trevor Durrants

Peach is quite small but its mainly higher end prs, fender & suhr so they have lots of those and not much low-mid budget stuff. I bought my PRS there.I dont remember a sound proof room though so if you dont like playing in the shop not ideal but a real gem of a shop.
Coda has two shops. It splits its stock so check what your after. Has a v nice boutique amp room in the one i went to and lots of CS fender and Gibson. I spent a day there playing until i bought my MB CS strat. Old barn type building much like Guitar village but smaller.
Guitarguitar - similar volume of PRS & suhr to Peach but its massive due to the low - mid range guitars. It has good boutique amp selections and lots sound rooms to turn them up!
Guitar village - just so good and old guitars as well.
Andertons - best Gibson dealer and massive. Has some good alternative high end amp options. Pretty much the go to shop for most things.

[Hammerheart]

I can only vouch for Andertons and Guitar Guitar (I live dangerously close to this store). Both are excellent stores but I'd say Andertons is probably better.

[clyde billt]

Charlie Chandlers Guitar Experience at Kingston upon Thames. Not big but some well sexy gear.
New Kings Road Guitars
Chandlers Guitars at Kew
Gig Sounds on Mitcham Lane (sarf landun). Always has a few nice gibsons.
The Guitar Store. opposite Southampton train station. Can't praise these guys highly enough. These are who I check out first if I'm buying new. Got a nice acoustic shop too

No-one ever seems to mention Angel Music on Denmark Street.
It's above the new Macaris shop ( I think). Not easy to spot but they have a great stock of vintage guitars and amps. They've always got a a few 60's or 70's marshall heads around and the guys are pleasant to talk to. Worth checking out.
Macaris on Charing Cross Road have the best stock of Les Pauls around I would say.

[dragonfire709]

Guitar Village is a great shop and has grown some over the years. Like someone else said allow a bit of time there. I haven't been in to spend some serious money (or any money!) for a few years but the guys in there always seem knowledgeable and helpful.

Cheers

Roy

[Johnny Mac]

Holiday Music/Strings Direct has got be worth a look as you're in Essex

They are a Koch dealer too  :lol:

Strings Direct & Holiday Music, Units 1 & 2, Roach View Business Park, Millhead Way, Purdeys Industrial Estate, Rochford, Essex ,SS4 1LB

[MrBump]

Holiday Music/Strings Direct has got be worth a look as you're in Essex

They are a Koch dealer too  :lol:

Strings Direct & Holiday Music, Units 1 & 2, Roach View Business Park, Millhead Way, Purdeys Industrial Estate, Rochford, Essex ,SS4 1LB

Yeah, I guess they're my local.  Not at all great - hardly any stock, mostly cheap, beginner gear.

[richard]

I've only dealt with Anderson's online and by phone. I had a problem with the amp I bought and I was very impressed with their customer service.

[MrBump]

So, just spent an hour or so at Peach this morning.

It was.. ok.

Thing is, they had loads of 2.5k + guitars - loads!  Lots of PRS, lots of Shur, lots of Fender CS and Les Pauls.  And a few sub £500 guitars.  But it kinda lacked the middle ground that I'm interested in.  No Miras - actually, one red Mira x that didn't seem too great.  They had a really nice Jeff Beck Strat, which I liked a lot.  And the best thing there, to my mind, was a Godin Core p90, which was really great at about 800 quid.  But apart from that, nothing much really grabbed me.

Will try Guitar Village when I get the chance.  But I suspect that the real problem is that I just don't know what I want.  I can see myself going the self build route again - my bitsa Tele is still one of the best guitars I've ever played...

[dave_mc]

^ not trying to enable your GAS or anything, but red dog music in edinburgh has a bunch of godins on sale currently. the p90 one is out of stock, but they have a couple of the humbucker core models for £500.

[MrBump]

^ not trying to enable your GAS or anything, but red dog music in edinburgh has a bunch of godins on sale currently. the p90 one is out of stock, but they have a couple of the humbucker core models for £500.

 :lol:

Thanks!  Judging by the one I played today, they're a whole lotta guitar for the money!

[dave_mc]

yeah i've liked the, er, one godin i've tried, but they seem pretty hard to find for some reason. at least in this part of the world :(

[Philly Q]

I've seen some of those Godins on eBay, they look good and seem quite reasonably priced.  I'd almost be tempted, were it not for the fact they undoubtedly have skinny necks.

[MrBump]

I've seen some of those Godins on eBay, they look good and seem quite reasonably priced.  I'd almost be tempted, were it not for the fact they undoubtedly have skinny necks.

Certainly not super skinny, PQ.  Not like a 60 SG, for example.  Or an Ibanez.

[Philly Q]

Problem is I've only been playing my LP Specials/Juniors recently - huge necks - so I've got used to that.  I would like to try those Godins, though.