Bygone music/bass shops you were fond of?

[chris_b]

2 hours ago, jonno1981 said:

Bassgear 🥲

Salt of the earth blokes running it. Brands you couldn’t get anywhere else. Interesting secondhand selection. No horrible salesman pressure to buy anything. 

 

+1

 

Bassgear was a great place. Played my first Fodera basses there.

[Mykesbass]

Used to regularly visit Shaftesbury Avenue and Charing Cross Road as a kid, but the shop I remember most fondly, and the cause of my Peavey T40 gas was Nolan's in Forest Hill, South London. Run by two very friendly Irish guys. Had one of their own amps, a very good, but very impractical copy of a Fender Twin.

[Skybone]

Hessey's in Liverpool is long gone. Only ever bought a couple of things from them, as they were too expensive for my pocket at the time, but tons of drool-worthy gear. Famed for where The Beatles bought some of their equipment.

 

There used to be another shop on Woolton Road IIRC, but I can't recall the name.

 

Curley's was always my favourite when it was on Stanley St. (next door to Hessey's, and round the corner from Probe Records), always used to have a good selection of basses in. They're still going, now on Renshaw St. where Taskers used to be.

[asingardenof]

I bought my trusty Squier Precision from John Scheerer & Sons in 1998. At the time it was based in the Merrion Centre in Leeds, and had been trading for around 140 years at the time of its closure about 15 years ago.

 

Photo credit: https://highwooddrums.co.uk/news/140-years-a-musical-instrument-institution

 

It's now a Costa.

Edited 4 hours ago by asingardenof
Added photo

[djc63]

17 hours ago, Mykesbass said:

Used to regularly visit Shaftesbury Avenue and Charing Cross Road as a kid, but the shop I remember most fondly, and the cause of my Peavey T40 gas was Nolan's in Forest Hill, South London. Run by two very friendly Irish guys. Had one of their own amps, a very good, but very impractical copy of a Fender Twin.

I remember Nolans. Being originally from forest hill I remember my dad taking me there at a very young age. That shop sparked a life long passion for all things guitar!

But most of all I remember Music House in Catford, SE London.  I'd spend most Saturdays there annoying the staff! Bought my first proper bass there, Yamaha bb800, got my first real gig there thanks to Brian the manager recommending me. 

Great times they were.

[Mykesbass]

18 minutes ago, djc63 said:

I remember Nolans. Being originally from forest hill I remember my dad taking me there at a very young age. That shop sparked a life long passion for all things guitar!

But most of all I remember Music House in Catford, SE London.  I'd spend most Saturdays there annoying the staff! Bought my first proper bass there, Yamaha bb800, got my first real gig there thanks to Brian the manager recommending me. 

Great times they were.

Crazy to think how many there were - Len Stiles in Lewisham, one on Peckham Rye, and one just around the corner from Camberwell Green. All just a walk or short bus ride away! Getting proper nostalgic now 

[djc63]

1 hour ago, Mykesbass said:

Crazy to think how many there were - Len Stiles in Lewisham, one on Peckham Rye, and one just around the corner from Camberwell Green. All just a walk or short bus ride away! Getting proper nostalgic now 

Forgot about Len stiles, my first job was a stones throw from there so often had a lunchtime browse in there. 

There was also gigsounds in Streatham and Wing music in Sidcup.