I'm leaving for Europe next saturday, and the last few days of our 2 week trip'll be in London. I need to know some good bass stores that I can go to. I mean boutique type stores- places that I can't find in america. but I'm basically looking for input on anything and everything. the reason I put this in the effects forum is because I highly doubt I'd easily be able to bring a bass or amp equipment back to the states with me. but I'd probably be able to get a cool pedal without a problem. but please just post any cool bass shop that I should check out. or, any "europe only" gear that I should look into. here's one place I found. I really want to try out a D*A*M ezekiel 25:17 bass disto pedal. this place apparently has 'em... http://www.vintageandrareguitars.com/index.cfm?method=site.product_list&category_id=71 Vintage and Rare Guitars 6 Denmark Street London WC2H 8LX
By far the best boutique bass store in London (and probably Europe), is The Gallery at 142 Royal College Street, Camden, London - only 5 mins walk from Camden Town tube station http://www.thebassgallery.com/index2.html Martin, John and Alex will make you welcome. Loads of stuff to choose from - they have Alembic, Nordy, Fender, Lakland, Warwick, Celinder, acoustics, electric uprights, amps galore, as well as vintage Fender stuff too. Plus, they make Sei basses there as well http://www.seibass.com/ I'm currently having my 8th Sei bass made for me - a fretless singlecut 5 - here's pics of i in construction, plus a couple of pics of my fretted Singlecut 5 {} {} {} {} {}
Hmmmmmm, if it is pedals you are after then i would save your money. Pedals are significantly cheaper in the States than they are over here. Probably the only pedals you would save money on would be anything by Coloursound.
Yeah, that's true - get your pedals in the States. However, if you want to try out some nice instruments - get along to The Gallery
avoid Denmark Street at all costs. Apart from the fact that everything is more expensive than anywhere else in London, I have always found most of the staff have that "I know best"-looking-down-their-nose-at-you kind of attitude. The Gallery in Camden is very good though. Just a shame about the rest of Camden!
+1,000,000!!! Expensive. Rude. Cr@p. And the Bass Cellar there is the worst of all the shops IMHO. The other shops there don't have much bass gear anyway. Avoid like the plague! Bass Gallery in Camden or Bass Centre by Liverpool Street (see http://www.basscentre.com/). They're the only ones worth making a trip to IMHO.
thanks for all the input. Looks like I'll definitely be checking out The Gallery, and Bass Centre. In the ever so slight chance that I find a bass I just "have to get", how would I go about bringing it back over seas with me? any other cool places I should visit (doesn't have to be bass related) I should see when over there?
The Dali exhibition is good, also try so hard to see a West End show, it is a hell of an experience!! If you find yourself near Brighton you could go to GAK, probably the best guitar shop in Britain, IMO.
+1 GAK is the dogs b*llocks, I could happily spend a day in there. It's like a playground. Good points about Bass Gallery and Bass Centre too, the only two places worth visiting in London IMO, Denmark street just has a lot of fairly average shops in my experiance. Britain's Tin Pan Alley is dead :scowl:
In that chance, if I were you I would just go back to the States, try to find a similar model or get over it and forget it. With the pound/dollar ratio, the price when translated to dollars will be way, WAY off the bass' value, at least to an american. The bass gallery is very expensive on most stuff even for european standards. Pay a visit by all means, they're friendly and all, but personally I would have a very difficult time trying to justify the price of a bass from the Gallery to myself.
I think you mean a*se end of. Denmark street in my opinion anyway, is crap. It's basically a tourist trap in the centre of London, unfriendly, and unhelpful shops selling stuff that you'd get anywhere else for a lot less money. Definately visit the Gallery, and I agree with Dragonlord about the market and Camden lock, both are worth visiting while you're there. I tend to catch the tube to Baker street and walk through Regents park into Camden, a nice 15 minute walk, especially this time of year.
I used to live in the UK and its pricey!! Id go to Macaris for a look and thats about it EDIT: Thats in regard to effects anyway.
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