The Knowhere Guide

Making Music in Bristol, Bristol*

Bristol, Bristol Guitars and Instruments, Recording Studios, Rehearsal Rooms, PA Hire

Musical Instrument Shops and DJ Gear

• On the glouster road there is a drum and guitar shop which is good.
• The Spanish Guitar centre's nice
• Hamilton Caswell is a fantastic shop for the serious classical musician. Not a rip off at all and they really know what they are talking about.
• The Guitar Centre - Gloucester Rd
• Keynsham Music, in Keynsham (!!), Bristol! Bought my Wraith there a few weeks back. Owned by a really great guy who demo'd a few licks. Recommended!
• Heron Music, Whitehall Road. Good range of budget guitars. Friendly service
• Hobgoblin, of course. Park st.
• aroundabout Sound in Cheltenham is the one to go to...they have loads of gear and vintage/rare stuff too....and there is no hard sell from the staff
• sound control is good as it stocks loads of stuff and the staff are usually very helpful. Hobgoblin is also a decent shop as is the digital village.
• I go to hobgoblin music at the bottom of parkstreet.
• The Music Box Shop - see their website http://www.musicshopdirect.co.uk A good music shop, just on the outskirts of Bristol. Really cheap strings £3.99 a set.
• Walk up Old Market Street until it runs out, there on your left is an amazing amazing guitar shop run by a mentalist. Next to a retro record shop and opposite a tattoo parlour. Ace.
• sound control, rikaxxe
• There is a little one on Christmas Steps, if you can find it. also one on the road at the top of Christmas Steps
• Not exactly musical instruments but Arena in horfield is the best for disco equipment etc
• drum bank music shops gloster road
• bristol music shop
• Cremona house on Park Row is good for stringed instruments
• Dont Bother With Sound control- sure they have a good range but they're expensive and the service is poor. For Guitars try Elecrtic Lady land on old market right next to Trinity Police station. Its small n dusty but they wont hash up your guitar when u take it in for a setup!
• Sound Control (near bus station/broadmead)
• Can't remember the name, but it's on College Green. DON'T go to Hamilton Caswell in Perry Road, it's a rip-off.
• Drum Bank music on Gloucester Rd is the best place for drums and percussion.
• treblerock was alright, but then they closed it down...
• TrebleRock Music on St Michaels hill, Michleburgh's piano shop on Stoke's Croft
• Treblerock Music has its own website at www.treblerockmusic.co.uk. ProMusic sadly has ceased trading. Heron music is a small shop iun Whitehall Road, a few miles east of the city centre. Bristol Musical is a small shop selling mainly secondhand gear on Cotham Brow. Electric Ladyland is part shop, part museum of guitars and gear. I hope this info is useful.
• Hobgoblin music at the bottom of Park Street
• Sound Control - Huuuge sprawling centre shop. Everthing from synths to guitars to pianos and on.... Good prices too.
• St Michaels Hill has two well established and rival instrument shops - Treblerock and Pro Music. Both are good for Electric stuff. At the bottom of Park Street, on College Green, you will find Bristol Mucic Shop. The front is a sheet music heaven, the middle has Brass and Woodwind and the outback is a branch of Hobgoblin selling loads of more folky stuff. Christmas steps has a brass and woodwind shop. Heron Music is good for electric stuff and Electric Ladyland in Old Market is brilliant for collectable and classic old guitars.
• Another place to be seen at in Bristol...X-MUSIC, it has a wide range of electronic musical instruments such as keyboards, synths, midi instruments, sound modules. All with the best tecchy backup on the planet. Part of Richer Sounds I believe.

Recording Studios, Rehearsal Rooms, PA Hire

• Im not totally sure, but this may be a recording studio number - 07788973387 - sorry if im wrong.
• Bose PA hire for quality PAs at low prices, starting at £40, look at www.bosePAhire.com for full details
• Supersonix Studios - Fantastic production facility just off J21 M5 near w-s-m specializes in artist/band development and studio experience gifts. Pro-tools TDM and great live areas and vibe.
• Thinking Productions Studios, Downleaze, Bristol www.thinkingproductions.co.uk
• MKM Studios - www.mackeysmusic.co.uk
• State of Art, Easton. Great sounding, good sized studio. Relaxed atmosphere, they've recorded everyone.
• My boat...
• Farmyard Studios is around 1 hour from Bristol, it's situated in the heart of the cotswold hills and provides free accomodation if you need it. The lastest Rita Lynch album was done there and it rocks, a great studio that doesn't cost the earth to use. You can even request a free demo CD of some tracks recorded there. Check out www.farmyardstudios.co.uk.
• Optimum Mastering - vinyl and cd mastering. Brand new state of the art mastering facility.
• Front Line studios in St Pauls is pretty good. A little bit run down but pretty cheap and everything works - staff are really helpful and big practice rooms which always seem to be available. May be closing in the not-too-distant future so come and support 'em!
• ARENA PA AND DISCO HIRE BRISTOL IS VERY GOOD FOR EQUIPMENT
• Arena event hire in horfield, very good, all sorts of PA, disco and bouncy castle stuff to hire or buy
• dockside studios, on the dockside funnyily enough...
• F8M.com - an established recording studio, recently moved to Redland in Bristol. Excellent facilities and competitive rates. Also music production, sequencing, orchestration etc. www.f8m.com

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Last updated: 2008-04-21