The Knowhere Guide

Making Music in Ealing, Greater London*

Ealing, Greater London Guitars and Instruments, Recording Studios, Rehearsal Rooms, PA Hire

Musical Instrument Shops and DJ Gear

• Michael White near Ellen Wilkinson just off Hanger Lane is quite good. Daniel's in West Ealing used to have a music department but I think it closed...
• Michael Whites near North Ealing Station tho be careful as they are quite suspicious of people trying to pinch stuff.
• Daniels is indeed a fine shop to buy electric guitars, they always have 200 prams and les pauls in stock at all times.I also went to Peter Cooks and was very well served by "the hairy guy" apparently he used to be bald , but after a significant win on the "gee gees" he invested in a course of minoxidil and now sports a magnificent mane of aubern hair. good deals, fab beards + horseshoe bob(cult recording star)
• Just ask for horseshoe bob!
• Historical rather than current, but Jim Marshall's original shop was in Uxbridge Road, Hanwell, almost next door to where the Flying Pig is now. He moved to Ealing Broadway in about 1970, to a much larger shop - roughly opposite where WH Smith stands - which was demolished to make way for the Ealing Broadway Centre. I'd use Cook's in preference to the Pig anytime.
• In Hanwell Town centre they do 3 great guitar shops. Peter Cooks Guitar World, The Flying Pig and Un Plugged. Un Plugged is only good for accoustic though, The Flying Pig isn't bad but dont do many basses good for Fenders and Peter Cooks are great for Gibsons and guitars that you would normally have to go on the internet to find from the USA, kinda pricey though.
• flying pig. uxbrigde road. on the way to ealing hospital - 207 bus
• Daniels used to be good for guitar stuff, not sure now. Try Flying PIg in Hanwell...
• Rehearsal Studios Ealing London, loz vegas music http://www.lozvegasmusic.co.uk
• peter cooks and flying (dont touch that unless you are buying) pigs oh and unplugged, should however try out vegas soundhouse!!! in perivale vegassoundhouse.com
• Daniels sell guitar strings, music and instruments (Uxbridge road, west ealing)
• Music Trading Company in Churchfield Road Acton has a decent range of second hand stuff, but mostly lower end stuff although there is the occasional heavy weight. Right by Acton Central Station, just turn left from either exit.
• I'm also a 40-something "suit" (well OK, jeans & T-shirt)& I often find Guitar shops intimidating, but Peter Cook's was fine, and the "Bald Guy" was great, very understanding & helpful. Very good prices on Fender guitars & small practice Amps. Contrary to some confusing instructions posted above, the shop is at 69 Station Road, which is directly opposite where Boston Rd. joins the Uxbridge Rd (at Hanwell Broadway);- walk through the bollards and its about 100 meters up on the right. By the way Jim Marshall's amp certainly wasn't a mistake!
• Just read some critisism of "The Bald Guy" from Peter Cook's guitar shop. I went in recently and got not only great advice but quite a bit of his time, a basic demo of the various bits I was interested in and a chance to try them out for myself. The Bald guy was great!
• I was sorry to read that someone found the service in Peter Cook's Guitar World was not too good ( The Bald Guy ) I went there as a '50 something suit', they all could not have been more helpful, also on the phone too, before I went in person. Don't be put off, it's a great shop, if rather unstructured.
• Best electric guitar prices in London (if not the whole country)at Peter Cook's Guitar World in Station Road, Hanwell..Great selection too but don't expect great service - especially from the bald guy.
• there is another shop called peter cooks guitar world up station road same owner as unpluged.
• Re: Guitar shops in Ealing/Hanwell.Not two but three and the best was mised i.e. the world famous but hard to find if you dont get off the 207 bus-Peter Cooks,hang a right at the Duke of York pub and wallk till u smell trees& I dont work there only spend overdrafts at it
• Historic note! Jim Marshall had his shop in Ealing broadway,and its is from here that his copy of an American Guitar Amp went wrong, and provided too much distortion Fortune shine'd on Jim,thew sound was exactly what young guitarists Eric Clapton Peter Green,Jimmy Page,Jimi Hendrix ect. wanted,THE SOUND OF ROCK WAS BORN IN EALING
• the 2 guitar shops in hanwell mentioned briefly above are both on uxbridge road, a little further on from ealing hospital, i think the place is called 'hanwell broadway' (???). one of the shops is called 'unplugged' and the other's called 'flying pig instruments', they're pretty near to each other (how convenient). unplugged is opposite those underground toilet things which are never open (by the clock), and near the king's arms pub; it's a tiny little shop and they sell acoustic guitars and weird stuff like mandalins, no electric stuff (hence the name, 'unplugged'). flying pig is further along, between that LIDLs place and that big gym; it's a lot larger and sells electric guitars and saddos like me like to stand outside and drool over the guitars in the window (i've got my eye on that les paul so keep yer grubby mits OFF!!). but if you just wanna buy strings or picks or something then i recommend you go to unplugged cos the guys in flying pig suffer from severe stress... probably something to do with the work environment, being cooped up in the dark with only musos as company can't be good for you. the guy in unplugged is really friendly though. oh, and there's a piano tuning and repair shop almost directly opposite 'unplugged', it's on the other side of those underground toilets (yes, the ones that are never open). - matt
• one in acton
• There are two guitar shops in Hanwell.

Recording Studios, Rehearsal Rooms, PA Hire

• Want a reasonably priced recording studio? Boomtown Studio in Valetta Road is highly recommended. The guy who runs it really knows what he's doing!
• There are quite a few rooms dotted around Acton, Shepherd's Bush and Hammersmith. Check in the paper for the cheapest.
• survival studios in Acton
• Loz Vegas Music
• Loz vegas music is well cool!! its got 3 rooms and some cool kit they sell stuff to heres the link http://www.lozvegasmusic.co.uk this place is cool and they will make you tea or coffee if you want and they wont charge you a dime!!! how coool

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Last updated: 2008-02-15