Best store to visit in London?

[azzy_wazzy]

Right guys and gals - in your humble opinions, which store is the best for me to visit in London tomorrow?

I'm there on business but have a couple of hours between meetings. I'm thinking of going either to Denmark Street and perusing all the stores there for MM and Markbass, however the Bass Centre on Brune St is tempting!

EB guys - any recommendations (not sure if you have preferences!)

Peeps - any advice gratefully received - I only really have time to go to one bit of London - I've got between 11 and 1:45 - and I need to find some food to - so unfortunately both aren't doable.

Would be good to get my mitts on a Bongo tomorrow! (Seeing as I was too scared to do anything but touch the ones I saw in Germany... I'm such a wuss.)

Yay for big stores in London - oooh I'm all excited

 

[Paul_C]

the only shop I've seen a Bongo in was the one on Denmark St. (Bass Cellar IIRC) I wouldn't call it a big shop, though they have enough gear crammed in for a bigger shop

MMs were quite thin on the ground in The Bass Centre the last time I was in, though The Bass Gallery have a few.

P.

 

[dlloyd]

Right guys and gals - in your humble opinions, which store is the best for me to visit in London tomorrow?

I'm there on business but have a couple of hours between meetings. I'm thinking of going either to Denmark Street and perusing all the stores there for MM and Markbass, however the Bass Centre on Brune St is tempting!

EB guys - any recommendations (not sure if you have preferences!)

Peeps - any advice gratefully received - I only really have time to go to one bit of London - I've got between 11 and 1:45 - and I need to find some food to - so unfortunately both aren't doable.

Would be good to get my mitts on a Bongo tomorrow! (Seeing as I was too scared to do anything but touch the ones I saw in Germany... I'm such a wuss.)

Yay for big stores in London - oooh I'm all excited

Denmark Street has a reputation for being expensive.

The Bass Centre is where I got my bass, albeit from their sister store in Birmingham. Three years ago. Which I guess doesn't really qualify me to talk about it...

It doesn't look like you'll have time to go up to Camden to the Bass Gallery, so I'd head to the Bass Centre personally.

 

[azzy_wazzy]

the only shop I've seen a Bongo in was the one on Denmark St. (Bass Cellar IIRC) I wouldn't call it a big shop, though they have enough gear crammed in for a bigger shop

MMs were quite thin on the ground in The Bass Centre the last time I was in, though The Bass Gallery have a few.

P.

Denmark St is defo the easiest to get to - I'm around the Covent Garden area and then the Tott Court Road area, so it's not at all out of my way. Plus it means I can guitar shop for the other half I guess. Aaaargh so many shops so little time

It's not the end of the world if I can't find a Bongo - checking out amps is the main aim of tomorrow for me I think - a Bongo would be an added bonus

 

[tkarter]

Your hubby said look for a Wal Mart.

tk

 

[Jim_F]

Hi Azzy

Yes - considering time constraints and where you are in Covent Garden, Tottenham Court Rd and Denmark St are probably the best bets.

The Bass Cellar always has some MMs in and is good for a bit of window shopping.
I keep meaning to try out the new Trace Elliott amp range in there.

And you've got some great vintage guitar shops in Denmark St too. Andy's is always worth a look in for 6-strings, but the bass section upstairs is usually pretty low on bass guitars.

Hope you enjoy your visit.

 

[roballanson]

Azzy forget London and head to Bury St Edmunds......EB dealer and Trace dealer. PLenty to keep you going...

 

[oldbluebassman]

Denmark Street is very expensive and the customer service is reputedly appalling. There is quite a good Sound Control in the basement of the Virgin Megastore at that end of Oxford Street. Last time I was there they had a load of MMs.

If you had the time I would suggest The Gallery in Camden Town but it's bit of a hike.

 

[JB1]

Azzy,

If I'd seen this earlier, I'd have met you at Liverpool Street and taken you to the BassCentre myself!

I might even have wangled you a discount.

Sorry, hope you found what you wanted.

J

 

[dlloyd]

The Bass Cellar always has some MMs in and is good for a bit of window shopping.

They're also good at confusing theirselves.

But equally quick at correcting listings when required

 

[LeftyLB]

I found the Gallery a bit chaotic and cramped. The Bass Centre has gone down hill since it combined with House of Guitars and I soon get fed up looking at pretty much the same gear in each of the Tin Pan Alley shops.

But the thats the price of being left-handed. Sod all to try and you end up walking out because of some noisey so and so slapping at 200 decibels on a ****e sounding bass.

On a brighter note. youtube.com: What a revelation!! Working from home tomorrow so can see plenty of time watching videos of messrs Pastorious, King, Foxton, Sumner, Levin, Butler.

TLev with PG in 1978!!

 

[roballanson]

Come on Azzy....what did you buy????

 

[azzy_wazzy]

Come on Azzy....what did you buy????

Sheesh - give a girl a chance! Just got back in!

Thanks for the reqs everyone - I decided to go to the Bass Centre in Whitechapel, and promptly regretted it after managing to get lost for an hour and then getting rained on. I blame stupid map from Google and lack of street signs - the map honestly didn't match the landscape in front of me, and yes, I have heard the blonde/woman/map jokes so don't start now

However once I eventually found the store (this pleased me as I wasn't particularly enjoying my stroll in Jack-The-Ripper territory) it was made almost worth it by my espying a 4 string Stealth Bongo on the wall. I took it down and had it plugged into a Mark Bass Little Mark 2 and 2x10 standard cab.

The Markbass gear, I loved
The Bongo, I liked a lot - liked the weight of it, and the looks - neck took a bit of getting used to, but reckon I'd be ok with practice.

Store in general, I didn't like. Maybe it's a woman thing (I think it must be since other people have had good success in that store, or maybe the fact that I'd come in soggy off the street after getting rained on) but the bloke downstairs, to put it politely, was an ars*hole. Looked at me like I was gone out of my head when I a) asked for the Bongo, and b) asked him to plug it into said amps. I won't bore you with what else this idiot did and how rude he was, but I have come to the conclusion that me and that store don't mix Never mind the fact that I've never played in a store before and I felt naked sat there with everyone watching and listening eeep!

So in short, I didn't buy anything - but I now know that I WANT to and WILL buy Markbass gear - not sure whether it will be seps or combo, as my Fender Jazz playing shop assistant refused to have a conversation with me and help me decide on a potential purchase.

Still, a Bongo may be in my future - it was a HH I tried - the only one in the store, so I couldn't try a H, and there were no Sterlings to a/b them with.

Hmm - long post with not much substance - yeah - I think I need to lay down - it's been a long day

 

[azzy_wazzy]

Aah there was a point - the point is, that Tiffles and me will now be visiting Denmark Street when we go to London in the next couple of weeks. And we'll likely drop in on DaveB and scare him on our way home

KNEW I had a point

 

[LowDownDave]

I've only heard bad things about the Bass Centre recently (especially on that "other" forum), so much so that I'd be reluctant to give them my business (though I did buy a strap from their online store a little while ago, and it only took 2 months to arrive)! I suppose I can at least appreciate the fact there is a store out there that carries Bongos and Mark Bass equipment (unlike in Birmingham, I suppose this city is just too small!) so it may be useful to try out the equipment before purchasing online (I believe this is what a number of Americans use GC for). But if I was to go to London (which I typically try to avoid) I think I've heard better things about the Bass Gallery.

But at least you've tried a Bongo Azzy, you're a step ahead of me in that area! Sounds like a scary ordeal, but with that over with I assume you can probably go into any shop now and try out their basses. I suffer from "I can't remember a single tune" syndrome when I try equipment out in shops. Most embarrassing, but I've heard I'm not the only sufferer.

 

[JB1]

Shame about your experience Azzy.

Since the BC moved from Wapping, it's not quite the same, but there was nothing they could do about it as their old building got sold off.

I always used to deal with 2 people there, a Canadian guy called Grant (haven't seen him lately) and Nick Owen (a member here an MM endorsee I believe), who is now more on the 'business' side.

Like I said, if I came by here more often I would have gladly arranged to come with you, get you there quicker and provide some moral support (I HATE playing in shops so I know how you feel).

I might have to go check that Stealth out for myself now!

Cheers
Jamie

 

[azzy_wazzy]

Shame about your experience Azzy.

Since the BC moved from Wapping, it's not quite the same, but there was nothing they could do about it as their old building got sold off.

I always used to deal with 2 people there, a Canadian guy called Grant (haven't seen him lately) and Nick Owen (a member here an MM endorsee I believe), who is now more on the 'business' side.

Like I said, if I came by here more often I would have gladly arranged to come with you, get you there quicker and provide some moral support (I HATE playing in shops so I know how you feel).

I might have to go check that Stealth out for myself now!

Cheers
Jamie

No probs Jamie! Do check out that Bongo if you can - tho the fretboard seems a tad dry!

Make me chuckle when I read posts about the BC on the "other" forum - I can identify with the bloke they refer to who seems more interested in picking up the phone on ring 1, rather than finishing the sentence he was uttering to a potential paying customer

No biggie - I was just glad that after playing some scales I could remember something to play! I think I suffer from the same syndrome as Dave..

BTW, I have a sleeping Tiffles on my sofa haha bless her. She's knackered.