When we become plagued with thoughts about the meaning of life and our time here on earth, many of us turn to music for the answer.
What we can’t comprehend or communicate in words, we can feel through the universal language of swirling symphonies, dramatic refrains, room-shifting drum beats and guitar solos which we feel in the depths of our soul. We’d try and describe the feeling further, but we’d probably need to write a song about it.
From browsing endless stacks at our favourite local record shops to plugging in at a local guitar store and strumming until we match the subliminal, hidden pitch in the back of our minds, there’s nothing quite like exploring the accoutrements of our special interests alongside experts in the field and lovers of all things music.
Denmark Street is known as the “spiritual home of music” in London. Also referred to as London’s “Tin Pan Alley” back in the 1950s, the street used to be known for storefronts specialising in metalwork but soon became synonymous with the countless music publishers which set up shop there.
Nestled discretely between Soho and Covent Garden, the widespread popularity of music publishers declined at the beginning of the 1960s, which meant that the commercial shop floors of the historical back alley became home to countless guitar shops and independent recording studios. The Sex Pistols lived above 6 Denmark Street and recorded their first demos there. The Rolling Stones recorded at Regent Sounds Studio at No. 4, while the likes of David Bowie socialised at The Gioconda café a few doors down at No.9. Denmark Street is shrouded in Rock n Roll history, making it the perfect place to buy a spanking new guitar – just like Ronnie Wood would’ve done in between sessions.
But since lockdown, physical music shops have slowly but surely been closing their doors. An invasion of developers from 2015 onwards has left many enthusiasts bereft of the opportunity to shop on Denmark Street, its character slowly being sucked away in favour of commemorative blue plaques.
Yet, who knows - showing an interest online might just prompt your favourite retailers to take on London rent prices and open up shop again, even if it’s not on Denmark Street.
We’ve rounded up a selection of the best online music shops for all your instrumental needs. Keep scrolling to keep playing.
Shop now
Yamaha
Yamaha began when its founder, Torakusu Yamaha, repaired a broken reed organ in 1887. By 1900, the company began the production of upright pianos in Tokyo, and in 1954 the Yamaha Music School was set up in tandem with the production of the first Yamaha Hi-Fi player.
Perhaps the most versatile music shop of them all, Yamaha produces everything from classical instruments and professional audio/visual set-ups to modern electric drum sets and – of course, motorbikes. Staying true to its promise to ‘make waves’, the iconic retailer is home to a myriad of professional accessories, making it the brand of choice for recording studios across the globe.
Buy now, Yamaha
Fender
An iconic brand which needs no real introduction for the music lovers among us, Fender has provided the guitars which have created seismic, zeitgeist-shifting music since 1946. Yet if you count Fender’s acquisition of Squier (est. 1890) back in 1965, the brand’s ability to deliver high-quality instruments throughout history knows no bounds.
From arguably the best guitarist of all time, Jimi Hendrix, to Eric Clapton, Nile Rodgers, George Harrison and Kurt Cobain – famous Fender players have been in abundance throughout history. Though there’s nothing like browsing through a selection of Fender guitars, the online offering is dynamic and versatile.
From accessing beginner to intermediate tutorials via Fender Play as well as a dedicated online tuning tool, to shopping for amplifiers, mods and effects pedals, the sheer range of high-quality Fender instruments and accessories available is mind-boggling.
Buy now, Fender
Gear 4 Music
Launched in 2003, Gear4Music currently boasts over one million active customers and is home to a vast range of musical instruments, accessories, gear and equipment. The company has partnerships with distributors across the globe – in Germany, Spain, Sweden, Ireland and the UK – making the offering remarkably diverse. Expect to find everything from orchestral instruments and Rock ‘n’ Roll instruments to DJ equipment and leading recording studio technology.
Buy now, Gear 4 Music
PMT
From folk and orchestral instruments, PA and live gear, DJ sets and electric guitars to spanking new releases and pre-owned bargains, PMT is a one-stop shop for any music lover. Constantly home to special offers on brilliant pieces of tech, PMT makes taking your music production a step further easier than ever before.
Top deals that we’ve spotted include a Focusrite Scarlett Solo 4th Gen Audio Interface for £124, and an Ibanez Gio GRGM21 Mikro in Black Night for just £179.
Buy now, PMT
Thomann
Thomann is a top-shelf brand stockist that boasts instruments and tech from the likes of Fender, Gibson, Yamaha, Sennheiser and Harley Benton – often with special deals attached. While most digital retailers will stock instruments and high-end production equipment, we’re big fans of the fact that you can also shop beginner’s sheet music via Thomann, which highlights the retailer’s versatility and desire to help kick-start young musicians’ love for the craft.
Buy now, Thomann
Absolute Music
Likely better known for the two-story superstore in Bournemouth, you can nevertheless shop the jaw-dropping selection of instruments and accessories from Absolute Music online. With a guaranteed price match and some brilliant deals on pre-owned and ex-display items, you simply can’t go wrong when buying from Absolute Music. You can even sell your own gear via the value-for-money retailer, further reducing the price of that brand-new guitar that you’ve been coveting.
Buy now, Absolute Music
GAK
With 30 years of industry under their belt, you can be sure that you’re in good hands when shopping with Brighton-based emporium GAK – which stands for Guitars, Amps and Keyboards. Fast, efficient service governed by old-school expertise sets this megastore apart from others. While it’s certainly worth a physical visit, we’re thankful for the fact that the vast selection can be shopped online across the entire EU.
Buy now, GAK
Amazon
When it comes to efficiency and peer-to-peer reviewing, there’s frankly no better place to shop than Amazon. If you need a new instrument or some last-minute tech in a pinch, we highly recommend shopping the Prime selection of musical instruments via Amazon. With multiple sales events throughout the year, you could also hold-out to score some eye-watering savings and level-up your production set-up at a later date.
Buy now, Amazon
