Well it is 10 years later from writing my original review and I am pleased to say little has…read morechanged - apart from the ridiculous amount of money I've spent in here now - probably nearing £15-20K compared to the £2K on my original review. Needless to say, any business which can retain a customer for so long in face of competition like Anderton's and their global media presence says a lot. On that media note, PMT also have a YouTube channel which is fun and engaging offering reviews as well as tours of stores and celebrity interviews etc. Manchester is still a great store and during covid I continued to use their click and collect service to show my support. I love it here.

I hold my hands up, my non-calloused, soft hands... I'm not a musician, yelpers. I've tried the…read moreguitar, bass, keyboard, flute, violin, and I can't practise. Musically, I have the attention span of a gnat. I know the fact that I tend to hang round with them is well documented, and I constantly protest that I'm not a groupie; they just happen to be in my social circle. But as a result of this I do happen to find myself escorted into musical instrument shops, and Professional Music Technology, being right down the road, is one that crops up quite regularly. PMT to musical purchase is what a chain restaurant is to eating. Real foodies love the creative, unique process that goes into cooking at a local independent restaurant, and die-hard musicians love beat-up second hand gear full of character, which is something you won't find here. Nor will you find... the food thing at the... you understand what I'm saying, yes. It does the job, and it's excellent for the mid-level or hobby player as they always have the necessary strings, leads and accessories in stock. In terms of Manchester, if you're after something one of a kind and looking to spend an absolute fortune, Johnny Roadhouse or Sounds Great would be your best bet. And while for new players it makes a great browse, this is the professional musician's Superdrug or Boots; it's the local supermarket metro, that quick stop-off to grab some essentials. And we all need those!

Jack White Jimmy Page…read moreNeil Young Chuck Berry Bo Diddley B.B. King Neil Young Frank Zappa Brian May Bert Jansch Joni Mitchell Elmore James Django Reinhardt If you want to add your list to the world's best guitar players, you're gonna need flexible fingers, pots of ambition and determination and a great axe. One of the best places to go, get advice and try out different guitars is Sounds Great. It's a bit of a hike from the city centre but they have a good selection of new, vintage and secondhand electric guitars, acoustic guitars and basses. Prices range from a few hundred pounds to £15,000 for one of Fender's rare and highly collectible, hand-crafted, Eric Clapton Blackie Tribute Stratocasters! For those with a significantly smaller budget, they also sell amps, pedals, tuners, spare strings, recording equipment and the musician's enemy - drum machines! The mighty Bo Diddley in action: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=979rwnVPG4A

The only thing I don't like about this place is that it's not next door to my apartment. Most…read moreguitar stores sell so many commercial models, and half the time they're straight out of a factory, don't play so great and are ridiculously overpriced. I find this place different, especially for advanced players. If you're in the early stages of learning to play the guitar, the model won't matter as much, but when you develop those chords, tasty licks, riffs and solos, this is the place to go. One thing you should always do before buying equipment is try it out. Sounds Great is one of the few stores in which you can really accomplish this, because they actually HAVE IT IN STOCK! It drives me crazy when you walk into a guitar store and ask for a particular item and they don't have it, but might have some model you don't want in about 80 billion colours filling the whole show room. Grr. Anyway, if you're are a serious player and like to spend a buck or two, I heavily recommend Sounds Great. In store they have some rare makes such as Diezel, Matchless, Divided by 13, Suhr to name a few... I guarantee you that these names along with your custom Fenders, Gibsons and Marshalls, cannot be found in the average music store. Oh and the accessories section is awesome. The guys that work there are not afraid to take a risk on bringing in a new product.

It was so amazing employees really helpful and kind overall best experience of my life.read more

Hit it, Strum it, Blow it, Play it!…read more Johnny Roadhouse's motto speaks volumes about the company's passion and enthusiasm for music. Run by a team of dedicated staff who are as familiar with Ry Cooder as they are Jimi Hendrix, it's the music shop of choice for established and emerging local musicians. Johnny Marr is a regular and I once waited an hour for The Buzzcocks whilst they wandered round trying out new guitars! Going strong for over five decades, JR stocks everything from new, vintage and second-hand guitars to drum kits, synths, bass, percussion, woodwind, saxophones, brass and amps to PA and recording equipment. Folk and world music lovers should note they also have a dedicated section to acoustic instruments from harps and dulcimers to harmonicas. Handily, they also rent out equipment to local promoters and touring bands that have been unfortunate enough to have their gear lost or stolen. Early Buzzcocks in action: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Unxlh2ucxCg

Hobgoblin is located upstairs in the Johnny Roadhouse shop. It is its own shop! Hobgoblin…read morespecialise in traditonal, folk and acoustic musical instruments such as acoustic guitars, harps, tin whistles, bodrhan drums and mandolins, you will find everything you need here for the perfect folk arrangement! The staff are friendly and very helpful too which is refreshing these days!

They dont mind what you bring them here, they will have a go at mending it - and have successfully…read morefixed about 3 of my sons musical instruments when they developed a fault. Every time they were cheap and did a great service here. Very professional, polite staff who care about their work and take their time to fix whatever probelm you have. They also give advice on how you can maybe do it yourself should the problem ever crop up again!

Whilst Johnny Roadhouse and Sounds Great look and feel like homely, independent music stores run by…read moreaspiring musicians, Dawsons looks and feels like a professional music chain run by aspiring sales assistants. One of nine branches across the UK, this one looks more like an art gallery or contemporary museum with bright lights and slick, floor to ceiling glass windows. Inside is almost as austere with strategically placed pianos, synthesisers and drum kits in one areas and neat rows of guitars, bass, keyboards, clarinets, saxophones and percussion elsewhere. Local deejays should note they also sell decks, mixers, amps, cartridges and needles at Dawsons but sadly, no Technics decks! All of which lead me to suspect that this store is more for amateurs and beginners than seasoned and professional musicians. The awesome White Stripes in action: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-t1_ETuWIbE

The massive array of weird and wonderful instruments on show makes the Dawsons on Portland st a…read morebeautiful store just to be in. But be warned- anybody hanging about with no more than a leather jacket and a hangover as proof of their rockstar credentials will inevitably found out by the impressively knowledgable staff who are always on hand to help out with any musical issues you may have- yes even guitar and singing lessons! Obvoiusly the prices are pretty much dictated by your choice of instrument but Dawsons does always try to give you their best possible rate and I have found them to be pretty open to a spot of haggling so it's always worth forgetting your British roots for a minute and having a go.