Deluxe Guitars in South Melbourne sell one of the widest range of guitar effect pedals I've ever…read moreseen in a single shop. They tend to specialise in boutique manufacturers, which is refreshing because there's only so many Boss pedals you can be bothered checking out. They also have a good range of amplifiers, and stock Nash guitars. Unusually they stock quite a few left-handed instruments in their "Leftorium", which is great for lefties. Aside from the usual guitar and amp servicing. they can also help with putting together a well-laid out pedal board and have a massive range of power supplies and switching units. For guitarists this is a great place to check out, although be careful - your wallet may not survive the visit.

One of Melbourne's worst kept secrets... Deluxe Guitars is THE place to go for the widest and best…read morearray of guitar and studio quality pedals. They also do quality guitar servicing/setups... and offer some rehearsal rooms... They offer a friendly and relaxed approach... which is refreshing... lots of fun to be had

Hard to find used Matons up here in the states, but I got a nice Tommy Emmanuel from these kind…read morepeople, for a good price too! Highly recommend!

Amazing service! Super fast shipping to Germany (actually faster than from Germany itself in my…read morecase!). Found an amazing module, which I couldn't get nowhere else. Found Sound all the way!

First thoughts for those from the outer suburbs is 'since when is Cranbourne in the city?' It's…read moretrue, Cranbourne Music is and outer south eastern suburb, but the music shop was so good they decided inject a symbiotic piece of the store into Melbourne, kind of like a starfish regrowing a limb. The staff are not all the way from Cranbourne (most of the time) but do know their way around a guitar, it's many accessories and a decent PA. If you require assistance with yours or just some extra general knowledge about it, these people are more than willing to help out. The quality of wares sits well with most of what you can find in the city, and stocks several brands. Even to come here and get a feel of a few guitars then find out more later on works well too.

This is your one stop shop for most musical needs. I've…read morebeen in quite a few times since vowing never to set foot into Allans music again and ive noticed a few things: Staff are quite friendly and knowledgeable whether on the phone or at the counter (I was served by Matt, great guy and I imagine an even better muso!) The counter itself has a fabulous display of effects pedals to peruse at your leisure and there's a surprisingly wide array of instruments, gear, accessories and learning material all packed in one tight little spot. An incredibly tidy tight little spot. If you're looking for drums, I would recommend their other branch on their behalf as they do have another store outside of the city but I'm led to believe they can arrange for delivery and online booking. Very handy place to get what you need for music without having to travel out of town. Safe to say, this place is very dangerous for the wallet! 12 out of 10, I'm going back again

Operating for as long as I can remember, Drum Power stocks and sells a huge range of Drums for all…read morecalibres of percussionists. From entry level gear to pro kits, Drum Power also have a large range of microphones and pro audio gear on offer, and will match any advertised price. When shopping for my last microphone, the guys let me try out a range of mics in their rehearsal rooms, and helped me make an informed choice. They then went and beat an eBay seller's price on the same mic. Drum Power have recently added a guitar shop and service centre in an adjoining building, and again stock all calibres of guitars. The service is always part of why I go here. Most of the guys working at Drum Power have been doing so since I was 16 and having my mum drop me off at weekend rehearsals. Each member of the staff is a working musician who knows their stuff and can help you get what you need for a good price.

I have been a customer at Drumpower for many years now. As a drummer who has been playing for a…read morelong time I have shopped at most of the drum stores in Victoria, and Drumpower has become my shop of choice now. Their great stock of high end products such as Sonor and the fact that you are dealing with drum "enthusiasts" rather than salesmen keeps me a loyal patron. They are one of the most competitive stores in Melbourne and have also done great deals for my fellow band members on Guitars, amps, mics and PAs etc. The staff have great product knowledge and are very helpful and are willing to source stuff that they don't have in stock. I often recommend Drumpower, but most people I find are loyal customers already. There is a good reason for that!

It is very easy to get the vibe of a music shop wrong, especially in today's market, when shopping…read moreonline is often much cheaper. Some music shops make you feel resented, as if 'just browsing' is somehow unacceptable. The "Swoppy", as Melbourne musicians affectionately call it, is a Melbourne Music institution. The staff aren't snooty, pretentious or condescending. They can be a bit 'cool', but not hipster (rare in the inner city). Almost all of what they sell is second hand on consignment (they sell strings etc too at quite competitive prices). Their terms are 20% of the sale price of an instrument, and it can stay there 'til it sells. Their inventory updates to the website live, (or close enough, they don't always get the photos up straight away on busy days) so that every item that is in the store is on the web. It's also possible to get an RSS feed from them, so every new item is emailed to you almost immediately. The bargains can get snapped up quickly, so this is great. I've visited music shops and their websites in the US, Canada, Germany and Japan, and this is unique. Their descriptions of the items are usually precise and helpful, and are often quirky ("BASS GRUNGE! w/box. Replaced switching mechanism. OMG YOLO!"). They have fun, but usually not at the customer's expense, no matter how pointy the guitar is. I've bought and sold through them, and they are fair and honest. The fact that they sell on consignment means they don't tell you what to sell something for, and have no interest in ripping you off, as they aren't reselling it. None of that "sorry, there's not a lot of interest in Strats from the 50s" guff here. When you ask them what they suggest you sell something for, they check with their previous sales and internet listings to see what's reasonable. You can specify a listing price and a lowest price, and they call with offers they're getting from people in the store. Music shops are a bit of a tricky prospect in the inner city, closing or moving or put into receivership, but the only current one I would miss if it moved is the Swop Shop (I still miss Lamberti Brothers in North Melbourne). It's not perfect, but there's very few things I would change.

I have a thing for musical instruments. I just love to collect them, any of them, despite the fact…read moreI can't play. But now, after a long and embarrassing intervention, I've learnt to control my addiction and just look but not buy. Music Swap Shop played an integral part in my past hording. Every time you visit you don't know what you might find, so if you're on the hunt for something in particular check back regularly or log on to their website. It's also a good place to sell off instrument you might have. The guys there are really good to talk to if you need any info. I brought in a saxophone I had picked up from an op-shop to see what condition it was in. They gave it a look over and lucky for me it was in good working order, just not the prettiest they've seen is all.

Boy there's nothing like a steel guitar to set you apart from the rest…read more Talk about a crowd gathering instrument! Now all I needs to do is play the thing. As I have no comparison or reference point to speak of when it comes to guitars there's not much bad i can say. It's a good layout upstairs and down, and one can test out some ukes, banjo's and other acoustic guitars. There's the bogan room or "bass Centre" downstairs, for you guessed it bass guitars. More importantly, they stock a great range of gear and thing to go with your eventual purchase. Calm professional service, courteous too. It's a great entry or foray into the world of guitars when you don't know anything about them.

Do not believe the ?fictitious person who has given the bad review…read moreI am a real person, not affiliated with The Acoustic Centre and have never met any of the staff and have only dealt with them over the phone. Their service has been nothing short of exceptional. Honest, helpful and just want to help you get what you want. Josh went above and beyond in helping me purchase my guitar I would absolutely recommend giving them a go if you are looking at getting a high end instrument I don't think our relationship has finished after this guitar purchase!

I have just bought my first grand piano, from Melbourne Piano Sales and I am absolutely thrilled…read morewith it. I have played and taught the piano for years. My husband and I started our search for a grand piano at the beginning of this year. I was most impressed when I came upon Melbourne Piano Sales having been to a few shops around Melbourne. Every piano that I played at Matt's shop was of a very high standard and the selection was great. Matt was most helpful with any questions that we had. We also spent time talking to Nick (who is a piano tuner) about the different actions on grands and uprights. I really took an interest in a lovely Yamaha and I came back again and again to play it and compare it to the other wonderful pianos that are for sale. Matt was really great, he was always there to answer our questions but he also gave us time to browse and play. He did not hover over us or keep asking us when we were going to buy. When we made our final decision we were most confident. All the great reviews that you read on the Internet are true, Melbourne Piano Sales is a must visit if you want a good piano. I will be recommending Melbourne Piano Sales to all my friends and students. If we owned a mansion we probably buy a piano in Matt's shop about once a year. But as we are in a small space we had to get the perfect piano. One that would last us a lifetime and once that we need to love enough to take it across the world with us. Thank you Matt for helping us find our dream piano

Kicking on since 1973, Hans Music Spot is the local spot for musical instruments, sheet music and…read moreCD's in Croydon. Stocking entry-level guitars, drums, and other assorted instruments, the gear here isn't exactly pro-level stuff, however it's good for those wanting to start playing an instrument and in need of something on a budget. The service is good too, as you can feel free to wander around and have a look without being hassled by staff intent on increasing their weekly commission. Stocking accessories such as strings, leads and more, you'll find their prices can easily be beaten by purchasing online, however if you're one who enjoys the "old style" shopping experience one gets when physically going into a store, Hans is a reminder of how music stores were before they all had the same name and were run by the same company.

I don't think it is possible for me to love this place anymore than I currently do. It is the kind…read moreof shop that doesn't feel like a shop at all. It is more like a meeting place with great chilled out vibes. There are always people in here playing music, testing guitars or just chatting with the staff about music. You can pick up free music mags like Beat and Impress among others. There is a heap of great stock here including some damn sexy guitars. I fell in love with a SX Bass guitar. At only $269 it was reasonably priced too. They also sell music books, pick holders, coloured microphones, distortion pedals, amp stands, bonga racks, and cheapies for kids like whistles and Agogo Blocks. In terms of instruments they also have saxophones, pianos, keyboards, flutes, clarinets, trumpets, accordions, harmonicas, drums and violins. Any muso will absolutely be in heaven in this store. I promise.