This is another one of those essentials in Leeds. I can say this mostly as I play guitar and need a…read moreregular supply of strings, but the guys that run this joint are just lovely. I once went down to pass on a poster for a live music event. They hadn't yet opened so I leant against the wall for a quick cigarette and the owner/manager/staff member came out to join me. We had an excellent little conversation about Leeds, music and Call Lane, before I handed the poster to him and got on my way. I guess that's it really. I could tell you about the range of sheet music, instrument strings, folk instruments, CDs and so on that they store, but essentially - if you're going to visit at all, it has to be for the celtic/folk nature of the shop - and if that's what you are looking for, at least you know it comes with lovely conversation and down to earth presence.

As a music student, the large amount of folk bands being created has come to my attention flared by…read morethe rise of pop-folk acts such as Fleet Foxes. More and more folk acts are performing around Leeds, and with musicians as colleagues, Hobgoblin Music has been mentioned positively to me many a time!! The shop is oddly located on trendy wine bar strip Call Lane tucked right away! However after a little search I found it and had a sneaky peek around to see what people rave about! Hobgoblin is a specialist shop which stocks Folk and Celtic instruments (including harps, whistles, fiddles, mandolins and banjos's), sheet music, Cd's and books. The shops range of Folk musical instruments is huge for such a tiny secret cave of musical treats! I had a natter to the boheminiam, long haired staff who were very friendly and helpful! There is an extremely laid back atmosphere in the shop stereotypical of Folk Music. I understand this will only apply to a minority of "Yelpers", however if you are in Leeds and have an interest in Folk music go in and have a look around. It really is a pretty and dainty display of Folk music history!

Playtime Music is a great little music shop and family owned business in the heart of Otley. They…read moreare situated in the awesome Kirkgate arcade and are one of the friendliest music shops that you could visit. They themselves are musicians/enthusiasts and so offer a down to earth and honest advice for any new and budding musicians. They have tried to cover all areas, selling sheet music for a range of skills, a range of strings and other musical accessories, and of course a number of instruments to peruse! If music be the food of love, Playtime Music helps those in Otley to play on. Fantastic little shop!

As it says on the sign really. A short walk of the city centre towards Harehills away from the bus…read morestation and you'll find this shop that looks like an extended garden shed in completely the wrong area of town for what it is selling. What it does sell is high-end, quality instruments as well as offering repairs and servicing service. Being specialised they can offer advice and pointers as well as recommendations on other music shops if you require something they do not have in the shop. A lovely and friendly place to shop with plenty of information to access.

Went to this shop on recommendation only to find a miserable fat guy complaining about how life is…read moretreating him and how all the local musicians in Leeds have used him. Kept banging on about being a professor but couldn't provide any details on how he got it, sounded bunkers to me. The shop however was in a terrible state, really untidy and very dirty. Decided not to risk leaving my horn, in fact I wouldn't leave a donkey in that place. On leaving I looked around at the old guy and felt sorry for him, he just looked like nobody cared for him and life has dealt him a Jack ass instead of an ace.

Trad Music has been around in Wakefield for around 15 years now i think, if not more. Maybe the…read morename is a bit 'vannilla' but then again this shop does exactly what it says on the tin. They offer a small selection of used and new budget and amateur instruments, with a small selection of new professional acoustic instruments where you might spot some real gems. They offer a modest selection of all the usual guitar related goodies such as strings, plectrums, straps blah blah blah and offer guitar tuition from a gigging blues player and set-ups via the owner nick. Gone are the days when Trad would have Gold-Top Les Pauls for sale amongst premium vintage re-issue Telecasters, but the owner Nick knows the Wakefield market and all power to him that he has managed to stay afloat in these hard times. My father bought a solid Spruce Topped Aria Dreadnought from here when I was 18 which is now nearly a good 10 years ago, and it plays better than ever and fit and finish are still like new. It was a great investment at an even better price. I think that they also offer PA systems and drumkits, but don't quote me on that one, and have supported local music festivals for a while now. These guys really love what they are doing, and are pretty humble and genuine at the same time, evidence that they deserve to keep this shop running whilst there is demand.

I've signed up to Yelp just to leave this review. Really friendly knowlegable guys that go above…read moreand beyond to make sure you're happy with what you want and that you've bought the wrong thing. Did a brilliant guitar setup for me then found me the perfect pair of studio monitors (Genelec 8081A) for recording in a small space with my Helix LT effects pedal. Store has a really chilled vibe - would recommend a trip whatever you are after. I genuinely look forward to going back.

PMT House of Rock is unfortunately-named to such a ridiculous degree that you have to wonder if it…read morewas set up by male music geeks of such stereotypical geekery that they had such limited knowledge of the female of the species as to happily settle on the name PMT without any knowledge of their folly. Oh well - at least it stands for 'Professional Music Technology', which is somewhat more relevant to the products on sale than the alternative. The shop is huuuge! And its layout allows it to display the products to almost terrifying peacock-like effect, due to its open-plan layout and central staircase leading to a balcony spanning the entire width of the shop. And due its size it was difficult to take in and remember the entire range of products but it really is extensive. Guitars, drums, keyboards and pianos are the focus of the instrument range with a huge variety of electric guitars, bases and acoustics and a balcony housing many a keyboard and piano. They sell a vast amount of equipment besides: mics, amps, effects pedals, recording equipment, speakers and everything in between. Prices are good, and they attempt to match any cheaper prices you have found, showing their commitment to value for money. Because of the vastness of this shop and the fact that it is a chain it lacks the character and charm of a smaller music shop and so feels rather impersonal, but this allows further freedom to browse and try things out, as there always seem to be plenty of other people doing so! And my, what a lot to try!

Good little music shop. They stock a small range of instruments and accessories, but are really…read morehelpful and friendly if you want anything else. Prices are about average and they have things to suit a range of budgets.

The Rock Factory has been in Castleford since ROCK began, and maybe its owners have been around a…read morelittle longer, maybe even since time itself began with their long 80's rockers hair and stonewashed denim, this places oooooozes 1980s Guitar Store Americana. Like, cool dude. totally awesome. Either that or these guys never got over Iron Maidens ridiculously tight skinny jeans and white trainers look. Situated directly opposite Castleford Tigers rugby ground, it is unfortunately one of the only reasons why I would ever step foot in Castleford even though a lot of money has been spent to regenerate this former mining town community. Even Kevin McCloud "that bloke off telly, off that Grand Designs" of said self-build architectural design show had a stab at re-working Castleford by being involved in the construction and documentation of a footbridge across a river in the town. Improved facilities such as nearby retail outlet Junction 32 and X-Scape snow-slope and leisure complex has done much to boost the area, which frankly needs it. Its a shame that creative writing and publishing group, The 'Yorkshire Art Circus' was stopped recently due to lack of funding. Inside the rock factory, A good selection of PA, percussion, acoustic and electric bass and six-string guitars can be found here, with the guys willing to strike deals. Like any good musician will know, selecting a guitar is about being in the right place at the right time really, a question of luck and patience, which is also suggested here unless you are looking for a beginners instrument of which they have plenty. You'll find expensive Gibsons with some nice Fenders and Tokais alongside the aformentioned beginners Squiers at the bottom end of the range. these are mainly blues, rock and metal guitars. They have some great amps too at some even better prices, especially the Fender re-issues. Prices are very good. Just have a good look and have a good play beforehand. It's good to see places like this surviving in this day and age and I hope they continue to be around for some time, as shopping for things as personal as musical instruments, especially guitars seems to be becoming a more and more sterile experience, and dread the day when we can only select instrumets from internet sites without being able to look and play.

Being a born again guitarist trying to pick up where I was left behind in the sixties, I was drawn…read moreto the Rock Factory both by recommenation and checking their web site. I was not disapointed, having purchased a secondhand practice amp after it was demonstrated to me (I was scared of making a fool of myself), returning home to try it out, it proved to be faulty. Returning the amp the following weekend, there was not a hint of any hassle, full marks for customer satisfaction, so I purchased a new upgraded amp with new strings thrown in for good measure, great people, no hestation in recommending them

HMV at Victoria Shopping Centre is located in Harrogate's town centre, next to TKMaxx. There are…read morejust under 100 HMV stores left in England, and I keep forgetting they actually exist, so I was a little shocked when I stumbled across their location here, when in the mall. This store was marked for closure in 2019, but was saved and remains open until this day, I'm sure the local town are happy as it is a nice brand to have in the town and avoids another empty unit in Victoria Shopping Centre. The store is a decent size, it has a nice selection of DVDs and albums, and a couple of other accessories such as speakers and headphones and a few miscellaneous items, that seem to be random without fitting into any specific theme. Lack of staff around the store, the atmosphere did feel a little run down and dead. While the store might have survived, the atmosphere... less so. Prices seem higher than Amazon and other online retailers. 3*

This HMV has been a great addition to Harrogate Town Centre, as it really does have some great…read moreprices on DVD's and CD's. The store is very well stocked, and even has some more obscure DVD's (again at very reasonable prices.) The store also stocks some basic games and accessorys (I think?) and has a small book section comprising mainly of celebrity biographys/autobiographys or books written by celebrities (they may sound awful but I'm including books by Tim Burton and Stephen Fry here!) The t-shirts decorating the wall around the shop not only look great, but are (again!) really well priced at 2 for £20 (?), which really is great value for film/tv branded products. The only shame is that it does always seem to be busy, and you do find yourself having to constantly push past people to get where you want. Still, don't let that put you off, great variety, great prices..what's not to love?!?