The other day, I was surprised to spot a brand-new guitar string on the floor of my house. My…read moreimmediate thoughts: one of my housemates is either going to garrotte me, or is planning on learning the guitar. I hoped dearly for the former. Alas, this has been followed by hours of two young men attempting to learn the opening chords of Led Zepplin songs, despite my "No Stairway" signs about the house. I decided to visit Simply For Strings, partly because my housemates wanted to see if the place sold guitar-related stuff, partly because it's a quick walk from our house, and partly because the building looks beautiful. From the outside it looks like, and may well be, an old church. Inside it seems as though the church theory is confirmed - there are original stain-glass windows and other small signs - but it's been re-outfitted so that it now contains newer floorboards and white paint, making the interior with its high walls resemble a "local" art gallery or concert room. (By local, I mean the interior mimics the Red Hill/Paddington style of converting old buildings into funky, retro businesses.) As you walk inside, you're greeted by pure beauty. Honestly, I didn't know where to look first. I noticed a piano occupying a sturdy position in the corner, then my eyes ran across the selection of cellos, violins, violas, and double basses. Even those who don't play such instruments must admit that their construction is beautiful - pieces of art in their own right. There's also a lot of bright colours amongst the wooden instruments, including a splash of beautiful, brashly coloured music stands - and one brass stand with a harp-shaped top that looks like it came straight out of the 1800s, or Phantom of The opera, or bygone, magical times. I was struck to see a stage area, too. The store uses the stage for lessons - at present, Violin Technical Work Boot Camp is on for those already familiar with the violin and eager to improve their skills. I also imagine the stage is used for performances, but the pleasant male staff member (and perhaps co-owner) was busy and I felt guilty asking, knowing I wasn't intending to make a purchase. I scanned the Strings website and can't see any upcoming performances, however. Even if you don't play a stringed instrument, I recommend coming here - it's a visual delight, at the very least. And hey, I didn't notice any guitar sheet music for Deep Purple's Smoke On The Water, so that's an extra bonus!

We were recommended to visit Simply for Strings by our teacher, and we're so glad we visited! The…read morestore is stunning - built inside an old church, everything is beautifully presented and it's like Harry Potter for string instruments. Our teacher recommended my daughter purchase a set of Obligato strings for her viola, and the staff were very accommodating in letting her try Obligato strings on a store viola first so we could get a better idea about how they sound. They even put them on her own instrument for free! They have a beautiful sheet music library packed to the brim with books, so it looks like you'd be able to find everything you need under the one roof. Safe to say we'll be back soon!

WARNING DO NOT BUY FROM THIS SCAMMER!!! I paid thousands via…read moredirect debit for a grand piano and this thief keeps telling me he is "going to sort it out". this has been going on for 2 years.

As I walked into the Guitar Centre, a staff member with wild long black hair welcomed me most…read moreenthusiastically. I responded in a like manner, and before I knew it, we had skipped usual staff- customer repetoire and had begun goofing off. I remember asking as an afterthought, "oh, can I possibly find banjo strings here?". He responded with "pfft, no trouble. They're even up on the wall. Got tonnes of 'em. Now, what were we talking about..." They've got three rooms full, FULL of all sorts of guitars and related instruments. They've got a solid collection of classical, acoustic, electric, and vintage guitars. From there, we start shrinking down to your half size guitars, and then to your ukeleles. They've also got a couple of fine looking banjos. They sell amps, books, and all the other sort of paraphrenalia you'd need. Guitar repairs are also available. It's not the cheapest guitar shop, however, who really wants a dodgy instrument? You want to pay more for the new love of your life. If you're ever in the mood to fulfil Wayne's World type fantasies and mutter that legendary line "She will be mine, oh yes, she will be mine", you'd be best to do it here. The dudes who work in this place are extremely affable and helpful, (which earns them the 'dude' title), and I reckon they've got a guitar for almost every personality.

I walked in here looking to buy a new guitar and I was extremely impressed. The staff were…read moreknowledgeable and answered every question I had. I really liked their no-pressure attitude - I didn't even for a minute think they were trying to up-sell me. In fact I paid less than I expected to pay, for exactly what I wanted, and I got a free bag of picks as a bonus.

Nick is a very accomplished guitarist and a very patient teacher, there is no negativity with…read moreNick,only a positive attitude. If you say you can't, he will say 'you will, with practice!' This is my fourth year with Australian Guitar Academy. I am not a teenager, I am 69 years old and growing in confidence with every lesson. Hugh Smith