Anderton's of Guildford were visited by John Renbourne, Tony McPhce, Manfred Mann's Earth Band, Camel and Unicorn in recent weeks.

A wide range of musical instruments, amplification and accessories both new and secondhand brings musicians from as far away as the Midlands down to Guildford.

Although a Fender Sound-house and a Gibson Star distributor, a good range of quality copies is stocked as well as competitive special guitar lines such as the Sakai LS 2000 Les Paul copy at £59, and other lines imported by Anderton's at even keener prices. A good selection of secondhand acoustics (including Martins) and solids are always available, together with secondhand amplifier and P.A. set-ups.

On the percussion scene, Peter Anderton informs us that large kits and double kits are selling very well and about 15 kits are kept in stock. At the moment, a large selection of Premier ironware and drums is available from stock.

Due to the growing mixer market Anderton's offer a custom built 10 channel stereo mixer for an extremely competitive retail price of £200. P.A. speakers can be recommended to complete a system. Effects units such as the roxx range of pedals from America as well as the U.K. range, Colorsound, are in big demand now.

Up to 30 add-on keyboard units from Mini-Korg, Mini-Moog, and Thomas-Moog, right up to Crumar electric pianos are available from stock.

Disco equipment and lighting is going well and is kept in a separate showroom.

Anderton's are specialists in servicing and rebuilding instruments and equipment and are offering quite a unique service in converting Fender Telecasters into the style of the 1960 Telecaster Custom model with the red sunburst body and white binding, back and front.

Repair work of a specialist nature in all musical equipment is looked after by Barry Snelling.

Clinkscale Musical Instruments of Melrose are not only well known retailers, they are also importers and wholesalers of electrical keyboard equipment. Dennis Reid, the retail manager, says they do most of their retail business with the semi-pro bands, although many professionals are among their clients.

Most of the better-known brands of guitars and amplification equipment are in stock, as well as a large selection of keyboards. Crucianelli electric pianos imported from Italy are a fast-selling line, especially models 72 and 73, and other Italian imported lines are the familiar Paolo Soprani and Gyervisi accordians. Jimmy Shand buys his organs from Clinkscales.

Cookes Band Instruments of Norwich deal with the top bands in the Norfolk area. Brian Morrison stocks a tremendous range of equipment including all the big names in guitars and amps. Percussion is going in a very big way now, mainly due to the new drum showrooms opened recently by Faces' drummer Kenny Jones.

Brian informs us that Crumar pianos and Mini-Korg synthesisers are selling (veil.

Coventry Music Centre specialise in many popular makes of guitars, amps and keyboard equipment at their shops in Kenilworth, Coventry and Leamington. They also pride themselves on keeping stock of older valve amplifiers when available, as the demand is extremely high.

Recently the Foundations were in the shop and other popular local bands who called in were Drops of Brandy and the Las Vegas Show-band. Ian and Barbara Cruikshank run the shop and we have heard that Barbara is quite an expert on the accordion, as well as being a teacher.

Ian is organising a sound demonstration room at the Coventry shop where musicians can try out amps. A resident engineer provides a full technical service on musical instruments and amps.

Dawson's of Warrington are a service conscious organisation with branches throughout Lancashire.

The shops deal mostly with amateur and semi-professional musicians, although professional musicians like Jed Ford are quite likely to call in when they are in the area as the shops have a wide range of musical instruments and amplification in stock.

Percussion goes well due to the big selection from stock of Premier, Rogers, Beverley and Olympic kits. Nearly all the big names in keyboards are represented and there has been a steady demand for electric pianos.

Clubs abound in the north and Dawsons have a consultancy service for handling sound-reinforcement systems for any type of club. Disco equipment is stocked in depth at most branches.

Three resident engineers and a large workshop facility ensures that customers get a thorough after-sales service on all musical instruments and equipment.

J.T.Forbes of Dundee, with branches in Edinburgh and Glasgow, is an expanding export business that supplies the music trade as well as its own shops with very special competitive lines such as the Kiso-Suzuki guitars, the Baile accordion range from China and the Excelsior accordion range from Italy. The Baile range offers exceptional value with prices running from £40—£200.

Amplification, solid guitars and acoustics are stocked at all branches and a good selection of new and second-hand drum kits is always available.

Bill Grant at Dundee informs us that one of their special lines, a five octave upright piano retailing at £160 is selling very well indeed with local bands and clubs.

Freedmans of Leytonstone count Northern bands (even Scottish) among their list of customers, although the mainstay of the business comes from young musicians in their own district.

The shop carries a wide range of amplification, with portables, guitars and effects units in stock. Engineering advice can be given to bands setting up a P.A. system, and a complete after-sales service engineering back-up is also offered. Barry Hilton told us that electric pianos, portable organs and effects units are selling quite well at the moment.

Frank Hessey of Liverpool is a famous shop used by nearly every amateur, semi-pro and professional musician living in the Liverpool area. Hessey's were going strong before the Beatles were thought of, although people like Gerry Marsden and The Pacemakers certainly opened up the market for electric guitars and amplification in the city.

Guitars from Fender, Gibson and well-known copies compliment the amplifier products on the ground floor, while the large basement area is given over to keyboard products. The first floor is mainly for brass and woodwind instruments.

Stag amplification and guitars for clubs and discos can be quoted for and installed under the careful eye of Peter Hepworth, an ex-BBC engineer. Electrical, woodwind and brass instrument repairs can all be handled by trained service engineers.

Kitchens of Leeds are called upon by hundreds of musicians throughout Yorkshire. They will be celebrating their centenary this year. The selection of musical instruments and equipment is tremendous and we were staggered to find out from Mike Cooper that approximately 50 drum kits including Premier, Rogers, Slingerland, Olympic, Ludwig and Beverley were in stock. Second-hand kits were very much in demand and in fact there was even a waiting list for them.

Fender, Gibson and copies such as Antoria and CSL sell well, and a trend towards cello jazz style guitars has been noticed.

Amp ranges are kept sensibly in the basement and Yamaha are selling well and attracting attention at the moment. The Kitchen—Marshall range of amplification has been a huge success and nearly 800 clubs have been supplied with this range.

On the keyboard scene, Hammond, Roland, Synthesisers and Crumar electric pianos are selling well to the bands.

Moore & Stanworth of Leicester deal primarily with local musicians from all walks of life and even equip local college bands with guitars and amplification equipment.

Percussion sales are going well and there is a good range of new and second-hand kits in stock. Fender guitars sell extremely well and the copies are popular with amateur musicians.

The Diamond 600 single manual organ sells very well, and several went to foreign customers.

A good range of HH amps are kept in stock, and they generally sell very well.

A first class repair service is given on woodwind, brass and electrical instruments and equipment.

Maurice Placquet, London, W12, are known as well for their extensive hire company as they are for their retail side, and with a demonstration studio in the basement which can be hired to bands, it is not uncommon to find many well-known musicians at the shop — Cockney Rebel, The Glitter Band, Murray Head and Roy Harper have all been in recently. Sam Simpson (of "Geordie", "Genesis", "Yes" and "Red Bus" fame) runs the hire division and his services are very much in demand. A very wide range of musical instrument products and amplification is stocked and special lines such as Acoustic and Ampeg are represented in depth on the retail side.

Secondhand equipment is also stocked and there has been quite a demand for secondhand acoustic pianos and drum kits. Percussion is well covered and Roy Holliday looks after this section.

With six service engineers on the staff, a complete consultancy and repair service can be guaranteed to clients and customers.

Take 5, London W1, find that leading personalities in the music business are among the customers who call in to look over the huge stocks of acoustic and solid guitars on display. Gibson, Tama, Dobro and Antoria are just a few of the famous makes available from stock. A new line of folk and jumbo guitars called Aspen will be on show in the shop in April and we are informed that they will be outstanding value for money. Later in the year, these instruments will be available to other selected trade dealers.

Banjos are becoming very popular, with Antoria models selling in a big way.

Saxophones, clarinets and flutes are stocked and on the sax side Take 5 have the first two Selmer Mk.7 saxophones in stock. The Berkely Range of saxophones is a speciality of Take 5's and the range is outstanding for quality and price. As well as an Alto, Tenor baritone and straight soprano, there is a curved soprano and curved sopranino model.

Percussion is handled by their King Street Music Store where Dave Golding and Clive Williams can show you around the stocks of new and secondhand kits.

A large accessory department is part of the Shaftesbury Avenue shop, and a good range of music books can be found on the display stands. A country and folk demonstration is being organised in the near future.

Topgear, London, WC2, see a very wide section of the musically minded population. Sid Bishop told us that among the well-known musicians visiting the shop recently were Pete Townshend (who bought a Peavey Vintage guitar amplifier), the Heavy Metal Kids, Suzi Quatro, the Kiki Dee Band and Panache.

Topgear are well known for their special lines such as Guild, Rickenbacker, Peavey, Hi-Watt and Ernie Ball strings.

Peavey sales are going fantastically well no was more and more musicians realise the potential of this range in amplification. The Californian-made Ernie Ball strings are one of the best selling ranges of custom sets and pre-pack sets' in Britain.

A complete repair service on guitars and amps is provided and when parts are available on the American models and time permits, a 24 hour service is given to customers. Guitar respraying is another special service of the Topgear organisation.