From Tin Pan Alley to Kilburn High Road: London’s Guitar Shops Are Still Striking a Chord

LONDON — In a city that never stops reinventing itself, the warm, wood-scented guitar shop remains a defiant reminder of London’s musical soul. While sleek, modern spaces like the new Gibson Garage off Oxford Street point to the future of retail, the heart of London’s guitar culture still beats loudest in its independent shops. From the iconic pavements of Denmark Street (Tin Pan Alley) to the multicultural hum of Kilburn High Road, these stores are more than retail outlets—they are creative hubs, museums, and gathering places for musicians of every generation.

The Kilburn Catalyst: Folkies Music, an Aladdin’s Cave

North-West London’s Kilburn High Road, once nicknamed the Musical Mile for its lively Irish pubs and venues, has always been a magnet for musicians. At its centre is Folkies Music, a specialist shop and repair studio that keeps the local tradition of independent merchants alive.

Founded in 2008 by Omri Schitrit, a classically trained violin maker, and the late John Leslie, Folkies evolved from the historic Accordions of London. The shop quickly became a community cornerstone—an Aladdin’s Cave of instruments from every corner of the world.

Inside, the walls are alive with colour: guitars, violins, drums, and amps jostle for space in organised chaos. The shop’s in-house luthiers restore instruments with care and honesty, helping local players find their sound.

“There’s definitely less Irish working-class music nowadays,” says Schitrit, “but we see more Middle Eastern, East African, and Brazilian influences.” Folkies reflects modern London—diverse, evolving, and deeply musical.

Among its treasures is a George Formby–autographed banjolele, a relic of Kilburn’s entertainment history. Folkies is not just a store—it’s a living link between the past and present of London’s grassroots music scene.

Picture Omri Schitrit -Folkies 

London’s Guitar Shops

The All Saints Road Echo: Fiddle and Sticks & Portobello Music

While Folkies anchors the North-West, West London’s Notting Hill has its own lineage of independent music shops. Though some have changed names or vanished with time, the spirit of places like Fiddle and Sticks endures through Portobello Music—a shop synonymous with vintage guitars and the creative energy of the Portobello Road scene.

Tucked between Ladbroke Grove and Westbourne Park, Portobello Music remains a haven for collectors and players alike. Rare guitars, amps, and effects pedals line the walls, while the owners share decades of hard-won expertise.

It’s part of a proud West London tradition: small, specialist shops that serve as creative meeting points for the city’s musicians—each one preserving a slice of bohemian heritage.

Denmark Street: The Historic Heart of London’s Guitar Scene

No story about London’s guitar culture is complete without Denmark Street, the fabled Tin Pan Alley. Once home to songwriters, music publishers, and legendary music magazines like NME and Melody Maker, this narrow strip remains the epicentre of the UK’s guitar trade.

At Hank’s Guitars (No. 27), the successor to Andy’s Guitar Shop, walls gleam with vintage instruments once strummed by legends like Eric Clapton and the Rolling Stones.

Nearby, Wunjo Guitars—known as “the friendliest guitar shop on Denmark Street”—offers everything from used electrics to rare acoustics, backed by a respected repair service.

Regent Sounds, a Fender and Gretsch specialist, honours the area’s craftsmanship legacy with free servicing and a loyal customer base.

Decades before, the nearby Selmer shop on Charing Cross Road sold guitars to young musicians who would go on to define rock history—Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, and countless others. The lineage of these stores is woven into the DNA of British music.

Why These Shops Endure

In an age dominated by online marketplaces, it’s fair to ask: how do these physical, independent shops survive—let alone thrive?

The answer is human connection.

London’s best guitar stores offer something no website ever can:

• The feel of a fretboard in your hands.

• The advice of seasoned luthiers and players.

• The community of musicians swapping stories and songs.

Whether it’s the multicultural hum of Folkies, the vintage charm of Portobello Music, or the historic magic of Denmark Street, these shops endure because they serve as creative sanctuaries.

They repair, advise, inspire—and most importantly, they connect people through music.

As long as London hums with creativity, the echo of a guitar chord will always lead musicians back to the doors of its beloved independent music shops.