Forsyths - The Complete Music Shop

Printed Music Retailer of the Year 2010-11

Specialists in orchestral instruments, folk instruments, vintage and rare guitars and more

Instrument Hire Service

Is your child learning a musical instrument? Did you know that we offer a hire service on most instruments, with an option to buy at the end of the term? If this is something you'd find helpful, why not pop some details into the form below and one of our staff will email or phone you with all the relevant information. As easy as that...

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Instrument Repair Service

Forsyths offer a full repair service on all kinds of instruments, with specialist staff to cater for;

  • Guitars
  • We can carry out everything from restringing and setups through to restorations and repairs. We have a fully qualified luthier and workshop onsite so we can give quotations and carry out any work that's neccessary. We have separate specialists for acoustic and electric instruments.

  • Orchestral Strings
  • We have specialists in string repairs onsite all through the week and they can assist you with anything you need. From routine work such as bow rehairs, soundpost adjustment and bridge placement throught to complete restoration, cracks and re-finishing, we can quote for and carry out quickly and easily.

  • Woodwind and Brass
  • Again we have specialists in woodwind and brass on the staff who'll be able to diagnose your sticking keys and repair them in our workshop. They can also take care of various minor repairs inhouse and for anything more serious, we have highly qualified expert technicians on call.

  • All other work
  • If you have something that doesn't fit the above, do get in touch and we'll do our best to give you a quote. We recently restored a zither to full working order if that's anything to go by...

Call us on 0161 834 3281 ext 606 to discuss your repair.

We regret that we are unable to repair digital pianos and keyboards at this time.


Our Instrument Blog

(For the Guitar Blog click here)

Extended Sale Ends This Weekend 10/2/13

January 30, 2013

We have some special prices and extra discounts available in the Instrument Department. Here are just a few ….. or you could come in to the store and see what else we have.

fendermodernplayerjaguartransredfront Fender Modern Player Jaguar

Was £442, then £314, now extra discounted to £290

This entry-level Fender is a lean, mean and stripped-down version of the classic Fender model that still has remarkable style and substance.

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Martin D18V Acoustic Guitar

Was £2430, then £1980, now extra discounted to £1745

Every review you will read about the D-18V will tell you that it is simply fantastic, and we agree. It is everything you would expect from a high end Martin and then a little something extra.  Come in an see it and play it and you will probably agree with us - its simply fantastic.

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Dave King L00 Acoustic Guitar

Was £2200, then £1845, now extra discounted to £1550

BEST OF BRITISH!

These are direct copies of the original earley 30s L-OOs. Lightly braced hide glue for the top bracing dovetail and bridge. This sale model has an Adirondack soundboard and African mahogany back and sides with a lovely sun burst finish. Sadly there is a very small mark on the sound board.  It does not affect the guitar’s big sounds.

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Fender Offset Special

Was £802, then £625, now extra discounted to £569

The Pawn Shop Offset Special guitar is one of Fender’s most offbeat designs ever. With a semi-hollow double-cutaway body,  an f hole and sleek offset waist, a pair of large JZHB humbucking pickups with three-way toggle switching and an Adjusto-Matic™ bridge with vintage-style floating tremolo tailpiece. This is a guitar from the past and the future.


This week’s SPECIAL CLEARANCE Highlights.

January 15, 2013

For your delectation and delight …..

faithneptunehighglossfncehgfrontFaith Neptune High Gloss Electro Acoustic Guitar was £799 now £719 with a hard case.

Faith’s Hi-Gloss series of acoustic guitars are lacquered to look stunning but without choking the all important vibration of the wood. As a result of the combination of this and the materials used for the top and back, the Faith Neptune has a very controlled bass end with sweet and detailed mids and a bright-but-not-brash top end.

This Neptune model has a solid spruce top, ebony fingerboard and a Shadown Nanoflex II pickup system with Shadow preamp. Not only does this guitar feel and sound like a quality acoustic should, it performs in a live environment too thanks to the versatile preamp.  It’s here for you to try in the Instrument Department.

ydp-141_a_1002_fYamaha YDP141 Full Size Digital Keyboard was £776 now £660

Perfect for beginning students and experienced players alike, the ARIUS YDP-141 provides true piano sound and feel. The fantastic Yamaha features deliver remarkably authentic sound and natural expressiveness, making it a true joy to play, both in practice and in performance. You get nuanced expressive control over the sustained sound, dual voice capability, while a 2-track song recorder allows you to capture your original musical ideas and performances.

kawaics6Kawai CS6 Full Size Digital Keyboard from the Kawai Classic series was £2899 now £2300.  A fantastic price for an exceptional keyboard.

Kawai has been creating world-class musical instruments for over 80 years – maintaining traditional handcrafted processes while embracing original ideas, in a passionate quest to perfect the art of the piano. Step up to the CS6, a digital piano that performs as great as it looks. Now you can have it all… an instrument that feels, sounds and looks like its acoustic piano counterpart.  There is loads we can tell you about this truely very special keyboard, and we would love to……come and see it and try it in the Instrument Department.

pbonepBone Plastic Trombone was £116 now £99 with a gig bag. Various colours available.

The revolutionary pBone has brought an intriguing twist to the traditional trombone.  With its plastic construction, it might look like a toy but it is real instrument that plays remarkably like a typical brass trombone.

Real music in a seriously fun way.  Come into the Instrument Department and have a go!



More Highlights from the Instrument Department SPECIAL CLEARANCE

January 9, 2013

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Student Yamaha Trumpet YTR1335 in gold lacquer was £382 now £299

(also available in a Silverplate finish at £369)

Now discontinued, the YTR-1335 is a high quality pro-style model for a student trumpet price. It features many of the qualities of the top-of-the-line models, like medium weight tubing, pro bore and bell size for increased tonal core and a comfortable, efficient response. Only one each of gold lacquer and silverplated finish available at these special clearance prices.

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Miyazawa PA303 Flute in Solid Palladium Copper Mix was £2750 now £2275 - ONE ONLY

This is a very special model of the Miyazawa flute because it has been handmade in Solid Palladium Copper. Every Miyazawa flute is a fusion of time-tested traditional techniques and groundbreaking advancements and handcrafted to meet the highest expectations. This is a remarkable instrument that offers a brilliant sound, quick articulation and outstanding projection.


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Dell Arte Hommage Gypsy Jazz Guitar was £549 now £460

The Hommage features a dramatic D-shaped soundhole, a signature of the earliest Selmer/Maccaferri-style guitars. The D-hole on this guitar provides great projection and the rosewood fretboard provides incredible playability for fast-paced rhythm playing.


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Recording King RM991 Square Necked Resonator in Nickel-Plated Bell Brass finish was £519 now £425

This classic tricone resonator has three 6” Recording King cones that transfer incredibly loud tones through the body of the guitar. The cones are positioned with two on the bass side and one on the treble side, giving an EQ balance with a sweeter, warmer sound.

It features a T-shaped bridge with an ebony and maple saddle. The bridge is connected to the center of each cone so that when the strings are hit, the vibrations run through the saddle and then into the bridge. This tricone has a distinct tone and long sustain characterized by brilliant overtones and a natural ambiance only found in resonator instruments.


The Christmas Countdown

December 18, 2012

We know you have all been busy so to help, we’ve put together a selection of Stocking Fillers and last minute Christmas gifts.  Find these and lots more in store or call for more details.

bamboom

Bam-Boom Natural Bamboo smart phone amplifier.  Every one is unique in its appearance but they all have the same function.  Each Bam-Boom is supplied in its own portable draw string bag.  Only £10 each.

boing1Boing Guitar and Ukulele stands.  A fun way to keep your guitar and ukulele.  They don’t fold but they do stack and they are slightly bouncy to absorb any impact if you put your instrument down clumsily. Three colours available at £20 each.

puka

Puka Peace Pack - Not just a toy, a ukulele for grown ups.  Includes a padded gig bag. Quality at only £69.

squire

Squier by Fender Affinity Strat Pack - a complete guitar and amplifier set available in two colours.  A bargain at £229.

silentSilent Brass by Yamaha - a system for Trumpet, French Horn, Flugel Horn etc for a quiet Christmas. Offers the advantage of practicing or playing at times and in places you couldn’t before! A present for the whole family! From £135.

glock

Angel AX 25 Glockenspiel. A quality 25 note glockenspiel with silver plated sound blocks in a sky blue case.  A stocking filler at only £25.


hodad

Hodad by Danelectro Mini Amplifier.  Cool 60s styling and a powerful punch.  A lot of sound for only £40.

snark

Snark chromatic clip on instrument tuners - Various colours. Only £20 each.

ashton

Ashton guitar starter packs in 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 and full sizes in different finishes.  With a bag, strap, extra strings,picks and an instruction DVD.  From £49.95.

souldier

Souldier handmade in Chicago guitar straps in various colours and patterns. Starting from £25.

korg1Korg Monotron Analogue Ribbon Synthesizer.  The compact monotron is packed with KORG’s legendary analog technology. The panel contains only five knobs and one switch. With this level of simplicity, now anyone can easily enjoy the world of analog synthesizers. In 3 versions at £35 each.

rickenbacker

Rickenbacker 360/12 C63 - £3200.  Only if you have been very, very good!


Uluru ukuleles

October 10, 2012

Uluru Pukana La I soprano £499

Uluru Pukana La I soprano £499

The ukulele craze is still going strong and here at Forsyths we have one of the finest ranges of ukuleles available anywhere in the North-West. From basic, brightly coloured ukes for £20; ideal for beginners, through intermediate instruments from £45 and all the way up to well posh, like the Martin 2K soprano for £1250.

In the middle of all this we have the fantastic Uluru range of ukuleles. Designed by the Australian guitar makers Ayres and hand-crafted from all solid timbers in Vietnam they start at £229 for the all solid mahogany Uluru I and go through the mango Manako models, the self-explanatory Koa, the shiny, figured Pukana La (pictured) and the seriously beautiful Lehua series. If you’re serious about your ukeing then one of these might be the uke for you! All Uluru ukes come with a quality padded gig bag (or hard case for the Pukana La and Lehua ukes). Our friends at Stones Music distribute these fine instruments and you should have a look at all the other lovely ukuleles and accessories they do!


Teaching Eric

October 13, 2009

 Cantona tests his musical skills in Looking for Eric

King Eric Cantona playing the second Trumpet he got from Forsyth

The film Looking For Eric has just been released on DVD and seeing the image on the left in today’s glowing newspaper review gave us fond memories of one of our favourite customers.  In the film Cantona is asked what he did when times were hard to which he replies “I learnt the trumpet”.  This might appear to be just a line in a film, but Eric Cantona actually appeared in our instrument department on the day of his court case regarding his infamous “kung-fu kick” in order to buy a trumpet.  Our trumpet playing MD, Dr Robin Loat, gave King Eric his very first trumpet lesson!

Unfortunately, it appears by the standard of his playing in the film, he didn’t keep up the practice after we arranged for him to receive more formal lessons.  If you’re finding times hard why not follow his example and learn to play the trumpet too!