Gibson Garage - My London Trip

Dear all,

last week I had my first experience with plane - I flew by plane to London and checked main sightseeings… of course I could not forget to visit Gibson Garage, so make cup of coffee or tea and let me tell you about this.

First of all I want to tell you that I know about this place thanks to Paul Davids, who is really great guitar player and I am watching his content about one year - many people saying he is Bob Ross of guitar playing and that can be proven in all of his videos, maybe check " OPEN D: The most beautiful tuning for guitar!" (I will put video link down the topic). But this video wasnt about Gibson Garage… the video name is " I met JIMMY PAGE (and played his 50k guitar!)" (I will put the link down the topic too). I really liked that place in video, such a great content, you must see!

Well I went here too and it is really like there is standing man by door and he opens it for you with nice words “Good afternoon, sir”. That place looks really luxury to me… prices of guitars were too. :smiley: I tried only 3 guitars and I cant really explain it but I feel like it was enough and “I wasnt worthy” to touch all guitars out there. It was enough for me and I really enjoyed it. First guitar was Gibson 1942 Banner Southern Jumbo Light Aged for price 7 349 pounds. I pretty liked this guitar, it had nice bass and feel like you are playing something that has been played. Then I checked Epiphone J-180 LS for 1 199 pounds. Nice pink guitar but I did not feel anything special about it - could be problem inside me, because I am really critical to other more expensive guitars, because I cant feel much or even if any difference from my acoustic Fender CC-60 SCE, where I did own upgrade with bone nut, saddle, pins and Gotoh selflocking tuners. Last guitar I tried was really different and I did not hold something like this to that day - it had hole on side of guitar and you could look inside. It had different base sounds, it was interesting but for my ear it was more con to bass then pros. The guitar was Gibson G-45 for 1 159 pounds. I have to say that I am fresh grade 2 so I cant do much, but I tried some fingerstyle and also some strumming with index and pick. I really liked the atmosphere here and I can remember some guy was playing some Sum 41 song - god, only if I can play like this on electric guitar, but I still did not find way to it, I prefer acoustic and I dont know power chords yet. I really liked how many guitars were here and few of them had some history labels under. Working staff here was really nice to me and opened to any help - I wanted a little souvenir for remember this place and I wanted capo - sadly we searched through whole shop and did not find any. :smiley: So I decided to buy pack of picks and that nice guy gave me a little gift 2 picks with Gibson Garage London logo, it is so great and I really like it! I am gonna make from one a necklace and wear it on daily basis, will update it in this topic when I create it. :slight_smile: Would need some drilling and nice “wire”, dont know word now for that “rope/string” for necklace. :smiley:

Also what was really funny to me and I felt little shy…
When you want to try acoustic guitar in one area you have to ask staff here to give it to you, its same when you want to put it back… well I wanted to put guitar back and asked one man - sadly he responded “sorry but I am not working here, wish I could”. :smiley: So sorry man I missed you with working staff here, but it happened and you took it good. :smiley:

After this trip I went to Trafalgar square where I watched band “The Street Cats Band” and they were playing really good. Anyone knows them? :slight_smile:
I shared them in Instagram story and they reshared my story, so it made my day much better and it was really good before! :slight_smile:

Down here I will put few pictures from Gibson Garage, one from Trafalgar square and that promised two links to Paul Davids.

Also now I can see I was holding same guitar as Paul Davids, check little comparism - what else do I need in life, huh? :smiley: :slight_smile:

Comparism:


All Gibson Garage photos:


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Trafalgar square The Street Cats Band:

Paul Davids Gibson Garage visit:

Paul Davids Open D Bob Ross teaching:

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Ah what an experience I would love to visit also.

Paul Davids is a real treasure he always explains things so nicely, such a shame I don’t understand what he is telling me in that gorgeous tone!

Gibson are not noted for being affordable haha

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Hi Michal,
How incredibly nice that must be a great experience… :sunglasses:

Greetings

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Great story and photos, thanks for sharing. Would love to visit, maybe on the next UK trip for sure. :thinking: I’m pretty sure I’d be afraid to even put a finger print on the GBP7,349.00 guitar let alone play it :scream:

If you damage it do you have to buy it?

Thta gives me an idea.

@CD02 you must hold it like golden baby, not even think about there is possible to drop it in any universe. :smiley: They have some internal thinking like “everyone can play anything”, because how many of us has so much to buy this. :smiley:

@RobDickinson Dont know how does it work in these shops… guess it should have some insurance, but still… I dont really wanna think about how much it would cost if I damaged it. :smiley:

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To be fair Gibson have an online store in the uk/Europe /USA where you can buy ex demo guitars so I don’t think they’d force you too.

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I think I have mixed feelings about whether I’d want to visit. On one hand there’s going to be so many beautiful guitars there but equally I’m potentially setting myself up for a load of debt! It’s probably safer that I stay away :joy:

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@mattswain Or maybe in the end… you will be surprised how good guitar you have at home now. Thats what proved me visiting local guitar shop, where I tried 17 guitars and did not find any better in range 500-3000 dollars. :smiley: And trust me… I really wanted new guitar really wanted, but this changed my opinion. :smiley:

@RobDickinson Gonna check them for price check to see difference from local shop. :smiley:

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@Carreta what a great trip. I get emails from Gibson about their store and there was a poster at Manchester Piccadilly station advertising it when it opened. I was fortunate enough to get my LP from the Liverpool branch of a local chain that has since closed so I have no need for more guitars so unfortunately won’t be making that trip. Good to see what its all about. Presumably you can plug in electrics to try?

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Great write up Michal thanks for sharing, loved the pictures.
:sunglasses:

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@rorystrat Yes, you can plug in and try electric guitars. They had some pedals and headphones ready on place - I dont have experiences with pedals and things around it so I cant tell you more, but this is how some guy played that Sum 41 song which I mentioned in text. :slight_smile:
Well, if I ever visit London again maybe I am gonna visit another music store - when I went foot trip from Gibson to China town I saw few shops with vinyl and CDs, that looks great too. :slight_smile:
I think its a good trip even if you dont buy anything… it has just a great atmosphere and if you have friend who is playing too it could be really nice trip for both of you. :slight_smile:

I should get myself down to the Gibson Garage - looks great!

If you visit London again, then Denmark Street is the place to go. I used to work just around the corner … that got expensive for a while.

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@mathsjunky sounds good, thanks for recommendation. Gonna mark it on my map. :slight_smile:

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Dear all,

I am adding promissed update about necklace. Yesterday I bought a necklace chain and today I assembled it together. Did not ever wear a neckleace, so I will see how comfortable it is or not. :slight_smile:


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Thanks for this story, Michal :hugs:.
I’m going to London in December and Gibson Garage is already on my ‘places-to-go-list’ :grin:.

@NicoleKKB Hello Nicole, that sounds like a really good plan. :slight_smile: Please feel free to share with us your experience. If so, can you please “kick” to me here so I can see your story? Thanks. :slight_smile:

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I’ll do :smiley:.

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Ok. That’s all the reason i need to plan a new trip to London. Didn’t know about that the first time i went there…(before Brexit).

Thank you for your story. That’s all the convincing i needed… :smile:

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As far as I know, the GG is rather new - post-Brexit, I guess. So, you haven’t missed it at your last trip to London :blush:.

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