Strum along with Sarum Guitars

salisburyavonDecember 30, 20221 Comment0

Words and photo by Tristan Ovington.

Nicholas Hyde, the owner of Sarum Guitars, the new guitar and amp shop in Cross Keys, has always loved the six-string.
“I have been playing since I was 11 and in bands since 16,” the 65-year-old recalls. “I had a serious farming accident as an adult and injured my hand so I didn’t play for a long time after that, but 25 years ago I was asked to play at a local event and from there I just went back to playing and never stopped.
“We opened Sarum Guitars at this location on December 10. We keep a lot of guitars that other people don’t and we have a lot of Japanese guitars because they are made with excellent build quality and value.
“For example, we stock Japanese guitars made by Aria and Fujigen for their affordability and build quality.
“We like the British brand Tanglewood guitars because you get more guitars for your money. Tanglewood makes as many acoustic guitars in the UK as all the other acoustic guitar brands put together. They make guitars of any price range, from £120 to £2,500 and the build quality is second to none. We offer very fair prices for trade-ins.
“I have an amp technician, Gary Jameson, who used to repair valve televisions when they were the only type of television. He will start doing amp repairs in January and previously people have travelled across the country to have amps repaired by Gary because he is so skilled and knowledgeable on valve amps.
“The reception from the public to our opening has been fantastic. A lot of famous guitarists have already visited, such as Tich from the Salisbury sixties rock band Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich. Jamie Donaheigh and Tom Thatcher also visited.
“We want to give people all the time they need to try instruments and play them as long as they need to. That’s why we will have a coffee pot soon for customers and we already have plenty of seating.
“As a traditional shop we will not be offering all guitars to purchase online. There will only be a few of the rarer ones online. We want to offer people all the honest advice they need and it’s important for people to try out guitars in person.
“On January 7, we will open our teaching room, led by John Molene.
“Our students are aged from seven to 70, so it’s never too late to learn.”
As a bonus, if you tell the staff that you spotted them in the Gazette you will receive a special offer.

One Comment

Tony Wilson October 25, 2023 at 11:05 am Reply

Great shop but they moved a few yards around the corner in the same mall at the McDonalds end. Now at unit 15 I believe .