Music

Foote’s
Percussion specialist with drumkits, African and Latin drums, glockenspiels and electronic kits, plus a good selection of woodwind, brass and string instruments. Plus tuition and a rent-to-buy scheme.
Foote’s, 10 Golden Square, W1 (020 7734 1822/www.footesmusic.com) Piccadilly Circus tube. Mon-Fri 9am-6pm; Sat 9am-5pm.

Gigsounds
An amazingly comprehensive stock, from kazoos to studio electronics, with a good range of electric guitars and amps.
Gigsounds, 86-88 Mitcham Lane, SW16 (020 8769 3206/www.gigsounds.co.uk) Tooting Broadway tube then 57 bus or Streatham Common rail. Open Mon-Fri 10am-6.30pm; Sat 10am-6pm.

Hobgoblin
Folk specialist with a large range of banjos, mandolins, Celtic harps, penny whistles, flutes, harmonicas, ukes, bagpipes, hand percussion, bodhráns and autoharps . Also carries a large range of sheet music and a luthier who makes lutes, ouds and guitars and repairs other instruments.
Hobgoblin, 24 Rathbone Place, W1 (020 7323 9040/www.hobgoblin.com) Tottenham Court Rd tube. Mon-Sat 10am-6pm .
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Holywell Music
London’s top harp retailer. Prices start at £750 for the smallest lever harp, rising to £59,000 for the most expensive Salvi jobs, with mother-of-pearl inlay. Beginners can rent harps for three months, students will find strings, tuners and sheet music.
Holywell Music, 58 Hopton St, SE1 (020 7928 8451/www.holywellmusic.co.uk) Blackfriars or Southwark tube/rail. Mon-Fri 10am-5pm.

Kensington Pianos
Two floors of new Yamaha, Kawai and Zieder pianos plus a large range of secondhand, reconditioned and digital models. Kensington Pianos, 288 Kensington High St, W14 (020 7602 7566/www.kensingtonpianos.com) High St Kensington tube. Mon-Sat 10am-6pm; Sun 10am-5pm.

Phil Parker
Dizzy Gillespie once visited this brass temple, as have hundreds of jazz and classical performers over the last 50 years. They have an unrivalled range of trumpets, trombones and tubas and also specialise in repairs and sheet music.
Phil Parker, 106a Crawford St, W1 (020 7486 8206/www.philparker.co.uk) Baker St tube. Mon-Fri 10am-5.30pm; Sat 10am-4.30pm.

Piano Warehouse
Through what looks like a shed door there’s a large warehouse selling Yamaha, Steinmayer, Weber, Kemble and Seiler plus secondhand and digital pianos. You can also rent a brand-new upright for £396 for a year.
Piano Warehouse, 30 Highgate Rd, NW5 (020 7267 7671/www.piano-warehouse.co.uk) Kentish Town tube/rail. Mon-Sat 10am-6pm.

Ray Man
For more than 30 years this family business has sold traditional instruments from Asia, Africa, the Middle East and South America, from sitars and darbuka drums to Chinese zithers and Vietnamese jaw harps.
Ray Man, 54 Chalk Farm Rd, NW1 (020 7692 6261/www.raymaneasternmusic.co.uk) Camden Town tube. Tue-Sat 10.30am-6pm; Sun 11am-5pm.

The Spanish Guitar Centre
This shop, set up 55 years ago by the father of guitar virtuoso John Williams, specialises in classical and flamenco guitars.
The Spanish Guitar Centre, 36 Cranbourn St, WC2 (020 7240 0754/www.spanishguitarcentre.com) Leicester Square tube. Mon-Sat 10.30am-6pm; Sun 11am-4pm.

Turnkey/Soho Soundhouse
London’s finest specialists in synths, samplers, pro-audio and DJ equipment.
Turnkey/Soho Soundhouse, 114-116 Charing Cross Rd, WC2 (020 7379 5148/www.turnkey.co.uk) Tottenham Court Rd tube. Mon-Wed, Fri, Sat 10am-6pm; Thur 10am-7pm.

Wembley Drum Centre
A drum mecca with a range of Pearl, Tama, Yamaha, Sabian, DW and Zildjian kits.
Wembley Drum Centre, Unit 7-8, Metro Trading Centre, Fifth Way, Wembley, Middlesex (020 8795 4001/www.wembleydrumcentre.com) Wembley Park tube. Mon-Sat 10am-6pm.