I do love vinyls and it`s a shame I never was able to bring any of mine to this country and because…read moreI grew up in a city, São Paulo, where in every corner was possible to find a nice vinyl shop, It is most like compulsory to stop by every time I see a nice record shop. Luckily, Birmingham has excellent ones and Custard factory just got a brand new one as well: Left for Dead. And my visit to the place couldn't be better. From having a nice chatting about the concept of the record shop to finding a truly wonderful book with Bob Dylan's painting for only 6 pounds, it is my kind of shop. It's very selective as well. You are going to find loads of independent music. From Metal to jazz and classic records. No mainstream stuff but a great source for those who like nice music. There is an impressive collection of vintage magazines other great book titles. Everything with a very personal touch. That's always good to find a shop where it's sold what the owner believe is a good product. What is also impressive is the price in this shop. really nice items for collectors, for really cheap prices. As an independent business placed in Digbeth, Left For Dead also supports the local music and events and in 2014, there are many more to come.

With an unparalleled selection of vinyl and DJ toys, Seismic has grown to become one of the best…read morerecord shops in the whole country - even the Observer says so! Situated sneakily above Kong, a lovely fashion store in its own right, staff are always friendly and extremely knowledgeable. As it is mail order too there is an almost exhaustive selection of DnB, Breaks, House, Hip Hop etc vinyl with loads of rareties and white labels to discover! The shop itself is bright, comfortable and the perfect way to waste away an afternoon. Unmissable for DJ's

Fantastic selection of records, the owner is extremely friendly and helpful. If there is a record…read moreyou want that isn't in stock, he will order it in for you. Pricing is also very competitive.

Amazing store with amazing selections! You never know what you're gonna find! The staff are…read morefriendly, knowledgeable and know exactly what they're talking about if you ask for help! Love bunch of people and the store is always in top shape! Amazing prices too! Their collection of vinyl is vast and spans across so many genres! Overall an amazing store and worth stopping by!

From the owner: Independent vinyl store at FarGo village Coventry. Buys and…read moreSells Vinyl.

I bought my first guitar from Sound Control in Birmingham and wouldn't hesitate to buy from them…read moreagain. The shop is very well laid out and big enough to offer a large selection of choices no matter which instrument or piece of equipment you went in for. The departments are separated by instrument and set over various different floors and rooms. The staff are extremely helpful and patient and more than happy to leave you testing or fiddling with the instrument you are interested in without being obtrusive or pushy. I would certainly recommend this place if you want to get impartial advice form people who know what they are talking about.

There are Charity Shops and then there's Oxfam Book & Music!…read more Dedicated entirely to Books, CD's and DVD's, the shop is inviting and is well laid out with some fantastic stock which is regularly updated. While not a big store, it genuinely has a book shop feel to it with classical music playing in the background and a small area for sitting and reading. While the books aren't as cheap as other charity shops, you're much more likely to find a gem here. Recommended!

The Oxfam book and music shop in Knowle came up trumps today. I'd been experimenting with the…read morekindle i-pad app for my current read Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro and it hadn't been going too well if I am honest. With my next book club meeting looming I was in desperate need of a traditional copy of this work. So, as I was passing, I popped into this store on the off chance. Not for the first time my prayers were answered by an Oxfam shop. Sitting waiting for me was just the book I needed, in paperback and in excellent condition for a mere £2.99. I quickly browsed the rest of the store and it was in perfect condition. There is a nice reading area at the front of the store if you want to take your book purchasing a bit slower than mine. They also have a small but good selection of DVDs, CDs and vinyl. Thanks once again Oxfam!

A little gem of a shop for music enthusiasts. It is a tiny little shop but they are like an…read moreAladdin's cave of musical instruments and accessories. The staff couldn't be more friendly and will bend over backwards to help you. Nothing is too much trouble. The prices in there aren't too bad at all. OK the nature of the business means there are no cheapies but certain stores are still well over priced but not here at Music man. The after care service is great, nothing is too much trouble for them and they want their customers to go away happy. My daughter is quite happy to go back here for all her guitar accessories as well as the next time she needs her guitar restrung.

This place has a bunch of stuff. They are willing to order things. They surprise me with their…read morerange sometimes but really they don't seem to understand what I want to do or what I want. They specialise in the cheaper range of gear like behringer and their clones and they strike an uneasy balance between musical instruments and accessories and mobile DJ's and karaoke machines. I get the impression that they started out as a mobile DJ and karaoke machine supplier along with some cheaper PA's and sound systems and branched out into a few of the budget guitars and things and now they've got this uneasy mix. I'm always going for either highly technical queries regarding professional equipment which they can't really help with and would have to order in anyway or I'm on the musical instrument side which they only cover the basics of for the purposes of the beginner. It is nice to see independent businesses though.

My first experience of the Moseley record and book fair happened completely by random. I was…read morevisiting a friend who had recently moved to the area and we decided to go for a stroll. I hadn't been to such a fair since I was younger and my Dad took me to look for some new records for his 12 inch record player! It was a really nice blast from the past and I could really feel the enthusiasm and passion for music from the sellers on each stall. They really appeared to love being there and sharing their knowledge with potential buyers. Although the name suggests it's just records and books for sale, you'll also find everything from classic magazines, comic books, and music memorabilia. If you get a little peckish between exploring what's on offer, head to the café and get yourself a slice of handmade Victoria sponge! Yum.

Moseley Record & Book Fair is one of the greatest places for me to go to, and I think it's…read moresomething that I'd truly miss if I moved out of Birmingham. I am literally addicted to coming every month, and spending every penny that I have on vinyl. The fair happens every first Sunday, but often changes dates, so keep your eyes peeled on the website for updates. Every stall holder has something I want to buy, with an extensive list of vinyl, CDs, books and comics, visitors literally lose themselves in mooching through everything. It's great to come into contact with so many like minded people, who hold a love for the physical format of music, and strive to searching for those rarities, no matter what the cost. I, myself, have fallen victim to these pricier, 'sought-after' items, which have emptied my pockets many times. (Especially limited edition Progressive Rock records). The more you attend the fair, the more you learn about each stall holder themselves, and it's great to hear their interests and recommendations. From running a techno club, to meeting musicians, to running a film society, to attempting to organise a tribute to Frank Zappa in Birmingham, the stall holders are rooted in the knowledge and love of music. And so they should be!

Fantastic espresso and yummy dirt chai! Chill atmosphere with the addition of a record store.read more

Cool store! Cool vibes! Not comfy to study here but cute. Cappuccino is legit just a tiny latte…read morewith cocoa on top but it's chill. Pretty nutty espresso I think or maybe it was just the chocolate on top..... fire tho. It's a latte tho.

For reasons that elude me entirely, this little gem of a record shop is tucked away in a corner of…read morewhat seems to be the food section of Birmingham's Indoor Market - you have to walk past stalls selling bags of frozen food and piles of chicken feet to find it. The focus here is quite clearly reggae and it's various off shoots, like dub and rocksteady. The sign promises cds, dvds and vinyl - the vinyl selection was looking a bit thin on the ground when I last went in but there's a healthy selection of cds and an intriguing selection of DVDs, some of Jamaican reggae concerts and others of movies with names like "Obdeah Wedding". (I'd love to be able to tell you what "Obdeah Wedding" is about, but all I could fathom from the cover is it's got something to do with a haunted wedding ceremony). The shop also sells tickets to reggae events up and down the country. If you're a reggae enthusiast, you should definitely make a visit as the proprietors really know their stuff and shops of this nature are what help keep the reggae scene going.

My first experience of Summit records happened completely by random. I was out with a friend and we…read moredecided to go for a stroll. Although they seem to specialise in reggae music which isn't my cup of tea, I could really feel the enthusiasm and passion for music from the shop assistants. They really appeared to love being there and sharing their knowledge with potential buyers. I didn't buy anything on this occassion but if your into this kind of music then you should definitely go down and give it a try.