The best vinyl record buyers in Blackpool. I have sold to Chris on a number of occasions now,…read morealways impressed by his professional approach and vinyl record knowledge. Also the prices quotes are far more far than the other dealers that I've tried in the area. I will be back in touch when I'm ready to sell some more of my vinyl. Thanks a million.

Very impressed with the service. I spoke to Chris regarding my late fathers record collection. He…read morewas very knowledgeable and gave me a general idea of value, he travelled quite some distance and true to his word he gave me the price we discussed. Contact this company with confidence.

In these days of big companies like HMV and Zavvi (or whatever it's called these days) dominating…read morethe music retail business, as well as the rise of downloading music (whether legal or illegal), it's easy to forget the charm of independent local music shops like Quicksilver Music. Hidden down Market Street, Quicksilver is a small but appealing shop that sells a modest but varied selection of CDs and vinyl, both of which are split quite helpfully and comprehensively into different genres and artists. You do still have to search through them a bit for a few hidden gems, but that's all part of the fun. As well as selling music, Quicksilver also sells a small selection of electric, acoustic and bass guitars as well as a few amps. None of them are particularly expensive models (most are at the cheaper end of the spectrum) but some models there have been discontinued so would be considered quite rare. The selection may be quite small but there is quite a variation and if you're looking for a more original choice for a basic guitar then there are some bargains on offer there. Quicksilver Music might not be for more commercial music fans but if small independent music stores with a bit of character appeal to you, then it's definitely a place to check out and support.

A Liverpool institution, Probe was immortalised in Kevin Sampson's Awaydays as the shop everyone…read morevisited in the late 70s to buy the latest punk and no wave singles. Three decades on, they still have a small selection of Joy Division and Magazine albums but their stock is much more eclectic. Alongside classic funk, soul, dub and electro, there are racks devoted to krautrock, psyche, garage, indie, freakbeat and classic rock. Endearingly, vinyl is the dominating medium rather than CDs with lots of lovingly sourced re-issues as well as new and original releases. The staff are friendly and knowledgable and more than happy to play records if you want to try before you buy. If only all record shops were like this! The magnificent Magazine: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nImOq_eWHEM&feature=related

Not much to add here on Probe Records, as everyone affirms it's a real-life genuine piece of…read moremusical heritage in a city where a lot relies on the idea of the ghost of the myth of the beat-era. Offering a broad selection of punk, post-punk, indie, funk, soul and reggae on CD and Vinyl, Probe is really the one-stop shop for music you might not find in HMV. It feels like a real record shop too; blasting a selection of funk and punk cult classics through the speakers, with wooden rack upon wooden rack of records, some with little well-thought out recommendation cards. The staff are friendly and surprisingly un-high fidelity-y in that a misstepped request won't be answered with a volley of insults in the direction of your musical knowledge. Regulars are treated well and newcomers are treated like regulars. A few years ago I asked for the new Iron and Wine album (the fantastic, laid-back "Our Endless Numbered Days") and although it wasn't out until Monday they let me have it anyway. Brilliant.

One of the last remaining secondhand record shops in Liverpool is Hairy Records. Situated at the…read moretop of Bold Street, it's a gloriously ramshackle shop that has literally dozens of racks of old vinyl. The window is a great indicator of what you'll find inside with well thumbed copies of early Dylan, Neil Young and Van Morrison records alongside old classics by The Cure, The Smiths and The Specials. It's not all rock and pop however, as inside there are literally hundreds of brilliant soul, funk, disco, motown, northern soul, girl groups, reggae and krautrock albums. If you can't find what you're looking for, ask the friendly owner and there's a chance he might have a copy somewhere. I only chatted to him for five minutes and it was clear his passion and enthusiasm for music was infectious. In the week, Hairy Records is quite quiet so you'll have time to look through everything without being disturbed. At weekends however, expect to be elbowed by local musicans like The Zutons and The Coral. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJrGKqYYfdY

Liverpool's selection of independent record shops is so bad, considering the city's monumental…read moremusical heritage, it's almost laughable. Hairy is one of the few left and is probably the biggest and best known. Its collection of vinyl is tremendous with stacks and stacks from all genres and eras that you can happily spend days rooting through them all. But like all specialist shops - particularly record shops - there is always a catch. Remember High Fidelity? Remember the father innocently asking Jack Black if he had a copy of 'I Just Called To Say I Love You'? Yep, just be careful.

Vinyl Records is a great old skool record/vinyl shop on Church Street in Preston. Not many of these…read moretypes of shops left about. They have lots of different styles of music and a mass amount of records. The prices can be a bit more costly than the norm but they are worth it. Much better experience than shopping online. If you can't find what you want the staff are always on hand to help you and if they don't have it in stock they will order it in for you. Great quick service and knowledgeable staff. Nice friendly atmosphere.

Not many places like this available anymore, and it really is enjoyable to spend a while looking…read morethrough the various vinyl they have on offer. The staff are really helpful and although slightly outside the town centre it is not too far away and located close to alternative venues The Warehouse and PR1. Whilst some of the stuff can be a little pricey there really is so much on offer that you're sure to find something affordable and to your taste. You really can spend quite some time in here looking through all the vinyl and there are often some hidden gems if you are lucky enough to find them!

Some nice guitars but if you're not prepared to spend bags of cash, don't expect anything in the…read moreway of customer service. Makes you feel like he's doing you a favour selling you an over-priced set of strings.

If you're a crate digger or just looking to replay your old records, this shop is ideal. Skeleton…read moreRecords sells over 100,000 new and used records, CD's, DVD's and cassettes of all genres of music. The vinyl section of the store is amazing and you could be there for hours digging like I have, and you're guaranteed to find something you like, the prices range from 10p to collectible records which are priced on their rarity, but if you're looking for CD's, DVD's and other things you will be able to find the things you are looking for, big up to Skeleton Records and vinyl shall live on. Store recommended, peace.

This is a great independant record store, just like how I remember music shops to be from my youth…read more The staff are knowledgeable and friendly, if they dont have what your looking for they can usually order it for you. They actually sell vinyl! Something you dont see very much of these days! A lot of promos and rarieties to choose from which is great if your looking for something unique for a gift for someone. All music genres are catered from too - you'll find everything fron dylan to spice girls! Music magazines and memorabilia is also available. Great little shop.

This is a decent record store, but it falls in the category of solid rather than spectacular. The…read morepositives are that the staff are incredibly knowledgable and everything in there is in brilliant condition, as they have this huge record cleaner in the back, which you can use on your own records for a quid if you buy something crackle-heavy from elsewhere. Prices are also fair, though for some classics they do overcharge. For example they wanted £35 once for a piper at the gates of dawn Floyd fame label pressing, which is worth £15 maximum, but on balance pricing is good. There is also a good range of new vinyl, both new issues and reissues of old material, all at reasonable prices. The negatives however are that the shop is frustratingly small. There are only about 7 boxes of LP's out, but annoyingly, behind the counter there are tonnes of boxes, of cleaned, ready to buy vinyl which you can't browse through. Why he doesn't open the shop up is beyond me, if he did this would immediately become a 4 star shop. The other weakness is linked to this, as the variety of stock is limited. You're looking mainly at rock/pop/soul. The odd gem does come up, and once he had loads of funk stuff, but in the main its limited. Again if he opened the store up and let you sift through the stuff in the back this problem would be rectified. Ultimately its worth a visit if you're local, but don't travel down specifically for it. For example, this store wouldn't last 10 minutes in Manchester because the competition has more and a wider variety of stock. They really need to open it up, it's so frustrating looking at all that vinyl which you can't browse, which is the main issue with this store.

Martin at Imageacoustic is a very professional and polite photographer who makes you feel at ease…read morestraight away and nothing too much trouble. The standard of the work is fantastic and although he`s based in Morecambe and I`m in Chorley, it couldn`t have been easier to meet up and create my portfolio. Highly recommended.