I received my WOW CONCERTO 2 today! THank you so much I am already disturbing the neighbourhood! I…read morewould recommend you to my friends who wished to buy karaoke as well... THank you soooo much you just made my day. It's worth the money. M King

The other day, I was surprised to spot a brand-new guitar string on the floor of my house. My…read moreimmediate thoughts: one of my housemates is either going to garrotte me, or is planning on learning the guitar. I hoped dearly for the former. Alas, this has been followed by hours of two young men attempting to learn the opening chords of Led Zepplin songs, despite my "No Stairway" signs about the house. I decided to visit Simply For Strings, partly because my housemates wanted to see if the place sold guitar-related stuff, partly because it's a quick walk from our house, and partly because the building looks beautiful. From the outside it looks like, and may well be, an old church. Inside it seems as though the church theory is confirmed - there are original stain-glass windows and other small signs - but it's been re-outfitted so that it now contains newer floorboards and white paint, making the interior with its high walls resemble a "local" art gallery or concert room. (By local, I mean the interior mimics the Red Hill/Paddington style of converting old buildings into funky, retro businesses.) As you walk inside, you're greeted by pure beauty. Honestly, I didn't know where to look first. I noticed a piano occupying a sturdy position in the corner, then my eyes ran across the selection of cellos, violins, violas, and double basses. Even those who don't play such instruments must admit that their construction is beautiful - pieces of art in their own right. There's also a lot of bright colours amongst the wooden instruments, including a splash of beautiful, brashly coloured music stands - and one brass stand with a harp-shaped top that looks like it came straight out of the 1800s, or Phantom of The opera, or bygone, magical times. I was struck to see a stage area, too. The store uses the stage for lessons - at present, Violin Technical Work Boot Camp is on for those already familiar with the violin and eager to improve their skills. I also imagine the stage is used for performances, but the pleasant male staff member (and perhaps co-owner) was busy and I felt guilty asking, knowing I wasn't intending to make a purchase. I scanned the Strings website and can't see any upcoming performances, however. Even if you don't play a stringed instrument, I recommend coming here - it's a visual delight, at the very least. And hey, I didn't notice any guitar sheet music for Deep Purple's Smoke On The Water, so that's an extra bonus!

We were recommended to visit Simply for Strings by our teacher, and we're so glad we visited! The…read morestore is stunning - built inside an old church, everything is beautifully presented and it's like Harry Potter for string instruments. Our teacher recommended my daughter purchase a set of Obligato strings for her viola, and the staff were very accommodating in letting her try Obligato strings on a store viola first so we could get a better idea about how they sound. They even put them on her own instrument for free! They have a beautiful sheet music library packed to the brim with books, so it looks like you'd be able to find everything you need under the one roof. Safe to say we'll be back soon!