Good music stores in Melbourne?

L

lilhermiejobo

Member
Mar 6, 2007
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Hey Melbourne dudes,
tax time is coming up at the end of the month and I've got the itch to scout around for some new gear and I have only seen a couple SMALL music shops with very little options to browse from. I'm wondering if any of you know of any bigger outlets possibly similar to Guitar Center back in the US.
Thanks for any help you can shed :kickass:
 
Allans music (Bourke st, city), Billy Hydes Music (Multiple large locations, check the web), Davis music (Footscray. Peavey retailer), Deluxe music (South Melbourne. Small but can be good) Music swap shop (outer city, some good second hand finds).

What were you after specifically?
 
I'd like to switch out the crappy factory pickups in my omen 6 to the emghz h4/h4a passives for starters. Thanks for the name drops, man. I've been here less than a year and haven't even begun to explore anything musical. Because of my lack of in-the-know I tend not to travel to the city often unless its somewhere specific for a specific reason.
 
If you're after EMG's, give your nearest Allans or Billy Hyde a call. They are about as close as we get to guitar centre, but some of the smaller shops can have some jems.
Which side of the cit yare you on, and where did you come down from?

The city is an odd place nowdays. I use to enjoy walking the main streets and keeping my eyes open for good stuff, but I can't seem to do that anymore.
 
I'm currently southeastern relocated from the US midwest. I'll check those stores out man... I know what you mean about smaller shops. I picked up a pair of Alesis Mk1 Actives for under 40 bucks that were labeled "band speakers" at a pawn shop just before I left to come here... it was a pretty random find so I felt obligated to grab them up. As for the EMGs I definitely want to buy new.
In a lot of ways from what I've seen Melbourne City reminds me of Indianapolis back home minus a majority of all the bizarre steal sculpture things everywhere. I know there is more to the city than a couple streets but the only ones I've seen much on (due to my limited exposure) are swanston elizabeth and collins.. and a couple side streets give or take a couple. What would you say has changed recently that makes you feel like you cant walk the main streets anymore?
 
lilhermiejobo said:
What would you say has changed recently that makes you feel like you cant walk the main streets anymore?
Click to expand...

Population/ dumb ass people that can't walk. Possibly the fact that I know it abit better so it's lost it's wander. Some of the good shops have either closed or moved, so there's less reason for me to go there. Lack of good/ cheap parking.
 
Nebulous said:
Population/ dumb ass people that can't walk. Possibly the fact that I know it abit better so it's lost it's wander. Some of the good shops have either closed or moved, so there's less reason for me to go there. Lack of good/ cheap parking.
Click to expand...

I'm on the Monash, Eastern/Eastlink, and Princes Highway everyday man....once there are more than 20 cars with a 1km radius its like everyone else on the road forgets where they're going, how to get there and all common sense.

Whats on Russell St?
 
Davis (Footscray) definitely has a private owned feel and a chance for bartering. Hydes is now more of a pay the ticket-price for the majoority of items unless you know someone there (and I don't anymore :mad:). Unfortunately, since Hyde's buyout of some previously privately owned stores, you don't really have too much choice in Melbourne/Victoria. Damn monopolies.
 
Nebulous said:
Anything specific there?
Click to expand...

Just me being a smartass

From Wiki - There are three things for which Russell Street is most notable: the cinema complex, a notorious drug-dealing area, and the Russell Street Bombing of the then Victoria Police Russell Street Police Headquarters (now converted to a residential complex).

The southern side of Russell Street between Bourke Street and Little Bourke Street is notorious for both video games parlors and drug dealing, specifically heroin. The associated street crime led to a Victoria Police crackdown on the activity.
 
Epic.

I'll tell you if I ever find a good one.

Keep in mind EMGs down here are a massive rip-off. So if you can get a relative or friend from the US to buy some for you and ship them over. EMG don't ship directly to Australia anymore because it screws without fatass distributor's monopoly.
 
LMAO. Fair enough.

Oh, back to the shops, there is also Manny's and Guitar Paradise (with drummers paradise next door) though I've only heard of both.
The thing that sucks about most of these stores, if you're looking for something other than Fender, Gibson, Ibanez, Marshall (valvestate), Shure, Behringer, etc, you're pretty much screwed and need to do some net research. Luckily, for amps, Billy hydes have a decent selection of Mesa and Engl, Davis have Peavey and Deluxe have some rare shit, so you can fair well if you have the $$$$$$....maybe just add afew extra 0000's to the prices you're use to.


Shit guys, we must be an awsome advert for Australia.

Aahh, fark, we can't get shit down 'ere, too much of a farken rip off. Naaahh, pass us another beeeer Shazza, we got plenty of that. Struth!
 
Good God, I've just been looking at Allans and BillyHyde online and I'm speechless... Something that hit home immediately for me was knowing I paid $525 USD for my Podxt Pro including hardshell rack case and the list price on billyhyde is 1800 bucks...... I can see myself missing home the more I even begin to think about a future as a musician here...How the hell do you guys do it? Am I just in the wrong line of work or what? I cant figure out how the average joe could afford to drop that much money on a preamp alone... I guess I'm not fully used to the cost of living down here, just yet.

Davis (Footscray) definitely has a private owned feel and a chance for bartering. Hydes is now more of a pay the ticket-price for the majoority of items unless you know someone there (and I don't anymore ). Unfortunately, since Hyde's buyout of some previously privately owned stores, you don't really have too much choice in Melbourne/Victoria. Damn monopolies.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the info. I'm making a list of all these stores you guys name and I'll look into all of them. I appreciate all the help I can get. The only people I know here are my wife, her family and the guys I work with... none of them are musicians which is hard for me because a majority of my friends back home were musical.

Keep in mind EMGs down here are a massive rip-off. So if you can get a relative or friend from the US to buy some for you and ship them over. EMG don't ship directly to Australia anymore because it screws without fatass distributor's monopoly.
Click to expand...
Ermz, I was thinking EXACTLY that when I started browsing just those 2 sites. 170 bucks for 1 passive pickup when back home you can pick up the ZW active set for 200 bones. I do believe I miss mommy dearest and think its time for an email.
 
:lol: crap, 4 new posts snuck their way in before I finished typing mine. :lol: Thanks for the stores guys!!! Keep 'em coming......
Ah... dont get me started on beer......who the hell in their right mind could sleep at night knowing they are charging people 50 bucks a slab?!
 
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