The Music Room at Cleckheaton has closed down!

[Johnny60]

This one is really only for those of us in the UK, but the Music Room at Cleckheaton has closed its doors for the last time. A sad day, as it was a great resource for buying acoustic instruments. Knowledgeable staff and a good range of (mainly) quality instruments.

I bought an Eastman 505 there around 4 1/2 years ago, and also bought my Northfield F5S there last year, as well as a guitar earlier this year. A lot of my fellow local Pickers also bought various mandolins, guitars and banjos there.

There is some hope that the business may come back in some format at some stage in the future, but for now a really good local resource has disappeared. Yes, there's still Hobgoblin in Leeds, but their range isn't as good.

Good luck to all those who are now needing to find new employment. I guess Eagle Music in nearby Huddersfield will be rubbing their hands in glee.

[MichaelW]

What a shame. One of only two Collings and Northfield dealers in the UK as far as I know.

[Ray(T)]

There have been rumours going round about this for the last couple of weeks but sad none the less. Apart from TAMCO (which for many people is at the wrong end of the UK!) there are few shops with anything you could call "choice".

[James Rankine]

Sad news indeed. They had the widest selection, across the board, of folk instruments in the UK in a very spacious showroom - large enough to have a concert venue on the first floor. A quick count reveals I've bought 6 instruments from them, two accordions, bouzouki, tenor banjo, tenor guitar and a mountain dulcimer but surprisingly no mandolins. On the plus side I bagged a half priced tenor guitar before it closed :)

[Uncle Choppy]

Sad news.

Bought an Eastman from them shortly after they first opened. They seemed to have some nice stuff - Weber, Collings, Capek etc. Given that TAMCO is so far away, that's the best chance many of us ever got to see or hear that sort of gear.

Oddly, the website still seems to be working and it's possible to add stuff to your basket. Not sure if they're just selling off their remaining stock or if it's an oversight.

[almeriastrings]

I'm not actually surprised. It was obvious something was very wrong. I had a bad experience there myself a couple of months ago (item ordered, shown as in stock, then not in stock... and a really hard time getting a refund). I know someone else this happened to as well recently. Prior to that, I had always heard they were fine.

[Ray(T)]

Sad news.

Bought an Eastman from them shortly after they first opened. They seemed to have some nice stuff - Weber, Collings, Capek etc. Given that TAMCO is so far away, that's the best chance many of us ever got to see or hear that sort of gear.

Oddly, the website still seems to be working and it's possible to add stuff to your basket. Not sure if they're just selling off their remaining stock or if it's an oversight.

There's a clue at the very bottom of their home page.

[Dagger Gordon]

Bad news. Sorry to hear it.

[Ivan Kelsall]

It's sad to hear of any music store closing down. It's not just the loss of an outlet for instruments,it usually means that folk are out of work & earning nowt !. Don't forget that Manchester City itself has a number of good music stores,one of my favourites being Forsyth's on Deansgate. They usually have a few decent mandolins in stock,
Ivan

[Johnny60]

I was in the store last Thursday (very little in the way of "good" stock left, apart from a couple of Capek banjos, a Collings A style and a fabulous Collings Dreadnought). Bought some strings and a couple of guitar stands cheap. I was told they were shutting up the shop on Saturday, but would continue to sell bits and bobs online until most of the stuff was gone.

I was told that there was some hope that something might re-emerge from the ashes in the future, but all very woolly at this stage.

[Shelagh Moore]

Always a shame to see a decent music go...

[jimmy powells]

Sorry to hear that. Been down twice recently and my mate bought a fabulous Northfield Big Mon there. Big shop so I reckon overheads demanded much more trade.

No major mandolin dealers anywhere near North East now.

[Ray(T)]

It's sad to hear of any music store closing down. It's not just the loss of an outlet for instruments,it usually means that folk are out of work & earning nowt !. Don't forget that Manchester City itself has a number of good music stores,one of my favourites being Forsyth's on Deansgate. They usually have a few decent mandolins in stock,
Ivan
Lat time I visited the place the "mandolin wall" was full of ukuleles and the few mandolins they have were locked away in a glass case.

I suspect that both Ivan and I have a better selection of instruments than most shops north of Gatwick!

[cbakewell]

What a shame - I bought my much-loved Buchanan Mandolin from there :(

[Dave Hanson]

I wouldn't trust the website, it hasn't changed for many months, although Hugh left some time ago, he is still mentioned on the website as being there.

Dave H

[Ray(T)]

Did you perchance pick the tenor banjo up from their colsing down sale Dave?

[Johnny60]

Hi Ray - are you referring to the Capek Brdy tenor banjo? Played it the other day and it was stunning! Didn't buy because I'm not a tenor banjo player, but it was a great instrument at a fantastic price.

[Ray(T)]

I was referring to the one at the end of Dave H's "signature" list. I remember they had 2 Capeks at the Music Room the last time I visited - one with a black head, the other with a resonator. The former sounded better but it dug into my leg when I played it. That and the fact that I don't "need" a tenor banjo meant I didn't buy it

[James Rankine]

I was referring to the one at the end of Dave H's "signature" list. I remember they had 2 Capeks at the Music Room the last time I visited - one with a black head, the other with a resonator. The former sounded better but it dug into my leg when I played it. That and the fact that I don't "need" a tenor banjo meant I didn't buy it

I bought the open back black head Capek about a year ago - sadly long before the recent fire sale. Here it is with backing on a Tom Buchanan Bouzouki, also bought from the Music Room.

EVOmES1tJMs

[Dave Hanson]

Did you perchance pick the tenor banjo up from their colsing down sale Dave?

No Ray, I bought it a few months earlier, I wanted to PX my Vega but the wouldn't, they offered to sell the Vega on commission at 50% you can imagine what I replied, IMHO a poor way to treat a long standing customer, I bought my 1917 Gibson A there in 2005 when it was still Dave Mallinson Music before they moved shop.

Dave H

[Ivan Kelsall]

From Dave Hanson - "....on commission at 50% ..". Oh boy !! - that's more than a bit steep Dave. Sounds like a hint of desperation in there somewhere,& a very poor way to behave towards a good customer (IMHO). Nevertheless,for their regular customers it's bad news as well as for the staff,
Ivan