Allans Music Billy Hyde

There are few certainties in the world. I won’t list those you and I know already. Instead I’ll introduce you to one you may not know: If you walk past Allans with a group of friends, and at least two of those friends are musos, then whether you like it or not, you’ll end up inside the store, perusing the same items you did last week and thinking to yourself, ‘I really ought to pick up an instrument.’
I want to review this establishment from the perspective of a person who knows no musical instrument, or a musical newbie.
Me and mine friends would find ourselves on Waymouth Street at least once a week, and would almost every single time be dragged into Allans. At first, it wasn’t so bad. I chalked it up to karma. I was always dragging my friends into bookstores. But it starts to get very tiring.
So long as you don’t visit the store once a week, those ignorant of music will be happy to browse the store. If you’re in the market for a gift for a person who IS musically gifted, the staff will do their best to help you. If you’re thinking of taking up an instrument, the staff will do their best to help you. If you like to browse musical items for no good reason, the staff will do their best to leave you to your perverse obsession. If you want none of these things, there’s no reason for you to come to this store. Each visit inspires regret for opportunities lost, but doesn’t really motivate you for future pursuits.

I can always depend on Allans Music. Whether it’s to buy, get advice from, or test out different instruments, all are welcome here at Allans.
I will start off by saying their customer service is like no other. They are approachable, not idealistic music snobs who think all your musical opinions are trash. They’re also funny, which is a plus.
I came here to buy my boyfriend a guitar effect for his birthday (yes I am amazing) and the guy got me a special deal which cut just under $ 90 off the original price.
I also come here regularly to tap into my inner Alicia Keys and fiddle around with the pianos and keyboards. I’m surprised by how long they let me play for.
Anyway, these guys are brilliant. Very knowledgeable, inspiring and you will always feel like you’re taken care of. The range of stock is good, and the prices are bendable.

I’d like to add that these guys are awesome.
One day I was playing my guitar like a regular Johnny Cash (granted, I didn’t sound quite as good) when suddenly a string broke. Because my guitar is hand made and brandless, a couple of music stores refused to restring it for me!
I took it to Billy Hyde on Waymouth and they had no problems throwing some new strings on for me, and it only took an hour which was fantastic.
If you are after musical advice or you need an instrument fixed (going to take my violin in next) then see these guys because they’re just so goddamn friendly and helpful AND they know what they are doing, which is oh so refreshing.
Parking can be a bit of a bitch in the city but sometimes you can get a park further up Waymouth, you may have to get a ticket however. or park under the Adelaide Tafe, it’s cheap and it’s just on the other side of Light Square, just depends how lazy you are feeling or if you’re trying to lug a drum kit in for repair!

First thing to remember is the distinction between Allans Music in Gawler Place and Allans Music in Waymouth Street — and that is DRUMS and BANDS are looked after in Waymouth street, where as it is mostly pianos and solo artistes looked after in Gawler Place. That’s the nice way of looking at it. If you wanted to get into genre specifics, you would go to Gawler place for your Barbra Streisand and your Frank Sinatra showbiz sheet music, and you would smash out some Tool or Black Veil Brides at Waymouth Street.
Okay I hope you have that sorted in your head now because I’m not revisiting it again in this spiel.
The shop is great. It has all sorts of really cool (kewel!) stuff including drums, cymbals, drum kits, maracas and guitars, ukulele’s tin whistles, kalimba’s tin drums, bongos, just about every musical instrument you can make a headache with (not for yourself, for someone older) and then some.
You can chat to the heavily tattooed staff with the nice nose rings and Amazon tribal loops in their earlobes to find out how many bands they play in, or where their next gig is at and you can get all excited about the classes you can do in these hallowed rooms — well out the back of these hallowed rooms.
You can go through the many catalogues, they’ll even give you some to take home and leave around with big red crosses on what you want, you know, to make it easier to drop those hints at home for the olds.
This is old school heaven when it comes to being a rebel with a cause, particularly if the cause is music and the effect is exploring your «X» factor!
Inspiring musicians for generations and irritating elderly people eternally — get in here for all your musical needs if you are part of a band or want to be. Not everybody is as good as «God God Damnit Damnit», but it’s worth checking yourself out to see just in case, and if you’re not, well there’s always the mirror to check yourself out in.