NEW SUPERSTORE NOW OPEN!

Wow! What a week that was!

Yep, after months of back-breaking hard work and over a year of planning, our new superstore and studios complex finally opened their doors to the world on Saturday 18th August and it was an amazing day!

With just half an hour until opening time, there were the last-minute fixes to be done but that didn't phase our team (most of whom had been here until 1am for at least two nights beforehand) and everyone pulled together to add those finishing touches. At 10am, with the car park already half full, we opened the doors to a crowd of people who all seemed genuinely wowed at the huge space we've expanded into, the massive collection of guitars upstairs and the wealth of showrooms on both the ground and first floors.

So, in case you couldn't make it on Saturday, let's give you guys the whistle-stop tour with some before and after pics (click on them to make them larger)...

Here's the new main entrance leading to the reception area. After walking through the sliding doors you can turn right for the studios and the new in-house café or turn left for the superstore!

[caption id="attachment_4934" align="aligncenter" width="584" caption="Shop Front - Before and After"]]({static}/uploads/2012/08/Shop-Front.png)[/caption]

Into the store we go and where, just 10 days ago, was a bare area with concrete floors, there is now a fully fledged hi-tech showroom with bespoke cabinets bursting with top notch studio gear and the walls bedecked with all the accessories you need from cables and stands to controller keyboards, lamps and Fender mousemats!

[caption id="attachment_4935" align="aligncenter" width="584" caption="Into the store... - Before and After"]]({static}/uploads/2012/08/Into-the-store....png)[/caption]

The counter and tills had customers queuing four-deep at certain points on Saturday, and those doors at the back lead into the warehouse, so if it's not already on display in-store, we can grab it for you (Argos-stylee)!

[caption id="attachment_4936" align="aligncenter" width="584" caption="Looking towards the stairs and tills - Before and After"]]({static}/uploads/2012/08/Looking-towards-the-stairs-and-tills.png)[/caption]

Turning to the right and we're now in the synth room. As well as a wall dedicated to Yamaha synths, we also have the latest and greatest models from Nord, Roland, Korg, Arturia, Alesis, Akai, Novation, Moog, Waldorf and Dave Smith Instruments. If you're looking for Technical Director and synth fanatic Chris Orchard and he's not at his desk, we now know exactly where to find him.

[caption id="attachment_4937" align="aligncenter" width="584" caption="Synth Room - Before and After"]]({static}/uploads/2012/08/Synth-Room1.png)[/caption]

Next door to that is the new Acoustic Room. This was everyone's favourite place to enjoy a five-minute browse on Saturday, especially the staff, as it's the only room in the building so far with customisable climate control. Where else can you take a breather from the late summer heat and feast your eyes on a huge collection of new and pre-owned acoustic, semi-acoustic and electro-acoustic beauties from Gibson, Collings, Taylor, Martin, Guild, Larrivée, Takamine and more...

[caption id="attachment_4938" align="aligncenter" width="584" caption="Acoustic Room - Before and After"]]({static}/uploads/2012/08/Acoustic-Room.png)[/caption]

Next up is the room we like to call the Sweet Spot... with over 40 pairs of monitors available to test-drive in a perfectly acoustically-treated room designed by professional acoustician Andy Munro.

[caption id="attachment_4939" align="aligncenter" width="584" caption="Monitor Demo Room - Before and After"]]({static}/uploads/2012/08/Monitor-Demo-Room.png)[/caption]

Past the Sweet Spot is Austin's new home, the Drum Emporium. The walls are hung with a huge selection of cymbals, percussion and accessories, while the rest of the room is packed with electronic and acoustic kits. Plus there are two soundproofed booths at the end of the room where you can paradiddle to your heart's content.

[caption id="attachment_4940" align="aligncenter" width="584" caption="Drum Department - Before and After"]]({static}/uploads/2012/08/Drum-Deptartment.png)[/caption]

Come on, keep up, we're only half way done! Now it's up the stairs (or go in the lift if you prefer) and at the top, you can pop into Robin's fully spec'd Guitar Workshop where he and the guitar team set up and check every new and pre-owned guitar for the wall, and undertake any servicing or work for your own guitars, whether you bought them here or not.

If you then turn round and gaze at the amazing space that is the Guitar Showroom, you'll see three huge display walls of electric guitars and basses, a custom-made counter made by our good friends at Orange Amps, plus showcases of all the amps and effects we stock... this really is a must-see for any keen guitarist! There are also four guitar booths where you can try out any of our guitars and amps in peace and strike a pose in the full-length mirrors!

[caption id="attachment_4941" align="aligncenter" width="584" caption="Guitar Wall - Before and After"]]({static}/uploads/2012/08/Guitar-Wall-1.png)[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4942" align="aligncenter" width="584" caption="More Guitar Wall! - Before and After"]]({static}/uploads/2012/08/More-Guitar-Wall.png)[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_4943" align="aligncenter" width="584" caption="More Guitar Dept. - Before and After"]]({static}/uploads/2012/08/More-Guitar-Dept..png)[/caption]

In the space beyond the Guitar Showroom is our DJ & Live Zone where we have heaps of PA speakers on demo, lots of DJ gear for you to try and enough space for us to hold regular seminars and events. It's THE place to be.

[caption id="attachment_4944" align="aligncenter" width="584" caption="DJ/Live Zone - Before and After"]]({static}/uploads/2012/08/DJLive-Zone.png)[/caption]

And that's before we've even mentioned the café with its unmissable coffee machine and comfy chairs, the ten rehearsal rooms available for hire seven days a week, instrument tuition with experienced tutors, regular workshops and music clubs, and our dedicated team of experienced, expert staff who are here to help you from the intiial advice and try-outs right through to after-sales support. Come on in a join us SOON!

[caption id="attachment_4933" align="aligncenter" width="550" caption="Absolute Music Team Outside the New Store"]]({static}/uploads/2012/08/Outside-Store.jpeg)[/caption]