"I still find it quite strange that when people think about starting to play and buying their first guitar, going to visit a store is not necessarily something they would consider": Why the Gibson Garage London could change people's minds

“The first thing I noticed are the guitars on the ceiling, which look really cool!" Emily's first impressions of the Gibson Garage London are pretty much the same as everyone who walks through its doors. Because two overhead revolving conveyor belts filled with stunning Les Paul and SG electric guitars would impress anyone. But Emily isn't just anyone – she's a 14-year-old guitarist who's been playing for a few years and is now looking to invest in a new instrument. 

It's an important purchase, and traditionally guitar shops can be imposing places for a lot of us in that position, but the Gibson Garage is a lot more than a guitar shop.

Guitar shopping at the Gibson Garage London - YouTube

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"It's an experience," says Benji Ryder, one of the Gibson 'Pros' here who helps guide visitors through the 300 electric and acoustic guitars available to pick up and play at the Garage, located close to London's famous Oxford Street. "We don't want people coming and telling them, 'Don't touch this, don't touch that'. It's not a museum. We want people to come in, play things, try everything they want." 

The Gibson Pros here like Benji have the knowledge and experience to help answer any questions people might have about the Gibson, Kramer and Epiphone acoustic and electrics here, alongside Gibson and Mesa/Boogie amplification, plus Maestro effects." Gibson has recruited a talented team for its London Garage and Benji has years of experience behind him working in guitar retail and repairs – it shows, and this is vital. 

After its hugely impressive headline-grabbing media opening in February with Jimmy Page, Tony Iommi and Brian May in attendance, London's Gibson Garage had to open its doors to the public and begin the real test. As only the second Gibson Garage in the world after Nashville, a lot is riding on this; Benji's right, it is more than a shop. It represents Gibson as a brand now and how it wants to seen by existing and potential guitarists too. But what exactly is that? 

What it isn't is elitist. Any perception of Gibson as a high-end brand that most of us can't get access to is challenged by the Garage's inclusive ethos; Emily is free to try out any of the premium models on the carousel and walls we see around us on the spacious upper level of the Garage. That's matched by the impressive array of Gibson lifestyle products the budding guitarist is browsing today too."There's more merch than I thought there would be,” she notes. Everything from a huge range of t-shirts to vintage-style pennants, straps and even baby grows. If you're used to guitar brand merch that's a bit… well, a bit naff, the range and quality at the Garage will be a big surprise. 

The Garage underlines not just Gibson's heritage but its keen eye for detail too. If the Garage is viewed as a retail experience, it's an impressive one on first impressions, but gear is the main event here. There's also an elephant in the room – at a time when most people are buying gear online, what can the Gibson Garage say about the in-person experience in comparison? 

"I still find it quite strange that when people think about starting to play and buying their first guitar, going to visit a store is not necessarily something they would consider", Gibson's European Head of Commercial, Marketing & Cultural Influence Lee Bartram tells us. "The web is now such a massive part of the buying experience for our industry that actually visiting a store to ask the fundamental questions isn’t always the first thought." 

Seeing how Benji listens to Emily's thoughts on the guitars she's trying out, as well as offering the advice as a fellow enthusiast – not a salesman – suggests a lot of players are missing out. And it is in Gibson's interests to engage with those people because their investment can last far beyond one visit. 

"The Gibson Garage London as a retail experience is perfect for the first-time buyer and player to come in, speak to one of our Garage Pros, and gather the information they need to make the right purchase decision," notes Lee. "This in turn should lead to longevity with the instrument and as such keep people playing for longer."

The attention to access points is very clear across the Gibson brand ranges too – the days of one cheaper Epiphone, one dearer Gibson and one expensive Custom Shop model for key models are over. Things are more nuanced now – from Inspired By Gibson Epiphones to the newer Inspired By Gibson Custom Shop offerings. But that doesn't mean the entry level has been lifted further out of reach either; though there are Murphy Lab Gibson guitars in the five-figure region here, you can still buy an Epiphone Les Paul Special Satin E1 for £189 too on the main ground floor area. 

"With Epiphone being an integral part of the Gibson Garage we're able to provide options for pretty much all price points, musical styles, and genres," explains Lee. "And with the opportunity to try out everything we have on display it's hopefully a step towards getting people to consider visiting their local guitar store for the first time.”

That's a crucial point – this is not just about Gibson or even London. There are many of great guitar stores out there, just waiting to help people. A positive experience at the Garage is about reminding us that trying out a guitar in a shop and asking questions from experienced staff can offer something the internet simply doesn't have – no matter what new AI features it might throw at us.

"A lot of people come in and they see all these different shapes and all these different models, and they just are overwhelmed with choice," Benji tells us later as Emily settles on plugging in an SG Modern in vivid Blueberry Fade finish with the Mesa/Boogie CabClone headphone rigs the Garage provides. "I think the best way to combat that feeling of being overwhelmed is to just try everything. You don't know if a guitar is comfortable for you until you play it." Emily has definitely come to the right place for that. 

There's a real sense of giving people time and space with the guitars they try here. A lot of us might know the feeling of clamming up in the cramped guitar shops of our youths – not knowing what to play and feeling awkward asking for a pick. The relaxed, welcoming atmosphere here really helps you loosen up, without anyone judging you.

"We like to get a guitar in your hands," agrees Benji on the Garage ethos. "Get you set up. We'll go into an amp, make sure you're happy and you know how the amp functions." Assumed knowledge can be a slippery slope in the guitar world – even I have picked review guitars up and been surprised to find a push/pull function on a tone control pit I wasn't expecting. The Gibson Pros are conscious of that too.

"If there are extra functions on the guitar, like coil splitting, we make sure that you know how that works," adds Benji. "Then we'll just sort of leave you to get on with it for a little bit more. Circle back around later – if you want more time with it, you spend more time. If you want to try something else out, let's get something else down. There's absolutely no rush if you're going to pick a guitar. Whether you're spending £500 or £5,000 pounds, you want to spend your time and know it's the right thing for you. So we don't push, we don't hover. Just check in, see how you're doing."

This stuff matters to all levels of player – but those in the early stages especially. “I enjoyed it more than I thought I would," Emily tells us later. "I thought I’d feel embarrassed playing the guitars, but I felt really comfortable. I didn’t feel intimidated being there or by any of the staff, so I think you could go in there even if you’re a complete beginner.”

If you do make a purchase at the Garage you can walk away with the specific guitar you've tried, or ask to see any examples of the same model that the Garage might have in stock. Want to see if a lighter weight option is available? Just ask. And each guitar gets a setup to your preferences before you leave with it, and that includes lighter or heavier gauge strings if you prefer. The kind of additional tailored service that just isn't usually possible when buying a guitar online. 

"There's a general setup that we do, but if you buy a guitar and you'd like the action a little bit lower we can adjust it at the point of sale," adds Benji. "We can make sure that you leave with the guitar set up how you like it."

While Lee Bartram emphasises the role of the Gibson Garage going beyond a store and into the realm of an "immersive experience", he's conscious of the bigger picture here that could benefit other Gibson brand retailers. 

"It’s definitely going to bring our guitars, amps, and apparel to new audiences who may not have considered or been able to experience Gibson previously," he notes. "Gibson already works with the best retailers in the industry, there is a wealth of knowledge and experience which customers can benefit from, and with us focusing on a physical retail outlet it will naturally bring more attention to the wider network of stores stocking our products. Our dealer network in the UK is vital in keeping the guitar relevant and accessible, they have created communities around their businesses and that is something we wish to emulate at the Gibson Garage London.”

As we follow Emily downstairs to the Epiphone floor, it's clear every corner of the Garage is a celebration of not just Gibson, but the musical history it's long been a part of. We stop to admire the Gibson Gallery featuring shots of Noel Gallagher, Jeff Beck and Keith Richards by famed photographer Gerard Mankowitz.

We find more than a huge range of Epiphone guitars and basses as we explore the next floor; there's the unashamedly '80s aesthetics of the Kramer room with wall-to-wall cassette tapes, a working Pacman arcade machine (that Emily makes a beeline for) and more whammy-fitted speed machines than you can handle. But this floor also hosts a live stage. 

"Just like the Gibson Garage Nashville, we have designed the Gibson Garage London to be part of the London music community," says Lee. "The live stage features regular performances and showcases for music fans to experience from emerging and established artists."

The boards outside advertising signings and performances by upcoming artists affirm that Gibson isn't just about celebrating the likes of Slash, Iommi and Page. When Lee talks about community, he illustrates to us what that actually means. 

"Gibson has partnered with Busk In London to be a dedicated busking venue which will give local musicians the opportunity to perform within the space," he reveals. "It's going to be a great program when we launch during this fall.”

Tomorrow's live performers will find plenty to inspire them in the Epiphone ranges – some of the higher-end offerings can be found upstairs too, like the Pink J-180 LS that caught Emily's eye. She recently went to see Taylor Swift's show at Wembley Stadium where the songwriter used a custom Gibson model in the same finish. The price and body size aren't quite right for her though. 

On the Epiphone floor many of the electric, acoustic and bass ranges feature more affordable versions of their Gibson counterparts. Emily is intrigued by a metal body Hound Dog Dobro model and tries it out – "It looks cool – I’ve never seen a guitar like that before." The teenager is here to hone down her options to buy an acoustic, and playing the Gibsons upstairs and now the Epiphones, she's discovering her preferences, with a Gibson L-00 standing out so far. "That was easier to play because it was smaller than the other ones," she explains. "I think the size of the guitar is quite important when you’re buying one." 

Fortunately, there's a more affordable Epiphone Studio option too but Emily's time at the Garage trying out guitars has also helped her discover that the SG could be her next electric too. "There were guitars that I’d seen people playing but never seen before up close," she tells us later. "Like the AC/DC one. If I was going to buy a Gibson guitar it would be an SG.”

Today wasn't just about the guitars for Emily though, but how all the choices in the Gibson Garage were explained – “Benji was really helpful – he knew what he was talking about," she reflects.   

Great guitar gear is always fun to be around, and the Garage is a really inspiring, relaxed space to host it all. But the human connection is just as important, and that's where I think Gibson has really understood the assignment. The staff here are passionate about both Gibson brands and helping people connect with them.

"I've just genuinely been a big enthusiast for Gibson and Epiphone for years," Benji tells me when I ask him what his favourite part of the job is. "I started playing 15 years ago, and have just always enjoyed the element of playing, being able to create music and keeping live music thriving in venues. So seeing younger players come in picking up guitars for the first time, or getting their first Gibson or their first experience with a Gibson, it really confirms that this is what I want to do. Seeing that spark of excitement –  it's just a great place to be." 

• For more information on the Gibson Garage London head to gibson.com