Ready to buy your first ever guitar?
Or perhaps you’re a gear geek looking to purchase some pedals, amps and other accessories?
Whether you’re into pop music and just want to play some easy 4-chord songs or a budding metalhead who needs a 7-string guitar and loves playing crazy fast licks,
Here are some of the best guitar shops in Singapore to purchase all your guitar gear!
TL;DR: Best Guitar Shops in Singapore
| Electric Guitar Brands | Acoustic Guitar Brands | Location(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Swee Lee | Chapman Guitars, Charvel, Collings, Cort, D'Angelico, Epiphone, Ernie Ball Music Man, EVH, Fender, Gibson, Gretsch, Harmony, Heritage, Hofner, Ibanez, Jackson, Kramer, PRS, Squier, Sterling, Taylor | Collings, Cort, D'Angelico, Epiphone, Ernie Ball, Fender, Froggy Bottom, Gibson, Gretsch, Huss & Dalton, Ibanez, Lowden, PRS, Rainsong Sheeran by Lowden, Squier, Taylor | Swee Lee Star Vista Flagship Store: 1 Vista Exchange Green, #01-07/08/09/10 The Star Vista, Singapore 138617 Swee Lee Bras Basah Showroom: 231 Bain St, #03-27/29, Singapore 180231 Swee Lee Peninsula Outlet Store: 3 Coleman Street B1-38/39 Peninsula Shopping Complex, Singapore 179804 |
| Davis Guitar | Aria, Bacchus, Burns London, ESP, GTRS, John Page, LTD, PRS, Schecter | Aria, Ditson by Sigma, Enya, Headway Guitars, LTD, PRS, Schecter, Sigma, Takamine | 3 Coleman Street B1-40/41, Peninsula Shopping Complex, Singapore 179804 |
| Yamaha | Yamaha | Yamaha | 12 retail stores islandwide |
| City Music | G&L, Michael Kelly, Vox | Martin | 1 Sophia Road #02-12/13 Peace Centre, Singapore 228149 |
| The Guitar Shop | N.A. | Blueridge, Eastman, Faith, Hozen Guitars, Lakewood, Lowden, Maestro, Martin, PROTÉGÉ, Taylor, Saga Music | 5 Coleman Street B1-30 Excelsior Shopping Centre, Singapore 179805 |
Choosing Your First Guitar
The first step in any guitar player’s journey is choosing their first baby; a guitar that you’ll cherish for a long time.
But be financially prepared as guitars can cost anywhere from below a hundred dollars to thousands of dollars. How much you spend really depends on how far you want to take this hobby.
How Much Should I Pay for a Decent Guitar?
For reference, this is roughly how much you can expect to pay for (electric) guitars:
- Budget: Under $1,500 (Essential guitars with no frills)
- Mid-Tier: $1,500 – $3,000 (Guitars from flagship lines such as Fender Stratocasters, Gibson Les Pauls, etc)
- Premium: $3,000 and up (Limited edition, custom guitars and premium line-ups)
Do also remember that for electric guitars, you’ll need to buy additional gear such as an amplifier and guitar cable which can cost you a couple hundred more depending on the brand.
Here’s a quick and comprehensive guide to picking your first guitar.
Acoustic vs Electric Guitars
One of the big decisions for any beginner is whether to choose an acoustic or electric guitar. This decision really depends on what kind of guitar player you want to be.
An electric guitar gives you great versatility in terms of sound and is also much easier to play. On the other hand, an acoustic guitar is much more portable as you won’t need additional gear to amplify your sound.
As a word of advice, just look towards your guitar idols and find out what type of guitar they are playing.
If you want to be the next Ed Sheeran, the acoustic guitar it is! But if your favourite band is AC/DC, you’ll probably be looking at electric guitars.
Guitar Brands
Source: Swee Lee
Once you’ve decided whether you’re going with an acoustic or electric guitar, it is time to do as much research as you can about the various guitar brands.
For acoustic guitars, some popular brands include Taylor, Yamaha and Martin guitars while popular brands for electric guitars are Fender and Gibson along with their cheaper counterparts, Squier and Epiphone respectively.
It is a good idea to check out YouTube to find out (and hear) the differences between the brands.
For example, Fender guitars are known for their bright sounds and playability while Gibson guitars have a deeper sound at the cost of weight.
Essential Gear
For acoustic guitars, all you really need is the guitar itself and maybe a pick, depending on the style of playing.
However, for electric guitars, a beginner will need a pick, amplifier and guitar (instrument) cable to start, which equates to a higher starting cost.
Some online stores such as Swee Lee do offer cheap beginner electric guitar sets for under $1,000 so you won’t have to fret about buying various items.
Yes, $1,000 is cheap in the world of instruments. Expect to spend thousands on gear if you’re serious about playing the guitar.
Start With Cheaper Guitars and Gear
In my experience, it is better to start off with cheaper guitar gear so you can learn about your gear as you progress.
This gives you a better idea of what you might want to invest in for the future, rather than spending a bomb on an expensive electric guitar that you may not come to like when you’ve progressed as a player.
If you’re on a budget, consider buying secondhand guitars too! Many pre-loved guitars are in great condition for a fraction of the original price. You can find them at some guitar stores, Carousell, the Facebook Marketplace, or various online groups.
Try Before You Buy
Once you’ve decided on your guitar (and related gear), head down to any of the stores listed below to try them out for yourself. You wouldn’t want to be spending hundreds or thousands of dollars on something you might not like weeks later.
If you’re still unsure even after doing all your research, just head on down to a guitar store and ask their associates for help!
Where Can I Buy a Guitar in Singapore?
Before we introduce some of the best guitar stores in Singapore, do note that this list is based on our recommendations and is not representative of all guitar stores in Singapore.
In general, you can find most guitar shops in Peninsula Shopping Complex, Excelsior Shopping Centre and Bain Street.
Swee Lee
Ask any musician in Singapore and they’ll most probably know of Swee Lee.
As the largest music store in Asia, you’ll find many famous guitar brands including Fender, Gibson, Taylor, Ibanez and Cort.
Spoilt for choice?
No worries as you can cosy up with any guitar you fancy at Swee Lee.
Just speak to one of their associates and they’ll plug you in with one of their many display amps for a quick jam session.
Pro tip: Try to avoid peak hours as you’ll probably need to wait to test a guitar out.
Aside from guitars, you can also find all sorts of guitar accessories, replacement parts, amplifiers and audio interfaces, on top of other instruments, making it the one-stop shop not just for guitarists but musicians as a whole.
| Retail Store | Address | Opening Hours | Contact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Swee Lee Star Vista Flagship Store | 1 Vista Exchange Green, #01-07/08/09/10 The Star Vista, Singapore 138617 | Mon – Sat (10am – 10pm) Sun & PH (10am – 10pm) | 3163 5618 |
| Swee Lee Bras Basah Showroom | 231 Bain St, #03-27/29, Singapore 180231 | Mon – Sat (10:30am – 7:30pm) Sun & PH (12:30pm – 6:30pm) |
|
| Swee Lee Peninsula Outlet Store | 3 Coleman Street B1-38/39 Peninsula Shopping Complex, Singapore 179804 | Mon – Sat (10:30am – 7pm) Sun (12:30pm – 6:30pm) |
Davis Guitar
Looking for brands like ESP, PRS, or Aria?
Davis Guitar has got your back.
While not as big as others, this music store has stood the test of time by distributing some of the most trusted guitar brands in the world.
Their collection includes not just the top guitar brands, but a wide selection of amplifiers, effect pedals and other accessories that you’ll need on your guitar journey.
Address:
3 Coleman Street B1-40/41, Peninsula Shopping Complex, Singapore 179804
Opening Hours:
Mon – Sat (10:30am – 7.30pm)
Sun & PH (1pm – 6pm)
Contact:
Tel: 6337 5092
Whatsapp: 9353 6880
Yamaha
Most Singaporeans would know of Yamaha, the renowned music school…and also the brand of motorbikes for some reason.
Despite being a brand of variety, Yamaha makes no compromise on quality, and its music stores offer a solid collection of Yamaha electric and acoustic guitars, along with accompanying amplifiers and other accessories.
If you’re looking for a budget and beginner-friendly guitar, Yamaha is a good place to start.
| Retail Store | Address | Opening Hours | Contact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hougang | 202 Hougang Street 21 #03-00, Singapore 530202 | Mon – Fri (12pm – 9pm) Sat (9am – 7pm) Sun (9am – 6pm) Closed on PH | 6740 9828 |
| SAFRA Punggol | 9 Sentul Crescent #03-02/03, Singapore 828654 | 6740 9341 | |
| Sembawang | 604 Sembawang Road #03-15 Sembawang Shopping Centre, Singapore 758459 | 6740 9371 | |
| Kallang Leisure Park | 5 Stadium Walk #03-07 Leisure Park Kallang, Singapore 397693 | Mon – Fri (12pm – 9pm) Sat (9am – 7pm) Sun (9am – 6pm) PH (12pm – 7pm) | 6740 9811 |
| Plaza Singapura | 68 Orchard Road #06-01 Plaza Singapura, Singapore 238839 | Mon – Fri (12pm – 9pm) Sat & Sun (10am – 9pm) PH (12pm – 9pm) | 6740 9841 |
| Tampines Mall | 4 Tampines Central 5 #04-K1/13/14/15/16, #05-04 Tampines Mall, Singapore 529510 | 6740 9871 | |
| Clementi | 451 Clementi Avenue 3 #03-309, Singapore 120451 | Mon – Fri (12pm – 9pm) Sat (9am – 7pm) Sun (9am – 6pm) Closed on PH | 6740 9361 |
| Frontier Community Club | 60 Jurong West Central 3 #02-02, Singapore 648346 | 6740 9351 | |
| Westgate | 3 Gateway Drive #04-40 Westgate, Singapore 608532 | Mon – Fri (11am – 9pm) Sat & Sun (10am – 9pm) PH (11am – 9pm) | 6740 9336 |
| Djistun Mall | 5 Ang Mo Kio Central 2 #03-05/06 Djitsun Mall, Singapore 569663 | Mon – Fri (12pm – 9pm) Sat (9am – 7pm) Sun (9am – 6pm) Closed on PH | 6740 9301 |
| Thomson Plaza | 301 Upper Thomson Road #03-24 Thomson Plaza, Singapore 574408 | Mon – Fri (12pm – 9pm) Sat & Sun (10am – 9pm) PH (12pm – 9pm) | 6740 9388 |
City Music
For acoustic guitar players who want to get their hands on the reputable American brand Martin guitars, look no further than the official distributor, City Music.
Located in the heart of the city, City Music has been the go-to guitar shop in Singapore for many musicians.
And it comes with a huge collection of music gear from the likes of Vox, Korg and Michael Kelly.
Address:
1, Sophia Road, #02-12/13 Peace Centre, Singapore 228149
Opening Hours:
Mon – Sat (11am – 7pm)
Closed on Sun & PH
Contact:
The Guitar Shop
An acoustic lover’s paradise, The Guitar Shop offers one of the widest range of acoustic guitar brands from Maestro and Taylor to Blueridge and Lowden.
Although established recently in 2019, The Guitar Shop has already made a name for itself with a highly-knowledgeable retail team plus the world-class The Guitar Doctor for your guitar needs.
Address:
5 Coleman Street, B1-30 Excelsior Shopping Centre, Singapore 179805
Opening Hours:
Mon – Sat (11pm – 7:30pm)
Sun (12pm – 6pm)
Contact:
6337 8687
