Matlock Music on Dale Road feels like the sort of place you can pop into “for a quick look” and emerge half an hour later having rediscovered an old favourite album and talked yourself into trying a guitar you didn’t know you needed.
Background / History
A long-standing presence for local players and collectors, Matlock Music has built its reputation as a practical, down-to-earth shop where pre-loved gear and music get a second life. Rather than positioning itself as a niche boutique, it leans into the everyday needs of the area: people trading in unwanted kit, beginners looking for a first instrument, and seasoned listeners upgrading a hi-fi component or hunting down a missing record. The emphasis is very much on turning over interesting stock and keeping things accessible for the community.
What You’ll Find
Matlock Music is best known for its second-hand focus and the satisfying mix that comes with it. Expect a steady rotation of:
Vinyl and CDs, with plenty of well-known staples alongside the occasional surprise find.
Guitars and basses, typically a blend of familiar brands and curiosities, often sitting temptingly in the window.
Hi-fi equipment, where you might spot turntables, speakers, amplifiers and other components depending on what’s come in recently.
Useful extras such as leads, stands, strings, accessories and the kind of bits-and-pieces that save you an extra trip elsewhere.
Because stock is largely pre-owned, the selection changes often. If you enjoy the thrill of the hunt, it’s the sort of shop that rewards repeat visits.
Experience / Atmosphere
Browsing here is pleasantly unforced: music on in the background, racks and shelves that invite rummaging, and a pace that suits Matlock’s unhurried town-centre feel. The shop has the informal friendliness of a place that regularly deals with locals—people dropping in with a box of records to sell, asking advice on a set-up, or comparing notes on what they’ve been listening to. It’s as much a meeting point as it is a retailer: part record shop, part gear exchange, part local knowledge hub for anyone orbiting guitars and hi-fi.
Why Visit
A proper second-hand selection of records, guitars and hi-fi in one place
Regularly changing stock that makes repeat visits worthwhile
Good for beginners and improvers, especially if you want something affordable and characterful
A human, chatty buying-and-selling experience rather than faceless online trading
Ideal for impulse discoveries, from a long-sought LP to an unexpected piece of kit
Summary
If you like record shopping with a bit of grit and real-world charm—where the shelves reflect what the local area is actually listening to and playing—Matlock Music is well worth a stop. Whether you’re after a weekend crate-dig, a reliable guitar for rehearsals, or a hi-fi upgrade that won’t cost the earth, it offers that satisfying, ever-changing mix that keeps independent music shops feeling essential.
