I had an excellent experience buying my first piano from Forsyths! I prefer the personal interaction and ability to ask questions, so I chose them over online retailers. The staff was lovely and helpful, especially since I didn't fully understand the technical details. They respected my budget and recommended a suitable Yamaha piano for me as a hobbyist pianist rather than trying to push me to a more expensive one. It was also on offer so I made some savings! Although I didn't plan to make a purchase that day, I decided to order over the phone because they offered a bundle deal on a stool and/or headphones. It was incredibly easy, and Ted was fantastic. The delivery plus assembly service costs around £100. However, if you have assistance to collect, bring inside, and assemble the instrument, I'd recommend to do it yourself. Ted recommended this actually so nice to see again they don't pressure customer to buy something they don't need. Kudos to you! Ted called few days earlier than expected to let me know the piano had arrived in store. I chose to pick it up myself for the fastest option, and Ted helped me safely load the piano and stool into my car. If I ever need another instrument or anything music-related, I will definitely return to Forsyths. Supporting local businesses is a bonus!! Thank you so much I love my piano and couldn't be happier with it, and your service.

I want to preface this review by mentioning that I do go into Forsyth for a browse often and the staff are always very friendly and helpful and I can’t take away the customer experience in that area. The reason I am writing this review is because the setup I got from Forsyth has ruined my love for my dream guitar. I took my Fender Broadcaster 70th anniversary model into Forsyth for a setup as I had never had it setup as it was new. This was the 9th of April 2022 (I have been debating putting the review in for some time because I genuinely like the store) everything went smoothly I left the guitar and went to Scotland for a wedding. The day after the wedding and whilst I was hungover I was given a call from the tech mentioning that the the guitar was ready to pickup, however it had been damaged when the neck had come off for the truss rod adjustment, I had no idea the extent of the damage and being hungover I was already sick to the stomach as I babied this guitar as it was a limited edition model and my most expensive guitar at 2k in value. I eventually went back to the shop once I was back from Scotland and when I opened the guitar case I was gutted, the edge of the guitar near the neck pocket on the cutaway had fragments of the nitro finish glued back on top in a horrible patch job, the pick guard had scrapes around the holes from the screws being taken out and the neck plate had been tightened too much it has cracked the lacquer around the edges and possibly underneath however I have not looked. The staff didn’t know it had been damaged as I believe it is a 3rd party and were surprised when I mentioned it. They did waive the fee but didn’t offer any repair, only suggestions of a place to go. I did email the suggestion but they never got back in touch and to be frank I shouldn’t have to pay to repair it IMO. The guitar was my dream guitar but I barely play it now because I feel sick looking at the damage it’s not a cheap guitar and it’s not one I can buy again they are a limited run. When I take a guitar in it should be returned in the condition I handed it in and if it was damaged it should’ve been kept for a professional repair, I understand it is probably too late to have anything done now. It’s the first time I’ve had a guitar damaged in a setup, I just don’t know why the tech chanced pulling the neck off if it was “the tightest neck he has seen” I would’ve rather he phoned me and said he wasn’t comfortable. Anyway, after all of this I honestly just can’t bring myself to play or look at it. I wanted it to age gracefully with my playing and then hand it down when I get older but the big chunk looks horrible and selling it will be at a major loss due to the damage. ***Edit*** Just got a call from James from Forsyth, happy to say that even though some time has passed and I wasn't expecting anything to be done, he has offered to remedy the situation by having the finish repaired. As I stated before they have always been friendly and helpful and the fact they are willing to remedy the situation is fantastic. I look forward to when the guitar is back and in better shape to capture that spark I had when I first got it. The way this was handled gives me confidence to bring back my other instruments when I move back down to Manchester for setups and maintenence again knowing that if something unfortunate happens that Forsyth are willing to help put it right.

Large music shop in central Manchester. Bit old school, lots of music books, sheet music etc. Acoustic guitars quite a large choice but no Gibson or Taylor’s? Why? Lots of pianos and keyboards.

Incredibly welcoming and friendly staff. Knowledgeable, experienced and enthusiastic too. More than happy to advise about musical instruments. Covid friendly.

Best music shop in Manchester. Family run and very friendly. Whether you want an instrument, sheet music or lessons, they have it all. Even free performances most weeks in their piano showroom

This has been my favourite music store since my teenage years (and I'm 77 now). I go to it regularly, if not to buy my sheet music, then, simply to browse there in an unhurried way. The staff are knowledgeable, friendly and will advise if necessary and if I haven't time to travel to Manchester, I can always phone and order what I'm looking for. Manchester is the city of my birth, where I grew up and went to school. Without Forsyth's, I would feel an important part of it was missing.

This Music Shop stocks all kinds of musical instruments & accessories, that one would consider to be at the highest end of the scale, in terms of quality. Spread over three floors, it is heaven, for any musician. Being a guitarists myself, I head up to the top floor, where the guitars are. Wonderful ! ! The staff are knowledgeable, helpful & courteous. I would definitely have no reservations in recommending this establishment very, very highly ! ! If you are a musician & happen to be in Manchester, give this store a visit, you will not be disappointed at all. Top notch in every way, 10 out of 10 ! !

Our favourite place for anything music. The young staff there are knowledgeable and ready to help with any questions you may have! I really like that they say hi when they see you , it's just nice manners and a nice welcome. That's why we buy from there.

Graciously accommodate our amateur pianist group in their basement, including use of an excellent grand piano! Comprehensive stock of musical instruments and sheet music. Very friendly staff.

It's an Aladdin's cave of musical delights. It looks a bit neglected but it's heart is music. Three floors of sheet music, pianos and after a wander up two flights off stairs a room full of guitars, keyboards, recorders, in fact anything that could be classed as musical. We need old, established businesses like this, with helpful and knowledgeable staff. Visit often and be musical....

A little piece of Old England with staff to match, extremely courteous, polite and helpful, the staff were wonderful, I wandered around the most superb selection of Grand and Upright Pianos, whilst listening to one being demonstrated. Truly a memorable afternoon, many Thanks Forsyths and all staff, definitely my number one store in Manchester. Terry Allen

I had a great experience with Forsyth's recently. I ordered a Kawai piano online and received a phone call immediately to follow up and discuss delivery options. Special mention must go to Francis who was exemplary in her customer service, as well as the tall gentlemen who helped load everything into the back of my car on the day. A Manchester institution, and rightly so- I would gladly use Forsyth's again.

I visited Forsyth to try some of the pianos in its incredible piano department and purchase some music. I particularly enjoyed the Bösendorfer, which was of spectacular craftsmanship and provided a wonderful touch, feel and sound. My personal favourite music shop.

Visited on Monday and I enjoyed my experience. I met the staff on the piano floor and checked out the extensive range of instruments they have available. Practice rooms are available for hire and a public piano is placed on the front for members of the public to give it a try. The best music store in the Manchester area.

This place is huge selling a massive range of instruments across several floors as well as sheet music, tablature books, strings etc. I was visiting Manchester for the day and had some time to kill so dropped in as I was passing. Staff were clearly knowledgeable and friendly but not pushy leaving me to look around without hassle. Worth a visit if you're in the area

Friendly well informed staff. I was looking for a guitar and they had a pretty good range of decent instruments. My wife says the second floor piano showroom hasn't changed since her parents bought a piano there 40+ years ago so expect a rather old fashioned atmosphere!

One of the few shops in Manchester that doesn't seem to have changed. Very helpful and knowledgeable staff, and I guess if they don't have what you want in stock, they can get it for you. I went in for some sheet music after unsuccessfully trying the Internet and local music shops. I asked a young man, and he found it instantly, and cheaper than the Internet suppliers. There truly is no substitute for a shop like Forsyth's. Long may it last.

What a great store with loads to choose from. We have purchased lots of different things from the shop over the last few months including a new Piano. Paul in the Piano Sales team was fantastic along with Emma and Winnie who by the way is an amazing pianist, she was happy to demo loads of pianos for us and was very welcoming to our son. Emma thank you so very much for looking after us, we will be back to continue to support the shop. You have a fantastic family owned business, we need to look after you so you can continue to look after us.

This place is like an Aladdin's cave, or the Chester Zoo of music! They have EVERYTHING that you could possibly imagine: instruments, gear, sheet music, CDs, a repair service... four floors of delight. I can only play piano, badly, but could easily have spent a whole day exploring all the different instruments on offer and earwigging on the wonderful staff expertly advising other customers. I was greeted kindly on every floor, but then helped as much or as little as I needed. Needless to say, I am very happy indeed with my new digital piano!

Great selection of musical instruments, accessories and music. Very friendy and knowledgeable staff. Spread over three floors so you can find your own - stairway to heaven.

Went in to look at guitars. A nice selection of electric, but much more focus on acoustics. Some beautiful guitars and all price ranges accounted for. So many other instruments from brass sections, but the pianos are what took my breath away. Absolutely stunning. As soon as I build a spare room and have 30k left over, I'm buying that white grand. Probably. (After a Gibson SG, PRS custom and a couple of other guitars!)

Had a wonderful experience at Forsyth's today whilst on a visit to purchase an electric piano - a demonstration (and a quick go) of a gorgeous Bösendorfer grand piano. Thanks to the piano team for their help today, and special thanks to Paul for sharing knowledge & passion for the subject

A nice shop with friendly staff. I was after the guitars which are situated on the 2nd floor. They have a very good selection of acoustics and electrics. There is a room set aside should you wish to demo anything Only downside to me (like many shops now) is that the guitars are locked to their wall hangers meaning you have to ask before you even pick anything up. I understand why they do this but sometimes I just prefer to have a feel of a guitar before wanting to play it.

Popped into the shop today for a browse. A lovely staff member kindly allowed me to sit with him as he beautifully played The Lion King. A heartwarming experience. Thank you 🎶

This shop is amazing came in for saxophone reeds and the staff were so lovely and informative, then I met a lovely gentleman called Paul on the piano floor, he was so inspirational and his playing brought a tear to my eye, he has inspired and encouraged me towards learning piano thank you for making my week (even when I only came in for a few reeds)

Purchasing a piano here was a first class event. Staff were informed, helpful, communications were responded to promptly and the service was friendly and reliable throughout. A truly pleasurable experience.

Absolutely brilliant experience today buying my digital piano, some of the best customer service I've ever had and superb advice. My only quarm was I didn't have the opportunity to try out a piano in a separate room, as the top floor is quite noisy with other customers on a weekend. I assume this is down to logistics as it's not a big space to be moving pianos around. But honestly, it was a great experience and I have come away really happy, thank you Forsyths lovely Saturday staff!

(Small edit**) I purchased a piece of artwork online at the beginning of August which, has still not been received. When trying to get a date for when I can expect it, I have been continually told 7-14 days. I received the piece yesterday. They took the time to deliver the artwork yesterday evening and apologized and explained the reason for the delay. Still not sure about the length of time but the artwork looks fantastic so they are clearly committed to quality.

A fantastic music shop with high quality instruments and knowledgeable and friendly staff. I've bought instruments from here and always been very happy with them.

Bought the Eastman E10 OO SS from Forsyth's, which was on sale as a display model and it was the best price I had seen in the UK. Spoke to James, who was very helpful, he said the guitar was as new, which it was, and he said he would adjust the neck to straighten it up and put a new set of strings on it. Indeed he phoned me back 5 minutes later to check what strings I would prefer. Guitar arrived and was as described, well set up with perfect intonation. The service was absolutely excellent and not what I have experienced when going to some big name guitar shops. Fantastic service.

I contacted Forsyths to enquire about a very specialist repair that was needed for my piano. From start to finish, the service provided by the piano repair team has been excellent. I am delighted with the quality of the repair to the polyester finish on my piano which was carried out efficiently and swiftly last week. I cannot recommend Natalie for her customer service and and Sam for his expertise highly enough.

A really fun store with very nice staff. They have great cards and stationary too. My review is very late, but a big thanks to the staff for helping me choose a keyboard. Much appreciated!

Resparked my interest in piano lessons! I vaguely remember a song from in school, tried it on their piano and instantly wanted more. In the shop, the staff are incredibly helpful, helped me choose the right books to prepare for lessons and what to expect. Super service and friendly. I start lessons next week! 😌

Nice selection of pianos but one staff member told me to stop playing. (The piece wasn’t even loud) Not very nice when you’re testing an instrument and looking to possibly (and now certainly not) buy one. I wish I hadn’t bought my sheet music from there a few moments beforehand.

I was basically forced to play something on piano by Paul in the piano room. I'm so glad he talked me into having a play as he then sat down at a piano and played for me. Excellent selection and expert knowledge. Very inspiring

Excellent range of musical instruments and accessories at competitive prices; wide range of sheet music and play along books to suit most tastes. Very knowledgeable and helpful staff. Enjoyed my time immensely.

Forsyths is a one of a kind wonderland of musical instruments. A hopefully thriving store in a world of declining competition, making it a rarity in its field. I chatted with the guitar-floor sales assistant about acoustic guitars. He was extremely knowledgeable and recommended a couple in my price range. Customers know where to come for expert information and friendly advice regarding most types of musical instrument. You can't beat trying out a few instruments to get a feel of it's suitability and feel. A refreshing change from the sometimes hit and miss experience of on-line purchasing. Recommended.

When I visited the Forsyth music shop I was greeted by the member of staff Jen, overall the place had a relaxed, friendly feel and I was overall impressed by Jen’s genuine enthusiasm for helping me find the instrument that I was looking for.

Wes was great! We are Aussies who have been OS for weeks and haven’t hit a string in anger in the Northern Hemisphere. He let us and encouraged us to play some very tasty guitars. Would recommend this store to anyone. Thx again Wes!

Visited the shop for the first time. Great selection of quality instruments. Knowledgeable and enthusiastic staff with plenty of advice for those looking to invest in a new instrument....

Paul in the Piano department was lovely and informative. He shown us amazing pianos, including the Bosendorfer (not spelt correctly but almost there). I am impressed by the range of stock and knowledge within the store. Would recommend for music newbies and music professionals :)

Lots of choice of musical instruments; certainly not the cheapest music shop I have ever been in, disappointed that all but one guitar were locked into their stands. This doesn't encourage me to try and potentially buy. (I have been playing guitar for 48 years)

A real music shop! Plenty of interesting and useful items in stock. Great fun browsing through the shelves looking for the next "essential"purchase. Have also recently used their mail order service too - great delivery times. Great to be able to support a real family business. Will be back soon👍🎷

This review is from my experience of buying a piano. There was lots of pianos to choose from and all seemed to be in good condition, and the lady who helped us with the purchase was very kind and understood what we wanted. However, there was one other staff member, an elderly gentleman, on the 1st floor who asked me to stop playing when I was testing out the pianos. Usually there wouldn't be anything wrong with this, but the way he asked me to stop seemed to be quite rude, in my opinion. He asked me to stop so he could let the customers he was helping to listen to the sound of the piano they were looking at, which didn't make sense to me as we were also customers aswell. I'm not sure if it was just a misunderstanding, or he just came off as rude to me, but after being told to stop playing it made me lose most of my self-confidence, ruining my experience for the rest of the visit.

The most amazing shop for music lovers! All of the staff are so friendly and helpful, I was able to play a few instruments to help me decide. I could not recommend this shop enough.

Great store. Very extensive sheet music collection. I found myself in there at least 8 times last week alone! Staff are always happy to help and order in sheet music if needed, and Mike is very knowledgeable about which editions are best for different composers and is down to earth. People on the strings floor know a lot about most main stringed instruments (the violin shoulder rests were out of my budget for now, but I'll be back!). Piano floor were very helpful in giving tips for my upcoming conservatoire auditions, and even recommended a weight of piano to practice the presto of the Friska section of Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody no 6 on. I'll definitely be returning in the near future for sheet music as I'm building my repertoire.