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Here at Reidys Home of Music, we stock a wide variety of violins from the industry’s leading manufacturers including Stentor, Primavera and Eastman Strings. If you’re new to the game or if you’re buying a violin for your child then making the right choice can be a real minefield. So, with this in mind here’s a quick blog to point you in the right direction and highlight some of the best beginner violins to buy. So what are you looking for, which beginner violin should you buy? All violins look... Read More

So you’re no longer a beginner, you’ve put the time in and can now play violin. You’re an intermediate player and you need a better violin! Here’s our choice of the 3 best intermediate violins here at Reidys Home of Music. Hidersine Venezia Each Venezia violin is unique, genuinely hand carved from maple and spruce by Hidersine’s luthiers. Fitted with Ebony fingerboard, pegs and chin rest. Deliberately antiqued using clever techniques developed over many years. The slight pitting and wear marks are intricately done with a skilled hand. Each violin... Read More

Casio and Bechstein – two of the most well known names in music, have collaborated to create a product that looks set to revolutionise the world of digital pianos. The Casio Grand Hybrid Celviano series, made in very close collaboration with Bechstein comprises of three models; the GP300, the new GP400, and the flagship GP500. Casio have been at the forefront of music technology for the last 35 years and even developed the first ever electronic keyboard. Bechstein on the other hand, have a rich history, steeped in tradition spanning... Read More

Blues music never quite goes away. It’s been around for more than 100 years and you’ll actually hear many of its elements in all kinds of different music, from jazz and pop to heavy metal and rock. If you’ve learnt how to play the electric guitar, chances are you’ve learnt some blues scales and chord progressions in your time! There’s much more to blues than I, IV, V chord sequences and the pentatonic scale; blues is a feeling that you can convey on whatever instrument you play. Since people started... Read More

Clavinova and Arius are two different ranges of digital pianos made by Yamaha. Anything starting with CLP is a Clavinova and any model starting YDP is an Arius. The two ranges look fairly similar and essentially, do the same thing – that is, they look, sound and feel like an acoustic piano. However – to put it simply – it’s the extent to which they are like an acoustic piano is what sets the series apart, and justifies the price difference. Let’s go into a bit more detail and look... Read More

Martin and Taylor are two of the world’s biggest manufacturers of acoustic guitars. Martin is steeped in history, established in 1833, whereas Taylor is a more modern company, starting in 1974.  At Reidys, we sell a lot of guitars from both camps, and many customers ask us which brand is better between Martin and Taylor and what the differences are between them. The answer is not so simple – neither brand is ‘better’ per se as they offer players different things. Also, guitars are very subjective so what’s right for... Read More

Over the last decade or so, the rise in popularity of digital pianos has been staggering and the Yamaha Clavinova series has helped lead this. Digital pianos allow players to enjoy the instrument whilst having complete control over the volume, the option to use headphones for silent practice, the ability to get a variety of different sounds, plus they never need tuning and they’re a lot easier to move! Advances in technology mean that digital pianos are getting nearer to acoustic pianos in terms of playability and sound. It’s hardly... Read More

Within the modern range of US built Fenders, there are different versions of the Strat that can leave even the most experienced players a little confused. In the last year, two series have been discontinued and replaced. The American Standard has been replaced by the American Pro, and the American Deluxe has been replaced with the American Elite to reflect changes in players’ needs and wants. The Fender American Special, American Professional and American Elite Strat offer players a slightly different feel and sound, whilst still retaining that characteristic ‘Strat-ness’... Read More

The Gibson Les Paul has become an icon within the world of electric guitars and is one of the most popular instruments around. For just one guitar though, there are number of variations and as such, making the right choice for you can seem a little daunting. To help with this, we’ve put together some information that will help highlight some of the major differences between the various Gibson Les Paul models. 2019 Les Paul Standard 2019 Les Paul Traditional Pickups Burstbucker Pro Rhythm & Lead (Alnico #5) Coil-Tap Internal... Read More

Recently, Gibson revamped the entire USA range, doing away with the yearly series, and sticking with a diverse lineup made up of core models, that players genuinely want. The new guitars can be split up into two categories – Original and Modern. Sitting atop of the Original series are the two Les Paul Standards – the 50s version and the 60s – there’s also a 50s P90 model, but that’s fairly self-explanatory. This article will explore the differences between the new humbucker-equipped Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s and the 60s.... Read More