For anyone who enjoys creating music or live productions, Music City Canada is your place. They’re a family-run, London business that services all of Canada. With more than four decades in the industry, Music City Canada is the place for all of your music needs. It’s where you can industry experts to answer all of your questions.
When you shop at Music City Canada, you’re not going to see just the standard items that are in every music shop. They’re well-known for specializing in vintage and uncommon finds, which makes it a great place for gift-givers to look for those one-of-a-kind gifts for the music lover in your life. They also have used and second-hand equipment, which is fantastic for those with smaller budgets.
Their brick and mortar stores are more than just places to buy instruments and gear. They’re places to connect with other music lovers, trade stories, and share your passion. They offer unparalleled musical experiences in their stores. They encourage you to test out equipment and instruments. It really is a shopping experience unlike any other music store.
Music City Canada is known for hiring industry professionals who live and breathe music. Their staff really know their stuff because they’ve been part of the industry. Their staff are people who have toured with artists, been on stage, recorded albums. They can answer your questions with confidence because they’ve lived it, they’ve experienced it.
Touring artists from all over the world often stop in the brick and mortar store to pick up gear and supplies but also to connect with the industry vets who work in the store.
Five Amazing Businesses Under One Cohesive Brand
Music City Canada is the amalgamation of five incredible businesses into one national brand. The five businesses that Londoners have known and loved are The PA Shop, London Guitars, Music City Drums (AKA London Percussions), AV Solutions, and Charterhouse Studios.
The truth is that Music City Canada, a Goliath of a company, still operates like a family-run business, but with orders coming in on their online store from across the country, it was important to have a national brand, rather than a city-specific brand. The different businesses were very closely connected before the re-branding, and that has not changed. If anything, it makes cross-promoting that much easier.
The PA Shop
For years Londoners and businesses have gone to The PA Shop for everything from service repairs, expert advice, and to find the best buys in the business.
If you’re not familiar, the PA Shop is a Pro A/V, Stage, and Studio store. Whatever you might need to put on a rocking concert or incredible performance, and whatever you might need to make a professional-quality video or recording, you can find at the PA Shop. Audio, lighting, recording, video, staging, and DJing needs can all be met. You can find speakers, mixers, wireless microphones, DJ controllers, effect lights, studio monitors, headphones, audio interfaces, and even acoustic room kits.
On top of offering competitive prices and vast industry knowledge on what will suit your specific needs, the PA Shop also has fast and reliable shipping across all of Canada. Some cities even get to have next-day delivery for in-stock items.
But the PA Shop is so much more than just a place to buy things. Check out their other services.
Buy, Trade, and Consign
Do you have equipment that you no longer use? Are you looking to try out something new and different and are not sure what to do with your used and vintage equipment? Turn your recording, PA, lighting, and electronic equipment that you have laying around into cash or credit! The PA Shop offers trades and consignment. And if you’re looking to buy vintage pieces, start your search at the PA Shop!
Service and Repairs Department
Leave it to the Wizard! When electronic equipment isn’t working as it should check out the PA Shop and leave your broken equipment in the very capable hands of Vlad, the service technician wizard. The wizards in the PA Shop Service/Repair can fix most issues. If they can’t fix it, they’ll help you find someone who can!
PA Shop Showroom
While shopping online is fantastic, sometimes you want to actually experience a piece of equipment before you buy it. The PA Shop Showroom is the place to do that. They stock the best of the best in terms of gear for recording, lighting, sound, and DJing. At the showroom, you can check out the live, interactive demo set up. They have the Live Sound Room where you can demo speakers, mixers, microphones and more. In the Recording Room, you can get your hands on interfaces, microphones, headphones, MIDI controllers, and more. And In the Lighting/DJ Room, you can test effect lights, stage lights, software, control vinyl, and so much more.
The Team
The PA Shop prides itself on having the best and most experienced staff members to help answer your questions and to help you find exactly what it is that you need.
Matt is Music City Canada’s recording specialist and tech guru. He’s a Music Industry Arts graduate with a background in computer engineering. And with over a decade of guitar playing under his belt, he has a wealth of experience and experiments that he can share with you.
Steve has been part of the hip hop community for over 30 years and has shared the stage with Jay-Z, Busta Rhymes, 50 Cent, and more as DJ Res. If you have questions for DJ or audio gear, he is the man to look to.
AV Solutions
The PA Shop A/V Solutions has some of the most experienced sales and technical staff in all of Southwestern Ontario. You’re getting the best of the best. A/V Solutions team can help with any project, no matter how big or small! Their years of experience and breadth of knowledge can help you design and implement the most basic or the most complex audio, video, lighting, and IT set up for your project, even if it’s outside! They’ve worked with big brand names like McDonald’s, Cineplex, Corus, The Keg, and more!
The Team
AV Solutions gives you peace of mind. They have the experience and knowledge necessary that you can bring your project to them, no matter what it is, and rest assured knowing that they’ll take care of it and carry out your vision.
Kyle is the audio guru. He has worked with touring acts and production shows and was even a sound technician on a cruise line. He’ll work with you to find the best solutions for your budget.
Ryan is the oldest son of the owner of the PA Shop. Ryan’s been in the family business since 1993. His experience as a DJ and his experience doing lighting design for hundreds of shows over the years, including for Finger Eleven, will help you make your projects the best it can be.
Darcy has more than three decades of experience on guitar, bass, mandolin, and percussion. He’s performed with plenty of groups, including Petty Theft, The Kickers, Kindred Spirits, Whiskey Sinners, Every Couple Uh Weeks, and so many more. He has also been a bandleader and has co-written music. His vast experience in the music industry makes his expertise invaluable.
London Guitars
London Guitars is a guitar-players’ haven. This specialty store has a crazy extensive selection of acoustic, vintage, hollow-bodied, and electric guitars. They also have everything you need like amps, pedals, basses, and strings!
The Showroom
If you’re worried about stepping into a high-pressure sales environment, then you’ve got it all wrong. London Guitar’s offers a relaxed, hands-on, FUN environment. You can feel free to pick up and test out any guitar. Yes, any guitar. Even the ones with hefty price tags. Seriously. They have a dedicated sound-proof demo room so that you can plug in an electric guitar, crank it up, and experience it. It’s also a great place to just hang out and connect with other guitar players in the lounge area of the store.
Vintage
There is nothing like getting your hands on a vintage guitar. It’s like you can feel the history of music played on it. London Guitars specializes in collecting the best of the best vintage guitars and equipment. The best part? They actually encourage you to come in and test out playing them…even if you’re not buying.
Buy, Trade, and Consign
Guitar enthusiasts know that collecting guitars is a real struggle. No matter how many you buy, there is always a new one to catch your eye. If you have some old ones lying around that you don’t use and don’t plan on using again, you could bring those in and trade for cash or credit.
The Team
Continuing with Music City Canada’s passion for hiring the best industry professionals so that you can have the absolute greatest experience shopping there, London Guitar’s team is exceptional.
Boris has played as lead and rhythm guitar for Our Lady Peace, I Mother Earth, The Tea Party, Cry of Love, and more. He has three decades of touring and performances under his belt. He’s also been the guitar tech for Steven Page of the Barenaked Ladies, and Les Stroud of Survivorman. Needless to say, he knows his stuff.
Stan has played and recorded with blues, country, metal, and rock bands, including Helix, Bobnoxious, Chris Hart, The Trailer Park Boys, Marshall Dane, Bill Durst, the Buffalo Brothers, and more. On top of that, he has scored commercials and TV shows!
Bungie has worked as a guitar/backline tech for some of Canada’s best musicians. Bungie has been trusted with instruments and rigs for performances of country, jazz, rock, metal, and more. Bungie is known as “The Technician” for a good reason.
Bungie’s Bench
If you’re looking for guitar setups and repairs, look no further than Bungie’s Bench in London Guitars. Bungie has travelled all over the world as a touring guitar tech. The number of guitars that his hands have personally repaired and serviced is in the thousands. Whatever your guitar needs–strings, setup, or anything–Bungie can help. Get a quick estimate and leave your baby, your pride and joy guitar, to the hands of Bungie.
London Percussion/Music City Drums
Whether you’re a drummer pro, are just starting out, or fall somewhere in the middle, Music City Drums is meant for you. They sell and are extremely knowledgeable about everything drum and percussion related. They have acoustic drums, electronic drums, cymbals, hardware, percussion, sticks, drumheads, drum tools, accessories, and even drum machines. And if you’re in the market for some vintage drums, Music City Drums has you covered.
But even if your drumming passion is more in the percussion area, don’t worry because Music City Drums has all of the bases covered with bongo heads, skull shakers, and a lot more cowbell.
The Showroom
The Music City Drums Showrooms offer a truly unique experience to nerd out over your love of drums while actually getting a hands-on experience. Their showroom has acoustic and electric kits set up and ready to test out!
Buy, Trade, Consign
Turn that drum set you have laying around into cash or credit to get something new that you’ve had your eye on!
The Team
Those who work at Music City Drums are just as crazy and passionate about drums and percussion as those who shop there.
Derek has toured the world as a drummer since the mid-’80s. He’s also worked as an on-call session drummer and even performed as a drummer for Blue Man Group. He’s got stories to swap and a ton of passion and knowledge that only comes with his incredible experience.
Charterhouse Studios
Charterhouse Studios is an elite music production, recording, and mixing facility. It’s run by the award-winning producer/engineer/mixer Aaron Murray. Aaron has worked with Baptized in Blood, Helix, Gotthard, The Used, Randy Bachman, The Salads, and more. Artists can rest assured that their vision will be captured with the knowledgeable experience of Aaron there to guide them.
The Space
Charterhouse Studios has been used to record many famous pieces including Juno award winners! It’s a high-end facility where you’ll have access to professional equipment and everything you’ll need to bring your vision to life. Their system is created to integrate seamlessly with Pro Tools HD LE or M-Powered sessions so that the transition between your studio and theirs is flawless, which is great for artists on a budget looking to maximize the Charterhouse Studio’s incredible services and pro tools.
Charterhouse Studios has been created as a space to inspire music. Canada is full of greatness and these facilities are a place to capture that greatness.
Rates
They have hourly, daily, and block rates. An engineer is always included in your booking.
Video Streaming Services
Looking for somewhere to host your live streaming, editing, or recording needs? Charterhouse Studios has professional recording and broadcasting equipment to meet your needs. On top of that, they have tech experts and engineers with lots of experience and expertise in the industry.
Take advantage of multi-camera switching, a green screen set, picture in picture, logos and graphics, and even overlays! Their streaming services are secure, reliable, and have encryption.
Online Service
Those who shop at PA Shop, London Guitars or London Percussion know the incredible customer service that comes with stepping into stores. You get the kind of warm welcome that can only be felt in a family-run business. When the brand expanded and they took their stores online, they didn’t want to lose that part of their business. After all, it’s what keeps people wanting to come back again and again.
So Music City Canada invested heavily in ensuring that their website is equipped with all of the digital customer service tools that make it possible for the online shopping experience to be just as fantastic as the in-person experience. Enjoy live video chat with their professional, friendly, and knowledgeable staff. When you place an order, you can have peace-of-mind with shipment tracking.