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It;s July 1991 and Bryan Adams' (Everything I Do) I Do It For You is top of the charts.Meanwhile, in Carlisle, Kevin Gardiner and Stewart MacKenzie are beginning a journey to start running Carlisle's longest established music shop. Rainbow Music, on Finkle Street, has been instrumentalising Carlisle musicians and hobbyists for the past 31 years - offering a grandiose selection of electric/acoustic guitars; keyboards; pianos; sheet music and amplifiers, both in-store and online. Both ow …

At Rainbow Music we are often asked about the age and date of manufacture of the Gibson guitars that we carry in stock. Here is an article from Gibson themselves on how their serial numbers work from 1975 up to the present day. Serial Numbers 1975-Present This section is designed to assist in dating and/or identifying instruments manufactured or distributed by Gibson Guitar Corp. Please note that most of this information relates to serial numbers used from 1975 to the present day. Gibson U …

I drove down Botchergate the other day only to see that the old J P Dias music shop has now been completely  demolished, Quite sad really as in the past 30 years at Rainbow music the one shop that still gets a mention is J P Dias.I Remember Buying My First Guitar..Back in the day in 1973 I decided at the age of 12 that I would like to learn to play the guitar. In those days the main shop in Carlisle at the time was J.P Dias who sold a variety of instruments including HH amplifiers,  H …

Fresh from Guild’s vintage-inspired Newark St. Collection, could this retro hot-rod be the leader of the pack?Despite space-age model names such as Starfire and Jetstar, Guild’s Newark St. Collection has long been a destination for those with vintage inclinations and a down-to-earth budget. From hard-rockin’ solidbodies to hollowbody archtops, all the main food groups are accounted for within the range. Our review model combines the classic singlecut Starfire outline with a centre-block, a trio …

ORANGE 1968 LONDON ENGLANDIn 1968, CEO Cliff Cooper, an electronics student and keen musician, borrowed £50 to start a musical instrument shop and recording studio in London’s West End. Against the backdrop of one of the city’s most vibrant districts, the shop was decorated with psychedelic script and painted a bright shade of orange which gave the company its name.Even in those early days the shop was awash with stars. Famous musicians such as John Lennon, Keith Richards, Brian Jones, Eric Clap …