As Teesside musicians Jim Riggall and Ian Martin Snowy prepare to open Vagrant Guitars and Effects in Stockton, Lee Allcock caught up with both of them to discuss their experience, how the idea came about, and more.
Tell me a bit about yourself and your music background…
Jim: We’ve both been playing guitar for over 25 years and have been in loads of bands. We started playing together in Broken Broadcast over 10 years ago. I often say that I drive and Snowy steers. We have a unique working friendship where we push each other and help hone the creative side
Snowy: Our current band, Weathership, is the 10th band I’ve been in, and two of those were with Jim. We have a passion for writing and recording music, and for us, that mostly involves guitars and lots of effects.
When did you decide that you wanted to open a guitar shop?
Jim: Essentially, I started modding and restoring guitars during lockdown, trying new pedals off eBay and reselling them when they weren’t what I wanted. I’ve wanted a shop for years, but the hurdles were always massive. Historically, there have been places to get strings, but nothing close to Stockton. When the opportunity presented itself, I jumped on it. I’ve always talked about this with Snowy, so doing it together felt like a natural progression. I can’t even remember the original conversation we had.
Snowy: Stockton hasn’t had a guitar shop for years, so Jim and I often planned string runs up to Newcastle or added extras to online orders. We always said it would be easier to have a local shop to pop into. No one else seemed to be doing it, so we thought, why not let it be us?
Why did you decide that now was the right time to open it?
Jim: There’s so little in terms of places to buy gear; it’s been needed for a while. We have a good amount of stock, but the stumbling block for me was finding a location and taking that risk.
Snowy: We’re fortunate that TMA and the council are enthusiastic about the project. When the shop space became available, it almost made the decision for us, placing us right at the heart of the scene. Chris and Paul at TMA have been hugely supportive, which has pushed us to get things moving.
What can customers expect to find?
Jim: We recognise that foot traffic in Stockton may not sustain constant hours, so we’ll have more meaningful opening times – mostly on weekends and early evenings to fit around our schedules. We’ll promote heavily through Instagram.
Snowy: We’ll carry classic Fenders and Gibsons, but the exciting part will be the one-offs, including the self-builds Jim is creating. We want people to come in, chat, and hopefully leave with something they love – whether they’re touring guitarists or first-time buyers.
Jim: Stockton is a hotbed of good upcoming bands, and there’s always room for more. Hopefully, the shop will support existing bands and young musicians starting out.
What knowledge and expertise can you offer them?
Jim: It sounds cliché, but we have 40 years of experience in recording and live music. Not all of it has been positive, but we’ve learned from our mistakes, and we can help others avoid similar pitfalls. We have a ton of guitars and pedals between us. Our focus will be on guitars and effects, but we’ll also provide strings, straps, cables, and services like tune-ups, setups, and care advice – all from our amazing location right next to The Georgian Theatre.
Snowy: We’re both big guitar geeks. We research for hours before buying new gear and experiment until we find the nuances that enhance our sound. That kind of advice, based on personal experience, is what people will appreciate.
You can find out more about Vagrant Guitars and Effects at vagrantguitars.co.uk.
