Hampton Wick, is to the south west of London, nestled between Kingston-upon-Thames, Teddington and Hampton Court Palace. The counties of Surrey and Middlesex make up arguably the finest quarter of the South East and it continues to be a popular abode to the famous and celebrity alike, not least in media and entertainment. Hampton Wick could easily be overlooked; distracted by neighbouring lush green open spaces in the form of Bushy Park and Richmond Park; it’s proximity to the River Thames which meanders the area like an excited, lost child; and countless palatial sized homes fit enough for royalty, quite literally.
However, Hampton Wick comes with two specific and notable accolades. The first is its entry in the Cockney Rhyming Slang urban dictionary. Hampton Wick, of course, rhymes with “dick” and therefore allows men to talk about their Hamptons without frightening the horses. Well, that used to be the case until the world quickly caught on with thanks to Cockneys like Michael Caine, Bob Hoskins and Dick Van Dyke. The Goons even created a character named Hugh Jampton, which unwittingly crept past BBC censors to make an edition of the Radio Times magazine in 1954.
Hampton Wick’s second accolade is the altogether, undick-like Charlie Chandler’s Guitar Experience. Huddled between a tough choice of pubs, moments from Kingston Bridge is Charlie’s new home. New, that is, if you’ve been plying your trade for over 35 years.
Chandler Guitars in Kew Garden began in a golden era for Rock and Roll and Charlie was at its helm. The customer list is as eye-catching today as it was in the seventies, eighties and nineties. And the difference between Charlie and his rivals is the reason those musicians, at the top of their game, continue to use him today - he is very good at what he does.
The shop is modestly littered with a combination of affordable guitar paraphernalia, centred mostly around electric, semi-acoustic and amplification. It has an air of genuineness that a seasoned played instinctively senses - that he won’t be hoodwinked by unscrupulous sales tactics. That’s not to say you couldn’t destabilise your marriage by lashing out on a massive impulse purchase though - they are there.
The shop door opens and one of Charlie’s regular customers enters with a deceptively tatty old guitar case. It conceals what turns out to be a fifty year old butterscotch Telecaster which failed to entertain its owner with unmusical crackles from its jack output.
Charlie does not ‘Hampton Wick’ about. He whisks the vintage lumber to his gallery workshop, which presides over the shop floor like a church organ, towering above the congregation, and begins his performance.
Within a few moments, and presumably a few expertly placed squirts of lubricant, Charlie reappears, plugs the Telecaster into a nearby amp and demonstrates a beautifully clear tone, free from unwelcome audio accompaniment. The owner is clearly thrilled and amazed in equal parts. But before the cash register has chance to gasp for air, Charlie is ringing through another sale, this time for a budget conscious guitar newbie, with eyes on an acoustic with a budget of just £120.
Wherever you are on your musical journey, something at Charlie Chandler’s Guitar Experience should be on your itinerary. Charlie can be found at 21 High Street, Hampton Wick, Middlesex, KT1 4DA.