Better Music

Opening its doors in 1982, Better Music has grown from a local Canberra institution into one of the most recognised independent music stores in the country, regularly appearing in the NAMM Top 100 Musical Instrument Stores worldwide and ranked among the Top 100 e-commerce instrument retailers globally by Music Trades USA.

Canberra’s Biggest Music Showroom

The store itself sits at 18 Salamander Court in Phillip and was purpose-built in 2013 to become the largest dedicated music showroom in Australia. You feel that scale when you walk in, but the store is laid out sensibly with instruments across the main floor and sheet music, AMEB books and educational materials filling the upper level. Everything worth trying is accessible on the floor, because that’s how Better Music thinks a music shop should work.

With over 50 staff who are working musicians themselves, the level of advice on offer goes well beyond product knowledge. Whether you’re buying your first instrument, upgrading a studio setup or sourcing gear for a school program, the team will actually engage with what you need rather than steering you toward whatever’s on special.

More Than Just a Music Shop

The repair workshop handles guitars, amplifiers, brass and woodwind, digital pianos and more, covering everything from a basic restring and setup through to full rewires, fret work and custom modifications. If you have old gear gathering dust, the trade-in program offers a straightforward way to put it toward something new. For schools and music educators, there’s a dedicated program that goes well beyond a standard retail relationship, and the AV installation service extends their reach into venues and institutions across the region.

For customers outside Canberra, the online store covers metro areas across Australia’s eastern states and comes with a price match guarantee, buy now pay later options, and over 16,000 verified customer reviews sitting at 4.81 stars. That’s not a number that happens by accident after more than four decades in business.