Whats your Favorite Local Guitar Shop - and why?

[Random1643]

Great idea for a thread.

+1 N Stuff Music northa Pittsburgh, PA. Cool store! Cool people!

Now I'm in central Minnesota where there's a great shop, Bridge of Harmony, with stores in the cities of Brainerd and St Cloud. Super friendly, knowledgeable staffers who are all musicians. A top-notch luthier is affiliated with the store - he did a beautiful job of restoring a 1968 jumbo for me. I'll still probably tap Sweetwater now and then for some items, but Bridge of Harmony is my go-to shop for instruments, equipment, accessories. And they're a 5 minute drive from my house.

[Troutbum007]

The Guitar Shoppe in Laguna Beach, CA.
+1

[difalkner]

Shreveport Music - been in business about 100 years in various locations around town. Great folks! www.shreveportmusic.com

[docwatsonfan]

I like Bizarre Guitar in Phoenix

because they have a lot of guitars

acoustics: Martin Gibson Taylor Eastman etc.
electrics : Gibson , Fender , etc.

[Steel and wood]

In Canberra Australia, it's Better Music. (Acoustic room with high end guitars and great customer service).

[JasonA]

Originally Posted by Dave T

I just have to plug Acoustic Vibes Music in Tempe, AZ. They have a huge selection of acoustics and the people are great.

Jeff the owner has been very fair with me on trades and prices and I trust his advice. Kathryn is a doll and a great person as well, always ready with a smile and a greeting. Bernie knows guitars and set ups and is always willing to help, either answering questions or solving problems.

Good people and great inventory. If Acoustic Vibes wasn't close I'd drive a ways to get there.

Dave

Agreed. No contest, it's Acoustic Vibes. What a great selection of guitars, quiet, no pressure. I've only ever bought a couple of cases from Jeff (so far), but have always been treated wonderfully.

[crikey]

Maple Street Guitars in Atlanta. Because they care.

[DCannon]

Here in the Huntsville, AL area, it would have to be the Fret Shop. Incredibly friendly atmosphere, knowledgeable staff, award-winning Taylor dealer, along with Martin, Guild and others. Good selection of acoustic and electric. Good prices. Good repair tech. The owner is an active local musician and understands musicians' needs. Treats people as he would expect to be treated.

[AZLiberty]

Originally Posted by docwatsonfan

I like Bizarre Guitar in Phoenix

because they have a lot of guitars

acoustics: Martin Gibson Taylor Eastman etc.
electrics : Gibson , Fender , etc.

Odd, when I think of Bizarre Guitar I think Guild and Larrivee.

[Wildgift]

Originally Posted by mercy

In the LA area its McCabes, Santa Monica. Just an unreal selection of upper, upper hand made guitars. Of course they have trickle down also. And what a beautiful park by the ocean.

^^^^^
This. Mccabe's is a national treasure. It's been there for about 60 years. They have a great selection of low to ultra high end instruments from guitars to dulcimers. They have a friendly and knowledgeable staff and a terrific repair shop. I take lessons there weekly. On weekends, the classroom is the best performance space in Los Angeles, seating maybe 75 or so. Friendly environment. Usually it's folkies of all generations. The redoubtable Garland Jeffries played 2 shows there that I will never get over, with full band.

I needed a decent end piece for my D-18 instead of the plastic one from Martin. The guy rummaged through a box, showed me a beautiful ebony one, and proceeded to gently but firmly install it. When he was done I asked what I owed him. He just waved me off. When I bought my Taylor 114e, I didn't need the gig bag; I had a nice TKL case. I said just keep it. They said sure, we'll catch you on the next one. Since then they have gone the extra mile to do service/setups really fast and very reasonably priced.

This is my single favorite place in the world.

[Mbroady]

Originally Posted by MHC

For this New Yorker, it's Rudy's guitar shop in SoHo - and not just for the incredible variety of guitars from the big guys to the boutiques to the luthiers - but because of the friendly and knowledgeable people who work there.

When you walk in to Rudy's, before you know it you've got a guitar in your hands. If you want to check it out alone, no problem - they let you be. If you want advice and to talk about it, they give you all the information and attention you require. They suggest other guitars for comparison, and even jam with you if you want. AND none of this is about hard sell - you get the feeling that Gordon and his team simply love guitars.

I am by no means a good guitar player - and yet I get the VIP treatment every time I step through their doors, and that's often because I live in the neighborhood. AND I haven't even bought any guitars from them yet.

The truth is, I'm saving up my pennies to get my next guitar from Rudy's. Yes, I could probably find one a bit cheaper on-line, but I prefer to try the actual guitar out before I buy AND most importantly I simply gotta support such a fine and dedicated shop.

BTW, Matt Umanov's on Bleeker street is a very, very close second. BOTH places are well worth a visit if you ever travel to New York City.

I agree, 2 great shops with great staff. You will not find the best bargains but they know their stuff and they take care of their inventoery. I would also add, dare i say it, the GC on 14Th street. Not as high end as Rudy'S and Matt U's but i think it is one of the better GC's I have been in. And i have been to many.

[accord dude]

I live in Nashville, Tn I have a lot of guitar store options.

I go to Gruhn Guitars the most often. They have a great staff, and an amazing variety of vintage Gibson and Martin guitars. They also have an amazing selection of new Martins.

I go also really love Carter Vintage they have a good selection of vintage Martin and Gibson guitars. They also have a selection of guitars from great small builders.

When I'm in Franklin I always like to stop in Artisan Guitars. It has my favorite vibe for a guitar shop, it is actually quiet and you can hear what you are playing. Amazing selection of Collings guitars.

I can not pick a favorite. I also have to mention that Corner Music, Rock Block Guitars, and Cotten Music are all awesome...

[dirkronk]

Another vote for Guitar Tex.

Owned by Mark Waldrop, who's exactly my age, but who's lived a more peripatetic life than I and thus has very different stories to tell. Also has serious acoustic guitar, luthier and music cred. Sales guys Gus Wanner and John Ramirez couldn't be nicer...or more interesting, in very different ways. And another John (last name Thurston) is a luthier and set-up tech extraordinaire: did a miraculous job setting up my 1969 Yamaha FG-180 without the need of a neck reset, which I thought was surely in the offing.

The store itself is a treasure trove: distinctive Martins (a goodly number Custom Shop models), Santa Cruz, Huss & Dalton and Larrivee being the biggest names with the most plentiful models. And they keep enough Recording King, Loar, and other lower priced models in stock to keep customers with smaller budgets from automatically running to GC. Plenty of ukes, mandolins and electric guitars. They do get in some nice used items from time to time, as well.

Oh...and the fact that they're about 8 blocks from my house also helps.

Dirk

[Montesdad]

Originally Posted by Wildgift

^^^^^
This. Mccabe's is a national treasure. It's been there for about 60 years. They have a great selection of low to ultra high end instruments from guitars to dulcimers. They have a friendly and knowledgeable staff and a terrific repair shop. I take lessons there weekly. On weekends, the classroom is the best performance space in Los Angeles, seating maybe 75 or so. Friendly environment. Usually it's folkies of all generations. The redoubtable Garland Jeffries played 2 shows there that I will never get over, with full band.

I needed a decent end piece for my D-18 instead of the plastic one from Martin. The guy rummaged through a box, showed me a beautiful ebony one, and proceeded to gently but firmly install it. When he was done I asked what I owed him. He just waved me off. When I bought my Taylor 114e, I didn't need the gig bag; I had a nice TKL case. I said just keep it. They said sure, we'll catch you on the next one. Since then they have gone the extra mile to do service/setups really fast and very reasonably priced.

This is my single favorite place in the world.

McCabes is a special place, and if I lived in LA or thereabouts, that would be my FLGS, but I live in south OC.

The Guitar Shoppe in Laguna is also just as special - parking is impossible but regulars find a way to get in the door. You walk in, see a bigroom for electrics and performances, notices for all the performances they are sponsoring, the consignment area, the wall of all their own brand guitars, the Taylor, Collings, Martin section, area and rooms for lessons, then you see the repair area. That place oozes knowledge and smells like guitars - unbelievable. All the guys in there just look like they live eat, sleep and breathe guitars. Sad but true - but great for those of us who love to play.

[51 Relic]

My vote living on the Isle of Wight is the Guitar Store located in Southampton England . I recently bought a Gibson J45 from the them . Before calling into the store they reserved the guitar for me without a deposit , Checked it over before my visit and then offered to set the guitar up 30 days after purchase to allow it to settle it . During the visit they went next door to a coffee shop and bought my wife and I a coffee . All in all we spent a great two hours in the store , wonderful