Local music stores thread

[sixty4fairlane]

I like the idea of the thread about the specialty music dealers. Let's have one for local music stores. We are the people who keep these guys in business so we know the good ones from the not so good. I'm in Shreveport, LA, I recommend :

Bobby Langston at
Little Drummer Boy Music
9824 Mansfield Rd
Shreveport, LA 71118

Great guitar tech, all around good guy.
There is a bigger store in town that carries the name brands but thier service is lacking. You might have to buy your Fenders someplace else and then take them to Bobby to get em just right.

[JMH65]

Victory Music here in little Denison. Great people, great guitar tech. Nice collection of used guitars at more than reasonable prices.

If I have to go into Dallas I go to Charley's Guitar Shop. Clapton has them work on his guitars as did SRV.

[Jazzabilly]

Instrumental Music

Santa Barbara, Ventura & Thousand Oaks, CA.

Selection, service & price matching; not to mention in house quality repairs.

[Togman]

Fenland Music
Market Street
Ely
Cambridgeshire.

The shop is owned by Nigel (Drummer) and his wife Frances (Woodwind & Violin), and managed by Will (Keyboards & Guitars). They stock everything relating to making and performing music.

You can get cheaper prices elsewhere but you cannot get better service. They even let me take a Boss ME50 pedal home for a few days to try out with my own set-up!

This is a relativley small shop in a small town but they are prepared to go that extra mile. To me me that counts for a lot.

[BLACKCAT69]

http://www.riversidemusicshop.com/index.html

How much dough have I spent here? Lots of good vintage gear- always. You Michiganders should pop in to take advantage of the exchange rate.

[dean]

I've always been treated fairly (or better) at Willie's American Guitars in St. Paul. The people there are friendly and knowledgable, and Nate, the owner, has been extremely helpful with my purchases (even when I'm not buying from him). They also have an excellent luthier who does most of their restoration work (Ted Smith) and a tech who is also tremendous (Woody).

Dean

[genelovesjez]

I'm extremely lucky to have some really good stores in my area:

The 12th Fret
Songbird Music
Capsule Music

[StratDal]

It has been open for years and lots of families take their kids there for lessons.

For set ups, repairs, upgrades etc. Eric's Guitar Shop in Van Nuys is the place. Eric does great work. After he set up and changed the pups on my Strat, it was like playing a different instrument. If finally had soul.

[Raymond]

No. VA area:

Action Music in Arlington, VA is one of my favorite stores in the area. Matt Baker has some beauties in there for sure, mostly vintage guitars and amps, but from time to time something more affordable to the masses show up. He's also a heck of tech and a really good guy.

Melodee Music in Sterling, VA (they also have a store in Leesburg) is also a great store. Stock guitars, amps, and some used stuff too. They're quit big but still a family owned business. Great people and a very nice stock.

[boogaloo]

I've yet to find a "do it all" music store, but I've certainly found several in my area that are very good for particular things:

Acoustic Roots Guitars (Medley Music) Bryn Mawr Pa- excellent selection of higher end acoustics- very knowledgable staff (Larry and Tom) won't steer you wrong.

Cintioli's Music, Northeast Philly; a real "expereince", Ben Cintioli is a real character and fun (in an unusual sort of way) to deal with. If you are knowledgable and know what you want, they have an extremely good selection of guitars and offer some fantastic deals. Be ready to dicker and keep focused! You might walk out with a B3 when you walked in looking for an accordian! (You get the drift..?)

Clemmers Music, Telford Pa.; absolutely the best in guitar set ups for very reasonable cost. CONSISTENT set ups, particularly on electrics. Harold has quite a personal vintage guitar collection. A "hidden diamond" in Montgomery County Pa.

Superior Guitars, Manyunk (Philly)- excellent guitar/luthier work. Not cheap but great work. Also a dealer for THD amps and usually has some "Groove Tube" amps too.

"D-Towne" Guitars Doylestown- drop off point and dealer for Alessandro amps. Great high end amp selection (Fargen, Bad Cat, Alessandro, Vintage Fender / Marshall). Don't be put off because half the shop is dedicated to skateboarding (weird combo- I know; I think Rob's brother runs that half of the business). Rob Martyn is a fair and knowledgable guy. Highly reccommended.

Musicians Electronic Services- Ardmore Pa. Tech's/owner's name is "Rusty" great tech, good prices, gets the job done and usually on or before the time promised.

There are others, but these stand out to me- I'm fortunate to live in the area I do! No affiliation with any of these except my satisfaction with them in the areas specified.

Brian

[Dono]

Visit Steve Anderson at Anderson Guitar Gallery. www.andersonguitargallery.com. This is an emerging guitar community in North Texas --- check the schedule and make it out for one of the many events.

Steve carrys, lets say, the cream of the crop of acoustic guitars. I will afford one, one of these days, oh, yes I will.

We're talking good ole' fashioned guitar pulls, songwriter clinics, you name it...a great opportunity to meet and greet folks with the same interests as you have...Guitar!

Dono

[JMH65]

That's not far from me.......I'll check it out!

[Jakedog]

I'll play...

I'll recommend two here on the west side of Cleveland:

Timeless Guitars, on Pearl road in Parma

All used and vintage gear, nothing new. The owner and operator (Clyde) is a great guy, with alot of knowledge, and the barter system is alive and well there. Straight trades are always happening, prices are fair, and Clyde is always up for a good hagglin' session. It's also a great place just to hang out and talk music, venues, bands, and old gear. Some Saturdays I'll stop in "Just to see what's new" and not end up leaving until three or four hours later.


The Music Company, right around W.150th and Detroit in Lakewood.

The owner, Dave Romwebber, is a friend of mine, and another great guy to deal with. Mostly used stuff again, but a little bit of low end "Student grade" new stuff. Dave is big on consignments, but he also buys and sells outright, and is very fair. Guitars lean more toward the 80's side of things, but there are usually a lot of cool amps in there. If you're looking for used Marshalls he is definitely the guy to see.

Both of these shops have great in house guitar repair. I haven't used Clyde's amp tech, but I can say without a doubt that Dave's at The Music Company is excellent, and his prices are great.


Jake

[lenny]

branford, ct. on rt 1 near the movie theatre -plex whatever it is.
exit 55 off 95, head back toward the center of town, and it's in a little plaza on the left past the cemetary.
no fender's except when he has em used. he has a '71 twin reverb right now, i think he wants 895 for it, just got a trace elliot (crap i forget the exact name ) super twin or something tlike it. he has an ampeg reverb rocket, and a ton of ibanez artcores, acoustics .. also has some really nice larrivee acoustics. cool guy nice atmoshpere. i go on mondays, when this guy kevin works. he and i usually play some tunes together and hang oput. the owner is on duty all other days.

[PSWoods]

In KC:

Legacy (Lee's Summit)
Quigley
Big Dude's