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Favorite Little Guitar Shops: Tell Us Where They Are!!


JasmineTea

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Posted

The Music Emporium in Lexington, MA. This is a high end acoustic shop. Dozens of gorgeous instruments, including banjos and mandolins. But it's their acoustic selection that is to die for. They sell Seagul and S&P for us poorer folk, but they have an amazing selection of new and vintage instruments.

 

www.themusicemporium.com/

 

Bill's music center in Peobody, MA. A small shop filled w/ lots of electric and mostly Taylor acoustic guitars. He has lots of LP's and 335 type guitars for sale, both new and used. He also has a pretty good selection of vintage amps and hollowbody guitars. He's also a bit of a dork, but he knows his {censored} and takes pride in beating GC's prices.

 

No website.

Bill's Music Center

(978) 977-9141

101 Lynn St

Peabody, MA 01960

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Posted

Tom Snellgrove's Music and More in Davie,FL (Fort Lauderdale area). Website is:

 

http://www.premierguitars.com/

 

It's a small shop so the website isn't updated as often as it could be.

 

It was in this shop that I played the Goodall with 400 year old spruce that I mentioned in a thread a few weeks ago. I've bought at least seven acoustic guitars from him. Eventhough I no longer live in Florida, I still do business with him when I can.

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Posted

Dave's Guitars LaCrosse, WI

 

(Incredible museum of vintage guitars and amps)

 

 

Stars Guitars Cedar Rapids, IA

 

(Large number of high end acoustic guitars)

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Posted

Rocker Guitars in San Fancisco. Lots of electrics, but also a really good selection of new acoustics, plus a great selection of used instruments. Not much in the way of vintage stuff, though. Knowledgeable, non-intrusive staff, very friendly. (no website)

 

Gryphon Stringed Instruments in Palo Alto. Super store and the home of Frets.com New, used, vintage, electric, acoustic, guitars, mandos, banjos, they've got it all. IMHO, the place to go in the Bay Area. www.gryphonstrings.com.

 

Haight Ashbury Music Center in San Francisco. Very funky old place, has almost everything except wind instruments and classical pianos (has electric keyboards though). www.haight-ashbury-music.com

 

Eric Schoenberg Guitars in TIburon. Has his own line of really exellent custom made guitars, plus instruments made by other luthiers, plus Larivee, Martin, Collings, Santa Cruz, Gibson, Eastman and many more, new, used and vintage. You cannot go in this place without geting a serious case of GAS. www.om28.com.

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Posted

Hollowood Music

They recently relocated from McKees Rocks, PA to Moon Twp out near the Pittsburgh airport because of flooding last winter. They're a Martin, Gibson and Larriv

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Posted

Not little but I hadn't even heard of it and it's massive: House of Guitars in Syracuse NY.

 

A little hole in the wall with some real old Gibson acoustics: Jeb's in Jeffersonville, OH.

 

Great Vintage place: Mike's in Cincy, OH

 

Decent acoustic shop: Wildwood in Coshocton, OH

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Posted

 

Originally posted by BrainChild

Not little but I hadn't even heard of it and it's massive: House of Guitars in Syracuse NY.

 

 

HOG is in Rochester. Lots of instruments, but I'd probably never buy an acoustic there. Diamond Strings/Lehmann's and Stuzmans are much better in the acoustic realm.

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Posted

 

Originally posted by JasmineTea

My two favs are:


Wade's in Milwaukee WI.


Music Gallery in Highland Park Il.

 

 

 

I agree Music Gallery is great...my fav guitar store in the Chicago area and I've bought three guitars there this year alone, but where exactly is Wades? Do they have a web site?

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Posted

 

Originally posted by JasmineTea

My two favs are:


Wade's in Milwaukee WI.


Music Gallery in Highland Park Il.

 

 

What's the attitude at Gallery? I know they have great selection but are they good people there?

 

Also, not to Hijak JasmineTea, but where do you like to get acoustic work done?

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Posted

New member but not new to guitars. My two favorite shops are:

 

Mass street music in Lawrence KS

About the nicest folks I've met.

Also a nice selection of low to high end guitars

(Especially Martin, Taylor, Collings, Huss and Dalton, and Goodall)

Beautiful shop with a couple of nice playing rooms.

Bought my H and D TDM custom from them.

www.massstreetmusic.com

 

And Acoustic Music Works in Pittsburgh PA

Tiny shop! Friendly owner.

The most high end guitars I have ever seen in one location!! (Collings, Goodall, Bourgeois, Huss and Dalton, Breedlove, Gallagher, some local builders also)

Wish I had the money to buy my next guitar (H and D or Collings 00 or 12 fret slope D) from them!

www.acousticmusicworks.com

 

Some "seconds":

 

Mountain Music in Shawnee KS

(Played some nice used guitars here)

 

E.M. Shorts in Wichita KS

(Played a fabulous Bourgeois Vintage D here)

 

I now live in WA and am looking forward to checking out Dusty Strings in Seattle.

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Posted

Originally posted by catdaddy

Acoustic Music Works in Pittsburgh, PA


http://www.acousticmusicworks.com/guitars.html


Collings, Goodall, Breedlove, Huss & Dalton, Bourgeois, in amazing abundance plus the odd vintage Martin and Gibson.

Ooooh Baby!

 

Whoa - someplace in Pittsburgh that doesn't carry Martins and Taylors as their "high end" guitars?!?!?

 

Actually I'd heard about this place from an article in the newspaper shortly after it opened a couple of years ago. I stopped by to check it out but they didn't have much in stock yet at that point. Looking over their listing now my GAS has gotten much worse: Collings, Huss & Dalton, James Goodall - oh my! :eek:

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Posted

Kwakatak,

 

I was pretty surprised to observe your failure to mention acoustic music works. Yinz ought to check it out (heh heh).

 

No really, it's a great store and Steve Miklas is a really nice guy. it is literally a hole in the wall though.....most of the guitars are in cases so you have to ask what they have. My brother used to live in squirrel hill and I stumbled across the shop on a visit....it blew me away!!

 

If you do visit play the used bourgeois vintage D they have listed on their web site and let us know how it plays.....I'm gassing after it.....Also ask to check out some of the local guitars I played one called "fair deal" guitar company or something it was a handmade OM and really nice and not too expensive (less than 2k).

 

Cheers!

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Posted

Originally posted by Bugsgalore

Kwakatak,


I was pretty surprised to observe your failure to mention acoustic music works. Yinz ought to check it out (heh heh).


No really, it's a great store and Steve Miklas is a really nice guy. it is literally a hole in the wall though.....most of the guitars are in cases so you have to ask what they have. My brother used to live in squirrel hill and I stumbled across the shop on a visit....it blew me away!!


If you do visit play the used bourgeois vintage D they have listed on their web site and let us know how it plays.....I'm gassing after it.....Also ask to check out some of the local guitars I played one called "fair deal" guitar company or something it was a handmade OM and really nice and not too expensive (less than 2k).


Cheers!

 

Well, if it's giving you GAS just imagine what it will do to me? The first time I played a Taylor I was blown away at how much better it played than my Takamine - and I'm really not trying to slam either brand here, honest!

 

My point is that I simply cannot trust myself to even handle such fine instruments. Beside the sweaty-palm drop factor, they're waaay out of my price range! It may be best if I didn't know how it played! :cry:

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Posted

 

Originally posted by Treborklow


I agree Music Gallery is great...my fav guitar store in the Chicago area and I've bought three guitars there this year alone, but where exactly is Wades? Do they have a web site?

 

Wade's

 

They're working on a website.

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Posted

 

Originally posted by roofgoat



What's the attitude at Gallery? I know they have great selection but are they good people there?


Also, not to Hijak JasmineTea, but where do you like to get acoustic work done?

Depends how well they know you. If they don't know you, they send a baby sitter with you up to the "nice" acoustic room, if they know you, the baby sitter leaves you alone.

 

It's a very clean shop with a lot of snooty expensive LPs and Fenders. The Martins are upstairs.

 

I get my luthier work done at Denny Rauen's

 

Where are you located?

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Posted

I've got a bunch of shops nearby. My favorite is The Podium. Then there's Willie's American Guitars and American Guitar Boutique. I'm a pretty fortunate picker living here.

 

Cudos to Fazio's and Dave's too, they're just a bit further away for me.

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