Destination Guitar Shops

[Don W]

Originally Posted by srick

• Another vote for the Music Emporium in Lexington.
• Also, AcousticMusic.org in Guilford, CT (note that the treasures are in the ramshackle house immediately to the East and set back by a few feet(it doesn't look like a shop at all))
• And if you're ever in Rochester, NY, "The House of Guitars" is a blast!

Yes themusicemporium.com in Mass. Unbelievable eye candy.

[nedray]

An additional thought--if you visit some of the big internet shops, contact them ahead of time and arrange to have what you want to see in the store. Sweetwater and Wilcutts come to mind. Wilcutts has everything made, but inventory is stored in three separate locations and they have to drop everything and go round it up, which really puts a damper on your shopping experience. Their store display inventory is limited and not the best stuff. Sweetwater has a big store, but again, very limited compared with what they actually stock. Call ahead.

[dkstott]

Music Emporium in Lexington Mass is on my wish list to visit this summer.

Acousticmusic.org is a very nice store. The folks there are very welcoming. I'm in there about once a month, drooling over a guitar or two.

But, I've never made to the house. I've been told that guitars in the house are mostly "look, but don't touch unless you can afford them"

The H.O.G. in Rochester, NY is another store on my wish list to visit.

Originally Posted by srick

• Another vote for the Music Emporium in Lexington.
• Also, AcousticMusic.org in Guilford, CT (note that the treasures are in the ramshackle house immediately to the East and set back by a few feet(it doesn't look like a shop at all))
• And if you're ever in Rochester, NY, "The House of Guitars" is a blast!

[Mark Lew]

The Phoenix area in general is a great destination to head off to in the winter months, and when out here, Acoustic Vibes Music in Tempe certainly should be on the list of places to see. Jeff, Bernie and Kathryn are extremely friendly and knowledgeable, and they make you feel very welcome. Their website is really great, too, with multiple views of the items that they sell. Besides the fine guitars, they've also got a nice selection of ukes, banjos and mandolins. They are top notch.

[Inked]

San Antonio and Austin TX area -

Lark Guitars
Hill Country Music
Alamo Music
Collings

Chicago area -

Chicago Music Exchange
Old Town School of Folk Music

[catdaddy]

If you're ever in Pittsburgh, PA stop in at Acoustic Music Works. Steve and Raymond are wonderful human beings and their inventory of quality instruments is breathtaking!

[jimrivera]

Originally Posted by Wade Hampton

Like anything else, the tone at any of these establishments is set by the personal style of the boss. At Gryphon Stringed Instruments it's a warm and welcoming place because the owners Frank Ford and Richard Johnston are great guys. Same thing with Mass Street Music and its owner Jim Baggett. Same thing with the Music Works in Evanston, Illinois and its owner Terry Straker, or the Music Villa in Bozeman, Montana, with its owner Paul Decker.

All of the gentlemen I've just named are extremely knowledgeable, friendly and helpful.

In direct contrast to that style of proprietorship is that of George Gruhn, owner of Gruhn Guitars. Hugely knowledgeable, but not exactly Mr. Warmth. His dour personality definitely influences the entire operation, though there are employees working there who are much more personable.

Others have told me that once Gruhn gets to know you, he opens up a bit. But he has to either know you or know who you are before he will.

I'm sure buying guitars from him on a regular basis would accelerate the process...

Wade Hampton Miller

Not sure if I agree with this.

The owner of Gruhn's was VERY cordial to me and my daughter, who displayed the habit of not listening to me and kept pulling $8K guitars off the walls and playing them. He was very patient with me, even after I explained I was not there to buy but check the store out as I was a very new player.

He explained the mechanics of guitars, and his knowledge is vast - which is interesting because they do not build guitars, only sell other boutique luthiers. I found the proprietor to be very accomodating and warm, answering my multitude of questions. It was quiet in the store - midday during a work week, so it was just me and maybe one or two other customers, but still he gave me about 45 minutes of his time to just walk around and point out unique items of each of the more interesting models. I highly recommend Gruhn's, and wish they were closer to where I live.

[jrb715]

I'll enthusiastically recommend a trip to Nashville--with a stop in Memphis. You will be treated splendidly in Nashville at Cotton and Artisan (in Franklin, 15 minutes or so from downtown Nashville): with wonderful guitars to play. The stop in Memphis is for Martin music. Again, warm, excellent service, great guitars at Martin with some exceptional Gibsons and Taylors in addition to Collings and Bourgeois.

[Dondoh]

Originally Posted by Wade Hampton

Well, Don, though I can't recommend the music stores in the Anchorage area, there IS one in Fairbanks, Alaska, that happens to be the northernmost Martin dealership in the world: Pro Music, at 300 Front Street. Every time I've been in there I've played a Martin or two I'd like to own.

Being an Alaskan store, though, they multi-task, and you can also get - wait for it - gold mining equipment from them, too.

I kid you not; here's the link for you to see for yourself:

http://www.promusicalaska.com/

So not only can you buy a Martin D-28 from these folks, but you can get a genuine Jobe Gold Buddy Magnum Nugget Sucker, for a piddling $59.95! (I am NOT making this up!)

Jobe Gold Buddy Magnum Nugget Sucker

Here's the ad copy for it:

"Jobe Gold Buddy Magnum Nugget Sucker
$59.00

"2 inch PVC hand dredge. Great for sniping for gold under boulders and in bedrock cracks. It can be used in areas that do not allow engines due to regulations. Also good for cleaning out culverts.

"Only 2 left in stock (also available on backorder)"

Anyway, Pro Music is a fun store run by friendly and knowledgeable people, and well worth a visit should you ever find yourself in Fairbanks, Alaska.


Wade Hampton Miller

Do they have any nugget suckers with herringbone purfling? I want to look like a successful sourdough after all. I've also heard that the PVC can ebonize tone...

[capefisherman]

Austin Vintage Guitars. Amazing stock, some a bit over market value but they'll let you play anything. Plus you never know who might wander through the door!

[Wade Hampton]

After I mentioned that, in addition to being a Martin dealer, Pro Music & Mining in Fairbanks, Alaska also carries gold mining equipment such as the Jobe Gold Buddy Magnum Nugget Sucker, Don asked:

Originally Posted by Dondoh

Do they have any nugget suckers with herringbone purfling? I want to look like a successful sourdough after all. I've also heard that the PVC can ebonize tone...

Don, herringbone purfling is an additional option, but you have to arrange it with the Jobe Custom Shop. Since Pro Music & Mining is an authorized Jobe dealership, I'm sure they can get you the best price on whatever custom options you choose...

Then going back further in the thread, after I mentioned how dour George Gruhn can be, quite a few people rebutted that statement with their own positive experiences:

First Ned wrote:

Originally Posted by nedray

..... I've found Gruhn's to be very accommodating, whether or not you actually talk to George. I met George through a back door tour arranged by my brother. That got me access to the second floor where the guitars cost as much as my house, and I got to talk with George, who is gregarious and very talkative....

Then llew wrote:

Originally Posted by llew

...for what it's worth, George Gruhn...not knowing me from Adam, spent about an hour and a half touring me around his shop. I saw it all...all three floors and even his personal office space. Incredibly knowledgeable and kind to answer all of my questions and let me play some of the most incredible guitars I'll ever have my hands on.

And Jim wrote:

Originally Posted by jimrivera

Not sure if I agree with this.

The owner of Gruhn's was VERY cordial to me and my daughter... He was very patient with me, even after I explained I was not there to buy but check the store out as I was a very new player.

.... he gave me about 45 minutes of his time to just walk around and point out unique items of each of the more interesting models. I highly recommend Gruhn's, and wish they were closer to where I live.

So it appears that I stand corrected, and I'm glad to hear that. I haven't spoken with George Gruhn in years, and while my comments about his demeanor were spot on and completely accurate regarding what he was like back then, it looks as though he's mellowed with age and become far more welcoming than he used to be.

Good for him!


Wade Hampton Miller

[Judson]

SoundPure in Durham, NC !

.

[Beagle1]

^ +1 on Soundpure -- great shop with tons of boutique stuff, and staffed by guys who are super friendly and knowledgeable!

[Jakeowen]

Lark Street in northern NJ always has many interesting things.

[icuker]

I'll second Dave's guitars in Lacrosse Wi. Massive number of high end guitars.

Also, in Dubuque Iowa there's Uncle Ike's, they have a pretty good selection of Martin and Taylors and Cordoba's too, Ibanez, etc, plus they always seem to have something as a good deal in the used market. My wife and I have picked up about two or three instruments that way, plus I bought my Eastman jazz guitar there, though they don't carry Eastmans often, usually that is hit or miss.

Then there's Bob's guitars in Cedar Falls (right next door to Waterloo, Iowa), and in Des Moines there's Professional Music shop, they both have a fair number of higher end guitars plus the usual.