Timeless guitar shops - what's yours?

[fitness1]

When I started playing in '76 I lived about 25 miles from the original Elderly Instruments store in East Lansing on Grand River. It was probably about 1200 sq ft, the "cash register" was a suede pouch on the back of one of the counters. They had about 10 electric guitars in the whole store and the rest were various acoustic instruments.

I still only live about 90 miles away, but my visits are very infrequent these days.

I think they may have grown a little bit in 42 years

[Mycroft]

Originally Posted by Earl49

I've visited many of the well-known shops west of the Mississippi over the years, some now gone. ...as was Dusty Strings in the Seattle area.

Was......?

[TBman]

I used to stop in a music store often in Pearl River, NY which was just down the street from a coffee shop my father and uncle partnered in for a while. Lots of neat instruments and sheet music. I used to love going in there. After we moved it turned out that the same music store had moved also to the same town a few years later. I ended up buying an archtop from him which I played for a short time before getting my D-55.

There was another music store in town which really was a "guitar shop" as all they did was sell guitars and give guitar lessons. Nice place. I wore out the rug there,

[Looburst]

The one I frequent most would be ArtisanGuitars, in Franklin, TN. Just outside of Nashville. But when I'm in a hurry, it's usually Gruhn, on 8th AVE. near downtown.

[jrb715]

Grayson's TuneTown in Montrose, California is the model of a mom and pop, old fashioned (in all the best ways) music store. It was established in 1953, and is run by three generations of family. The service couldn't be any more welcoming and friendly. They carry really good selections of Martin and Taylor acoustics, a couple of Gibsons and Guilds among the other acoustic brands, a terrific selection of Fender and Fender Custom shop electrics, and all sorts of ukes, resonators, amps, pedals . . .

They also have terrific lesson programs with first class teachers.

I sound like an add, sorry; but in these times with brick and mortar stores folding up and Guitar Center the first and often last guitar destination for guitars, a store like Grayson's is a bit of a miracle.

(I also am very fond of Artisan in Franklin. Though a couple of thousand miles away from me, I've come to think of it as my other home guitar store.)

[Jukie]

Originally Posted by v32 finish

I would love to learn of a shop in or around Houston TX. My experience here has been limited to Guitar Center, which is hit or miss... there's a tiny, hole in the wall shop called House of Guitars, but I haven't been there in years and don't remember being overwhelmed by the selection or service, maybe I'll go back.


Other than that, I do t know of anything here. I was planning on trying Alamo Music in San Antonio when I go visit family. Anyway....anybidy know any shops in TX??

Tons of them. Just Google "Houston guitar stores".

[BoneDigger]

Action Sound in Hawkins, Texas is a great shop and they have lots of new and vintage instruments. Plus, they have top notch repair folks working there.

[Jukie]

Originally Posted by BoneDigger

Action Sound in Hawkins, Texas is a great shop and they have lots of new and vintage instruments. Plus, they have top notch repair folks working there.

Hawkins wasn't a town I expected to make the list. 😁

[drplayer]

Originally Posted by rokdog49

Wildwood Music in my home state of Ohio in Coshocton. It is really in Roscoe Village a historical town on the canals from Lake Erie to the Ohio River. This is how goods were transported from the northernmost part of the state for further shipment. Their "store" is an old turn-of-the-century two-story house literally right on the banks of one of the canals.
Don and Marty were the first Taylor Dealer in Ohio and have been good friends with Bob Taylor for years. They have also been with Martin for like forever and have personal connections there too. They sell Collings and Lakewood and Boucher and Larrivee and know all the principles of those companies as friends.
They are connected in ways we can't even imagine to musicians all over the world who have purchased guitars from them including some of the most famous names of all.
Just being able to have access to that place is a treat. People will drive from all over the U.S. to audition and purchase a guitar and make a nice little vacation out of it.

Ditto!

[Looburst]

Originally Posted by BoneDigger

Action Sound in Hawkins, Texas is a great shop and they have lots of new and vintage instruments. Plus, they have top notch repair folks working there.

Oh yeah, Kelly, the owner, is a great guy and one I remember from days gone by, long ago. Me and a friend of mine used to go over there almost every weekend. Course I remember when Kelly used to do all the repair work out of his house. I know Karen, (his wife) is glad those days are over.

[Looburst]

Originally Posted by drplayer

Ditto!

What a beautiful setting for all things acoustic!

[rxm1611]

Elderly is where I purchased my first acoustic. My daughter goes to MSU and when I visit her I always make a stop at Elderly's

[David MacNeill]

Another vote for Gryphon in Palo Alto. The first old Martin I ever saw was at Gryphon. I was 15 and they were nice to me even though I was obviously broke. Nowadays I always go there first when I’m looking for something to buy or to consign. I have a 000-42 Martin Custom Shop there now.

[srick]

Originally Posted by Parlorman

I've been going to The Music Emporium for almost 50 years, first in the Cambridge locations and now in Lexington. It's always been stringed instrument mecca to me. I'm happy I live about a half hour away.

I'm going to Nashville next week and plan to visit Gruhn's and Carter's for the first time. It will be interesting to see how they compare.

I was just at TME today and had the pleasure of playing a 1938 Gibson L00. It wasn’t pristine, but for $1700, I could have been swayed.

Of course, there was a little sonic competition from an amplified Tele and a banjo, but fortunately, they were good players.

If any of you are ever heading through the Boston area, make this side trip.

I’ll give honorable mentions to Acousticmusic.org in Guilford CT, Chicago Music Exchange and the House Of Guitars in Rochester NY.

[FLRon]

Originally Posted by Looburst

What a beautiful setting for all things acoustic!

Yes,and it's amazing how many great guitars are packed into that old lock keepers house!