Guitar Stores in Tucson
 

We’ll be at the Tucson Gem Show buying and selling for almost three weeks, and there’s no space in the van to bring an acoustic. Rainbow Guitars is one of my favorite stores anywhere, and the GC is usually worth a visit, but are there any other shops I should check out? Thanks in advance for recommendations.

You already got the two I would mention.

On occasion the Folk Shop (across the street from Rainbow) may have some interesting used guitar on the wall.

The only problem with going to Rainbow is deciding whether you want to get Lucky Wishbone for lunch, or go to the new Philly Cheesesteak shop.

Rainbow Music and the Folk Shop are my two favorite guitar shops in Tucson, with Rainbow in a solid first place and the Folk Shop a distant second.

In addition to the Lucky Wishbone, there’s a recently opened Turkish restaurant in Tucson where I ate an excellent dinner when I was there last November. It’s called Istanbul Mediterranean Cuisine, at 2945 E. Speedway. The food is basically identical to Greek food except everything has a different name. So that’s worth checking out.


Wade Hampton Miller

Re: Tucson
 

I lived in Tucson for many years. In addition to Rainbow Guitars, The Chicago Store used to be a really cool place stuffed with everything musical imaginable. A quick check online shows they are still in business with a store on E Speedway in addition to the original location downtown.

I haven’t been there in many years but the downtown store was an awesome experience.

Man, I miss Lucky Wishbone! And Eegees, and Greasy Tony’s, and Los Fuentes and and...

Scotty

Oh my. You bring back memories Scotty. The Chicago Store was amazing in the 60's and 70's. Brothers Phil and Joe had some amazing guitars come through the shop. Not the easiest place to get a score, they were sharper than broken glass. There was the main floor and then the hidden stash, upstairs. It was almost like going into an instrument museum. Incredible times in the Tucson music seen.

I ditto Lucky Wishbone, Los Fuentes and throw in Pancho`s and Casa Molina.

Have been in the Folk Shop. It was a good experience.

In addition to the Lucky Wishbone, in my day, it was Grant Road Tavern, Poco Loco and The Big A.

why2

I agree with all the folks that recommended Rainbow. A great place to visit, with friendly very knowledgeable staff.

Poca Cosa restaurant downtown is interesting, but very likely to be busy with the gem show in town. El Signe, further out at Swan and Sunrise in the northeast might be less busy.

Can’t speak to the guitar stores, as I played an AGF buddy’s guitars when I visited Tucson last year. But next time I’m there I do want to go the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum and check out the hummingbirds in particular.

I grew up on the Old Pueblo but haven’t been back for more than a visit since about 1982. In those days Rainbow was a little hole in the wall In a corner strip mall just up from its current location, on the Grant side of Grant and Campbell - now it’s got a big old place up the block on Campbell.

I bought my first cheap acoustic in a pawn shop in Olympia, WA in 1977, but then moved back to Tucson as I was getting into playing and went through about 3-4 electrics, all from Rainbow, before finally landing on a used $400 strat that was my only electric for 25+ years. And I bought a used and slightly abused 1968 D-28, also for about $400-425 that was my only acoustic for the same 25+ years. I’ve never been in the current bigger Rainbow - just driven past it. Last time I was in Tucson I was a few months from having started playing again after a looooooong lay-off. Next time I’m in town I’m gonna check it out.

I don’t remember the Folk Shop - maybe it wasn’t there by the early 80s??? But I remember getting absolutely lost in the racks at Chicago Music downtown in those days. The gems I’d find I could never afford, but my god it was fun checking stuff out there. That was the only location in those days and I’m pretty sure their current downtown spot is a different one - and they didn’t have a second shop on Speedway in those days.

I remember some other shop I’m thinking on Broadway out towards El Con (could be way off) where I took a couple of guitar and drum lessons when I was about 9 or 10 - none of it took though at that point, and I don’t remember much of anything about it.

-Ray