The Music Emporium, Lexington, MA

[guitar12]

Tony Polecastro (Acoustic Life) just happened to post a store review today:



Rob
​

[beatcomber]

I suggest liking TME on Facebook... they post some cool stuff once in a while.
https://www.facebook.com/musicemporium/

Today's post:

1937 Martin 000-28 basking in the afternoon sun, just back from repairs at @tj_thompson_guitars. Call us if you’d like details, as it won’t be on the site for a bit.

[Steadfastly]

Originally Posted by guitar12

Tony Polecastro (Acoustic Life) just happened to post a store review today:



Rob
​

[Steadfastly]

Originally Posted by srick

I don't know if you want to head down to the Connecticut shore, but if you do, Acousticmusic.org is in Guilford. That's about 2.25 hrs from Lee. They have a two part store - the storefront on Rt 1 has "very nice guitars". The run-down house in the back has "extremely nice" guitars!!!!

Are you bringing your credit card?

Yes, but Killington Ski Resort will be open by the time I get there and the credit card will be used for lift tickets.

[Steadfastly]

Originally Posted by beatcomber

You DO realize that Lee is about two hours away from Lexington, right?

Yes, but did you notice where I am coming from? Minto to Lee, MA takes me within 15-20 minutes of Lexington. The problem is, my wife will be with me and while she is patient, I don't want to keep her waiting for a couple hours in the car while I drool over guitars. We will be staying overnight before we get to Lee, MA. Maybe it should be in Lexington.

[Bill Ashton]

As Beatcomber stated before, if visiting Lee, MA you are almost as far away from TME in Massachusetts as you could be, LOL

Like any music store, you do not want to visit on a weekend, though unlike Guitar Center its not all mini-shredders at full volume but a lot of guitars plus mandolins and maybe banjos working...and they do carry a fair amount of electrics as well.

The stock they have takes your breath away. Almost any small luthier, you are able to find a couple pieces there, if not new at least used.

It is not an inexpensive place.

I have two friends that have purchased many instruments there and are on first name basis with the staff. I on the other hand, for no good reason that I can understand, mostly come up as mere rabble.

Two insulting instances involve showing up on a weeknight, slow time for them, with a mint Guild D55 to offer in trade probably for a Collings...while I realize it is a business to make profit, offered insultingly low price for my guitar or way high consignment fee. Fair enough, had dollars in my pocket, next day I bought my Huss & Dalton in Vermont! They offer many clinics and small shows, and I have attended several; one time, due to their trouble with a PayPal transaction I was refused attendance unless I paid cash again, even though I had receipt in hand.

So for me, they are thumbs down. I do not care for their nose-in-the-air attitude. I am not a tire kicker, don't ask to try pieces unless I am ready to buy one...just don't feel its that kind of store. Regardless, do not feel I have been treated well there.

[Purfle Haze]

Originally Posted by guitar12

Tony Polecastro (Acoustic Life) just happened to post a store review today:



Rob
​

If Molly Tuttle was at the ME, she must have been playing in the Boston area. Sorry I missed her.

Notes:

I bought two guitars at ME, both good experience. BUT…

I was there one afternoon, auditioning guitars. A staffer handed me the guitars, and I tried them. One of them was a Collings, which he put back in a stand atop a glass case containing even more valuable guitars. Moments later, there was a crash as the Colling toppled from its (misassembled) stand and onto some other guitars at floor level. I was nauseous , and the other customers in the store seemed to be equally distressed. I left quickly. To this day, I will not handle a guitar without a staffer to intermediate.

I notice Molly has a Snark tuner on her guitar. I guess it's good enough for her.

[beatcomber]

Originally Posted by Steadfastly

Yes, but did you notice where I am coming from? Minto to Lee, MA takes me within 15-20 minutes of Lexington. The problem is, my wife will be with me and while she is patient, I don't want to keep her waiting for a couple hours in the car while I drool over guitars. We will be staying overnight before we get to Lee, MA. Maybe it should be in Lexington.

Ah, you must be coming down I-95 South, and then taking the Mass Pike (I-90) out to Lee. That's makes sense.

[Jeff Mc]

I was interested in a Collings 000 NAMM guitar that I saw on the Collings Facebook page. Collings is about 10 miles from me and I was hopeful that it was coming back to Austin after NAMM, but it was being shipped directly to ME. I wanted to trade a couple of Martins in on it, but obviously wanted to play the Collings before I closed the deal. I emailed and never received a response, called twice talked to two different sales people and they pretty much blew me off. It was a somewhat complicated deal but nowhere near impossible. I just looked yesterday and noticed that they still have the Collings in stock. The Martins were pretty desirable I think. I traded them elsewhere and they both sold in about 2 weeks.

[Black Squirrel]

Great Shop they are my local,(3 miles up the road) I have bought a ton of stuff from them they have purchased an impressive amount of stuff from me as well. They have always been fair and a pleasure to deal with. Nothing but Great stuff.

[Scott O]

Originally Posted by Bill Ashton

.

. I do not care for their nose-in-the-air attitude..

I've been there a half dozen times over the last ten years. One of my earliest experiences was bringing in my lower end guitar for a set up. Guy behind the counter checks it out then yells out back to the guitar tech, "Hey, do you have time to check this out? It's just a Takamine." Nose in the air indeed.

[donlyn]

I got my Taylor 818e new in 2014 at the Music Emporium during a Taylor Road Show. While I was treated very well that time, I think maybe it was because I was actively buying something.

Having been there a few times since, I found the customer service to be sorely lacking, including being a little hostile when I was just asking questions. I guess they don't like it if you are not blindly shoving money in their faces every time you come in. So not a go-to place for me. Also, you can check out the Music Emporium on 'Yelp' too.

[doodahdoug]

I was visiting family in Boston a few weeks ago and had the reserved time to visit this shop and it is definitely worth checking out for any acoustic guitar lover.

In addition to the usual suspects (Martin, Gibson and Taylor) they have a nice selection of Collings, Bourgeois and Lowden guitars. They also had quite a few high end single luthier and small shop guitars and that was the highlight for me. Olson, Claxton, Froggy Bottom, Fairbanks, Flammang and my personal favorite was a DeJonge Bearclaw Sitka Spruce-Koa guitar from 2002.

All this with a helpful, informed staff in a cozy shop. Lexington has a cool vibe too. Wish I had a store like this locally.

[jljohn]

Originally Posted by Steadfastly

Wow! I can't believe all the replies.........and warnings. I did look at their website and it looks like they have some really very decent guitars. I am heading to Lee, MA in a few weeks and am looking for a few music stores to visit while I am there.

Thanks for all the expert replies.

Great shop--well worth the visit.

[beatcomber]

Being primarily an electric player for decades, when I moved to Lexington in 2005 I could see that TME was a high-end shop, but I was unaware that their reputation was so widespread. This thread has certainly raised my level of respect and appreciation for the store.

I have never bought an instrument from there, but I have bought lots of strings there and have occasionally asked for their advice about maintenance and things like that, and they have always been helpful. I've been in there dozens of times over the past 13 years and have never experienced any of the nose-in-the-air attitude that some of you have unfortunately experienced.