Canadians, tell us about YOUR favorite Canadian music stores

[guitargabor]

I am one of those canucks who has resided in the USA for 29 years.
When we lived in Montreal Steve's music was by far the best I had come across in Canada.

During that time(1979-92) their only retail store was on St Antoine street in picturesque old Montreal.

Looks like they have branched out with stores all across the island of Montreal and even Ottawa.

Would appreciate knowing if they are still a great guitar shop...

[boppy99]

Favourites are Long & McQuade--downtown & Steeles locations.
Steve's Music.
12th Fret is the place for vintage guitars and amps.
Super Fuzz Audio for amp/pedal repairs.
Moog Audio on Queen Street for boutique pedals.

Another favourite is Allegro Music on Avenue Road. It's in my neighbourhood and my goto store if I need strings, picks, cables and such.

[Alytw]

+1 for the 12th Fret.

I live around the corner and stop in often. Seems like there is always something interesting.

[frankmcr]

Originally Posted by J-Doug

SCTV! Here's one of my favorite episodes:

Love SCTV but hadn't thought about Gil Fisher for quite a while. Always so laid back, even when the Plasmatics showed up.

[jspe]

Edmonton here...
For years we had Avenue Guitars, which was the ultimate store in the Canadian universe for decades, until the passing of Brian (Schultze), who was as iconic and renowned a Canadian guitar buff as could be found (and a good friend to me and countless other guitar freaks). Jackie, Brian's widow, continued the store for a while but only until all the gear sold, and then she closed.
Long and McQuade has bought out most of the local independents (now with 5 Edmonton stores!), but a few others have been able to thrive .
Myhres Music, Acoustic Music Shop, Stang Guitars (whose owner Tyler got his start with Avenue Guitars), Lillo's (presently closing /retiring), Innovations Music, The Rock Shop, and Giovanni music are all vying for their share of the business.

[mawmow]

In Quebec City, the best kept secret is Musique Gagné... since 1888 !
It hides downtown, in an old part of the city, opposite to traditional "Old Quebec". You actually have to look for it in an area of one way tiny streets and rare parking spaces ! But it really is worth a visit.

Now Long and McQuade engulfed former old Musique Gendreau store.

On the south shore, in the city of Lévis, MSP Musique has two stores, one just besides the bridges, the other in the center of the city: nice store and owners are really nice guys !

All of them also sell online.

[Laughingboy68]

I’ll reiterate the suggestions of Folkway Music in Waterloo and the Twelfth Fret on the Danforth in Toronto. I like the vibe at Folkway much more, and their repair shop is second to none. Mark Stuttman is an impressive source of information and Folkway is his vision.

Waterloo also has Brickhouse Guitars. Roger Shultz is the premier importer of Furch guitars in North America. He spent a few hours with me before I bought my last guitar from him. Top notch.

Years ago I bought a Takamine from Ring Music in Toronto on Harbord Rd. I’m not sure if it’s still what it once was. I wasn’t as discerning as a buyer as I am now, but I lucked into a great guitar there that I’ve played for almost 30 years.

I often drool over Capsule Music’s website, but I’ve never been there. They’re on Dovercourt, in Toronto as well.

My son gets his guitars setup at Paul’s Boutique in Kensington Market. He loves the place.

[Slothead56]

Guitare’ Centre, no?

[DownUpDave]

Originally Posted by Wade Hampton

Dave, when I was at the first Fretboard Summit guitar gathering in California a few years ago, I met a Canadian music store owner or manager who was a great left handed guitarist. I first saw him playing a right-handed guitar upside down, the way that Elizabeth Cotton used to play and Bill Staines still plays. A day or two later he was playing a left-handed guitar right side up. And playing it VERY well.

I told him I’d seen him playing like Elizabeth Cotton a day or two earlier, and he laughed and said: “Oh, yeah, that’s my little parlor trick. It’s pretty useful, too, because I can check out the sound and playability of the right-handed guitars we get in the store.”

Then I told him that whenever I’m getting ready to teach a class, workshop or private student that I will pick up my instrument and deliberately play it left-handed, just to remind myself of how awkward and physically painful it is for beginners to get started playing stringed instruments.

He thought a moment and said: “That’s a really good idea. I’m going to tell our teachers at the store to start doing that.”

Anyway, is there any possibility that the guy I met runs Cosmo Music? Left-handed, in his thirties or maybe a very youthful forty, dark haired? He told me the name of the store but I don’t remember what it was. I had heard of the Twelfth Fret before, so if that had been it I would remember.


whm

Hey Wade, unfortunately I don’t know about the upside down left handed player, hopefully someone else knows him. Thanks for sharing that story though it was very interesting and I appreciate it. Also I want to thank you for starting this thread, very thoughtful and neighborly of you. I have been exposed to shops I didn’t know about as well. Cheers

[Wade Hampton]

Originally Posted by DownUpDave

Hey Wade, unfortunately I don’t know about the upside down left handed player, hopefully someone else knows him. Thanks for sharing that story though it was very interesting and I appreciate it. Also I want to thank you for starting this thread, very thoughtful and neighborly of you. I have been exposed to shops I didn’t know about as well. Cheers

Well, we Alaskans are very similar to Canadians, except we're generally not as polite. Or smell as good....

I do love Canada, though, and visit every chance I get. I've always been treated very nicely every time I've been there.


whm

[guitargabor]

Originally Posted by Wade Hampton

Well, we Alaskans are very similar to Canadians, except we're generally not as polite. Or smell as good....

I do love Canada, though, and visit every chance I get. I've always been treated very nicely every time I've been there.


whm

Like the USA,Canada has a very diverse population.I have lived on the prairies,in Ottawa,Toronto and Montreal.We used to vacation a lot in both interior BC and Vancouver island.

I would like to think that Alaska has more in common with BC than Montreal and Toronto or even Boston,New York etc...

[Wade Hampton]

Yeah, you're probably right, though I would say that an even closer comparison is with the Yukon. I've spent some time in Whitehorse and think it's a fun town. It reminds me a great deal of Juneau.

A friend of mine from Whitehorse gave me a tee shirt that reads:

Hooray for me, I'm NDP!

I'm not going to translate that for the Americans reading this thread. They can just SUFFER....


whm

PS: I am not a political guy, and certainly wouldn't butt into Canadian politics, I just like the cocky attitude that the tee shirt expresses.

[guitargabor]

Does it stand for National Depends Party?

[Rockysdad]

Originally Posted by guitargabor

Does it stand for National Depends Party?

You're close

[Dru Edwards]

Hi Wade - as mentioned already the Twelfth Fret in Toronto. I've been there a couple of times and it's a great trip, for both acoustic and electric gear. Vintage stuff too.