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Old 03-25-2019, 07:59 AM
opencee opencee is offline
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Default Interesting Acoustic Guitar Shopping In Ohio

I bought my last guitar at Wildwood Music, in Coshocton, Ohio. It was so fun to visit that one store with close to 100 guitars each of Larrivee, Taylor, and Martin in its heyday. They also had a host of smaller inventories of Lowden, McIlroy, Avalon, Lakewood, Boucher, and others. I'm probably one of many who are spoiled by that place. With the retirement of Marty and Don, Wildwood Music is closing.

I’m wondering where people are finding better acoustic guitars. There’s good stuff out there, but it seems I have to travel more to view smaller selections.

There are about eight Guitar Centers and three Sam Ash stores in the state. The three GCs near me are pretty thin on decent stuff. Yes, they have some of what you would expect, but it’s not an interesting shopping experience. Sam Ash seems to do a MUCH better job.

So, just concentrating on the some of the better stuff, I’ll list a few non-big-box vendors I’ve found around Northeast Ohio. These stores have more products than I list. I’m just giving an overview of the better acoustics. I have liked all of the merchants in these stores.

Woodsy’s, in Kent, has a fairly representative and nice, but not huge, selection of Larrivee, Taylor, Martin, and Huss & Dalton. Woodsy’s also has a store in Medina, though I’ve never been there.

Guitar Riot, hidden in a warehouse in downtown Cleveland, has Martin, Waterloo, and Collings.

I stopped into Lay’s Guitar, in Akron, for some repair. I was surprised that they have a loft with a fair selection of Martin, Gibson, Huss & Dalton, Santa Cruz, and Bourgeois.

What am I missing? Any other suggestions for an interesting acoustic shopping experience in or near Ohio? I know I can leave the state and go to Elderly, in Michigan, and there may be something in the Pittsburgh area that I’m not aware of, but what’s available closer for us Buckeyes? Columbus, what do you have?


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Old 03-25-2019, 08:36 AM
EverettWilliams EverettWilliams is offline
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I think one of the best in the business is Acoustic Music Works in Pittsburgh. It’s an amazing store with an amazing inventory and even better people. It is absolutely worth the trek!
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Old 03-25-2019, 08:38 AM
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UncleJesse UncleJesse is offline
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If you want to drive to Indiana, Reno's Music has nice Martin guitars. It doesn't have a traditional retail space like Elderly's but I called and was able to go try out 6 brand new Martins of various model type there. He pulled all of them out and let me do my own shootout.
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Old 03-25-2019, 08:41 AM
uriah1 uriah1 is offline
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Mike's music in Cinci use to have nice vintage stuff.
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Old 03-25-2019, 05:55 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by opencee View Post
I bought my last guitar at Wildwood Music, in Coshocton, Ohio. It was so fun to visit that one store with close to 100 guitars each of Larrivee, Taylor, and Martin in its heyday. They also had a host of smaller inventories of Lowden, McIlroy, Avalon, Lakewood, Boucher, and others. I'm probably one of many who are spoiled by that place. With the retirement of Marty and Don, Wildwood Music is closing.

I’m wondering where people are finding better acoustic guitars. There’s good stuff out there, but it seems I have to travel more to view smaller selections.

There are about eight Guitar Centers and three Sam Ash stores in the state. The three GCs near me are pretty thin on decent stuff. Yes, they have some of what you would expect, but it’s not an interesting shopping experience. Sam Ash seems to do a MUCH better job.

So, just concentrating on the some of the better stuff, I’ll list a few non-big-box vendors I’ve found around Northeast Ohio. These stores have more products than I list. I’m just giving an overview of the better acoustics. I have liked all of the merchants in these stores.

Woodsy’s, in Kent, has a fairly representative and nice, but not huge, selection of Larrivee, Taylor, Martin, and Huss & Dalton. Woodsy’s also has a store in Medina, though I’ve never been there.

Guitar Riot, hidden in a warehouse in downtown Cleveland, has Martin, Waterloo, and Collings.

I stopped into Lay’s Guitar, in Akron, for some repair. I was surprised that they have a loft with a fair selection of Martin, Gibson, Huss & Dalton, Santa Cruz, and Bourgeois.

What am I missing? Any other suggestions for an interesting acoustic shopping experience in or near Ohio? I know I can leave the state and go to Elderly, in Michigan, and there may be something in the Pittsburgh area that I’m not aware of, but what’s available closer for us Buckeyes? Columbus, what do you have?


opencee

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Yep, you pretty much have it covered...

Woody’s in Kent is great, but if you’re looking for higher end guitars, they don’t have much at the Medina store, other than maybe a couple Taylor’s and a Martin or two. It’s a nice friendly shop, but they focus primarily on band instruments and teaching.

Guitar Riot is a nice shop, the guys that run it (and their prices) are great. If you’re looking for a Collings in the Cleveland area, it’s THE place.

I knew Lay’s had some electrics for sale (that they actually build themselves), but I had no idea they carried a selection of high-end acoustics. This must be relatively new, but good to know.

As mentioned, Acoustic Music Works is an excellent shop with an incredible inventory of mostly Collings & Bourgeois. In a cool area of Pittsburgh, and only a couple hour drive...nice way to spent a day.

Honestly, aside from the few high-end guitars you might find at Guitar Center or Sam Ash, that’s about it within a couple hours of Cleveland—at least having a variety of high end instruments. Goose Acres is long since gone, but it was an awesome shop on Cornell Rd. in Little Italy. It was owned by a crotchety old geezer, but he was nice to me. Had a lot of Taylors & Santa Cruz, some Martins and maybe a few Collings and Froggies as well, if my memory serves me right. It’s the first place I touched a guitar that cost thousands of dollars...didn’t even know such things existed. Really gave me an appreciation for fine guitars...
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Last edited by drplayer; 03-26-2019 at 05:29 AM.
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Old 03-25-2019, 06:02 PM
llew llew is offline
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Another vote for Acoustic Music Works in Pittsburgh. I've never set foot in the shop but have done a lot of business (buying/selling/trading) with Steve and Raymond. Both great guys and very knowledgable. Got a Baleno (local western PA luthier) dread inbound on Wednesday from AMW.
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Old 03-25-2019, 10:16 PM
FOG01 FOG01 is offline
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Surprised nobody has mentioned Sweetwater in Fort Wayne, Indiana yet. The place is ginormous.
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Old 03-25-2019, 11:44 PM
Jeff Scott Jeff Scott is offline
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I've bought at both Woodsy's and at Guitar Riot. Both are excellent choices, even for those not in NEOhio.
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Old 03-26-2019, 04:48 AM
IndyHD28 IndyHD28 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by FOG01 View Post
Surprised nobody has mentioned Sweetwater in Fort Wayne, Indiana yet. The place is ginormous.
Just be aware that “walk-in” business is sold differently there.
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Old 03-26-2019, 05:21 AM
dave42 dave42 is offline
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Thanks for the tips in Ohio. Besides GC and SA here in Columbus, there isn't much.. and GC and SA isn't much.
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Old 03-26-2019, 07:35 AM
zombywoof zombywoof is offline
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We have lived in NE OH for just under two years now (my wife was born and raised in this neck of the woods).

If you like old stuff there is Gary's Classic Guitars in Loveland.

I have had repairs done at Lays but the only thing we have purchased was an older made in Brazil rosewood body Giannini mandolin which my wife just had to have. Did you try one of Lays builds while you were there?

My wife bought her Martin D12-28 at Woodsys. They have good prices on NOS leftovers which is what my wife's Martin was. The only guitar I have seen her out down her 1960 Gibson J-200 for. She also bought a NOS Epi Broadway at CA House Music in Zanesville. Not a selection of instruments I would go out of my way for though.

Other than that I bought my 1961 Gibson B45-12 at Play It Again Music in Dayton. At one point they had something like 170 Gibson acoustics and electrics in. I am not sure, however, if they are still open.
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Last edited by zombywoof; 03-26-2019 at 07:48 AM.
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