Chicago Guitar Stores

[335p...@gmail.com]

I'm hunting for a good archtop. I'd appreciate it if someone could
recommend a store in Chicago that would have a good selection of
guitars to try out.

Thanks,

Mark

[invisaman75]

I haven't lived in Chicago for awhile but I heard Chicago Music
Exchange is great: http://www.chicagomusicexchange.com/

I might check it out when I visit later this year.

[335p...@gmail.com]

That looks like a good one. Thanks.

[jimbol51]

Unfortunately they are now long gone but Wooden Music was THE archtop store
for years back in the 1970's when I lived in Chicagoland. I specifically
remember a 1962 L5CESN for as I remember $1200.................man am I
depressed as I didn't buy it being that I thought that it was too high
priced..................oh well..........

<335p...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:47bbb5c5-cf7c-4190...@i3g2000hsf.googlegroups.com...

[Pat Smith]

I bought an L5 at Wooden music for an even 1k. I had to save and save.
Anyway alway have a look at the guitar Works in Evanston
http://guitarworksltd.com/instruments.htm

[dunlop212]

> I bought an L5 at Wooden music for an even 1k. I had to save and save.
Anyway alway have a look at the guitar Works in Evanston
http://guitarworksltd.com/instruments.htm

The aria pro ii looks like a nice buy for 400 bucks, if it is one of
the 1980s MIJs.

[jimbol51]

You know Pat I could never understand why people ruin guitars like that 50's
Aristocrat that Guitar Works has over in Evanston. Heck almost the only
thing left original are the knobs! jim

"Pat Smith" <pj...@pacbell.net> wrote in message
news:B8qfj.2965$El5....@newssvr22.news.prodigy.net...

[ap....@gmail.com]

On Jan 4, 12:21 pm, "jimbol51" <jimbo...@san.rr.com> wrote:
> You know Pat I could never understand why people ruin guitars like that 50's
> Aristocrat that Guitar Works has over in Evanston. Heck almost the only
> thing left original are the knobs! jim
>
> "Pat Smith" <pj...@pacbell.net> wrote in message
>
> news:B8qfj.2965$El5....@newssvr22.news.prodigy.net...
>
> >I bought an L5 at Wooden music for an even 1k. I had to save and save.
> >Anyway alway have a look at the guitar Works in Evanston
> >http://guitarworksltd.com/instruments.htm
>
> > jimbol51 wrote:
> >> Unfortunately they are now long gone but Wooden Music was THE archtop
> >> store for years back in the 1970's when I lived in Chicagoland. I
> >> specifically remember a 1962 L5CESN for as I remember
> >> $1200.................man am I depressed as I didn't buy it being that I
> >> thought that it was too high priced..................oh well..........
>

> >> <335pla...@gmail.com> wrote in message

> >>news:47bbb5c5-cf7c-4190...@i3g2000hsf.googlegroups.com...
>
> >>>I'm hunting for a good archtop. I'd appreciate it if someone could
> >>>recommend a store in Chicago that would have a good selection of
> >>>guitars to try out.
>
> >>>Thanks,
>
> >>>Mark

You might also try MAKE'N'MUSIC. They mostly sell high end amps and
solid-bodies, but I definitely saw some fancy archtops. It's a
bit hard to find, because the entrance is from an alley, and is not
marked. When you get in, the space is pretty posh. They have a
huge selection of Suhr guitars.

[ap....@gmail.com]

On Jan 4, 12:21 pm, "jimbol51" <jimbo...@san.rr.com> wrote:

> You know Pat I could never understand why people ruin guitars like that 50's
> Aristocrat that Guitar Works has over in Evanston. Heck almost the only
> thing left original are the knobs! jim
>
> "Pat Smith" <pj...@pacbell.net> wrote in message
>
> news:B8qfj.2965$El5....@newssvr22.news.prodigy.net...
>
> >I bought an L5 at Wooden music for an even 1k. I had to save and save.
> >Anyway alway have a look at the guitar Works in Evanston
> >http://guitarworksltd.com/instruments.htm
>
> > jimbol51 wrote:
> >> Unfortunately they are now long gone but Wooden Music was THE archtop
> >> store for years back in the 1970's when I lived in Chicagoland. I
> >> specifically remember a 1962 L5CESN for as I remember
> >> $1200.................man am I depressed as I didn't buy it being that I
> >> thought that it was too high priced..................oh well..........
>

> >> <335pla...@gmail.com> wrote in message

> >>news:47bbb5c5-cf7c-4190...@i3g2000hsf.googlegroups.com...
>
> >>>I'm hunting for a good archtop. I'd appreciate it if someone could
> >>>recommend a store in Chicago that would have a good selection of
> >>>guitars to try out.
>
> >>>Thanks,
>
> >>>Mark

I also know that Hogeye music has a "The Loar" guitar (no pickup no
cutaway), that has received some attention here (rmmgj). I've been
planning to go try it out.

[gosto.d...@gmail.com]

That looks like a cross between a Guitar Center and a Starbucks :)

[Alex]

On Jan 4, 3:31 pm, "gosto.do.vio...@gmail.com"

It really does. Except that wall of Fenders that you see, are all
vintage guitars, as well as the wall of archtops.

[E7sus9]

Hey Mark,

I live in Chicago as well and haven't found one great place. There's a
shop in Racine Wisconsin just East I94 by a couple of miles called
Guitar Works. They have a few hollow bodies out, but if you let them
know you're truly interested in buying they have some more valuable
ones tucked away in back. I played an L5 and some other high end
pieces there that were really nice but they didn't bring them out
until I showed I was interested and could play.

The Guitar Works in Evanston isn't bad, but I didn't see as much
selection there as I hoped for.

If you're up for a drive, the Woodwind and Brasswind in South Bend, IN
(a bit hard to get to although it's literally right off the I-80) has
a great selection of hollowbodies in a sort of roped off room, but you
can easily ask to see everything.

If you're looking for something really old there's a place called
Spruce Tree Music in the Madison, WI area which can tend to have some
nice old pieces. It's a small luthier shop that tends to lean toward
the old accoustics but has some nice old archtops as well.

Right over the border in Merrillville, IN there's a Guitar Center with
a usual collection of a few archtops as well. Apparently there's a few
jazz lovers in that area.

Feel free to email me if you want to discuss it further. A lot of
shops have come and gone, but these are the ones I know of right now.
Regretably a lot of them aren't even in Chicago!!

Let me know where you're at if you want to play sometime.

Ron B

[jimbol51]

Is that crazy guy whose name escapes me at the moment over on Sheridan Road
by Loyola still there? I think he called himself the Guitar Asylum or
something like that which was pretty accurate actually...........jim

[Joey Goldstein]

Check out their ads on the View Our Ads link.
Pretty funny.

--
Joey Goldstein
<http://www.joeygoldstein.com>
<http://homepage.mac.com/josephgoldstein/AudioClips/audio.htm>
joegold AT sympatico DOT ca

[Alex]

Flatts and Sharpes

[jimbol51]

No not Flatt and Sharpes. They are very normal and still are normal. This
guy was maybe 2-3 blocks north of them on Sheridan Road.......a VERY strange
dude as I recall from years ago.............jim

"Alex" <apec...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:aa6c1326-fbf6-406c...@m34g2000hsf.googlegroups.com...

[Alex]

On Jan 6, 1:12 am, "jimbol51" <jimbo...@san.rr.com> wrote:
> No not Flatt and Sharpes.  They are very normal and still are normal.  This
> guy was maybe 2-3 blocks north of them on Sheridan Road.......a VERY strange
> dude as I recall from years ago.............jim
>

> "Alex" <apeche...@gmail.com> wrote in message

>
> news:aa6c1326-fbf6-406c...@m34g2000hsf.googlegroups.com...
> On Jan 5, 2:53 pm, "jimbol51" <jimbo...@san.rr.com> wrote:
>
> > Is that crazy guy whose name escapes me at the moment over on Sheridan
> > Road
> > by Loyola still there? I think he called himself the Guitar Asylum or
> > something like that which was pretty accurate actually...........jim
>
> Flatts and Sharpes

Not there anymore.