Chicago Music Exchange is the cathedral — one of the great guitar rooms on earth — and the city around it holds its own: blues-history pawn finds on the South Side, solid indie shops north and west, and repair talent everywhere. If you make one guitar pilgrimage in the Midwest, it's CME; budget two hours minimum.
4.7 ★★★★★ 2,067 reviews
Vintage, new & used guitars plus other instruments & gear in a polished space with an acoustic room.
4.4 ★★★★☆ 1,562 reviews
4.4 ★★★★☆ 1,196 reviews
Music store, specializing in guitars and basses.
4.8 ★★★★★ 674 reviews
Music shop featuring classes, plus instruments & educational materials from around the globe.
4.8 ★★★★★ 283 reviews
Guitar shop specializing in repairs, customizations, and restorations of vintage gear.
4.6 ★★★★★ 226 reviews
Used guitar store and instructor, specializing in acoustic and electric guitars, along with amps.
These shops buy and trade used gear: Guitar Center, Guitar Center, Evolution Music, Rock N Roll Vintage & Synth City, Black Bobbin, The Chicago Electric Piano Co.. Read our selling guide before you walk in — expect roughly 50–60% of resale value in cash, ~70% in trade credit, and bring the original case. The full national list lives in the sell-your-gear directory.
For lessons — yours or the kid's — these stores teach: Guitar Center, Guitar Center, Evolution Music, Vic's Drum Shop, Flatts and Sharpe Music Co., West Point Instrument Repair Shop. Our lessons guide covers the $25–40 half-hour going rate, what age kids can start, and why the squeaky first months are normal — or browse the full lessons directory.
The vintage and rare-gear walls worth the trip: Chicago Music Exchange, Guitar Center, Guitar Center, Old Town School Music Store, Third Coast Guitar and Amp Repair, Chicago Fret Works Guitar and Amp Repair. Our vintage buying guide covers what drives value, the fakes problem, and why reputable dealers earn their premium — and the vintage directory has the full state-by-state list.
I recently traveled to Chicago from Italy with my family, and one of the very first places I wanted to visit was Chicago Music Exchange. From the moment we walked in, everyone was incredibly welcoming.
I had such a great buying experience today with Shaun in the keyboard department. I was looking to purchase a digital piano and called in about a week ago to inquire. I asked about a million questions on the phone and Shaun was more than patient while helping me decide which digital piano would be the best fit.
got my electric guitar here a few months back. SHOUTOUT MAC for being chill as hell 🔥 they helped me choose and everything! very fun too. the place is always really comfortable. i think there’s a lot of good options & the employees are always cool. hope to work here at some point hehe
