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Capital City Guitars

4.6 ★★★★★ 249 Google reviews · Guitar & music store in Olympia, Washington

Buys used gear Lessons Vintage specialist Repairs & setups

Friendly, laid-back shop featuring new and used guitars, plus instruction and repairs.

Plan your visit

  • Repairs & setups a repair bench comes up in reviews and the store's own info — call ahead for turnaround, since good techs run a queue
  • Buys & trades used gear they buy, trade, or consign used instruments — bring the case and any original parts, and expect trade credit to beat the cash offer
  • Lessons lessons come up in reviews and the store's own info — call about openings, instruments taught, and rates before the first visit
  • Today see hours ·
  • Phone (360) 956-7097
  • Website capitalcityguitars.net

Hours

Monday 11 AM–6 PM
Tuesday 11 AM–6 PM
Wednesday 11 AM–6 PM
Thursday 11 AM–6 PM
Friday 11 AM–6 PM
Saturday 11 AM–6 PM
Sunday Closed

Hours can shift for holidays, clinics, and lesson schedules — worth a quick check before a special trip.

What's on the wall

Instrument and gear categories at Capital City Guitars, confirmed in players' own reviews and the store's own info — not guessed from the sign out front.

🎸 Electric Guitars 6 mentions

“Was so frustrated with one of them that it was about to become a piece of firewood… all (3) are back to being great instruments to play !”

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🎸 Bass Guitars 4 mentions

“I traded in a few guitars for a new bass and they gave me above average value and made sure the bass was set up correctly before I left.”

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🔊 Amps & Pedals 2 mentions

“Lots of interesting used electric guitars, amps, and the store was much larger than expected, spanning across a couple rooms.”

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🏆 Vintage & Rare

“Rare and sought after pieces with the knowledge to speak effectively about the products they sell.”

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♻️ Used Gear 2 mentions

“Lots of interesting used electric guitars, amps, and the store was much larger than expected, spanning across a couple rooms.”

All stores with used gear →

🔧 Repairs & Setups 5 mentions

“I traded in a few guitars for a new bass and they gave me above average value and made sure the bass was set up correctly before I left.”

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🪕 Ukulele, Banjo & Folk 3 mentions

“These guys here were so helpful in assisting me to pick out my first ukulele!”

All stores with ukulele, banjo & folk →

Brands they deal

Brands players name in their reviews of Capital City Guitars — the fastest way to tell what's actually hanging on the wall before you drive over.

🏷️ Fender

“Purchased a Fender Tele Player Plus.”

Who else deals Fender →

🏷️ Gibson

Who else deals Gibson →

🏷️ Rickenbacker

Who else deals Rickenbacker →

🏷️ Orange

Who else deals Orange →

Brand mentions are mined from reviews and the store's own info — they tell you what's on the wall, not formal authorized-dealer status. If warranty coverage matters, confirm dealer status with the store or the brand's own dealer locator.

What players say again and again

The things reviewers bring up again and again across 249 Google reviews — with their own words as proof.

🔧 expert setups & repairs 4 mentions

“I traded in a few guitars for a new bass and they gave me above average value and made sure the bass was set up correctly before I left.”

🤝 fair trade-in offers 2 mentions

“I traded two instruments for a fair price, and got a beautiful folk guitar.”

🧠 knowledgeable staff 6 mentions

“Workers were very friendly and knowledgeable with my questions and I ended up leaving with a second guitar after picking up my own and I couldn’t be happier!”

💵 good value 3 mentions

“The owner was very nice; had exactly what I was looking for and I got this beautiful full sized cello for a great price.”

From the reviews

I arrived outside the store 15 minutes before they opened - and called just to verify their opening time. I had brought my tube amp in for a checkup. They let me in early and helped me out right then. I was back outside and on my way home before they were technically open. The service department was fantastic.

★★★★★ — Glenn, Aug 2025

This is my favorite type of guitar shop. Lots of interesting used electric guitars, amps, and the store was much larger than expected, spanning across a couple rooms. The staff was friendly and prices were fair. They had good options for every budget level. Also brands you don't see every day like Tagima.

★★★★★ — Dan, Aug 2025

I must say I had a great experience with this store on Reverb. I couldn’t find a link on that site to return feedback. But felt it necessary to find a way to share my experience. Excellent all around. Fast, well done shipping that was very thorough and well packed.

★★★★★ — Black, May 2026

I have now had 2 electric basses and 1 acoustic guitar serviced in some way at Capital City (fixed up, cleaned up, set up, etc). I am so impressed and happy with how well these instruments sound and feel to play; they absolutely delivered on what I was hoping!

★★★★★ — Justin, May 2024

Excerpts from public Google reviews. Read all 249 reviews →

Selling or trading gear at Capital City Guitars

Capital City Guitars comes up for buying and trading used gear — confirmed on their own site. Two things make the trip go better. First, bring the whole package: the case or gig bag, the original tremolo arm or bridge parts, the paperwork if you have it — a complete rig is worth real money more than a bare instrument, and it saves the back-and-forth of "can you bring the case in?" Second, know that trade credit almost always beats the cash offer, usually by a healthy margin — if you're upgrading anyway, price your old gear as a trade against the new one before you take cash. Either way, expect the offer to be below what the gear sells for on the wall; the gap is the store's margin for setup, warranty, and sitting on it until the right buyer walks in.

Check trade-in info on their site

Lessons at Capital City Guitars

Reviews and the store's own info mention lessons at Capital City Guitars. If you're signing up a beginner (or restarting yourself), a quick call ahead answers the three things that matter: which instruments they teach, whether the schedule has openings at the time you actually need, and what a first lesson costs. There's no wrong first guitar — a good teacher will happily work with whatever you walk in with, and a shop that teaches usually keeps affordable starter instruments on hand for exactly this reason.

Where to find Capital City Guitars

108 4th Ave E, Olympia, WA98501

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All guitar stores in Olympia, WA →

Listing verified July 2026 from public business records and player reviews. Something out of date? Report a correction. Own this store? Claim your listing — it's free.