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Retrofret Vintage Guitars
4.8 ★★★★★ 145 Google reviews · Guitar & music store in Brooklyn, New York
Store specializing in old & rare electric & acoustic guitars, plus banjos & mandolins, with service.
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
- Today see hours ·
- Phone (718) 237-4040
- Website retrofret.com
Hours
| Monday | 12–7 PM |
| Tuesday | 12–7 PM |
| Wednesday | 12–7 PM |
| Thursday | 12–7 PM |
| Friday | 12–7 PM |
| Saturday | 12–6 PM |
| Sunday | Closed |
What's on the wall
“They had an amazing collection of vintage Telecasters and Fender tweed amps in particular, but anyone interested in vintage guitars would consider this place an absolute haven.”
“Truly incredible inventory of vintage guitars and amps — almost certainly the best one in New York, if not the entire country.”
“Truly incredible inventory of vintage guitars and amps — almost certainly the best one in New York, if not the entire country.”
“Attentive, patient, knowledgeable staff and a simply fantastic array of vintage guitars, mandolins, etc.”
Brands they deal
“They had an amazing collection of vintage Telecasters and Fender tweed amps in particular, but anyone interested in vintage guitars would consider this place an absolute haven.”
“I went to New York in early November and got to play several beautiful, very old Gibson and Martin guitars.”
“I went to New York in early November and got to play several beautiful, very old Gibson and Martin guitars.”
What players say again and again
“Attentive, patient, knowledgeable staff and a simply fantastic array of vintage guitars, mandolins, etc.”
“A must-visit place for enthusiasts, with an incredible selection of instruments and incredibly friendly staff”
From the reviews
I can’t believe I had not been to this shop before. It’s a really special place filled with incredible instruments in a very wide variety. The staff was so welcoming and made me feel comfortable allowing me to play any instruments I wanted to try. They did not at all stand over me or make me feel uncomfortable.
An amazing shop with museum quality pieces of history, but they're out, accessible, and for sale. The staff was extremely kind and easy to talk to. Even if you're not in the market to make a vintage purchase, this would be on my "if you're in the area, you go." And if you are in the market, this is your first stop.
I bought a lil' 50's Martin ukulele style 2 on RetroFret online store. Fast shipping (the instrument was delivered in France in a week) and well packaged (ukulele arrived in very good shape) and as described. Great communication with Steve and George who are competent and frendly.
Truly incredible inventory of vintage guitars and amps — almost certainly the best one in New York, if not the entire country. Staff was very knowledgable and helpful, and (in constrast to other stores that stock high five-digit guitars) let me test out all of the guitars and amps freely.
Selling or trading gear at Retrofret Vintage Guitars
Retrofret Vintage 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.
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