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The Bluegrass Shack
4.9 ★★★★★ 83 Google reviews · Guitar & music store in New Athens, Illinois
Store featuring acoustic instruments and accessories, with repairs available, plus lessons.
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 (618) 475-3678
- Website thebluegrassshack.com
Hours
| Monday | 1–7 PM |
| Tuesday | 1–7 PM |
| Wednesday | 1–7 PM |
| Thursday | 1–7 PM |
| Friday | 1–7 PM |
| Saturday | 10 AM–4 PM |
| Sunday | Closed |
What's on the wall
“Just picked up an acoustic guitar for my wife and it's not the first instrument ive bought from here.”
“This is a very nice store with a variety of acoustic instruments some with electric pickups built-in.”
“I had ordered a vintage fiddle from the Bluegrass shack which I loved but I ended up having to return it because of an issue with it.”
“I was really excited to start playing, and as a beginner I was especially grateful that Chris had gotten it perfectly set up for me before sending it out.”
“Everything Bluegrass you could want; lessons instruments, advice, encouragement, jams , music books, supplies.”
“I'll definitely revisit this place when I'm ready to buy a better mandolin and I may even buy a banjo ukulele from here just because it had a neat sound.”
“I came here to get a violin for a family member, the staff was so friendly and helpful.”
What players say again and again
“I was really excited to start playing, and as a beginner I was especially grateful that Chris had gotten it perfectly set up for me before sending it out.”
“Chris is so patient and knowledgeable of all things bluegrass!”
“I came here to get a violin for a family member, the staff was so friendly and helpful.”
“I was really excited to start playing, and as a beginner I was especially grateful that Chris had gotten it perfectly set up for me before sending it out.”
From the reviews
I've been going to The Bluegrass Shack my entire life. I've gone to every other conceivable music store in the area, from the big corporate stores to the mom n pop shops. I have no intention of throwing shade at any of the competition as I'm sure they all have their pros and cons.
After describing to Chris what I was looking for, she found six fiddles that matched my desires and sent me complete descriptions of each, along with recordings of herself playing them. After reading and listening, my husband, my fiddle teacher and I narrowed it down to three and I called her back.
I had ordered a vintage fiddle from the Bluegrass shack which I loved but I ended up having to return it because of an issue with it. First off, let me say that they do offer great service. They had it shipped out the next day and it arrive at my place several days later. The violin was well set up and played nicely.
This is a very nice store with a variety of acoustic instruments some with electric pickups built-in. It has a very friendly staff and a no pressure atmosphere. Looked around played a few instruments and got a feel for what I like on my own hassle free. Bought some picks and instruction/songbooks.
Selling or trading gear at The Bluegrass Shack
The Bluegrass Shack 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.
Lessons at The Bluegrass Shack
Reviews and the store's own info mention lessons at The Bluegrass Shack. 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.
Guitar stores near The Bluegrass Shack
Miller Music Inc
4.6 ★★★★★ 62 reviews
Resource for musical instruments, plus repair services and lessons.