Everything you need for sheet music storage, from high quality heavy duty boxes to file envelopes. Not really a walk in business, but the owner is available 24-7 to take orders on the phone and always courteous.
I have tried for several weeks to get in touch with Gamble. They are the worst music company I have ever dealt with. I have left several messages and written to them about our order. The school has already paid them and still NOTHING. They do not respond to any communication. DO NOT ORDER FROM THEM!!!
Placed a large order two weeks ago, and the auto email confirming my order said they wouldn’t charge my card till the order shipped. I have emailed them twice to ask about shipping details since my card was immediately charged, but no response. And I’ve tried to call two different numbers and they’re both disconnected. Now I’m having to dispute the charge with my credit card company because they’re AWOL.
Do not order from Gamble Music! I thought I found a product I liked and ordered it. The payment process was confusing, and it seemed that ‘check’ made the most sense. I thought they would send me to a page to submit an e-check. No, instead the order was fully submitted and they said they’d ship when my check was received. I immediately sent a communication to cancel my order. No response. Two weeks later, UPS sent my shipment. I refused it and sent it back. I sent more communications indicating I wanted to cancel my order. Two weeks later again, a small piece of my shipment arrived that I couldn’t intercept. It contained an invoice. They do not respond to emails. They provided an 800 number which is out of service. I went on google maps and found another, local, number. It is clearly a landline that is always kept off the hook so they don’t have to answer that phone either. This company is a fraud. Do not trust them at all!
Very professional, I’ve had many T-shirts and Jersey’s made here. Everyone asking who made that. I Will definitely be ordering soon for my family reunion.
Grate verity of instruments and items. Come here all the time for my guitar strings.
They have variety of music instruments.Great place to buy takamines! Usually guitar center really don’t have any takamines in stock REALLY RECCOMEND THIS PLACE!
Great even with PANDEMIC situation❤️ ‼️
Llevo años comprando mi equipo en este lugar y me gusta como me atienden, incluso cuando algo se me dañado lo llevo ahí a reparar, estoy muy satisfecha comprando aquí.
Variedad de instrumentos
Small accordion 14 white keys $2400.00 dollars too expensive + tax
Worst customers service ever dont take any intruments to repair there. They say they will call you to let youbknow how the process is they never do. The wosrt store to buy intruments.
6. Shady Rest Vintage & Vinyl
Address: 1659 S Throop St, Chicago, IL 60608 , Lower West Side , Illinois , United States
Great people and a great selection of vinyl and other audio and visual gadgets. Worth the trip
Great selection and even better owners! Definitely stop in.
The employees are super helpful and very nice. The shop great definitely going back
Cool place but pricey..
Cute store! Love the decor of vintage audio equipment. Staff very friendly! They have inventory, but due to space not able to catalog.
Staff was very kind and helpful, but the vinyls were not in the the best condition, and quite overpriced. I checked on different places online, and some things were half the price and in better condition. Can’t say for the rest of the items in stock, like cassettes or cameras.
I purchased a non- functional cassette player from here awhile ago when they sold stuff on etsy. The attempted return was a nightmare, someone named peter kepha was very difficult to work with and rude when describing to him that the product he sold me didn’t work. so i am stuck with an expensive paperweight,Very unprofessional and would never shop from them again.
That was my first time going to shady rest vintage and vinyl and I have to say I was not impressed I think the owner was cordial at best it felt like the owner was being friendly because he had to. As far as the records are concerned they weren’t in the best condition but the owner wanted top price for his records and they were extremely and I mean extremely overpriced you can find the same records as so many places I’m not going to single out one place but at so many places you can find the same records for cheaper and in way better condition. As far as the vintage and/or retro electronics some of those electronics caught my eye but it was the same thing extremely well overpriced for his merchandise and that’s the problem I have with a lot of small businesses they have some cool things merchandise I just don’t think they have a clue on how to price their merchandise and to gain the trust and the return business of a customer so I hope the owners of shady rats takes this post as a learning experience. Nate………
Did not like this record store
7. Music Zone Rehearsal Studios
Address: 2444 W 16th St, Chicago, IL 60608 , Lower West Side , Illinois , United States
Large rooms for monthly rent. 24 hour access, no limit to how loud you can be. It’s mostly a hang out for bands, but there are some serious musicians here & there!
Its hot in the spot some of the people there are narcs but invest wisely and know your potential and it might work out
Coolest place to practice & rehearse. My Uber drivers always have a wide eyed look when they drop me off lol
Be ready for anything with the kind of management here, JSYK
I don’t know where the parking lot is .. no one can answer me I’ve asked for almost a year. But no reply. On the site claims to say ” We offer private fenced in parking also monitored by security cameras”. But no luck
An absolutely disgusting display of unprofessionalism!
As far as I can tell, Joe was so mad at me for being late to sign the lease on my room, he actually cancelled the entire thing. Probably for the best, as I was moving in (just before he told me to forget it and move out) I noticed they painted the floors. The paint was either not dry, or the completely wrong type of paint. Either way, he gave 0 consideration for it while he hastily moved me in there. Also, the lease/rules of the building, rule #1: “No one is allowed to live on the premises at any time.” This is especially confounding given that I know of at least 3 people living there (Jonny being one of them).
As I said, cancelling was for the best, because I can’t imagine giving someone with such a short fuse so much undeserved business.
8. Tommy’s Guitars & Trading Posts
Address: 2548 W Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60622 , Lower West Side , Illinois , United States
Great collection of new and used guitars. Its kind of a tight quarters shop but not too bad. They have other accessories and I hear they have guitar lessons if you’re interested. Bought a used amp and I’m very pleased.
Such a cool little out-of-the-way guitar shop. Dozens of instruments and even an amp room downstairs for plugged. The shopkeepers were very helpful and obviously passionate about their trade. Got to play a couple very cool axes and browse many more. Great little place. I’ll be back!
After comparing Martin, Breedlove, Taylor, Fender and Ibanez, I just purchased my first Oscar Schmidt by Washburn from Tommy’s. Depending on the guitar tested, this one has a far superior range and playability at 25-90% cheaper than the competition. I’ve been playing for 55 years and I’m stunned at the price and quality of this “basic” guitar. As far as I’m concerned this axe outperforms the others right out of the box with zero set-up. Thanks Tommy’s!
Tommy’s was good first experience thanks. Also nice folk in second visit, but priced too high for my liking.
Interesting combo of sandwich shop and guitar tech store. Tommy will most likely deal with you himself, offering his many years of service regarding guitar restoration and service.
Very distracted, but got what I needed.
Guy swore at me cause I didn’t have cash. Definitely Do NOT recommend going here.
Doesn’t follow their hours
worst experience rude owner/worker he clams to be the owner but don’t understand how he could be rude to the customer. likes to try and rip off customers gave one star because no stars were not an option would not recommend anyone here
9. Third Coast Guitar and Amp Repair
Address: 159 N Racine Ave #1, Chicago, IL 60607 , Lower West Side , Illinois , United States
I took an Epiphone Les Paul Custom here that was brand new. I had a new pick-up installed, a new nut and a set-up. They told me it needed fret work…..and that they could do it and charge Gibson under the warrantee. I was so happy…..I didn’t even know they could do that….I thought I’d have to ship it back to where I bought it in Indiana. The work they did was fantastic. It was like a completely different guitar!! I just bought a Fender Strat and will be bringing it there for a ‘set-up’…..and anything else it may need. These guys are great! They even had a gig bag in great shape I bought for it for a few bucks. So glad I found Third Coast!!!
This place is awesome. They recently rebuilt my 2000 Telecaster, using parts I selected from Reverb. They did an amazing job. I couldn’t be happier.
Really helpful w repairing, little pricey tho
Good People who does great guitar repairs and upgrades.
Guitar repairs
I brought my Martin in to find out why it was buzzing, and it was handled expertly and sent back repaired, completely to my satisfaction
thanks 3rd coast
Had two of guitars worked on both came back with same problems. I’m out with you guys don’t spend all the money I gave you in one place .I got burned.
I rarely ever leave poor reviews anywhere, but feel the need to inform potential customers of a potential problem they may encounter.
Third Coast Guitar may have excellent technicians as others have stated. Unfortunately I will never know.
Facts: I dropped off my Martin guitar for a repair. The technician that checked me in and took my guitar told me it was a minor and easy repair (trim on the neck started to come loose). He said it would probably be a few weeks given it was around the holidays. 12 weeks later I called to just come in and pick up my guitar which hadn’t been touched – no repair started. I gave up.
Unfortunately, Third Coast Guitar never called me even to just give me an update. I had to call them twice for updates. First it was they were waiting on Martin regarding warranty work. The second call I said I would have gladly paid for the repair myself. The third time at 12 weeks, I just said I want my guitar back.
I will have to find another repair shop now.
Observations: 1.) There seemed to be little urgency to follow-up with Martin regarding warranty work. I got the sense that if I hadn’t called the first time, they still wouldn’t have followed up. The Technician to which I talked said they would check with Martin. This was a month after I dropped it off. Again I would have gladly paid for it myself. Stay on top of that if told it could be warranty work all you potential customers. 2.) A courtesy call or two with updates would have gone a long way, even if it’s bad news. My guitar would still be there waiting. Whether they have 10 guitars to repair or 2000 to repair in the backlog, a courtesy call takes 30 seconds and keeps the customer informed and usually happy. 3.) I expect there will be a reason or two that it took this long. But seriously, 12 weeks and not even touched. No apology when I picked it up. That made me wonder how often this happens. But that’s just an observation and I could be the anomaly.
Didn’t have the best customer service experience here. I won’t be a return customer.
I recently purchased a guitar from Tom, and I confidently recommend him to anyone looking to purchase a higher-end instrument or amp (which seem to be his primary focus). Tom promptly answered my questions about a guitar I was interested in, including sending me specific photos and FaceTiming to review the instrument. He communicated promptly throughout the purchase process, even sending out the guitar on the same day of my order. Beyond all of these comments, having spoken with him about his shop, it’s clear that guitars are his passion and that he’s just a good guy. I would happily purchase again from him in the future (if my wife will let me keep buying expensive toys, of course).
I have bought 4 Guitars from Tom and would highly recommend his services. He is one of the most knowledgeable cats I’ve ever spoken to about musical instruments and he actually took the time to FaceTime with me before buying the guitar so I could see and hear the instrument. His inventory is always top notch! Shipping was speedy and well packed… Tom is passionate about what he does and it shows in his work.
I purchased a 1996 PRS custom 24 from Tom. It’s a nice guitar for 20+ years old, it’s a little worn as expected for the age of the instrument.
11. Mercy! Recording Company
Address: 3700 S Iron St, Chicago, IL 60609 , Lower West Side , Illinois , United States
The building and experience was nice, but when I went to find harmonica music there was not 1 sheet in the store. The website lists 114 harmonica books. The young man asked another colleague to make sure he wasn’t overlooking it, and he said “Yeah, I need to order some”. I realize harmonica may not be the core business, but it was disappointing
13. 606 Records
Address: 1808 S Allport St, Chicago, IL 60608 , Lower West Side , Illinois , United States
Awesome place! Great selection of world music and the owner is very friendly- you will come out of here with new music he’ll introduce you to.
Spot has little gems!
One of the best spots for vinyl enthusiasts in all of chicago
Nice store tucked away in the corner of 18th and Allport, counter corner from Thalia Hall. Varied selection of vinyl on hand, and their prices are affordable. Staff very helpful. Good place to go and dive back into a past of fond musical memories.
super chill place. cool atmosphere, friendly and knowledgeable employees. but if you’re looking for anything decent in rock or metal you’ll be severely disappointed
Not bad, I was shocked to see a record store. I didn’t find anything, but at the same time I really was looking for anything. Really nice place, friendly too.
В магазине полностью отсутствует выбор Английских рок групп и исполнителей начиная с основания этого музыкального направления и до конца 80-х годов. Их просто нет!
Selection was limited and the store had a very antiseptic feel. Id call it a “vinyl boutique” more than a record store. Definitely not for the person who likes to spend an hour flipping and digging.
Was not impressed with the store and the worker was more interested in his computer than people asking questions. He didn’t even acknowledge anyone. Would not recommend.
14. Pinwheel Records
Address: 1722 W 18th St, Chicago, IL 60608 , Lower West Side , Illinois , United States
Excellent little record store. Nicest owners in the world!
Great service and selection!
Absolutely love this place. Great knowledge and service, and the selection is great. Scored some good albums from the dollar bin, and some early CSNY and Seals and Crofts vinyl from the regular stacks. I’ll be back here soon!!! Cheers fellas!!
Pretty cool but some of the jazz section was totally unorganized but there’s a great selection and a lot of diversity in the records they have. Extremely welcoming guy working there
Not much to dig through. Lots of bad 70’s rock. Some good jazz finds though.
Cool little shop with a friendly kitty always on the clock.
15. Chicago GuitarSpace
Address: 348 N Ashland Ave, Chicago, IL 60607 , Lower West Side , Illinois , United States
Quality of the work done on my 86 62RI Stratocaster is amazing! Proves that a great setup and a little fret work is necessary to bring new life back into an old pal. This is the place!
Great custom guitars, pedal building classes and repairs.
I highly recommend Chicago Guitar Space for any guitar repairs. I brought in a Taylor acoustic guitar that was basically unplayable and after Richard’s (The Owner) repair, it plays better than it did brand new! Richard is a an expert craftsmen and has a real passion for the instruments he works on. I was really impressed by his attention to detail and holistic care for the guitar. After my experience with Richard, I simply wouldn’t want to work with anyone else.
Good help!
16. Absolute Music Inc
Address: 727 S Dearborn St #312, Chicago, IL 60605 , Lower West Side , Illinois , United States
We used Absolute Music for their Photo booth & DJ Services at our wedding last month & they did a fantastic job. We had an blast & would absolutely recommend them to anyone.
Used the photo booth service for our wedding. No issues to speak of and our guests all enjoyed the booth/props. Photos came out nicely and it was reasonably priced
Absolute Music provided their photo booth for our employee picnic. They had plenty of props and the pictures turned out great; all at an extremely reasonable cost. I highly recommend them for your next gathering!
17. Thrill Jockey Records
Address: 1501 W 18th St #1, Chicago, IL 60608 , Lower West Side , Illinois , United States
Amazing , you really feel at home came in for my first Time there and at a professional Studio and i was blown away by the results joe is a true working professional ! Book with Miller Street !
One the best studios in Chicago! Very professional, clean & the atmosphere feels like you’re inside of a Maybach! Highly recommend……if you never sat in the back of a Maybach, here’s your experience! You’re welcome!
Good engineer, all-around take time with his work love miller street studio
i just went on a wonderful tour with Illinois Media School
19. Oregano Recording Studio
Address: 2058 W 19th St, Chicago, IL 60608 , Lower West Side , Illinois , United States
I’m a female rapper on the come up. Awol the engineer was very nice and professional. The sound quality was perfect, and I was able to do a bunch of songs in just a couple hrs.. just the studio I was hoping for!
I’m a rapper/singer here in Chicago. Amazing sound quality, real convenient location for CTA or free parking, and they have a great in-house producer to customize your sound. Great vocal effects too – not that I needed ’em. LOL.. Def coming back for the mastering..
Top notch quality for way less $$ than these other studios out here.. And they have dope beats on deck, both original and industry. Perfect for hip hop, rnb or even pop.. Def coming back for more..
20. Carl Becker & Son
Address: 410 S Michigan Ave #460, Chicago, IL 60605 , Lower West Side , Illinois , United States
Came to Carl Becker & Son from out of town and was very impressed at their professionalism, kindness and quality of service. Customer service and communication exceeded my expectations for standard string instrument maintenance.
Helpful, knowledgeable, and fair.
Carl Becker is the kind of man you want to deal with. He is a world renowned violin maker, yet he is down to earth and concerned for each person who visits his shop. Carl and Tim worked above that which would be expected to help us get the right violin for my daughter. We are grateful for their efforts and expertise that reveal why people shop here. You ought to visit and see for yourself.
2 Years after we purchased our violin, I still have a great respect for Carl Becker and the instruments produced by him and those he has worked with. My daughter is complemented everywhere we go about the tone and quality of the instrument the crafted.
Caring customer service and great advice to find what is best when purchasing a string instrument.
