Your Top-20 list of music shops in Sidney

Great service.

Excellent service very friendly price friendly

Good work

Got a bass bag and some strings. Still using the 4 channel mixer/amp I got from them a few years back.

Decent selection, comparable prices to the big name stores

Very knowledgeable

Stinky, dirty place, and not friendly at all.

Nice products but bad service. The gentleman at the counter obviously didn’t want us in the store even though it was empty.

Tried to make small talk and the guy wasn’t having it.

I called today to ask about get the action lowered on my guitar. Keep in mind that I am a beginner and don’t know a whole lot about this type of stuff. The person who answered the phone was far from helpful. He was condescending and rude and didn’t answer my questions. Instead he just cackled when I asked clarifying questions and responded with sarcastic answers. I will absolutely NOT be taking my business here and did not appreciate the customer service or lack thereof.

Nic brought my harmonium back to life! He is professional, knowledgeable and a joy to work with.

Honestly, the only place to purchase a harmonium in the U.S. Nic not only does an excellent job setting up the instrument–always needed after arriving from India–but is super available for help and trouble shooting even years after initial purchase! More businesses should follow his example!

I recently purchased a Bhava “Lite” travel harmonium from Old Delhi Music. Before purchasing I exchanged email with Nic asking questions and comparing the Bhava to my old Bina. Nic set my mind at east that the sustain would be similar to the Bina. I ordered the teak edition as I was drawn to the dove tail construction and beauty of teak. I am so happy with my purchase! The instrument is simply beautiful, and it’s tone and sustain are truly impressive. The harmonium came carefully packed and beautifully tuned. Don’t hesitate to purchase from Old Delhi Music!

I received a faulty instrument from these people and when I asked to return it they denied my request. Even though it was kept in a hard case which I also purchased from them. They were entirely at fault and chose to steal from me instead of being accountable.

NEVER BUY FROM THESE PEOPLE. They will steal if given the chance.

TOP NOTCH customer service. Recently, I stopped in to have my guitar looked over before heading into studio the next day. It was a Friday night and just an hour before the store closed. Ricky spent two hours setting up my guitar and making some adjustments while keeping a friendly conversation with me as he worked.
Ricky and his staff have always treated me with kindness and respect and their attention to detail is unmatched in the CU area. Highly recommended!

Super friendly people there. Felt welcome to try the guitars and many of them are hand crafted and high quality. We went here to buy bass but only three were in the inventory. Overall very pleasant experience.

I was introduced to this place a few months ago by a friend. They are so accommodating, very friendly, and knowledgeable, their service is excellent and I could not imagine going somewhere else.

Very nice store for guitar players. Not a lot of options for bass players. Store is very clean and the store has a very classy look and vibe. Very nice selection of effects pedals. I will go there again. I would like to have seen more high end 5 string basses. But, I think everyone should stop by.

Good place to buy guitar stuff in a convenient location.
It’s kind of expensive, I paid $25 for two sets of strings when I go through them like crazy. This being the only place I buy strings nowadays I am now scared to break one!

They have loads of guitars and amps to try out, as well as mandolins, banjos and other stringed instruments, makes it a great place to learn about instruments.

I will purchase my next guitar here for sure.

Be forewarned! If you are anything but an accomplished or professional guitar player they may not have the time of day for you! They WILL talk down to you, and make broad assumptions of you. Without asking me any further questions, because I said I traveled a lot, had a sentimental instrument that I didn’t want to see damaged and didn’t presently have a place to store it: the assumptions changed to me being homeless and I couldn’t be pushed out of the store fast enough. Even when I asked about a simple $15 item. Oh and let’s not forget the whole the salesman is talking down to me, he grabbing expensive guitars off the wall just playing them instead of listening to my questions. Nice job Upper Bout

Brought in a broken guitar hoping to fix it. They were quoting me 4 times the value of a new guitar to fix it and kept pushing me to just buy a new one. I ended up leaving and getting the guitar replaced elsewhere

I put a guitar here on consignment that had a synth pickup and they straight up lost the synth. When I came in to pick up my stuff they just shrugged their shoulders like “so what?”

We had the string quartet play for our Allerton Park, Sunken Garden wedding ceremony, and they were AMAZING! We got so many compliments from our guests about how beautifully they played.

Amanda was great to work with during the planning process- she allowed us to choose the songs we wanted played during each part of the ceremony and definitely catered to our specific style (having plenty of options for a mixture of classical and modern pieces). I truly feel that having the string quartet play added a more romantic, classy atmosphere to our ceremony and we were so happy with it! Highly recommend!

Vine Street was excellent to work with. They were accommodating, organized, and willing to go the extra mile. They learned two new songs for our wedding, and were willing to provide me with samples to practice the procession and recession. More important than anything, they are very talented and created the atmosphere we’d hoped for.

We hired Amanda Ramey to play our son’s wedding. She was excellent. Donnie and Alex worked with Amanda on the timing and the selections. We could not have been happier. I recommend her highly!

Excellent, really know what they are doing.

The attention to details was excellent. Very impressed.

Best record store in Champaign-Urbana. Especially if you’re into more independent music including punk, emo, etc. Also a great selection of all the classics. Found some items here that I never thought I’d ever run across. If you like physical music then check this place out!

A great hidden gem to check out if you’re near that side of town!

Great selection and prices

Smile more about the right way

One of the best record stores in C-U. They have a pretty decent-sized collection. A majority of it is stuff that you’d never buy and the stuff you would buy is a little on the expensive side or gone by the time you get a chance to stop by. The owner, Jesse, is super friendly and very willing to help you out, negotiate pricing, and even order a new record for you if you want. Overall, the place is an average shop but the friendly staff is what keeps me coming back.

The employee was very rude. The front cafe employee told us we could go back in the record store but there was a note on the door saying “be back in 5 minutes” the door was open and we walked in and just looked at some records. The employee then walked back in and rudely told us he was closed. We apologized, he said nothing, and we left feeling very unwelcome. If the store was closed, the door should not have been open and the sign should have said CLOSED, back in 5 minutes. Seems like a nice store, but will not recommend due to the rude encounter.

I bought an Artist Yamaha C6 Concert Grand from currrent owners Matt & Larry Waldhoff, which I love and still play every weekend at the Possum Trot Supper Club. I purchased it in 1997 when they were with Samuels. Fortunately they asked me in March of 2016 to help represent Piano Network a great new store in Champaign. I am proud to work for them, offering World Class Yamaha Pianos, Allen Organs,and high quality and guaranteed gently used instruments.

Great personalized service! Good price on my digital piano, Yamaha, and the whole set up!

Very nice place

Love this place! Outstanding selection with a wide range in pricing. How can you leave here without buying something?

Best selection of used record albums, 45s, CDs, cassette tapes, DVDs, as well as t-shirts, stickers, buttons, carrying cases, display and storage racks, turntables, stereo equipment, and much much more… in the midwest. If you can’t find it, ask! Bob might have it squirreled away in the back somewhere.

Definitely a local go to for used and new vinyl. Fantastic service, reasonable prices, and great selection of many hard to find records.

They have a very good selection. Prices are reasonable.

Small yet enjoyable. The place doesn’t feel like it has much personality or color, but the prices are kind and the amount of records there are very nice. One of the best places in the mall to waste a bit of time, even if you don’t particularly plan on getting anything.

Record Swap offers used vinyl of varying quality at collector prices. I was hoping to pick up a few classics on vinyl at reasonable used prices, but what I found instead was a selection of classic albums for $15-25. I like buying vinyl, but I’m not a fanatic and there is absolutely no way I’m paying $15-25 for a well-worn LP when I can buy a brand new CD for $10-15.

Sadly, you won’t find any bargains here. Basically, if it’s a classic album, you’re going to pay extra for it. Even the most ubiquitous, widely available ABBA album is going to run you $6-10. It’s simply too much when I can go to Exile on Main (also in Champaign-Urbana) and find it for less.

The shop is dumpy and the owner is as apathetic as it gets. He’s not a pretentious record store worker; he just doesn’t care if you’re there or not. This is not a huge deal for me. Really, it comes down to the prices. It’s as if the owner thinks everything he buys is Near Mint and priced accordingly (plus a markup for popular albums), when most of the records are Very Good at best.

Prices are pretty high. If something isn’t priced they look it up on Popsike and offer it to you at that price. You won’t find bargains, but I found a couple disks worth keeping.

This place is wonderful. And when I say that, I am being completely serious. The guy there was very nice, the prices were wonderful, and the selection was marvelous. I got a rolling stones vinyl for $2.50 (the cover was kind of destroyed but the music is what counts), and the total for four discs (genesis, elton john, rolling stones, white nights soundtrack) was only $20! Will definitely be coming back!

Best record store in town, bar none. Sure, maybe it doesn’t have the selection of, say, Exile on Main Street, but there’s still a darned good selection (with new stuff always coming in), the records are in good shape, and the prices are outright bargains. If you only have the chance to stop at one record store, make this the one — you won’t come away disappointed, especially if your tastes skew toward the retro side of music.

Parasol is such a great store. The prices are very fair, and the selection is some of the best i’ve seen in the area. The owners are also nice, friendly, and will help you find anything you need. I love the atmosphere (as it is located within a bike shop,) and their discogs section is also robust and large. Give this store a try!

Not a huge selection of records, but everything is easy to look at and good prices.

Has tons of records, pretty neat place

Great little store! If you like late 70s and 80s alternative/classic rock, this is the place for you! They have a relatively small collection(I sifted through most of it in an hour) but you’ll find some pretty great bargains. It’s hard to find stores these days where the prices for used records aren’t jacked up to ridiculous prices and this place manages to have a great selection at affordable prices for a vinyl enthusiast on a budget.

Great little record store and more!

Great place, good selection. Amazing friendly staff! Bought my first stereo receiver and used record there. Record shop day ’21 was great too! Stop in an see what they got!

This record store is great! The owner didn’t even really know I was performing that day but I came, performed had a great time, met some new people and really got a good taste of Champaign IL. I’ll be back there on Tuesday Aug 8th!

This record store is great, but it could definitely use more organization and cataloging for items. Vinyl and CD are fairly priced, and there is even retro games and magazines. Overall, a nice store to waste a few hours in.

An interesting browse. A good selection of vinyl. The vintage clothes were way over priced.

Cool store. They have a heavy metal section. Which is my favorite

They certainly don’t go out of their way to he you . They don’t know whether they have the selection you are looking for because there is no order in finding vinyl. Shouldn’t be hard to have vinyl in some for of order. You’ll spend most of the time trying to locate what you are looking for. Large selection but all are in rand order. Too far to travel for this.

Video games are overpriced

Records WAY overpriced, especially used records @ 50% or more over Discogs prices. New records priced over MSRP. Even used CDs priced too high. A shame because there is some decent stuff if you are willing to dig.

i have never had a class with Larisa, but she is my grandma! i bet her classes are great.

Best piano teacher in town! Every lesson with her is a blessing! ❤️Highly recommend!

Aside from being a virtuoso herself, Larisa is also an amazing teacher with the most delightful personality. I picked up piano again in my 20s after learning for 5 years in my childhood.

I studied with Larisa for less than a year. During that time, I learned a wide range of music spanning from the Baroque period to the 20th century. She sets high standards for her students, but never intimidates. Instead, she inspires me with her passion and motivates me with her attentiveness to details.

The lessons themselves are highly informative. Larisa is exceptionally good at explaining concepts that are rather abstract, including Rubato, Dynamics etc. She provides easy-to-understand clarifications on those concepts, which she draws from her decades of experience in professional performance. Larisa guided and pushed me to levels that I never imgained I could achieve. I believe anyone who has a heart for piano can benefit tremendously from taking lessons with Larisa.

Swing City Music in Collinsville is a local treasure!

​​I am ashamed to say that while I was once loyal to Drum Headquarters on the Missouri side, for the last several years my schedule has made it highly convenient for me to go online and order gear, sticks, what have you. ​​Even though I work less than a block away from this location, I hadn’t dealt with Swing City in many years since it was at the old location.

​​I recently got into more of a recording project and I know nothing about home recording, mixing, monitors, etc. So I have visited with Art at this location now a couple of times. I want to stress here that after my recent experience of trying to learn about and purchase a wireless in ear monitor for studio and stage, I will no longer order ANYTHING from the big guys.
​​One look around this store and I realized how wrong it was of me to EVER give my money to the Sweetwaters of the world and why it is so important to shop local for music gear if you have the opportunity. At this location, people are taking lessons, kids are learning to play, local artists music and merchandise is available for purchase, local shows are promoted and on and on. There are so few opportunities left in our area for any sort of music “scene”- places to learn, play, hone your craft, etc. but this is one of them and it is important that we support it. ​​

Art and Art Sr. and their team explained mixers, in ear monitors and different aspects of recording and sound to me, etc. clearly so that I could understand what was best in my situation and they didn’t treat me like a dummy for being a 44 year old musician who should already know this stuff by now. They didn’t try to sell me a bunch of stuff I didn’t need AND as an added bonus they beat SweetWater’s pricing on everything without me even bringing it up or asking ( I would have paid more for the free education that I got from these guys). ​​Strongly recommending that everyone go here. They have an outstanding selection, great service (not a snobby guitar shop atmosphere), and they can get you what you need if they don’t have it. Thanks for reading. Hope this helps!

Been a loyal customer for over 20 years. Staff knowledgeable and always willing to help. From rock band to school band, they have what I need.

Love this place. Really helped my son hone his guitar skills with weekly lessons. Very appreciative of their time and effort.

Probably my favorite guitar shop

Two location. If they don’t have what you need here try the store in Collinsville.

Staff is nice. Small store, but if they don’t have it, they order it and get it to you within a couple days.

Was at the Edwardsville store this afternoon and one of the employees was very unhelpful and rude. Instead of helping he just told me everything was out of my price range. He doesn’t know me or how much money I had in my pocket. Will never go back!.

I use to be an avid customer. But I am growing more and more frustrated with the management. I feel like I’m going into a sleazy used car dealership most the time and I am treated like a waking wallet. I’ve bought some guitars and amps there, so I am (or was) returning customer . The employees act fake and I feel like everyone is treated like they are a child. I was going in there to look around if there was any new stock, the employee kept on hovering and was forcing me to play the instrument I didn’t want to try.
Honestly, go to mojos. This place is as unpleasant as a guitar center