Buying a guitar is a very personal purchase. It’s an extension of your personality and the way you express yourself musically. While the choices may seem endless, picking the right guitar starts with deciding what you want to play and ends with finding the right instrument that fits your style. The best bay area guitar store is one that can help you find the perfect match for your needs.
Whether you’re looking for your first guitar or you’re an experienced musician, you need to be able to trust the store that you buy from. This isn’t just for security reasons, but also because you don’t want to end up with something that you don’t love. While there are many online stores that will sell you a guitar, it’s important to be able to see and touch the guitar before making your final decision.
Here are some of the best bay area guitar stores to shop at:
Known for its appearance in the movie This Is Spinal Tap and being a regular stop for up and coming rockers, Norman’s Rare Guitars is actually one of the oldest music stores in the San Francisco area. This music store has a huge inventory of gear and guitars that are sure to satisfy any guitarist’s needs, no matter the budget. This store carries everything from entry level guitars to high end gear for the bedroom shredder.
Another recognizable name in the music store industry is Guitar Center. This retailer has a large brick and mortar presence throughout the United States, which means they’re well known for selling instruments at all price points. They’re also known for carrying a lot of pre owned guitars, which makes them an excellent option for someone that wants to save some money.
While Guitar Center has a lot of great options, they also have some issues with their customer service. This has been especially true in recent years, with reports of demo guitars and, in some cases, previously returned gear being sold as new.
Sam Ash is a popular music store that specializes in both new and used gear. Their website is easy to navigate and they offer free shipping on all orders. Additionally, you can save on shipping costs by opting for store pickup at any of their locations.
Another popular music store is Zzounds. This company was founded in 1996 and they specialize in music equipment and guitars. Their website is simple to navigate and they have a large selection of instruments from some of the biggest brands in the industry. They also offer a variety of financing options to help you get the guitar you need. Another good thing about this site is that they often have discounts, such as their “Open Box” sale, which offers a great deal on an almost new guitar. The only downside to this site is that it can be difficult to contact a live person. However, they do have an email newsletter that you can sign up for to be notified when they have special deals.