Best Guitar Shops In Washington Near Me

Donovan Dorrance: Aaron hooked me up with a great set-up for my telecaster. Helped fix some intonation issues. So very grateful for his expertise, efficiency, and kindness. Highly recommend coming here! They will treat you right!!!

Shawn Benson: Music on the Hill - The Hill’s own neighborhood music shop. Pretty cool. I’m a new client at Music on the Hill and I’m a very satisfied customer. My wife and I look forward to coming back, taking lessons, and recommending this neighborhood music shop to our musically-inclined or curious friends. Their prices are often just as good (and sometimes better) than their competition. The customer service/expertise is spot-on. And, you feel good knowing your money is going back to a small, local business. Frankly, it’s an investment in our community and that’s almost reason enough these days. Give them a shot. They don’t have everything, but they’ve got a lot and it was more than enough for us.

anne phelps: My whole family loves Music on the Hill! Lindy is a terrific resource on all things music related. We’ve had great experiences with lessons (clarinet and guitar) and when we wanted to upgrade to a wooden clarinet, Lindy & Luke found us a quality used instrument. If there’s something we need and they don’t have it, they’ve always been able to get it in short order. Music on the Hill is everything a local music store should be.

Amaobi Otiji: I had an enjoyable experience buying a guitar here. Their shop setup is really aesthetically pleasing and their selections were all from very quality makers. The staff were very helpful in finding something that fit me by giving me a lot of options to work with. I also enjoyed them showing off the instruments with their musical skills.

Eric Schneider: Since this place added a guitar tech and luthier, I have taken in three guitars and received perfect setups and provided great service in general. So glad to have these folks in Capitol Hill instead of having to give a conglomerate like Guitar Center my business!

Kevin Wholihan: Had an amazing purchasing experience here and came away with a gorgeous acoustic. The staff was attentive, knowledgeable, quickly found me the right size and a great fit. Very good COVID precautions. Will be back for my next major purchase.

Gillian Edick: We popped into Middle C to have a guitar restrung and tuned. They did it quickly, but more importantly made it great fun for my aspiring but beginner guitarist. Tom was amazing - so helpful and took the time to show my son how to tune the guitar, hold it and get started. Really fantastic service. Thanks Tom and team!

Paul Myers: I purchased a piano from these fine people, and I love it. It was very competitively priced. I have also purchased a guitar, and I have had these folks restring several guitars, and they do a great job —and again, the price is right. I love supporting small businesses, and Middle C Music is one of the best!

Fernando Nogueira: Super friendly and helpful staff.We were missing a very specific guitar screw and they helped us out in no time.

Susanna Gregory: I LOVED it here! Stopped by for a new guitar and the staff was immediately willing to help and super friendly. The prices were great and I was really impressed with all the cool little things you could buy too! I didn’t get the names of the people who helped me but they were fantastic

Michelle Long: I had the best time at Middle C Music! Everyone was super knowledgeable, supportive, and friendly. I came in looking for a 3/4 size acoustic guitar for traveling and had my pick of a beautiful selection. Big fan!! Will return!

Quentin Workman: After a mixup in shipping, and UPS losing my guitar, I was refunded for the price of mine and sent a new one on them. They are a great company that I will continue to frequent!

Hasan ibn-Sabah: Decent stock, helpful and friendly employees who seem to like what they do. Minus 9ne star for the horrible parking lot situation.

Ken Pierce: I bought a new Álvarez guitar is it place so good in the Customer satisfaction is excellent I love shopping at this place

MOHAMMED DALOWAR HOSSAIN: This an amazing place to buy a guitar and necessity of the music world instrument

She Fancy: These folks are just AWESOME. The young lady (the only young lady- pardon me for being absent minded) educated me on my desired purchase and went above and beyond to select the very best electric drum set available. She helped me prank surprise my husband with the drum set for his bday. She purchased balloons for him at zero cost to me. I can’t say enough. Extremely satisfied with the value AND service.

Richard Capeless: My experience was through an online order and I am here to testify to their exceptional customer service. I had a small problem with a piece of gear I was really excited to get, and the staff went above and beyond the call of duty to accommodate me. General manager Adam Levin reach out to me and oversaw my exchange. That kind of personal touch made it clear that they care about their customers.

Rachel Ellis: Bought my fiancé a guitar here a year ago. Sales person was friendly and helpful. Good covid protocol for the time. Sales people weren’t pushy and were well informed on guitars. Bought the Taylor GS Mini and it’s been a great guitar. Would definitely check them out if you’re in the market for an instrument. Only downside was slightly outdated equipment/billing systems, but nothing a little patience doesn’t fix.

Eddie Monson: Excellent customer service, very courteous and professional... Bought a new guitar at a good price and shipped fast..

D0nut7125: Got my trick Dominators from this store, fast shipping and arrived just on time for a gig. Will be ordering from this place again!

Mary Ann Wyckoff: Aaron was very helpful with answering questions and guiding me towards choosing the right bass clarinet for me! I definitely recommend Chuck Levin’s!

Greg O: I am the type of person who goes into a music shop and likes to try a lot of instruments for a while before I buy and in many big chain music stores such as Chuck Levins, Guitar Center and music and arts I usually get very impatient, VERY PUSHY and rude service from the sales staff. I was so delighted to not experience that at all from your sales staff and this lack of pressure MADE ME BUY. I will definitely be back.

Daniel Meltzer: A wonderfully overwhelming array of instruments in this shop. Very nice folks. I am glad we have this place in the Baltimore/DC area.

Steve Williams: Rented amp [Hot Rod] for the 2nd time for Kidd Funkadelic. Crew there were polite and courteous. the amp performed well but most of all they were quick

Jason R.: Awesome store. Very courteous staff. I had pick ups installed in my guitar. Excellent work & they were completed before the estimated time.

Emily Reid Campbell: This place is huge. Pictures don’t do it justice. There is a large open “main” area devoted primarily to guitars and accessories and sound systems and sheet music and whatnot. Off this main area there are many additional spaces with all sorts of cool stuff in various adjoining rooms, halls, alcoves, and other curious display areas of varying size and shape. Acoustic gets its own special room with a door and everything that you can access at the back of the main area—I didn’t go inside because it looked a bit too exclusive for me and too dangerous for my little kids to go near of course, but if you’re looking for acoustic stuff you’ll probably love it. You’ll also look really cool going inside. Other areas and offerings: a huge drum section filled with drums and drum stuff and related accessories and all sorts of things that I have never even seen or heard of because I do not play drums, all located in a large room/additional area just to the right of the entrance as you walk in the store from the parking lot (with potentially more spaces located off of that first “drum area,”—I didn’t venture that far in). Another several adjoining areas off the main space are similarly dedicated to pianos, keyboards, and synthesizer type stuff. Further back into the distant corners adjoining piano land, you’ll find another room or two full of speakers, amps, and all sorts of sound systems and devices for DJs and sound engineers and audiophiles of any sort. I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a secret entrance to another realm entirely back there, with dancing elves playing trumpets and harps and accordions and other strange creatures of that sort, given how many corners and alcoves and sections they had there already. It’s pretty cool. On the other side of the store I saw additional rooms and areas for music lessons and rentals and a few other doors to miscellaneous realms of musical store excitement. I’ll have to check that side out next time. You get the idea. This place is BIG. In fact, the “main” area alone is as large or larger than the entire square footage of the few other guitar center locations I’ve seen before. Granted: size is not the primary determinant of quality, especially not for specialty stores of this sort. But if you need music equipment, this is a good bet. It’s a cool place overall and makes me want to learn more about everything there and maybe learn to play a few more instruments in the future. I don’t have enough experience to comment extensively on the quality of their actual stock or their prices in comparison to other stores. But they have a TON of stuff there for musicians and DJs and sound engineers and audiophiles and anyone else seeking musical instruments and music related goods. And they do price match other stores, so if you find something cheaper at another store they’ll give you that price (up to 45 days after purchase, with some exceptions of course). As for customer service and sales and whatnot: I have only purchased one thing from them thus far, but my experience was positive and the sales process was smooth and nicely handled. Overall, the sales associates are nice and unobtrusive. They’re not necessarily going to greet you enthusiastically when you walk in, or even greet you at all. They’re probably not going to ask you if you need help right away either, or perhaps at any point, and they’re almost certainly NOT going to follow you around the store just to see if you need help later. If you need or want all that, this might not be your type of place. Personally, I prefer this approach. They’re there and quite helpful if you need them, but otherwise they’ll let you explore and do your thing. If/when you do need them, they’re happy to help. Just ask. It works. I’m a fan.

Todd L: I like the store a lot it has percussion and the staff is friendly got a decent choice of ancillary services and boxes and supplies and you got a national system behind you

Jacob Ferguson: This place has *excellent* customer service. I had somewhat of an emergency and needed a small tan windscreen for my Countryman mic. Jim Hodges called almost every music store in town and finally we figured something out. Thank you so much to Jim Hodges and Guitar Center.

Matt Lyttle: The greatest guitar shop around, no question. Incredible selection of new and vintage instruments. All sorts of pedals and gear. Extremely knowledgeable staff. And they are as welcoming as can be. Just be respectful of their stuff and they will treat you like family - no matter how deep (or empty) your pockets are!

Elisa: Great store! The staff are so friendly, kind, and willing to share advice. I always have a pleasant experience taking my guitars in for work or browsing for new gear.

Matthew Morgan: This place is the best guitar shop in the DMV and it’s not even close. The guys know their stuff and they care about what they do. I came in with a California strat a few months ago and the owner took time to walk me through the history of the guitar, the value, and helped me weigh pros and cons of investing in some repairs. They’ve set up 4 of my guitars and have done A+ work on each one. Love these guys!

Cameron Quinn: Music shops like this are a dying bread and thankfully we still have killer shops like Action. Super knowledgeable about all things music and guitars. Best and most eclectic selection of vintage guitars in the area. Thanks Action!

Christopher Frakes: Great selection of instruments, equipment, and accessories. Matt and co. are knowledgeable, kind, and a delight to chat with. Hands down the best music store in the area!

muscle man: action music is a really good store. the people that work there are all super nice and welcoming. i gotta come back here one day. also the location is very nice considering its right next to a record store and a recording studio

Shawn Hatfield: Always a good time. Thank you guys for the Orange cab this time. I usually get vintage fuzz pedals here. Great selection of instruments, amps, fx, and other music goodies!

ben glowasky: Had a really good experience with Kevin F picked up a speaker from him on 6-13-2022 and he was very informative really good sales and really wanted to help and really friendly

Maryna Broussard: Love this store! Here you can found a big choice for your needs and even take a lesson how to play the guitar!

Ciara Long: This must be a good GC. My husband told me he was running in for a quick second and 40 minutes later I’m still sitting in the car. I guarantee he comes out with half the store. Great location, friendly and knowledgeable service he said and well stocked.

Paris E Brown: Staff are always helpful and pretty knowledgeable. The repair center is the bomb... They took an almost impossible repair, and did the repair very well. (Second time we used the repair center).

Dale Dean: Extremely professional service allowed me to find the right edition of sheet music that I wanted. And we conferred back and forth by text messages before I even entered the store to pick up the edition. Outstanding and responsive treatment.

T King: Very cool old school music shop, lotta different instruments, sheet music etc. Not sure how competitive prices on guitar amps are. Fun to browse. Looks like the do lessons and repairs, too.

aria moshrefi: Came in just to exchange the rental violin for my son. Brian A was so helpful. He showed us the problem was was not the size of the violin but the locations of the tape was not correct. Excellent free assistance by such a nice employee Thank you you so much !

Christine Hill: I went to Foxes music just to come see and admire the store cause of all the instruments. It was my first time going there and usually i’m a anxious mess kind of a person. I was immediately greated by good ol Dave! (Welcoming and friendly) He showed me some books, amps, intruments, etc. demoed some pedals. Not once was there a pressure to buy or anything which was super nice! No sales pitch and I thoroughly appreciated that. I saw this mustang and he showed it to me and all was history! I walked out with a slammin deal and stand in top of that! Thanks so much Dave! Will definitely be coming back!

nick: Amazing service! I love this place! I just bought my wife and daughter last minute gifts, and they were all very helpful. They helped me pick out a necklace and a bracelet. The prices were great. I really liked the omegas and Rolex’s they have for sale. I’ll be back

TODD DILLERSON: If your looking for the best place for any kind of assistance along with the best customer service available go to Crown Pawnbrokers. This place is ran by a unbelievable management and staff who make you feel comfortable and at home ! I’m a regular here and wouldn’t go anywhere else! Thanks guys !!

Carlton Reynolds: I have been a long time customer of Crown Pawn , they are hard working , generous and fair when it matters most , at least I can say that for myself I have been given a fair shake . . .

Nakita Anderson: My son and I have been coming to this establishment for games since he was 5 he is now 12 and he loves to come and see these wonderful people. My son is into gaming and I’ve learned so much about it with their help and the greeting we get from everyone is so warming. They have been around for so long and the variety of things they have are reasonable and no matter the item, there’re always someone with knowledge of it, check them out, you will come out with the best deals and not to mention the politeness and helpfulness. We love them

Leon Elliot: This place saves my life every time I’m in a bind and it’s the only place in DC where I can find quality products from my jewelry to my camera equipment love it here

Colin: More than I could ask for in a Music Store experience. Everyone was friendly and helpful. I brought a guitar to trade in and put the money towards the purchase of another expecting to haggle on the price. Instead I was given a great deal off the bat and they threw in a free hard shell case. Any time I’m back in this area I’ll be paying this place a visit.

Mike Workman: I was considering to buy this g-400 epi Toni Iommi edition. I was skeptical at first ,the set up was horrible like it never was played. One of the tuners had a bad screw. They had their tech fix it up and it was like a different guitar. I was very pleased at the results and the price was fair for the condition and they even gave me a nice case for it. This is one of the old school misic stores left around .Nice helpful staff I RATE AT 100%

Josh Hess: I visited for my first time today and traded a few guitars I didn’t play for a really nice guitar. I couldn’t have asked for a more helpful people and satisfying experience. They were extremely fair on my trades and they have great prices on the gear in the store. Although I’m about 90 minutes away, they’ve earned a customer for life. 🤘

Tj Tj: My favorite place!They are the absolute best.Whatever u want, They make it happen

Daniel Tana: I’ve been shopping for guitars and other gear at Atomic music for 20 years now, and they’ve never let me down. If you want a guitar, bass, amp, etc. and don’t want to spend a fortune on something new, you absolutely can’t beat them for used gear. They guarantee everything they sell used so if you have a problem with it, they’ll take it back within 30 days. They also have a great buy back policy so if you’re someone like me who’s slowly upgraded to nicer instruments over the years, you know you’ll get a good price selling back a guitar that you bought there if you want to upgrade it a few years later. I recently found what would have been a 400ish dollar Marshall combo amp there tagged at $219, played it in store, and walked out with it for an even better price. Unbelievable. I’m just saying, it’s worth a trip or a call/email to them if you’re looking for something specific, and you can find some great stuff if you have time to browse around their inventory. So before you go to Guitar Center or whatever, check them out. You’ll be supporting an awesome and vital local/regional business and you’ll probably find a really good deal too!

Ed Gallagher: Great Store and team. Brought in a bunch of lefty Guitars and Helix Floor. Got a great and fair price! They are the best!

J C: I visited to sell some music gears. They’re pretty big and had lots of varieties at the store! Staff were so kind and friendly. If you’re looking into buying instruments or selling them, you should definitely check Atomic Music for sure!!:)

Hans Waschitzki: I had some string buzz on my guitar that I could not fix on my own and brought in for repair. I thought I was going to leave it there for a few days but they quickly diagnosed the issue (loose tuning pegs) fixed it and I was out the door in 10 minutes. Great service!

Shervin Naderi: Just bought two guitars from here. Very nice staff. Nice selection. They actually had two Cordoba c12 on the showroom floor and their price was $200 less than msrp. None of the GuitarCenters had a single one in their stores and had to bring it from their warehouse a few days later and their price was higher. Very happy with this place. Forget online shopping. Always nice to support local businesses. Will come back for more.

TJ Sanner: Amazing experience!! Spent hours hanging out and looking at acoustics.

Sibel Ozturk: Great store, helpful staff! You can find all kinds of musical instruments and resources. Highly recommended

Brandon Kennedy: Positive: Professionalism, QualityBeen using this guy for years. Very responsive to emails and phone calls. He’s fixed my guitars on the spot multiple times while I waited. Fair prices and easy to work with. Has been and will continue to be my go to for guitar repairs, this one is a no brainer.

justin Dobak: Positive: Professionalism, Quality, Responsiveness, ValueGreg is the best guitar tech in the DMV. I have brought several high end and low end guitars to have everything from repairs to general setups. His work is always top notch. Quick and very affordable as well.

Brigid DeTreux: Positive: Professionalism, Quality, Responsiveness, ValueGreg is awesome! Could not recommend Metro Guitar enough. I brought in my Epiphone Les Paul Standard and J.B. Player for a string change and setup. Both feel like new! Great service and turnaround time. Will definitely be back with my other instruments.

Lord Theodore: excellent service... I had my fender strat changed with all new hardware, strings, neck straighten and retuned. Greg gave me constants updates on the progress of my guitar. Metro Guitar has very fair pricing, great experience and excellent service....

Steven Sharp: It was easy to arrange a drop off/pick up with Greg and he made my cheap Yamaha sound much better than when I brought it in. Easy to park at the business. My guitar must have been seriously out of wack because not only does it sound much better, the adjustments made it much easier to play as well. Stopped in a second time for a quick look/setup of a brand new Fender Strat. Based on a few questions he did it while I waited and charged a very reasonable price for a basic setup. Again, Greg does excellent work and is very recommended.

Luke Tharp: Hands down, the best local guitar store. Ryan and his team are friendly, knowledgeable, and have a great selection with good prices. Recommend this store to anyone looking to pick up some new gear.

Trent Pedersen: We had a very pleasant experience here! Staff is helpful without being “too” helpful. They give you space to try different instruments and form your own opinions but are there if you have questions or want recommendations. I ended up getting a great deal on a used Breedlove and have been very pleased thus far.

Zach Bellas: Love this store and Ryan is very active and supportive of the music community in Maryland. They also work with the Warrior Music Foundation which is another great organization to be associated with. Had another awesome experience there today and the sales person Adam went out of his way to help me get a killer deal on the gear I was purchasing. Highly recommend!

John Kallok: Best store I have had dealings with since I moved to Maryland in 1995 after getting out of the military…. Great knowledgeable staff who will treat you well and that goes a long way these days!! I traded a strat for a strat, but was there to buy a mint fender Eric Johnson thinline, but it was sold an hour before I arrived. The point is that I called about that guitar at least 2 times and they offered to put it on hold for me with no money down!!!! I’m biased, but they have the best inventory I have seen in a music store and I give their professional staff a thumbs up!!!!!!

Christian Benford: Super chill store. Everyone is laid back and really friendly. Will answer any question you ask. Good selection of items too with reasonable prices. Guitar repair tech recommended getting my electric “set up.” So I will definitely be back for that. Thanks again guys.

John Bonelli (JFact): Great guitar shop. I ordered a Suhr guitar. Ryan and his crew were a pleasure to deal with. Completely hassle free and professional. I would recommend this shop to everyone.

Chris Defeo: Always a pleasurable experience at Ryan Fowler’s! Steve, their guitar tech is phenomenal at his job. He along with Chelsea offered a lot of knowledge on gear available. I recently purchased a Head Rush powered PA speaker and Strymon pedal because of their insight. Highly recommend!

Kaitlyn: I went to Guitar Center today not realizing how busy it would be due to father’s day. I do not know much about anything but know I wanted to get my dad a guitar and expected to be able to find help, which is exactly what I found when I entered this store. I wanted to thank Nick and Austin on helping not just me but everyone else who came in the store today. Busy is an understatement and they were also understaffed on top of that. Nick took his time to show me different guitars and tell me their brands all while playing a few chords to hear how they sounded and ultimately helped me pick out the best guitar for my situation. Austin was who checked me out and he was being hounded by customers some understanding and some very impatient. He handled it amazingly and treated everyone with respect and a smile. I know what it feels like to be in a situation with a job that is busy and to be short staffed on top of that is the absolute worse. They both deserve to be recognized for the hard work they put in but still being able to provide the best customer service given the busy circumstances. I was very pleased with my experience and would recommend this store and their employees to anyone who is seeking guidance in guitar world. My dad was extremely happy with the guitar he was gifted!

sixquickthrusts: I stop at this location on an at least monthly basis. Staff is knowledgeable and super friendly. Great selection as well. Their guitar tech, Giovanni, is a super knowledgeable and skilled technician. I’d not only recommend this location not only for someone in the market for equipment. But also for the repair service. Prices are extremely fair and Giovanni knows his stuff.

James Nusky: Bought a German Hofner bass guitar today @ Allentown Guitar center. I had to trade up. Of course you never get what you want for your gear. I have to say I got it all today. This was a used guitar, but it was like new. Excellent condition. Jon in sales was great. No nonsense. Very fair. Great place to shop. It was worth the ride from Philly.

DOOP: Love this place! Recently spent 2 hrs and one of the employees, unfortunately forgot his name, was very kind and taught me a few things about barre chords. will definitely be going back

Tierra Oskay: I rented some equipment from here. It was a quick process and the staff was awesome. That female bathroom needs prayer, an exorcism, and a deep clean.

John Filer: Super friendly customer service from the very knowledgeable staff. Great local guitar shop with everything you need to get jamming. After you grab your new guitar they even offer lessons.

ryan finnerin: Great staff here. Their luthier Taras is top notch. He re-fretted a vintage p bass for me in under a week. He took the time to sit with be before hand and address any concerns I had and best of all he listened very intently to every concern and request I had for him. He did an immaculate job, addressing every detail that I spoke w/ him about. Great guy, quick work and the best re-fret I have ever had on any guitar. Highly recommend.

Captain Aloha: Lucky to have them in my area. Amazing selection and a team that goes above and beyond. Set ups are on point and their repair people do a good job. Can’t wait to get my next guitar. Nick has helped me out tremendously as well.

James D. Gilmour: The staff is very friendly, but gave me "space" to try out many of their guitars, before choosing a beautiful Breedlove, which I bought at a great price, and they set up perfectly. I could not be happier with my experience!

James Guiler: I fist made contact with Rick back in early 2000.His knowledge on guitars is second to none. I have purchased a number of guitars from over 6000 miles away. Impeccable integrity, patience and honesty. After much work and many visits to the PRS factory, he got me the guitar of my dreams. How he made a profit after all his time and effort can only be explained by his desire to make many customers happy. If I need advice, he returns my communication sometimes within minutes , but alway that day. Fifteen years of rock solid help and advise. Very highly recommended

Kevin Taylor: stopped in today to get some advice on the equipment I bought from this very store a year ago and some equipment I bought third party to do a podcast. wanted to get some suggestions on what I could add to enhance the sound. Thanks to Eli for your help. you were awesome.

Zachary -: I love coming here and have bought a few guitars here over the years, but the last time i went in whoever was there working was very unfriendly. I cant say I have ever had an unpleasant conversation there my whole life until last week

Willie GoodTimes: Nice store,much more open than the Towson location,not so claustrophobic. I waited for about 10 minutes with just an MPK while three employees delt with a customer with a amp. An employee who helped me,Brandon I think? Was friendly,helpful and no pressure. Will definitely return!

James LaVine: Very happy with my purchase. I am out of stare and ordered a guitar from this GC. Awesome timing, packing and description. Thank you guys and gals!