I bought a 1983 Hamer Bass.The pictures that they displayed did not show the cracks (checking) to…read morethe extent that the was on the guitar.I understand that it is a 43 year old guitar and the description said minor checking but i feel they should have taken pictures to show the condition of the bass.In the pictures you could see a few minor cracks around the headstock but when it arrived it had cracks the entire length of the body on front and back.This checking on the front and back did not show in the pictures.I have bought from this store before and the Thunderbird bass i bought from them was exactly what the pictures showed. I would have bartered a lot more had the real condition of the Bass was displayed.

Chicago Music Exchange (CME) is massive. There is a lot of ground to cover and many instruments to…read moresee. I accompanied my husband to CME during our weeklong trip to Chicago this summer. We took the L to Paulina, and the music store is a short walk from the train station. So many guitars on the street-level part of the shop. Drums, basses, and the repair shop are found on the lower-level. Aside from all the guitars displayed on the walls, there are also so many canvased photos of musicians and groups who visited CME over the years. There are a number of comfortable spots where you can sit and play. There's also a cushy couch area with Gucci pillows where you can sit, especially if you're waiting for your significant other :)

Wonderfully attentive, thoughtful, accommodating folks here. Our five year-old daughter really…read moreenjoyed learning violin and we appreciate how helpful all the staff were in getting her to feel welcome and comfortable! HIGHLY recommend. Professional, friendly, accessible. Thumbs way up!

From the owner: At Music House, School of Performing Arts, we are more than just a place you bring your child for…read moremusic, dance, theatre, and art classes. Our teachers are trained to make lessons and classes fun and goal-oriented so that kids are motivated to go home and practice and achieve success. We offer music and dance classes for infants, toddlers, children and adults, theatre and visual art classes for ages 4 through 15, Performing Arts Camps throughout the Summer and on school days off, and dance, art, or music birthday parties!

I've been taking my guitars here for years for everything from setups to major body work. The owner…read moreis super helpful and happy to talk shop or give advice on work I'm doing on my own. Having been to a few other shops when I needed a licensed dealer for a specific job rebound repair is always my first choice.

Small independently owned guitar shop. Guys are super friendly, very knowledgeable, and their…read moreprices are reasonable. I will come back here if I ever need any repairs for my guitar for sure. Thank you!

Overpriced products and deceptive sales practices. Friendly people, but dishonest. Lied to me…read moreabout product quality in order to sell guitar at significant markup to what I later learned was the standard price at department stores. Not a good guitar.

I love it. Due to being underrated it a good music center. Violin part cheap and affordable. The…read moreservice is great but can be clear what they can and cannot do. And how they can see if you have any questions or even things you don't have and can help you with that. The bows are really great but they can't rehair the bow sadly I wish they can but in summary they are really supportive and a great place when need to get your parts for different instruments and getting it fix!!!!

Specimen guitars extremely knowledgeable skilled and thorough at setting up guitars. Will make your…read moreguitar sound the best that it can. I imagine they're work on electronics is just a superb...

From the owner: For reviews, please check out our other listing: Specimen Guitar Shop. We are Chicago's oldest…read morefull-service guitar and tube amplifier repair shop. With over 20 years of experience, you will find no one more dedicated and experienced than Specimen. Luthier and owner, Ian Schneller, also builds a full line of custom instruments, amps and horn speakers. The shop is located in a beautiful and inspiring 5000 sq. ft facility. It is also the home of our school, The Chicago School of Guitar Making, where Ian teaches an array of guitar repair and building courses as well as tube amp building. Specimen specializes in the repair of stringed instruments and tube gear. We cater to working musicians offering quick turnarounds, and even RUSH service. We do it all: setups, amp repairs, complex restoration. Our prices are fair and our quality superb. Clients include Andrew Bird, Jack White, Wilco, Low, Death Cab for Cutie, Franz Ferdinand, My Morning Jacket, Rise Against.

Went to support a friend of a friend....its like a performance In someones garage. People can try…read moreout their amateur music skills with an enthralled group of supporters.

Eldest child learned electric guitar here through private lessons and took part in the performance…read moregroup that culminated in an awesome show on stage at a real club!! I've also been here for a few fundraisers for local non-profits and it's really a great space for that purpose. I think about 50 people attended a recent event in the second floor space and it was perfect for that- great acoustics, cool vibe, welcoming staff, free street parking, great neighborhood location.

I've spent a significant portion of my short life looking back on great guitarists in reverent awe…read more Richards, Page, Hendrix, Townsend, Clapton, Allman and Young are among the masterful deities I continue to look towards for inspiration. My attempt to mimic their craft alone was met with frustration, despair and often failure before finally giving in, as so many aspirational musicians eventually do. It was not until a friend recommended I check out Guitar Chicago that I dusted off my cheap Epiphone to climb back on the Steel Horse (Bon Jovi, what a gifted poet). I met with Jason, who came highly recommended. Jason has the ability to help demystify the guitar with a strong background in Jazz and a firm grip on musical theory. He's equally skilled and comfortable going through chord patterns, technique and odd Jazz rhythms as he is deconstructing a Kiss song. My goal in taking lessons was to make myself comfortable enough to play a few songs without too much butchering. Jason has helped me reach a level of comfort where I can plug my crappy guitar into my less crappy computer and record myself playing. I feel much more comfortable with the instrument than I did only a year ago. The location is great, the scheduling is flexible, online payment takes no time at all and perhaps best of all, you don't need to bring your guitar. I often leave each half hour lesson feeling accomplished and hungry for more guitar. Jason and Guitar Chicago continues to contribute to my early onset of arthritis and I couldn't be happier.

So, I have now been taking lessons for more than 1 1/2 years at Guitar Cities (Chicago), and I love…read moreit more now than I did when I first started! My skill has progressed nicely, and I'm happy and pleasantly surprised at how much I have learned and continue to learn week after week. Jim is an outstanding instructor who offers top-notch skill, patience (much needed in my case), humor, and a lot of encouragement! I couldn't be happier. I love it so much, I am now also adding Ukelele to my repertoire, in addition to acoustic guitar. However, when I took a new job 40 miles away, the commute was literally inducing psychotic levels of road rage. So in an effort to save my sanity, I began to take my lessons over Skype more than a year ago and it has been great! There are absolutely NO issues with taking lessons online vs. in-person, and I have never felt like I wasn't getting as much out of the interaction. Now it doesn't matter where you live, because technology can bridge the gap and make it possible for everyone! I HIGHLY recommend lessons with Guitar Chicago for anyone and everyone...give them a try!!!

We are very happy to find School of Rock. Our son started playing acoustic guitar 8 years ago and…read morelearned to play other instruments. His teacher recommended something more challenging when we found this school. He is SSOOO HAPPY with the band class and the 1:1 guitar class. We strongly recommend School of Rock

This location is exceptional!…read more Super engaged staff, great layout, awesome all around. We take our little guy here for Little Wing class on Saturday mornings. 45 minutes of banging around, singing loud, making music with his little pals. I sit across the street at West Town Bakery quietly secluded from the chaos and return to pick him up, a happy camper. Win/Win. Highly recommended!