I have been playing guitar for a few years now and have bought guitars from all kinds of places. I have bought brand new guitars from Sam Ash and Guitar Center. While those places are great if you want to go in and get talked down to, I for one like a shop that makes me feel welcomed. This is how I feel about Aaron and everyone at DCM. I had just recently sold two guitar via craigslist and was looking to buy a mid level acoustic ($500 - 700) so I went all over. I was going to buy a few used from GC and went to Sam Ash to check out this particular Guild, but when I saw it in person I was not impressed, not to mention the guy working there was not very helpful. He basically just said "yea sure its a great guitar" and didn't really seem interested to tell me much more about it. The previous few days I had been calling up DCM and talking to Aaron about their Recording Kings. From what I've read and what Aaron has told me they are superb guitars and boast features only found on higher end guitars (bone nut and saddle and all solid wood). I talked to both Aaron and the guitar tech on the phone about their guitars and just about guitars in general. They seemed happy to be discussing guitars and it made me want to visit the shop again. So after my Sam Ash visit I was going to stop by DCM but realized it was 30 mins before they closed, so I called up and asked if it was ok and they were more than welcoming. I played almost every guitar in the shop and talked with them about the options and what I was looking for. I bought a Recording King RD-10. Amazing guitar. I am so happy with my purchase, and to make it sweeter, Aaron threw in a free strap haha. Their guitars are professionally setup in house by their guitar tech. And he even made sure the guitar was nicely setup before I left the store. All in all it was one of the best and most relaxing buying experiences. They are kind and not pushy in any way. They are a great business and their main goal is to provide they best customer service they can. They best part? Aaron called me a few weeks later to ask how my guitar was. Try and get that at a big box store. read more

Rude and no knowledge! On November 24 I bought a M-audio Uno (USB to midi adapter) on advise from this store to connect a Yamaha keyboard to my pc.. Once home I installed it and have been trying for hours to get this device to work with my keyboard, without success.. After reading a lot on the internet (Amazon was very helpful in this case!), it appears that this device combined with Yamaha keyboards indeed has problems. (Not saying the device is bad, just not compatible!).. I went back to this store to tell them about my findings. I tried to tell them and advise them that this M-Audio & a Yamaha keyboard (no matter what model) has problems together.. They did not want to hear it and worse yet, they tried to throw a couple of hard terms about midi in it, hoping to confuse me. When they noticed I had also a lot of knowledge about midi devices, it got quiet and the owner(!) started arguing that all midi is the same and that what I told was nonsense. Perhaps I should also mention that he did this while playing a guitar and not looking at me! Another fun part he brought up, that it must be my pc's hardware/software... To bad for him however, I'm an IT professional so I knew 100% sure it was not my pc. When I finally got done with him, I had to explain my story again and again!, to 2 more people who work there (guess one cannot handle a customer with knowledge??)... This is definitely a store I will NEVER go back again after such treatment. C'mon.. from what I have found on the internet about +/- 60 people who have exactly the same issue with this M-Audio Uno and a Yamaha keyboard. Are they all wrong and is this rude person in the store right? I'll let you decide! For all Yamaha users out there (and also others): I discovered a very good USB to midi adapter to use is the UX16 and cost the same. Dirt Cheep Music? They won't last this way.. Perhaps selling DIRT might be more in their future! read more

I've been to Dirt Cheep twice, and both times the experience has been a pleasure. Imagine a third of the contents of a Sam Ash crammed into about a fifth of the space, with an abundance of odd but interesting trade-in gear giving it a slight pawn shop vibe. The trade-in gear was quite reasonable and often impulse-buy priced; the new gear was typically appropriately priced. I would like to note that this was the ONE Atlanta music store that appeared to have the gauge of strings I needed in stock. I'm a professional musician, and a good consumer... I do my research, I know my gear and when I go to make a purchase, I know what I want. Both times I've been to Dirt Cheep, not only were both the salespeople I spoke to super-upbeat and genuinely friendly, but they were helpful without trying to upsell me or offer junk I didn't need. When I told them what I was after, they found it for me quickly and offered the info they had on each item without attempting to convince me they knew more about it than they actually did (which, I regret to say, is very atypical of music stores). Both times I've shopped at Dirt Cheep, I've literally left with a smile, commenting to myself on how nice they were. If you're looking for all the latest cutting-edge gear, they may or may not have it, space being what it is; but if you need some good budget gear or a little something to help you with your recording project, and if you'd like to be given a chipper smile and to finish your shopping excited with your new toys, you really should give these guys a chance. read more

y E Clay I was in the market for a " Les Paul style " guitar and I don't know the first thing about musical instruments, other than my heart and soul loves to hear music. After visiting several large music stores I stopped in at Dirt Cheap. Aaron was aware that I was not going to buy from anyone that day; but he still spent a great deal of time educating me on guitars, setup and the proper maintenance needed to keep one in new condition . He even demoed the one I liked on different amplifiers. A week passed and when I was ready to acquire this impressive Corbin guitar for my 14 year old first born son, Arron helped me with a plan to make this moment a surprising special moment for my son and family. My son had no idea at all about this . We went in to the store , Aaron put the guitar on the showcase and said to " an imaginary customer" your special order is ready. He said this as my son was admiring this beautiful guitar. Aaron started pointing out the craftsmanship of the instrument and then said Cam this one is for you . A lifelong memory was created right then !!!! Me and his Mom got big hugs too. Thank you Aaron and the staff. We will recommend you guys to everyone we know . read more

I made an online purchase from Dirt Cheep Music for a Michael Kelly Patriot Glory w/ hardshell case. I'm from Ontario Canada and the instrument I was looking for was unavailable anywhere locally. To keep the review short, let me just say that my being from Canada complicated the transaction greatly, but Aaron Rathbone and his staff gave me some very personal attention to make sure the guitar made its way to me. The guitar itself had some issues, but since it was shipped direct from the factory, it had nothing to do with Dirt Cheep. Even so, they were very concerned with making sure I was happy, and they looked after every detail until all issues were resolved. The things that stood out most to me were: 1) Excellent prices 2) Attentive, personal service 3) Open and honest communication, and very quick responses to emails and questions 4) A willingness to "make it work", no matter the challenges involved. I would highly recommend Dirt Cheep Music for any of your musical needs. They really make you feel like you're the #1 customer. read more

I don't normally write online reviews, because what kind of loser has time to do that kind of thing? The guys are Dirt Cheep Music really saved my ass though, so I gotta give em a shout out. I needed to sell my guitar to pay some bills, what with times being tough and all. The guy at the counter explained that I could go to a pawn shop down the road and get more for it than they were offering, and I could get it back for only $10 more than they lent me. I'd never been to a pawn shop, so I didn't really know how to avoid getting scammed, but they gave me great advice, and I walked out of there with $100 in my pocket. I'm going back in a few days to buy my guitar back. I'm really glad I stopped by Dirt Cheep, because if I hadn't, I might have ended up selling my favorite guitar to some swindlers at another store for $40 or $50. If you're in the market for a musical instrument, stop on by their shop. I don't think you're gonna find a more decent group of guys out there. read more

Let me just say that I am blown away by these guys. I purchased an item on eBay from Dirt Cheap Music. The transaction was smooth, great communication, and swift shipping. Unfortunately the item was damaged in shipping. I am sure that some of you have been down this road before. I had that immediate feeling of "Well, there goes that." I thought I was completely screwed. I emailed Mark right away letting him know of the situation. Without even batting an eye he refunded my ENTIRE payment (even shipping) - No questions asked! Listen folks, I have been at this game for a long time. Buying and Selling gear for well over 20 years and I have never seen a business take ownership like this before. These are the kind of fellas you want to do business. I am so very impressed by the service that I received from Mark and the gang. -Nate read more

I have made purchases at Dirt Cheep on 3 occasions. Each time I received sound advice on excellent products at affordable prices. As a parent of 3 beginning music students, I appreciated Aaron's advice on how to approach instrument purchases. I have been more than satisfied with the value and the quality of the products I have purchased. But the cool thing about Aaron and his staff is that they don't just assist beginners. They have a whole wealth of knowledge and first-hand experience in the music industry. So I feel like I am getting a bonus when I do business with them. They know how to assist their beginners, but they have so much more to offer when we are ready. I will definitely go back when we are ready to upgrade. read more

I needed a decent guitar and didn't have a lot of money to put into one. Dirt Cheep Music put me into a Mexican-built (assembled) Strat for $300. The instrument was well set up, and has worked beautifully for me, for years now. The following year, they sold me a 3/4 size Strat for my granddaughter. I've never seen, before or since, a 3/4 size guitar that plays this nicely. They charged me $135 (or thereabouts) for that instrument, including a soft case. There is nothing wrong with this music store, as far as I can tell. I've been in there 12 to 15 times over the past 8 or so years, so it's not as if I'm in there weekly. I wouldn't go anywhere else, since I know they'll do the best they can for me. read more

After a year of owning the instruments they recommended, the kids are still playing them, which is impressive since they were beginners at the time. The electric piano fit our daughter to a tee and in talking to others since then, I am convinced we got a great deal. I went to other stores in the area and they kept trying to up-sell me. These folks were more concerned about getting the right instruments and they have the experience that clearly made a difference. I've been in there a few times since and there were always professional musicians as customers there as well, so they clearly have both ends of the spectrum covered, which is what I suspected back when I bought the instruments I mentioned.. read more

Dirt Cheep Music is the best! I recently purchased a sound system for our church from Dirt Cheep Music. They came highly recommended from friends that had also purchased their church's sound system from Dirt Cheep. The staff were extremely helpful, knowledgeable, courteous and we just loved the experience! We did our shopping around to other stores, but came back to Dirt Cheep Music because we got better sound equipment for less money than anywhere we shopped. As a church musician for over 20 years, and having shopped at other stores in other states and in metro Atlanta, I would tell anyone shopping for sound equipment that Dirt Cheep Music in Smyrna is the place you want to go! read more

Well my fellow yelpers, all I have to say is dirt cheap is the most affordable and buget savvy store around. Deals, bargains , you name it. Very helpful staff (very knowledgable ) by the way. The moment you walk in the store, you know they are there to help/ not just trying to sell you something so to speak. The used merchandise is clean and in almost mint condition. Oh, and if you need proof your item of choose works. They will hook it up before you buy it. I have been buying equipment from dirt cheap for years. All in all it's a great store. Go get any questions you have answered today from someone with experience. read more

I've been meaning to check this store out for a long time and I am so glad that I finally made the time to do so! Steve was fun to talk to an just hang out with (they all were) but he was also extremely knowledgeable about the instruments and took the time to explain to me what would work best for my needs. I purchased several instruments for my classroom. I fully intend to return to buy more. I cannot recommend them more highly. They give lessons as well as sell new and used instruments. Go check them out. You won't regret it. read more

We purchased a new violin through this store. When the instrument wouldn't hold it's pitch, we took it in and had their technician look at it. The staff was extremely friendly & accomodating & the technician recognized immediately that a music teacher had placed the wooden tuner pegs in the wrong positions. He fixed this for us & showed us how to check this in the future. We have been very happy with our experiences with this store & it's staff & would not hesitate to purchase from them again or to recommend them to friends. read more

My middle-school son wanted to join the school band & couldn't decide between 2 instruments... We went to Dirt Cheep & got an excellent, patient explanation of the pros & cons of the 2 instruments under consideration. Aaron was great and took a lot of time with us, while the store was trying to close no less!! We have been very pleased with our purchase. Dirt Cheep was very helpful in ordering books & other supplies needed for this endeavor. Very helpful all the way around!! read more

I first went to Dirt Cheap Music because I go to school close to the area. I have been there twice now and have had a good look at their inventory. This place is the real deal folks! The main thing I noticed was their selection of used equipment that really is in good shape and fair prices. The other thing I noticed was that the staff is VERY helpful for any questions you might have. I have been playing guitar and singing since I was about 8 and read more

dirt cheep music has been around longer than any music store i can think of other than ken stanton, and its because they have killer deals and cool people to help you. i can't even tell what J.H. is so upset about. sounds like he works for the competition if i had to guess. this place is cool so go see for yourself and don't believe everything you read on the internet. :) read more

I recently bought a guitar and amp from Dirt Cheep. I was delighted with the service I received and their very reasonable price. I'd recommend Dirt Cheep to any musician interested in adding to their arsenal of equipment. A pleasure doing business with John Rathbone. read more

I recently purchased a Seagull S6 Acoustic/Electric form this store. I cannot be happier with the helpfulness of all the staff. They helped by adding a strap pin and adjusting the action to my liking. They are all helpful and knowledgeable. I'll buy there again. read more