DO NOT buy a guitar from Eddie's. I read the negative reviews from a lot of people who had been there, and figured I'd chance it. Maybe people were overreacting. Musicians are a finicky bunch, I thought. Bad call on my part. I've been waiting for about 5 years to buy a Gibson ES-335, and was super excited to finally go shopping for one. My dad recently retired, and wanted to buy me a dream guitar. Needless to say I was incredibly grateful, and we started planning where we were going to purchase one. I live in west central Illinois, and all my buddies rave about Chicago Music Exchange. The plan was to go to CME, browse their selection of ES-335's, and purchase one that day. I figured I'd check out some guitars in St. Louis just to be thorough, and that's when I saw a really nice ES-335 on Eddie's site. It was marked down to $2,550 and was brand new. I called on a Monday, asked Granville why it was marked down, and he said that the color was not everyone's favorite. I told him that was a fantastic deal and that it was over a thousand dollar discount. He agreed, and said that if I wanted to look at it all I had to do was make an appointment. I checked out CME's website one more time, and decided to go to Eddie's instead, because this guitar was worth the almost 3 hour trip. On Wednesday morning my dad and I drove down to St. Louis fully expecting to purchase this guitar. Around the Troy area, I called Eddie's to make sure they knew I was coming. Granville took the call, I made the appointment, everything was going smoothly...... Until 5 minutes later, Granville calls me back and said that they had priced the guitar wrong. It was now almost $500 more. It was not a secret that I was driving a long distance to purchase this instrument. I told him such, and asked if they would honor the original price that was quoted to me. He said they would not, because they would lose money. I figured that I'd already driven most of the way, so what was another hour to check this guitar out, besides, maybe they would come to their senses and actually keep their word. Nope. I got to the shop, was buzzed in (by the way, what is this place? The Pentagon?) and got to play the guitar. It did play really nice, but after asking again, he declined to come down on the price. I asked if he would maybe throw in a discounted pedal. I needed a new case for my Martin, so maybe discount that. Both a no. The funny part of the whole thing was my dad's reaction to the price chicanery. He was actually mad, and I had to leave a little hastily before he said something overly rude. In the end, it's just a guitar place, but Eddie's business model is outdated and just plain bad. I ran a business for several years (I sold it when I moved back to the Midwest) and you can bet that I would rather have lost a few hundred dollars than go back on my word. You always pay for bad customer service. Always. You would think they would see the writing and majorly reform. There are so many other guitar places, not to mention Reverb, and Sweetwater. The story does end well, because I called my Sweetwater rep on the way home and he got me the same model guitar for less than 2K! The moral here is to do business with a reputable company. Buy local, buy global, just don't buy at Eddie's! read more

I couldn't ask for better customer service and hospitality from these guys. Ive been dealing with Eddie's Since I moved to town in April of 2015. I made my first actual purchase in May of 2015, buying a PRS Tremonti after days of pestering them with no promise of ever buying anything from them. My very first experience with them left an awesome, lasting impression, which is why I came back a second time. I showed up about 30 minutes after close (google said they close at 4pm on saturdays but they actually closed at 1, as advertised on their website amongst other places that I saw after the fact). So, even though they were closed they still buzzed me in and helped me out. At the time I really only wanted to see a single cut/Tremonti and wasn't 100% committed to actually purchasing one. Well, they didn't have one in the store. I was fully prepared to be told they could get it in and have me come back the next business day or something but the owner promptly made someone from offsite at the warehouse grab the guitar I was questioning, and bring it over asap. Meanwhile the owner entertained my children with cookies and allowed my wife and I to look around. Once it arrived, Brett, one of the salesmen, opened, tuned and put it in my hands. After a few days of talking it over with the wife and coming in and looking at it multiple times, I was ecstatic to finally purchase and own this guitar, but even more happy with the warm welcome and comfortable, relaxed, no pressure experience these guys provide to their customers. Reading some of the other reviews, you have to keep in mind, this is no run of the mill student rental music shop. They are in the business selling High end guitar and amp equipment. If you happen to be "bothered" by the salesmen escorting/accompanying you around the store eager to field questions and pull things off the wall, you have to excuse any apprehensiveness for just allowing anybody and everybody to walk in off the street and fiddle with the gear unattended. I wasn't dressed like I had money to spend. I had 2 young children running around my feet, jeans and t shirts for both my wife and I etc. I am confident that my image didn't scream rich. These guys are genuine. This is the reason why I returned today, Feb. 26th 2016 and purchased a second PRS from them. They were even more accommodating this go around. My funds were questionable due to bank security locking my debit card for such large purchases amongst other little petty things that were inconveniences on my end. They were patient and helped assist me to get everything in line. Brett, my salesman yet again, Was more than willing to do just about anything I needed to make the sale happen. The owners of the store were also very grateful for the return business! Needless to say, I don't think I will need to venture any further for my high end music equipment needs. Also, If you see Matt, the "beard" walking around the store, be sure to say hi. I enjoy his youtube video reviews of acoustic guitars they get in from various luthiers and companies. read more

Well after reading all these reviews I have to chime in. I have been a customer at Eddie's since 2006. I am always pleased with their product, and the sales people that I have dealt with, Nate, Matt, Conrad(a little) are some of the best guitar dudes in the country. They are up on the best of the best as well as being great players. They deal internationally, with all sorts of buyers. First of all I recommend going to their website and reading their bio, and what they expect out of their customers. Yes there are expectations. Namely if you wanna drop in like it's Guitar Center, and kick a few tires while your waiting to meet someone at Boogaloo honestly, that's not cool, and they very nicely spell it out. If a business wants to be mostly appointment only it is their deal. So if you're turned of by these parameters, this is probably not for you. They are BUSY. Next, there are some of the finest guitars in the world in cases, and in climate controlled rooms. If you owned one wouldn't you be a little protective of say a brand new Gibson Byrdland???!!! That said, the notion that they don't have affordable guitars hanging on the wall is total bullshit. It depends on what your idea of an affordable guitar is. Affordable starts in the 1200 dollar range. American Standard Strats, Heritage Guitars. They hand pick their stuff. Of which I appreciate. When you buy something, you get the full weight of Eddie's behind your purchase. And I'm here to tell ya, if you wanna trade in something, don't bring them something that isn't up to snuff. They have a business to run easy, right?!!!! So yeah, this is pretty much the high end of the high end. It's a cool place, never had a bad experience there, but I've always gone in with a specific purpose in mind. 1) I was going to buy something from them 2) I made my appointment like they asked One thing is for sure, when you walk out of their store, you will walk out with something way cool. If it turns out to be a dud, the do their best to work with you. What they sell is, guitars that depreciate the least amount possible in the guitar world. Some don't depreciate at all. Some more than others. Do your homework. Know the difference between say a LP Traditional and an LP R8 or 9. Apples and oranges. There are other stores here in town that deal in solely used gear, there are mom and pops that sell stuff for under 600 bucks. This is not that store, and thank god there is a store such as this. Peace And NO I don't work there. read more

Eddie's Guitars carries high-end priced instruments and they operate differently than other stores. They do a lot of business over the internet and have a really good website with plenty of info about the guitars and plenty of pictures. Visiting the store is by appointment only. I realize that some people may be put off by not being able to just walk into the store, take a guitar off the wall and start playing it. The advantage I noticed is that the store is much quieter so you can really hear what you're trying out. Also the guitars don't have the usual nicks and scratches from inexperienced and uncaring customers. (Go into Guitar Center on a Saturday afternoon and look at what happens, you will understand). I live in St. Louis and I saw some guitars on their website that I was interesting in trying. So I wanted to visit the store. I made an appointment by email. It was easy and I got a quick reply. When I went into the store it was very laid back and there was one or two other customers there. (The number of high-end guitars hanging on the wall was beautiful.) A salesman asked what I wanted to play and got it for me. Then they left me alone to play the guitar. (Good move, I don't like a salesman hovering around me). When I wanted a different guitar, a salesman was easily available to get me another. When I was done, there was no hard sell. They were very pleasant. Nathan said to let him know whenever I want to come back. I came back another day and did the same thing but I had a few questions about a guitar I liked. Brett was kind enough to answer my questions but didn't try to give me the hard sell (I like that). After getting my answers I finally decided to buy the guitar. My opinion from the experience - If you expect Eddie's Guitars to be someplace where you can just walk in and bang on some guitars to kill some free time, you will be disappointed. If you expect it to be a place with knowledgeable staff and a quiet atmosphere where you can really experience a fine instrument, you will NOT be disappointed. read more

I discovered Eddies last year when shopping for one of the Paul Reed Smith Jimi Hendrix/Duane Allman heads. Nobody and I mean Nobody in all of St Louis even knew what I was talking about. Lucky for me, Brett Kutter knew the skinny and was able to hook me up. I have done a fair amount of business with them since and have always been happy with the service and the price I pay. I am not a fan of having to drive all the way downtown to get my stuff, so they on occasion will be happy to deliver it to me out in St Charles. How many people do that these days? I have dealt with temperamental musicians and store owners for decades. It is true that my initial impression of the staff was similar to others opinions expressed here. However as time has passed, I realized that when you have the kind of quality stuff hanging on the wall that they do, you simply don't want a customer to come in and ding a 10k guitar. If a person just wants to go in and try out guitars, perhaps the chain stores are a little more user friendly, although they have never given me a hard time about trying out the more expensive stuff. Musicians and the store owners can be a temperamental lot, but more often than not, people sometimes have bad days. I chose to give them a second chance after my initial visit and am glad I did. There are other small stores in st Louis that are a lot less user friendly and no longer get my business. As for the prices, the mom and pop stores have always been a little more pricey than the chains. Why? they aren't buying 500 Les Pauls at a time. Why with all the other options like buying on line would you spend your hard earned money at a place like eddies? Its simple, knowledgeable staff and great service. Like the old adage says, the pleasure you think you get from saving money will soon be replaced with the anger you feel with poor customer service after the sale. read more

Background: I was looking to purchase a new guitar. I had narrowed the search to 3 models of Collings, two of which Eddie's had in stock. I found both guitars on Eddie's using google search as well as using the Colling's dealer list link. I do not live in MO and in fact i live more than a 1,000 miles away. Interaction: I called hoping to get some input from Eddie's on the two models. I spoke with Matt who was familiar with both models in stock and had played them both. He provided in both laymen's and technical terms the experience of playing them and was able to communicate the experience. He also took in to consideration my playing style and current guitar experience in providing me the information I was seeking. He was extremely courteous and friendly and let me know how late they were open if I had additional questions to please call. Several hours later and close to their closing time, I made a decision and I called back and spoke with Nathan (Matt had gone home). Nathan was equally knowledgable, friendly and helpful and I purchased one of the Collings. This was my first experience of purchasing a guitar which I never played. Both of them were able to listen and understand my interests and concerns from a customer perspective. Matt followed up with me the next morning as promised by Nathan, regarding setting up the guitar for my preferences. Matt detailed to me his prepping of the guitar in preparation of shipment. As he promised, I received an email with the UPS tracking numbers, so now I await the arrival. Dropping a couple of thousand on a guitar you never played is not easy. Both Matt and Nathan were extremely professional and customer focused and I highly recommend you give either of them a call. read more

I have been a regular customer of Eddie's Guitars for the past four years and have been treated with the best pricing and service that I've ever received anywhere. The key things that people need to understand is that Eddie's stocks top shelf gear that sells all over the world (they have a photography studio in the lower level) via a multitude of internet channels and they can be busy at times coordinating shipping, putting new merchandise on the web and working with customers that are in trying new gear. While I can't speak for everyone I get the reason behind the buzzer at the door: security and focus. I call in advance to make sure that they have the time to give me their full attention; they are also great to work with via E-Mail. The whole thing started when they told me that they make fair trades - they really do if it's something that they can turn to their customer base thus creating a win/win for all. We're fortunate to have a store like Eddie's that stays on the cutting edge of top flight gear right here in St Louis. Things that set them apart: it's quiet in there, the store and gear are immaculately clean, the guitars are stobe tuned for you before they're handed over and they give back to the community in helping charities. They do want you there *if* you can respect their business model and are serious about purchasing some gear from them if you are ready, willing and able. They'll listen to you and get the goods into your hands. I've custom ordered several items from them and they will ensure that what you get is what you expected. Be not afraid - be prepared and good things will come. read more

just picked up two guitars at Eddie's Guitars today: a new Gibson Marc Bolan VOS and a new 1960 Fender NAMM Custom Shop Stratocaster in Fiesta Red with a matching headstock. Over the last year I've also purchased from Eddie's a Gibson 1957 Goldtop with a Korina neck and body, a Fender Masterbuilt Andy Summers Telecaster, a Gibson Triple Pickup Les Paul Custom VOS in White with nickel hardware and am awaiting a custom ordered Gibson ES-345 with a Bigsby. I've also gotten a Marshall 2061X half stack and a Bogner Seco-Mojado combo from them as well. I've had nothing but positive experiences in the store. EVERY guitar I've ever played in there is set up to perfection and the staff goes above and beyond in every way to cut me fantastic deals, terms and assistance with trades. The key here is simple: be ready to do business and clearly communicate what needs to happen on your end to make it happen. Be reasonable and they will do what they can to aid you in meeting your goals. I like the staff: they're professional, experts in their field and nice people (i.e. they don't promote themselves in this way but they devote their off time to causes that raise money for illnesses and they've saved lives literally and figuratively). The little storefront in Maplewood conceals a global leader in the field of musical instrument retailing. Once you take the time to get to know the staff you'll find that they each have passions in life outside of the music industry that make them fine people that you'd like to associate with. read more

I have read a lot of negative reviews for Eddies Guitars and I have to admit to being confused. I've bought 6 guitars from Granville over the last couple of years and without exception they have all been stellar examples of the various different brands and types.They had a run of '57 stratocasters built to spec with roasted alder bodies and roasted flamed maple necks. Each one was excellent and unique. I generally spend a good bit of time setting up fresh guitars to my personal taste. The 4 that I got from Eddies needed nothing more than a quick tuning. Some time later while shopping for a '68 Les Paul Custom Black Beauty I came across a Natural at Eddies and even though it was not what I was looking for given my previous experience I had the precursory conversation with Granville I decided to go with my gut and ordered it. It came packed well and shipped quickly. I sat down to play it and I must say that after 40 plus years of looking for 'the one' this was one of the all-time best. Upon further examination I found a tiny blemish on the back and called to complain. I was taken care of and subsequently ordered a Taylor 912 after returning 3 to other vendors. Guess what, another barnburner of a 1 in a 1000 instrument. They are pricey but given the vetting of the inventory to obtain this consistency it's easy to see where that moneys getting spent. If you want a premium guitar they have them and I will buy again from Eddies with complete confidence. read more

I purchased a guitar from them via Ebay. Upon receiving it I soon realized there were issues with the instrument that had to do with the manufacturer and not Eddie's. Yes they did overlook it before it was shipped out, but I know there are a lot of guitars going out the door there and these issues were not obvious, so I understand how they could be overlooked. Hey, it happens to all of us sometimes. So... I called the store and spoke with Bret. He couldn't have been more helpful. He was patient, asked questions, gave me room to explain everything. He immediately told me that he would have this taken care of, but he had to talk with Nathan first. I was called back within 30 minutes. They said how sorry they were that the guitar had issues. He informed me that an exchange was in the works and that they had already created a shipping label with UPS scheduled to pickup the guiar from my house the next day. Offering to do an exchange of the instrument and cover shipping both ways made me very happy to be treated right. Bret called me a couple days later to let me know that he personally went and hand picked his favorite replacement of the lot. He went over it with a fine-tooth comb and it was at my doorstep 2 days later. They also threw in 3 sets of strings which was cool of them. I'm happy to say that the new guitar is a winner in every way and I couldn't be happier with my business experience with Eddies. Thank you Bret and Nathan! read more

Retort to the negative reviews - I read all of these reviews before buying a guitar from these guys. So I was curious to see how things would go. As you can tell from the byline, things went a lot better than some of these other reviews. I called and spoke with Matt on a Friday about a Collings guitar. He was knowledgeable and nice. All you really need in that situation. We worked out a price and I told him I'd like it delivered overnight for Saturday morning deliver. He looked up the prices on the computer as I was speaking with him. The guitar was shipped 3 hours later. Well, long story short, the UPS delivery person attempted delivery on Saturday morning at my neighbor's house who wasn't home. So my guitar didn't arrive until Monday. First world problems of course but when you buy a new guitar you want that damn thing right now! :) The guitar was glorious and I emailed Matt to tell him about the shipping issue. He said he'd take care of the shipping refund issue with UPS and he refunded me right away, so I wouldn't have to wait on UPS. Now, I haven't walked in these other reviewer's shoes, but my experience was so dramatically different that I felt compelled to rebut some of the negativity out there. I'd do business with these guys again in a heartbeat - so you should too....and make your own judgments. read more

Eddie's has one of the best selections of boutique amps and guitars in the midwest. I visited the website, made a call to set up an appointment, buzzed in and tried out a couple of great amps. The shop is beautiful, well kept and organized. Brett helped out with sizing up what amps might fit my needs, and he was courteous, knowledgeable, and friendly. This was a very similar experience to the also great Make'n Music of Chicago (which also had a buzz-in door). The serious atmosphere of Eddie's may alienate those who've never frequented an upscale shop. The more expensive the gear the more protective the staff will be of it. You just need to be respectful of their equipment and no one will give you a hard time. This is true of almost every boutique store I've been to. Word of advice, bring your own guitar if you intend to test amps or effects. They try very hard to maintain the condition of the guitars and it certainly shows. That said they did allow me to demo the amps I played with a $3k Suhr and it was crazy awesome! But I was pretty ginger with it knowing I wasn't looking to buy it. Don't believe the anti-hype. So long as you simply talk to the guys at Eddies and follow the rules, this is a stellar shop! read more

I've been a customer of Eddie's Guitars for a few years. I'm from Tulsa and stumbled across it while walking down Manchester Ave. with my wife. I wasn't aware of the by appointment only policy and we were getting ready to be on our way when the owner offered to show us around. Needless to say I was impressed. When the need arose a year or so later for a new steel string I contacted them and scheduled an appointment when we planned to back in St. Louis to visit family. It was great - Matt had pulled 4 guitars that met my specs and budget and I made a choice and was given a fair deal. I totally got the appointment only thing after that. Exactly the opposite of a shopping experience at (shudder) Guitar Center. Matt liked my playing and invited me to play on some guitar demo videos for them which I have done on a few occasions. The selection of high end acoustic guitars is breathtaking. When it came time for me to recently reward myself for reaching one of those milestone birthdays I again contacted Matt and he helped me find a perfect option, a beautiful little Collings guitar. Again, on customer service, quality and variety of choice, and price I cannot recommend these guys too highly. read more

I just picked up a Martin 000-15m a couple days ago and I could't be more happy with the product and the experience of shopping at Eddies. This place is a hidden jem in St. Louis. I have noticed in some of the other reviews that a common complaint about Eddies is their poor customer service which I couldn't disagree more with. From the first steps in the store, you know Eddies is unlike most other guitar shops and certainly the opposite of a Guitar Center. I absolutely appreciated the 'by appointment only' approach to selling high-end guitars. For me, this was a pretty special purchase and I personally felt like Eddies treated me as such. I didnt have to worry about having to compete with other customers for attention or have to hear some beginner players rendition of Crazy Train in the background. If you are just a casual shopper and really are just browsing, this store isn't going to be a good fit. If you are a serious buyer and have done your research and want to buy an exceptional instrument that is in pristine condition, Eddies can't be beat. read more

I see some negative reviews here but my experience with the acoustic guy Matt was pretty awesome. I must have played through half the poor guy's stock. I've been playing for a number of years and had done research on tonewood, body size, etc. and thought I knew what I wanted but there's no substitute for hearing an acoustic guitar in person. They have quite an array of brands and models so I was able to compare a lot of guitars in one sitting. Matt's knowledge of guitars was extensive and it was worth the drive from Illinois just for his take on the Theory of Diminishing Returns as it applies to acoustic guitars. My take-away (along with a sweet Larrivee parlor) was: Go with what sounds good, not what books or online forums say will sound good. Or, as birdwatcher John Audubon said, "If the bird and the book disagree, believe the bird." read more

I shop there regularly and have purchased several high end acoustic guitars from them. They have incredible inventory at all times. They have a thorough representation of the brands they carry. They are a serious high end shop with a knowledgeable staff. They stand behind their product and their services! The shopping experience is for serious buyers and is intimate and quiet. They will sit with you and provide as much detail as you ask for, or they will leave you to yourself. The fact that you shop by appointment is proof that the guitars on display are taken very good care of. They are wiped down after every use, and you can feel comfortable that they have not been handled by every walk-by stranger in the neighborhood. They are very price competitive and have a grip on the marketplace. I have a very high level of trust with them! read more

I have been buying from Eddie's Guitars for years. They cater to a high end market - and I am blessed enough to enjoy some of the instruments that carry that title. It is NOT a walk in, grab and jam kind of store... Make an appointment, know a little about what you want and they will treat you like a king - and offer you kings wares. They have valuable opinions, experience and amazing gear. Most the time I read or hear anything negative it is from people who want the Guitar Center experience but with one off boutique instruments - just not feasible for a small company that makes their family bread from their careful section and curating of fine instruments for demanding clients. HIGHLY recommend this place if you are looking for the best of the best. read more

I've been dealing with the good folks at Eddie's Guitars for about 5 years now I believe. I have to say I couldn't find a better crew to work with. My first dealings a few years back were with Nathan on my first Collings guitars purchase; an OM3G. Since then I''ve custom ordered two more Collings guitars from Matt@ Eddie's. Matt's attention to (my) details is phenomenal! I feel that he's become good friend at this point. What makes our relationship even more "Special" is the fact the they're in St. Louis, Missouri & I'm in Canada. Yet they continue to look after me like I'm "just around the corner" every time! I just can't say enough good stuff about these guys! TOP NOTCH! AAAAA+++++ Thanks a million guys! Rudy Kessen Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada read more

I've purchased multiple high-end acoustic guitars from Eddie's over the years and every experience has been excellent. They have always been patient with my many questions and have taken the time to give me great responses. They've also provided multiple pictures of specific things I'd like to see prior to making a long-distance purchase. Every guitar has shown up in immaculate condition. Zero shop-wear, and not even a fingerprint. My favorite builder is Collings and Eddie's always has a great inventory of Collings guitars in stock and they usually have some with cool custom features. I just received a new Collings CJ35ASB from them last week and I couldn't be happier. I highly recommend Eddie's. read more