Charlie Longstreth is a fine craftsman. He has decades of experience and will always give you a very honest opinion about what is worth fixing or not. He charges a bit more than other luthiers but with that in mind, you get what you pay for and Charlie's skills are worth every penny. He re-fretted, fixed and adjusted my almost unplayable 1917 Gibson mandolin. Now it plays like a dream. read more

Traveling from San Antonio for a few days and found this little music store and had the best experience here. We came to find a guitar strap, and left with a guitar strap and a beautiful Taylor guitar. Chris more than helped us find more than we expected- Extraordinarily knowledgeable, kind and patient. Highly recommend. All the love and thank yous, Chris (and Art!) read more

McKenzie River Music - Guitar Stores Near Me - Eugene, Oregon

If you're looking for a luthier that you can trust and has decades of experience, Charlie Longstreth is a solid bet. He was willing to take time from his work to help assess a family heirloom guitar that my daughter was learning on, and gave invaluable advice on how to maintain the instrument. Charlie knows his stuff. read more

I have been shopping for and buying guitars since the 1970s. I own more than 50 guitars. I've enjoyed plugging in and playing all sorts of guitars in stores. Shopping for a guitar should be a fun experience. McKenzie River Music sucks the joy out of guitars. This is the only guitar store that I dread walking into. I live here! The co-owner can be counted on to be off-putting in the least and condescending and rude in the most. Charlie, the luthier upstairs, is expensive but friendly and seems like a true craftsman who cares about his work. I like their selection. They know their stuff. I would have bought at least two guitars in this store. But I just couldn't. I once watched the co-owner tell a sincerely interested teenager that he could not try out a guitar. I tried to encourage the kid as we both walked out. Is this the future? Boomers killing their own guitar culture? I've held off posting a review like this of MRM for years. But it has not changed. I hope I will have reason to update it someday. (MRM, why not host events for young players, for young women players (the future?), branch out beyond selling by and to white men?) read more

This business takes advantage of people and ignores potential customers. An elderly friend of mine decided to sell his prized guitar, an original 1962 Jazzmaster in excellent condition. He took it to this store to have appraised and they told him it was worth $5,000. Anyone with an ounce of knowledge and access to the internet know this is more than half of what it is worth. You will pay over $5k for a used custom shop Jazzmaster. Not only did they lie about the value, but they convinced him to trade it in. When I found out, I called them within a few hours offering to buy it for their appraised price. The store owner refused, played dumb, and told me to call back in two weeks. I called back, emailed, messaged on Instagram, and did not receive a reply for two months. I finally got ahold of another gentleman at the store and he also played dumb and put me off. When I finally got a response, I was told the guitar is not for sale as they have a buyer/trader. I made it very clear that I would buy the guitar months earlier but they dodged me, knowing that I knew they lowballed the seller. Shame on this store for taking advantage of an elderly man. Word of wisdom - do not sell your stuff here, sell it online. read more

It's nice to have a local vintage guitar shop in Eugene. The staff is very helpful and knowledgeable. I would say it's mainly targeted towards acoustic collectors. They have a large collection of vintage Martin guitars that come in and out, and a few boutique guitars like Collings. It seemed like they didn't have a ton of amplifiers when I was there last. read more

In short, this is not a very friendly place to shop. Their selection is very limited and they are not very polite.

Well, I sold a guitar back to the store, that I had previously bought. Got almost what I had originally bought it for, after doing some work to it. So I was alright with that as it didn't have the case anymore. I see so many negative reviews here, but my experiences here have been mostly positive. I started shopping there shortly after they opened back in the 1980's, when the shop was in an old house on 13th street. I was in high school then. Artie took over the store a little over a decade ago, after Bob November, the previous owner died. There is no other place in Eugene where you are going to find the vintage and high quality boutique gear that they have. I have got some fantastic deals on stuff there, from the time I was in high school to now, as a 54 year old man. People bitch about his prices sometimes. But if you want cheap, got to Guitar Center of the Buy and Sell. If you want high quality, shop at McKenzie. read more

Been going to McKenzie River Music for 20 some years. It's a great resource for the guitar community, with access to high end and vintage instruments that you don't often come across in Oregon. I've bought and sold many instruments there and have always gotten square deals, and occasionally have gotten a screaming deal. Artie (the owner) is always interested in helping you find what's right for you, and not selling you something that doesn't resonate for the sake of a 'sale'. read more

I worked with Artie to make a trade and purchase a Suhr Classic S plus a Fulltone 2 and PRS Archon 25 amp. Artie walked me through the trade and options in a professional and highly knowledgeable fashion. When I got home and connected my setup and was very pleased that the sound we talked about was exactly what I was able to produce with the products he recommended. For sophisticated and nuanced guitar/gear recommendations, I'd certainly recommend Artie and his shop. read more

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Thought I'd stop in to some of the local guitar shops, starting with McKenzie. Great vibe for skilled musicians! Stepping inside, I was really impressed by the selection of vintage instruments, amps. Inviting atmosphere if you show respect to the store's policies for handling their gear. Note: Not to be confused with a Guitar Center so don't expect to pick a six string off the wall and simply plug in and crank it. There were a few brand names I'd never seen in a shop, like Collings electrics and acoustics, an 8 string Taylor baritone, and a mandola by Eastman. The vintage guitar rack in the back with the Gibson harp guitar was absolutely mind blowing. And can't forget talking with the manager who knows his stuff and shared his passion about the instruments through his storytelling. Can't wait to go back in a few months and see what instruments they may come into. read more

Charlie set up my '74 Gibson SG some time back and it plays like a dream. The guy behind the counter, a total... never mind. I haven't walked in since. read more

A funky little guitar shop in downtown Eugene. I've bought a few rad pedals here recently and a few other niknaks I've needed. They only sell quality items here and it's a bit more of a boutique style shop with a limited selection. They do carry some pretty sick guitars, also a random selection of some cool amps too. An adequate enough music store for a little city like Eugene I think. It might not be the shop it was in its golden heyday, (few shops could rival that bygone era) but this is still a great spot to shop local and pick up some solid gear. I always look forward to seeing what I might find on my next visit. read more

McKenzie River Music - Guitar Stores Near Me - Eugene, Oregon

I hope the people who do business on line are better treated than those of us who walk through the door. Yes MRM has a good selection of vintage guitars, but the impressive inventory doesn't make up for the condescending attitude us walk in customers are likely to encounter. Buying an expensive luxury item like a guitar should be a pleasurable experience all the way down the line. And I like doing business with people I like. That's why I wont do business with MRM any more. read more

My husband has an extensive guitar collection and we visited the store while we were in Eugene. Instead of a warm, friendly experience we were treated to extreme rudeness as well as a condescending and dismissive attitude by the owner. I believe that he sized us up as non buyers and he sucked the joy out of looking for a new guitar for both of us. I would never buy from this shop after seeing my husband treated so poorly. I am amazed that McKenzie River Music is still in business. We'll spend our money elsewhere. I'm sure that this shop has lost more sales than just ours by having such a bad attitude towards customers. I would give zero stars if that was an available option. read more

Great for pretentious snobs. Not a Eugene vibe. The store itself is pretty nice, but the dude wearing the beret treated me like I wasn't human. Compassion goes a long way. read more

Went here wanting something to route my digital amp sim on my computer through and I recieved extremely excellent service. The two gentlemen here were friendly, accessible and eager to help me and solve my problem. The price I recieved for what I purchased was extremely reasonable. I will definitely be coming here again! read more

I bought a used but mint high-end Taylor Builders Special guitar from MRM that was only about a year old. The price was very good for the guitar and was rated by the store owner as nearly mint. He told me I would probably consider it totally mint, and indeed, I do. Shipping and the entire transaction was fine. What cinched the deal was having a very useful discussion with him before buying it that led me to be more assured about the deal. Based on this experience, I rate McKenzie River Music 100% and will return again in the future. read more

McKenzie River Music - Taylor K14ce - Guitar Stores Near Me - Eugene, Oregon

I have bought several guitars and amps at McKenzie River Music through the years along with having repair work done there on some vintage instruments - admittedly during the original ownership. Went in not long ago and it was a completely different experience. Not as many vintage instruments but the biggest issue was the new owner. Not friendly or helpful - I asked about a high end amp on display and it was like he assumed I didn't know what I was asking about nor much of a player. I was the only person in the shop and looked around with him acting like I wasn't there. I ended up walking out and will not go back. read more

Their luthier is a magician. Charlie turned an ok used guitar into a great guitar. New nut, truss rod adjustment and intonation were fairly priced. There was a pretty long wait, but that's a good sign and it was with it. This is clearly the place for getting repairs and setups done in Eugene. The rest of the shop is great too. Good selection of strings and cool vintage stuff. And these people actually know what they're talking about if you have any questions about gear. read more

Walking in there is so hard for me to do, but I kind of have to considering that Gopher music is by appointment only. Constantly getting dirty looks as I shop in there. Made the mistake of picking up a Les Paul that had a broken headstock, being sold in the as-is section. I put the headstock back onto where it should've been to mime what it would look like, and the worker yelled at me, saying "I'm gonna have to ask you to stop doing that, so the person who actually buys it can repair it easier". I may be young, but I know how common a broken Gibson headstock is. I was also fully aware of the price and was genuinely considering purchasing it as a project before then. I am not just some child who wants to touch everything shiny in the store. After going back in two weeks ago with an open mind, I was hoping things would be different. The silence was deafening and unwelcoming, and I waited until someone else came in to leave I wanted to look at vintage gear, so I came into a store that sells them. It's possible I am overanalyzing the situation, but it seems through other reviews that the new owner may underestimate the knowledge of the people who walk in. I want to like this place. The gear is really cool. Likely going to give it another shot. read more

Walked into the store and asked for a mask. Immediately the bald worker asked me "are you buying anything" in an extremely condescending way. The worker stopped talking to the two other customers in the store and told me I couldn't try out guitars because "it's not a guitar center". The worker then continued to escalate the argument and acted very pretentious and very rude to me. I would give 0 stars if I could. read more

I would definitely return to this store rather than the guitar center on 1015 green acres road. This store had terrific luthier named Charlie Longstreth. He was able to fix the problem on my acoustic bass which was the truss rode being too high which caused a buzzing noise on the first fret. He made a deal with me to only pay him $75 because his apprentice did it by watching Charlie do an example repair on another bass, I'm not too sure. They have dog toys laying on the carpet as courtesy for dog owners. read more

Had a great experience here today, Mark was super helpful and there were decent priced guitars. Over all great experiences for our first time. Support local businesses! read more

After 55 years of guitar playing and collecting I have been the MANY guitar stores. McKenzie River Music with the great and knowledgeable Artie Lieder at its helm is far and away the best guitar and amp etc store I have ever dealt with. He is always absolutely fair and straight up, and knows more about guitars all around than anyone I have met. It is the ONLY store I deal with and long live MRM!! read more

There is a great selection of stuff here. It's fairly mainstream, but there is a great selection of new used guitars, and equipment. I'd gone there to buy one, but I guess the personnel weren't having a good day. I walked. Attitude isn't everything, but it counts. read more

Artie was amazing to work with! Packed the guitar totally bullet-proof!!! Couldn't be happier - Thanks! read more

These folks really came through on my used guitar setup. It had real problems when I brought it in, and I could not afford a full $200 setup. They got it running nice for a $60 "once over" and restring, and in only a few days. My next guitar purchase, I'm checking them first. Nice guys and a lot of new and used guitars in stock as well as effects and such. Do yourself a favor and check them out. read more

The guy with the black hat on is extremely rude and condescending. I asked to play a vintage les Paul, which I am in the market for, and his first comment was if I could even afford it. On top of that he totally profiled someone and asked them to open there jacket to see if they were stealing. They weren't. This guy needs to get out of any jobs dealing with people directly, he is terrible to deal with. I won't be going back and recommend going to Buy and Sell instead. read more

Bob November passed May 21st, 2012. RIP. He transferred ownership of the store to his wife. http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/registerguard/obituary.aspx?n=bob-november&pid=157884025 "easy grace..." Great man - he carried himself well. He left quick after diagnosis. Fast movers are merciful. read more

The owner of McKenzie River talked me out of buying a guitar from his store which I would not have been happy with. Very nice to have an owner who is so passionate about music they would be willing sacrifice their own sales! I'm thrilled with my new purchase. With that type of honesty, you're sure to have a roaring business. read more

Our 10 year old grandson had his eye on a little guitar he saw at an antique store, so we went back and bought it for him for Christmas. When we got it home, we realized that one of the strings "buzzed" really badly. Knowing absolutely nothing about guitars, we took it to McKenzie River Music just to see if the guitar was worth fixing or if we'd be better off to try to buy a new one. We didn't figure it was of the greatest quality when we bought it; but after we got it home and realized how bad the buzz was, we knew how frustrating it could be for someone just learning to play a guitar. The nice man at McKenzie River Music looked at it; and rather than taking it in for repair and charging us to fix this cheap little guitar, he voluntarily explained to us how we could possibly fix it ourselves. My husband was able to do so with absolutely no expense whatsoever by using stuff we had at home. We really appreciated his expertise and eagerness to help us. I strongly recommend this store for your musical needs. read more

The bald middle aged guy there is super snobbish. I was completely ignored while him and another guy who I assumed ran the place drank beer and chatted, which isn't what bothered me but it went on for 30+ minutes and I had to interrupt them eventually to ask about a guitar. The guy was super condescending and talked to me like a child. I really wanted to buy the guitar, but didn't because didn't want to give him my money.. read more

When you're a touring musician, there are a few things you have to be aware of while on the road: best affordable hotels, late night eateries that aren't Denny's, cleanest bathrooms along I5, and a list of reputable guitar shops. I have heard a lot of good things about McKenzie River from my musician friends so naturally I had to stop by on my recent visit to Eugene to experience first-hand. I was impressed with the guitar selection, but have visited shops with a more extensive collection of high-end acoustics. The owner was very patient with me and let me try a few spendy Macpherson's and gave me a lot of great information on the boutique guitar as well as a few others in their inventory. The repair shop upstairs is a good place to know about when in the area. Would have loved to stay longer but had a dinner engagement to get to. Will definitely follow up as I plan to visit again soon! read more

Thank you for your patience with me when I came in to look at ukuleles. Being relatively new to the instrument I don't know, as yet, exactly how to put into words what I am looking for to make my ear happy. I was offered a relaxed conversation with some very valuable pointers. I appreciated your kindness and tolerance of my visit. Thank you again. read more

Knowledgeable staff, good selection. Best place in the Eugene area to buy a good guitar.

Sad to say, I was not impressed. I was at Pro Audio next door purchasing a new mic, and thought I would wander next door for a quick perusal of their guitar selection. I spent 10 minutes in the store without having an employee engage me. I even tried to draw one guy in by mentioning that an inexpensive Taylor sounded almost as nice as my 614. He said, "yeah, they're nice" and disappeared backstage. I am sure they were all busy with the one other customer in the store, but someone might have at least said "let me know if you have any questions" and then let me be. I bought my Taylor T-5 here a while back, and had a better experience. I hope it was just a bad day for them. Don't drive me off to the box stores, please. read more

Guitar shops like this are so rare these days. Fantastic collection of acoustics and electrics, enough to make any experienced guitar player ecstatic, plus some vintage goodies that will make you gasp just to see them. Nothing but helpful and friendly staff, I have more guitars than I can ever use and not enough money right now to splurge on another Martin, Taylor, Fender or Suhr. That didn't stop the staff from spending a lot of time helping me pick out just the right strings for an upcoming recording project. I'm new to Eugene, wish I knew about this place before buying my last Martin. Charlie, their guitar tech, is as good as they get, better than most, a true master of his craft. Mckenzie River Music is a real find, trust me, I've been playing since Bob Dylan was a pup, and remember well the great independent guitar stores of LA and NYC, the ones we would always hit when on tour, the ones that Big Guitar ran out of business. This place is like those great stores of a bygone era - a real treasure. read more

The luthier in the upstairs repair shop, Charlie, is a nice guy and great at what he does, but I was astonished at the $400+ bill for a set up and some minor repairs. Downstairs, their selection is decent and the salespeople are friendly enough, but their reputation for unreasonably high prices is certainly justified. Thumb your nose at Guitar Center if you must, but if these mom-and-pops are completely unable or unwilling to compete with the big chains, then sorry, but they won't be getting my business anymore. read more

I recently purchased a top-of-the-line Gibson acoustic from McKenzie River Music thru a listing they had on gbase. Their price was fair, and Artie gave me an in-hand description of the guitar that was way on the conservative side of how nice the condition of the instrument was. It's pretty difficult to perform all of the countless operations done to build a guitar and not have a blemish or two, let alone have one that was 4+ yr.s old and still be in this condition. McKenzie River Music is a trustworthy business, and although the online sales mgr was not going to be forthcoming with how they came to have what was tantamount to a new old stock instrument in such shape (i.e, was it a re-fin, repair, or whatnot), the guitar looks & sounds great. It takes a leap of faith to buy an expensive guitar sight-unseen, but my new guitar arrived professionally packed, and sounds fantastic. The careful installation of a new set of my favorite strings on a freshly polished guitar was a nice touch, too. read more