Update March 2025: It took about 7.5 months, but I have the instrument back and in great shape (action and intonation all fixed). Although the experience was frustrating overall, manager Charlie and two sales associates whose names I didn't catch went FAR above and beyond to make this right. I appreciate their care and transparency. read more

Placed an order on reverb for a guitar. Next day seller cancelled due to the item already having been sold. Meanwhile I already bought a hardshell case and accessories elsewhere. read more

Probably my favorite music store in Chicago by far, as Guitar Center and CME tend to focus heavily on electrics and have fewer offerings in acoustic folk instruments other than the ones produced by larger manufacturers. The music store at the Old Town School has an excellent selection of new and used instruments and some vintage on occasion, but generally meets the needs of the students as well as people looking for a decent Martin, or a pack of strings. Staff are pretty knowledgeable about their stock and helpful. For more unusual instruments, you probably would have a better chance of finding it here than at any of the major musical retailers. I haven't tried any consignment or repair services, but I would imagine they reflect the quality they normally bring to their floor service and then some. read more

I bought an octave mandolin from here recently and it was a great experience. First of all, there's nowhere else in town where you can buy folk instruments like this. So your only other option would be to order online, but for an instrument that costs several hundred dollars I'm much more confident buying one I've had a chance to play beforehand. Everyone who worked there was really cool and the whole sale was as smooth as possible. I imagine i'll be buying a banjo from them in the future read more

Great customer service and a great selection of instruments. The follow-up care is second to none.

Are you in the market for a dulcimer, steel guitar or ukelele? Trying to find a good tongue drum and coming up with zilch? Did you smash your banjo at the last bluegrass fest trying to become the Pete Townshend of Folk and now find yourself in need? Different Strummer can provide for all of these musical desires, and more. The walls are lined with so many types of instruments that I, as a musical novice (I can play a lap harp by ear, that's it), do not feel qualified to even try to extrapolate them all. Lots o' guitars and other stringed things ring the room -- acoustic and electric guitars, mandolins, dulcimers, banjos, fiddles, and ukes, plus amps. There's also an assortment of percussion, flutes, and keyboards. They do rentals as well, & repairs and tunings on your instruments. There is also an abundance of CDs, including a local section, lots of Putumayo, etc. The Old Town School has 4 of their own albums out too. I brought my visiting brother here (he used to play violin and now plays guitar) just to check it out (I also wanted to see if there was an Old Town School album that I didn't have, but they still have the 4). It's an impressive selection, but of course rather specialized. The one staff member we interacted with was friendly and knowledgable, a departure from the typical attitude one gets from the music "intelligentsia". How refreshingly Different. read more

We got the product we wanted, but the experience was not first rate. The person who "helped" us was constantly trying to upsell. He presenting himself as more knowledgeable on ukuleles than he really was - he didn't know a soprano ukulele from a concert. He said they didn't have anything in the price range we wanted when the day before on the phone I'd been told they did. Someone was off base, and my hunch it was him. Good selection of instruments and a great venue for music classes. Just an unpleasant experience for me. Hopefully it's the exception not the rule. read more

I picked up a ukulele at another giant music chain, and not only did they not know what they were talking about , the instrument was a P.O.S. Frustrated I went to a Different Strummer, and the staff is so helpful, and know a lot about various intruments. The prices are very good to. If you are looking to start or have been playing awhile, you should definetly go here. Plus being part of Old Town School of Folk Music, they are right there if you are taking classes. Hooray! read more

What? A music store without pretentious sales guys? Only in Lincoln Square. I feel mildly guilty in saying that every time I've purchased an instrument at--AHEM--a certain discount-priced, nationwide superstore chain, I always take it to the folks here to troubleshoot and inspect it. And there's always something to be improved upon or corrected (action set too high, etc). It's not that the fine folks at Different Strummer don't have a great selection. It's just more targeted to the acoustic or folk audience, which is perfect considering they're housed within the Old Town School of Folk. But I tend to like flashier instruments, and I tend to make music more experimental, maybe. But the guys here always turn my deep-discount chain-store guitars into quality, highly playable instruments. I buy all other gear here, though. And it's really hard to walk in here and not try to convince yourself that maybe your music needs more djembe, conga or ukele. A wide selection of interesting items. I basically love these folks and try to support them when I can. read more

I brought my violin bow here to be re-haired after looking around and discovering that they quoted the cheapest price out of a few different repair shops in the area. They have an outside contractor do violin repairs so their turn-around time may not be as fast as other places, but I emailed the guy and he gave me an accurate time estimate. It took about 10 days, which would have been a problem if I didn't have a backup, but in my case it was ok. My bow was ready a day before the quote. I picked it up and the price was exactly as quoted. Dealing with the store staff was fine. I would definitely come back here. read more

AWESOME SERVICE!! Great job guys! Went in to buy a ukulele, which may I add are hard to come by locally. Most high end places that I've been to in search for a ukulele don't have much of a selection and this place definitely had all the good brands!!! HIGHLY RECOMEND!!! read more

I can't say enough good things about this place. The guys who work here are nice and helpful, they get you set up with a guitar and amp and leave you alone to strum awkwardly. I love that. Because I always feel self-conscious and I don't need no dudes thinking I'm a girl who can't play music. I'm just shy, okay? Great atmosphere, good prices. I love my new Danelectro Dead-On 67 and I'll be back here to buy new strings and a tuner very soon. read more

During lockdown, online purchases are tempting. But low cost may not be a good substitute for the expertise & service offered at OTS's Different Strummer shop. I ran into a difficulty with my Gibson guitar; Tim & Sean were very patient with my multiple calls & curbside pick-ups. Between peace of mind & the contribution to a Chicago landmark, I found it much more satisfying than an online purchase. read more

The store is always a good experience, especially now when being open can be questionable, good policies in place to keep everybody safe, thank you. Also thanks for a great new guitar!! read more

I absolutely LOVE this place. i've bought my violin there, my strings, and tuner. OH and two music books! They are soooo friendly, very instrument savvy (People keep saying "knowledgeable" so I had to switch it up) and just great to talk to. the atmosphere is so warm and inviting. No snobby pretentious people here folks! Just some wonderful people who are willing to give you the attention you need no matter how big or small the question is! :) I plan to head there again while signing up for lessons :) read more

Okay selection of books, not huge but lesson books are overpriced. I'm a music teacher and I paid $29 for a piano lesson book I get for $16 at Rossi Music. read more

I was pretty disappointed with this place. They carry lots of really nice instruments made by the top manufacturers and some really good music, but I was always unhappy with the staff. I was just recently in the market for a new acoustic guitar (because I had just recently moved and the movers stole my old one) and I was relatively certain that I wanted to buy one from a smaller, more local shop. Every time I went into this shop, I would ask them if they had a "best bang for your buck" type guitar within my price range (they had many guitars within my price range) and they would try to sell me something $200-$300 more than I was willing to spend. This happened on four separate occasions. I finally got frustrated with these guys and I bought a guitar elsewhere. They do have a lot of nice stuff . . . perhaps the trick is not to ask any questions while shopping here. I would give them 2.5 stars if I could. Update - I think I gave these guys a bum review my first time around. I've visited this place on a few other occasions and I found the staff to be rather knowledgeable and friendly. I'm sorry Different Strummer. I underestimated your friendliness. read more

OK, you're only going to buy stuff here if you're going to buy stuff here anyway. You're not going to happen in off the street and find something for Aunt Marge. You're going to go to this place with Aunt Marge in mind, and you're going to find something for her. Now, having said that, places like that can get away with murder. They can sell lesser quality stuff trading on their name. Or they can sell more expensive stuff trading on their name. Or they can sell lesser quality more expensive stuff. Because, really, it's the Old Town School. And while I'd hate to give a great review based on the fact that you don't get screwed, that's largely what I'm doing. Except they have a remarkable selection. So, if Aunt Marge who needs a new acoustic banjo, you know where to go! read more

Great store with competitive prices. They only carry the good stuff so they can afford to be small. Guitars, mandolins, percussion instruments I don't know the names of, and even kid's instruments. Numerous method / style books and DVDs that I've only seen in catalogs or online for various instruments are also there. They have a repair shop that I'm told is good but I have yet to use them myself. I'm one to over research before purchasing something and when I ask them questions their responses were always thoughtful and logical based on what I had learned. At other stores they might be tempted to just "wing it". So I feel they can be trusted for advice. I've seen them have the patience of angels with mothers confused about their child's instrument. read more

1/14/13 - I had called both Guitar Centers "close" to me today looking for a standard harmonica in what shouldn't be all that strange of a key, E flat, a standard tuning for acoustic guitars - and was told neither store had them in stock. While surfing the web, Old School Music Store popped up and on a long shot I gave them a call as a last effort before ordering it online. I was surprised when I was informed YES, they do have them in stock and at an incredibly low price. So I headed down to the Lincoln Ave. location and was taken care of very promptly. They even blew the harmonica out on a squeeze tester to make sure it was working properly before selling it. The icing on the cake was they even had a single, not so easy to find, .007 E string I needed and bought there, saving me another stop on the way home. It was an excellent experience and although I didn't have time to stay and window shop the next time I go there I will MAKE time. The store is a very nice little place chock full of not only interesting, but quality items, all at great prices. Thank You, Old Town School Music Store! read more

Had a string replaced on my ukulele and got a wall hook here. They have great customer service and some pretty amazing instruments to browse through. read more

All kinds of instruments in here. Rentals for classes are nice. The hours aren't great but then again they probably don't see a whole lot of walk-ins. I like how you can actually walk right up to all the different strings they have and not having them behind the counter (I like to know the materials and string widths). read more

Ryan is really great. Made my purchase a good thing. I would work with him anytime.

You will see me here again soon! The Old Town School of Folk Music had exactly what I needed for my unusual request today. Now we can rock all night without fear of our guitars falling off & no more twisted straps or sore necks. Party on Old Town School of Folk Music Store! read more

Different Strummer has many instruments and instrument accessories as well. Not only that, but they give lessons for certain instruments for a lower price than many other places. Also, their employees are well trained and they have answers to all your questions. read more

I started by renting a guitar here for my first lessons. At $55 a crack for 8 weeks, it made more sense to buy something. The staff was friendly and didn't mind helping a beginner like me. I didn't want to spend a lot (i.e. over $300) and was directed to a small collection of sold spruce-top guitars. I was left to play with them a bit and make my own decision. I ended up buying an Alvarez and they told me how to care for it. I didn't feel intimidated in this store like I had at more "hip" places or large chain store. read more

The service I've gotten at Different Strummer, every single time I've walked through the door, has been fantastic. Even if all I end up buying is half a dozen guitar picks or a clearance case for my ukulele, the people who work there are knowledgeable, friendly, and helpful. Before Christmas I was in the market to buy a banjo for myself. Even after telling the guys working there that I was probably going to order online or have my dad buy it from his local store in California, they sat down, gave me two different styles to try, explained the mechanics of the banjo and what different pieces do to the sound, and showed me the basics of how to play the thing. A guarantee of no sale, and they still took half an hour to make sure I knew what I was getting into. On return trips to confirm what I wanted, I got the same level of helpfulness. They even gave me tips on the aftermarket improvements I could make to whatever I bought. I bought my Deering Goodtime from them and will be starting lessons at the school. They also were incredibly cheerful about exchanging the case that I got with it for an upgraded one that had been out of stock when I bought everything. They will continue to be my go-to music store for as long as I live in Chicago, even if it is an hour on transit each way. read more

We've taken Lullabies and Wiggleworms classes. Lisa For Lullabies was a little mellow and chill but it worked well for babies. She had us singing at home all time time which was really our goal. Mr Dave for Wiggleworms has a great upbeat act and good sound. Classes with him seemed to follow a formula though and the same each week. We didn't practice music as much outside of the classroom with Dave but the class was an awesome chance to hang with other infants and clap our hands. read more

The staff are very knowledgeable and willing to help you be it a guitar purchase, a question about classes, or how to play that bluegrass lick. The instrument prices are fair and you can often find great deals (especially if you go to the garage sale) read more

I will never buy anything from this store again. They had a Martin guitar case on sale. I asked what models it fit, I said I had a D-18. "It fits the D-18," the clerk said. He put a D-16 in it and said, "See, it fits." However, he didn't close the case. When I got it home I put my guitar in it and it didn't fit. The case wasn't deep enough for my guitar, and the case wouldn't close. When I called to ask if I could return it, Rebecca the Ice Queen said that under no circumstances did they accept returns on sale items. "Those are items that we are 'purging'," she said. So, even though the clerk promised me that the case would fit my guitar, I was out of luck. I guess they're more interested in the quick one-time sale than they are in long-term customers. They purged a sale item, and they also purged me. If you choose to shop here, be careful. They know what they're talking about, it's just that they're not honest. read more