I have purchased 3 guitars over the past decade from Wade's and even though I no longer live in…read moreMilwaukee, I still come back home to stop by Wade's if I'm in the market since my first experience was so great. First off, the stuff they have in stock is top notch. They have limited space, so every spot on the rack counts and I get the sense they only stock instruments they would own themselves. If you have no idea what you're doing, this is a great place to go since they will walk you through every single inch of an instrument, why it's cheaper or more expensive, demo it for you, and stick within your price range. For folk music, I have never seen such a sweet lineup of resonators. The used gear includes the rare and quirky, and the prices are fair. A key thing with Wade's vs. a Guitar Center is that Guitar Center unboxes their guitars and shelves them even if they're set up like garbage, where with Wade's every instrument is set up by their luthiers to play its best. Why I really love Wade's is the service. I saved up for a year in high school to get a Rickenbacker, and I finally got a sweet limited edition axe and it sounded amazing. I went to college and when I came back the neck pickup wasn't working. I brought it in and they said that should never happen, so they ordered the part and installed it for free. Then the bridge pickup blew out, and I sadly decided to part with my baby. They were almost as upset as I was, and again said this never should have happened, and assessed the trade in as if the guitar were in full working order. They also knocked an extra $100 off the strat I ultimately purchased in exchange. This kind of stuff I have not experienced anywhere else, and will always patronize Wade's over any other shop around.

I have had Wade's do several guitar setups and purchased a Martin acoustic from them. His shop is…read morestuffed with new & used guitars which you can play upon request. In an age of big box and internet sales, it's refreshing to have a local store with knowledgeable people who don't pressure you and answer your questions. Its like a going back in time to friendlier space and I'll keep going for all my guitar services and those Martins.

Terrible seller!!! Don't buy here unless you hate your money…read moreand time! Rude customer service and they tried to lie and steal from me on a return. Despicable!!!!

Excellent customer service. I live out of state and noticed…read morethe store had an amp I wanted. I ordered directly from the shop and then called them and confirmed receipt. Chad stated the order was received and it would ship that day (Sept 18th) to arrive in one week. It did so on the 24th. Well packed and sounding great. Thank you Cream City Music.

After trying everywhere in Milwaukee I can confidently say Denny Rauen is the best! He costs a…read morelittle more , but when you consider the cost of the job being done wrong and your time trying to get it done right, he is worth it. I consider his craftsmanship top quality and can say that we are extremely lucky to have him here in Milwaukee. A simple guitar setup from him makes all the difference...

From the owner: Since 1982, Rauen Guitars has been serving a variety of clients, including top musicians,…read moreenthusiasts, and collectors from around the world. Currently, Denny is continuing his craft but downsizing his workload. Shop operates by appointment.

I came to guitar center about 5 years ago when my two kids wanted to learn drums and guitar. I…read morewould sit and visit with the lessons lead and eventually ,I decided I should take lessons as well. I was matched with Xy. I love her energy and passion for music. She is an incredible teacher! I've purchased several guitars, and drums from this location and appreciate the expertise of the staff. They have several faces that have been constant through the years and I appreciate their kindness and patience when I have questions. I highly recommend them for your music needs.

The guy at the repair desk was condescending, unhelpful, and downright rude at times…read more I purchased a beautiful PRS and some elixir strings around the holidays, and noticed the action was way high and even after trying to change it myself, it was still not to my liking. I missed the return policy so I was fine paying for whatever was wrong with it. I drove half an hour to this location to get it checked out, and the guy was super condescending to me the whole time. I'm a young guy, an intermediate player, and I don't know much about the technical side of guitars, but damn, was he really making me feel stupid. Dude was rolling his eyes at me every time I said I didn't know something. I bought a kapo and a guitar strap, and the guy checking me out was on the phone with someone else the whole time. If I'm going to buy a guitar I'd honestly rather drive twice the distance to the Chicago location. The guys over there are dope and ACTUALLY helpful. Anyways, support local businesses.

Excellent repair and set up guys...fair prices on vintage equipment..mostly guitars and amps....5…read morestars

top dogs in town Always go the extra mile. Tom S…read more A lot of knowledge between Jeff and Marshall. I recommend Top Shelf over anyone in the city. ***** five star rating Tom S.

I love visiting Ben and Arturo. I have purchased some great vintage gear from Ben. I have also sold…read morehim a vintage guitar and he gave me a fair price.

Cool shop! It's a smaller music gear shop set inside a larger collectibles shop, but the gear…read morespills out into the rest of the building. And it's more of a resale shop -- not too much new stuff when I was in there, but the owner ordered me a new speaker so I think he'll special order stuff for anyone. Also, you should ask if you are looking for something you don't see. He pulled out some cool guitars from the back to show me. They also do repairs and buy your old equipment. I dig this shop even with the 90's name. Support your local businesses!

What a great shop! Incredible selection, and a lack of guys playing "Stairway" IYKYK…read more All the good brands. I hung out here happily for an hour or so, while my BF was in heaven trying out guitars, there's a great couch to chill on. Conveniently located just off 94 - the selection at this place rivals some larger guitar places I've seen. Knowledgeable, chill, friendly staff.

I called looking for somebody to fix a boutique guitar pedal. Griffin was super helpful and put me…read moretogether with Tim from the Marshfield location who sorted me out in record time. Both stores are wonderful. Both people were super friendly. Highly recommend. Sorry this took so long, Griffin. I meant to post it sooner.

Stopped in for some string repairs on my bass. Got a chance to meet Ron. He's a great man with…read moreincredible stories. Did some excellent work on my instrument for far below Guitar Center prices. Staff was affable and happy to talk about everything in the store. Eclectic mix of instruments and equipment that seem to always be changing. Never know what you're going to find here! Worth a stop!

I'm from Texas, but am spending some time with my folks up in Wisconsin. I wanted to buy an…read moreinexpensive classical guitar that I could keep up here for when I visit. I did a search for guitar stores, and this sounded like a great place to try, especially because they sell used instruments. They had four used guitars that were in my price range, and I went away very happy. I got exactly what I was looking for at a good price, and I supported a small family-owned business! And the people who work there are wonderful, friendly folks. I hated to leave! I will definitely drop in on them again the next time I'm in downtown Waukesha. I highly recommend you shop here if you are just getting started in music, or if you've been at it for a while.

There so helpful and they have great prices for every instrument! The teachers are so nice there…read moretoo.

This is a nice little music store! It obviously sells all types of instruments, but what makes this…read moreplace cool is that there are a bunch of different mini rooms made for giving lessons. I take a girl that I watch every Thursday to her guitar lessons with a guy named Sergio. He's very nice! He understands how to give lessons to children. All of the employees I have encountered have been super friendly, which is nice. There's also a decent sitting area where you can wait for your lesson. They also have a back room where I have attended a toddler music class. This was cute and fun.