After my partner bought a Gibson Les Paul Special Tribute bass at Russo Music earlier this year, I heard so much from him about how this was 'one of the best shops on the east coast.' Recently I got the chance to check it out in person when we stopped in to browse two Saturdays ago during a day trip to Philly. It's located on the same block/in the same building as Union Transfer, the music venue. The music store has two floors. The main floor/street-level floor showcases electric guitars, basses, and some synthesizers. The second floor has acoustic instruments - guitars, basses, ukuleles, and I think I even saw a mandolin. The repair service area/shop is also upstairs. I remember the big beautiful windows that let in natural light in the space, and rugs and couches to sit on the second floor. The people working there were friendly and ask if you want to try out any of the instruments. You'll see bowls with "Russo" picks here and there too. It's a cool instrument shop. Really high quality instruments there, and nicer than the inventory at a GC. One apparent difference is that the instruments on display at Russo are adjusted and ready to play, in contrast to a big box music/gear store where instruments are mounted straight out of the manufacturer box. It's an easier/better experience for the customer figuring if they like what's in their hands at Russo. And even though it's a boutique store, it has a larger inventory than you would expect. An aces shop, highly recommended! read more

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Any alternative to G Center is a blessing... Situated as a neighbor to Union Transfer, it makes the 1K block of Spring Garden St. quite the musical destination. First, I dig the shoppe. The walls are festooned with (mainly) guitars, but a few gorgeous basses (for the bassists among us) pepper the collection. A pink 60s P bass is the pick of the current litter. I, however, just needed strings for my '76 Mustang, and my tech guru suggested I stop at Russo's before dropping off the ax for a tune-up. Glad I did. Prices and inventory are about average...but certainly competitive. Solid B. Being primarily a pianist, I can't dole out an A, as they had nothing that might draw my business regarding my primary instrument. But, no matter. Where Russo's really excels is in its staff, imho. From a phone conversation with a gal who put my (very specific) strings aside, to girl behind the counter...all just as pleasant as you please. We talked basses, performing, and teaching for a brief moment, before the rigors of the day pulled me in other directions; but only after being fortified by some solid conversational vibes. Don't order your stuff online. Def. don't go to G.C. Spend the extra fiver and keep places like Russo's open. See ya there, maybe. read more

Obsessed with Russo! This shop is one of the best music shops I've ever been to for equipment. The staff is always super friendly, approachable, and knowledgeable. The best part has definitely been the lack of pretentiousness that is often so off-putting at some music shops (that shall not be named). The staff seems truly focused on helping make the best purchase for you, large or small. I've never felt pressured into a purchase, and they even told me to compare a cheaper option when I was shopping for a guitar recently. I didn't like the more affordable guitar, but the fact that they wanted to make sure I tried a variety of guitars before splurging made me feel like they were looking out for ME, and not just the sales. Their inventory is amazing, as well, covering everything from high-end vintage and custom shop guitars to starter equipment. The pedal selection is also absurd, too. Another plus is that Russo has three locations, so you can sometimes find something online at their other shops and have it at your particular location pretty quickly (sometimes within hours)! I've yet to have to test this, but I'm sure it'll come in handy at some point! Their guitar tech did such a great job making adjustments to my guitar that I plan on taking my others up for a tune-up at some point, as well! His bench upstairs past the gorgeous acoustic and hollow body room. They have a number of private rooms to test gear, and they'll get everything setup for you to make sure you're getting everything just the way you want it. Simply superb. Anyway, Russo is a great addition to the area, and if you're a musician looking for a local place to support, and engage with friendly staff, Russo is definitely worth checking out! read more

The staff at this store are well-versed and have a very professional attitude. I have shopped there twice in the past month and will return again soon. I have had the pleasure of dealing with Amanda, Alyssa and Mike. Parking that section of Spring Garden ave is not terrible, but there is a parking kiosk so be sure to pay the $2.50 to park - instead of a parking ticket. Their selection is quite good and I definitely recommend this store. read more

Beautiful store with quality products, knowledgeable staff and great customer service. It's nice to support a local store too.

Very good customer service. Private playing rooms. Excellent guitar selection. Significantly better than any big box retailer I've ever been to. Highly recommend. read more

The staff at Russo Music provided excellent service and support when I was buying some gifts for a friend. They were attentive, patient and helpful in my evaluation of what I wanted to purchase. My friend was very pleased with the gift. I would highly recommend this music and instrument supply store! read more

Great spot with friendly helpful staff. BUT the price point for most of your basic needs (strings, cables, drumsticks) is really, really steep! BIG markups! About double what you think you'll be paying for the basics. If you've been spoiled by rock bottom online retailers like Musicians Friend/Amazon/Sweetwater/Strings & Beyond et al, be prepared for some serious sticker shock! And about those 'stickers;' For the accessories at least, they are nowhere to be found! Somewhat tellingly as if by design, the prices aren't marked on most of the accessories I saw. You have to either ask the price up front or get hit with the whammy once they ring you up. So I sort of treat Russo as an 'emergency' supply spot. If I need strings or some other essential and suddenly realize my online order isn't going to get to me in time for a show or a rehearsal, I go to Russo and am okay with paying more in a pinch for the convenience. Think of it as a musical 7-Eleven and you forgot to stop at the musical Aldi. So you bite the bullet and get the eight dollar quart of milk (or in this analogy, a seventeen dollar pair of drumsticks) to hold you over till you can get to the 'real' store with the 'normal' prices. Russo is kind of like that. How this works as a business model for a brick & mortar store in this day and age isn't clear to me. But hey, as of this writing they are still in business. Did I mention friendly, helpful staff? There's that at least. read more

I pre-ordered a guitar online through Russo music that was sold out everywhere. I live across the country and was connected with Amanda when I reached out. She was a great help, very professional and courteous, and took care of me. She made sure the guitar was set up as requested and followed up on the order to keep my updated. It was a real great experience and I look forward to buying from Russo music again. The online experience was great and I definitely hope to check out the store if I ever find myself in the area. read more