Musical instruments store (Baltimore, Dundalk, Frederick: for sale, rentals, house)

[marksilverman]

Hi,
Does anyone know a good place to buy guitars and amps in Baltimore? Preferably in the downtown area. I've been browsing online and all I found was one called Bill's Music.

Thanks

[boomtownfunlover]

Check Ted's Musician Shop on Center St. across from Peabody first, then try Dundalk Music on Center Place in Dundalk. If and when you go to Dundalk, PARK ON THE STREET because of an ownership dispute of the parking lots there.

[B.K.]

I'm a long-time guitar and bass player myself. I have to sadly say that Baltimore City proper has little to offer for sales of electric instruments and amps. There are several fine service and repair shops, tho'. Ted's deals mostly in band instruments and accessories for Peabody students and beginners, not much electric stuff other than a small selection of strings and some cheapo amps and instruments nobody serious would want. Dundalk Music has a limited selection, and seems to do mostly rentals and lessons. The highest concentration of music stores in the area is located on Frederick Rd., just outside the Beltway in Catonsville, where there are half a dozen or more. Prices tend to be high, and haggling is de rigueur. Still, they are an alternative to the Guitar Centers, Sam Ash and Musician's Friend superstores that have all but killed off the independent music stores nationwide. Honestly, I think the best bet these days is to find yourself a reliable guitar/amp tech and then start haunting the local C/L's, pawn shops, yard sales, flea markets and auctions, etc., for instruments and amps, and use the big box stores for strings, picks, cables, stomp boxes, and other small stuff.

[(-)]

gonna sound crazy but the best buy out in hunt valley has a pretty awesome music section within the store. lots of electric guitars, amps, etc. i can spend hours in that spot.

[musicalinstruments]

you can try occau.com/musicalinstruments for buying online musical instruments.
I think it would be helpful for you to find instruments easily and cheaply.

[Henry Bowman]

I've always had good success at Bill's Music House on Frederick Rd.

Beyond that, you're driving to Washington Music......

[HandsUpThumbsDown]

An unusual suggestion, but I saw lots of musical equipment at Greenmount Pawn today.

[Henry Bowman]

Originally Posted by HandsUpThumbsDown

An unusual suggestion, but I saw lots of musical equipment at Greenmount Pawn today.

I think the days of getting a genuinely good deal at a pawn shop are over. They are all tied into the same pricing guides and they all use eBay, so there's little chance of finding a once in a lifetime deal unless the dealer is just flat out needing to move some product and has enough room to negotiate in the deal.

I'd rather buy from a "real" music store where there might be some service after the sale if I need it.

[Henry Bowman]

Also forgot to mention last night that there's Atomic Music in Beltsville that carries a lot of used goods.

[dogpark]

Nothing really downtown Baltimore.

Chuck Levin's Washington Music Center is the biggest, arguably the best, in the Wheaton Triangle, 495/Georgia Ave DC suburbs.

Music Go Round in Cockeysville isn't bad.

I consider the Towson Guitar Center better than the Glen Burnie one. The guitar department manager in Towson is Ryan Fowler, good guy, straight shooter, knows gear, came from a boutique/vintage shop in Annapolis a few years back.

Ebay, Craigslist both help buyers and hurt small shops, many of which died off around/after 9/11.