I was looking for a guitar on Reverb and just happened to see a listing by Bizarre Guitar. They're an authorized dealer for major brands, have a huge selection, prices are very competitive, and it was a nice surprise to realize they're local. Shipping was free, but some things are better picked up in person when you can. You can't really tell from outside that inside there's a really large, well laid out display of guitars and accessories. We had already purchased the guitar I wanted, but I asked to have it unboxed, and to take a closer look and try it out in person. They do individual listings by guitar, so the pictures you see online are of the actual guitar you're buying, which is great. Everything was exactly as shown, and again, it's a lucky find that Bizarre Guitar is local. The store has been in business and family-owned since 1974 (one of the people helping us said he'd been coming here since he was a kid)! Amazing to have such a long history for a music store, and to be able to survive after the emergence of chain stores. I did see that their online return policy was pretty strict, but it also explained that they're getting flooded with returns by people who just wanted to try a guitar out, and while some big box retailers can handle that, it's not sustainable for an independent owner. I am beyond happy with my purchase, and would 100% buy from them again. TIP: Check out their sales on Reverb...unbelievable prices. read more

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Time after time,Bizarre Guitar has Proven to be an Exceptional Store to find your Dream Guitars.Don't pay any attention to these snippy wimpy negative people who make comments online.They don't have a Clue. No matter what you do-you can't make everyone happy all the time. They've treated me right,with respect & dignity,given me good deals & delivered on their promises.What more can you ask for? The Top Guitar players in the World shop at Bizarre Guitar,& everyday people too. I will Always check with them First to see what they have available at a reasonable price.Do your research,know your price range & let them help you.My first purchase from them was Great,so I came back again & again. Thanks to Bizarre Guitar,my Neighborhood Rocks & Jimi would be Proud read more

Bizarre Guitar - Billy Gibbons & Eric Clapton - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Reno, Nevada

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Warning!! Spend your money elsewhere. I purchased 2 guitars and was very excited thinking I got a great deal. Until I received them and the Gibson slash les Paul's low e string did not sit in the nut but sat on top of the nut. And had horrible fretbuzz. I contacted them and was told it's normal then was told Gibson plinks their instruments so it's sitting as designed. I contacted a couple of luthiers that said the nut needs to be replaced. So I contacted bizarre again and simply asked to exchange the guitar for one that didn't have the issue. They then told me they set the guitar up for low action and I should adjust the truss rod. Granted that may help the buzz but wouldn't correct the fact the string is still sitting on top of the nut and also if Gibson set it up what did they need to change it. The strap locks were also installed which is not from the factory. They refused to exchange the guitar even though it says there was 14 day return period. Now I'm stuck paying for a repair on a nut on a what's supposed to be a brand new guitar or waiting months for a warranty claim. Spend your money else where they appreciate your business. I wouldn't even spend 25 cent at this store for a pick. read more

Bizarre Guitar - Les Paul with low e string is riding the top of the nut not sitting securely in the slot for the string. - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Reno, Nevada

Initially I thought I was going to buy a used guitar. Tried several and fell in love with the Taylor 214e Special Edition Grand Auditorium. And I got a great price for it. Came back a few days later for a set up with Frank who helped me the first time. Fast, efficient and knowledgable. Love that the people who work here are so passionate about their music and accomplished musicians. It takes the experience to the next level. I'll be back! read more

Bizarre Guitar - Type of guitar - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Reno, Nevada

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This is an excellent guitar store that has a wonderful vibe. Great selection of guitars for beginners and professionals alike. Staff is helpful, friendly, knowledgeable. I take lessons there (Jeff is a very good teacher) and have bought two guitars there too. Prices were very fair, the guitars are very well setup (Thanks Frank!) and a joy to play. Take a look at this shop, you can't go wrong. read more

One of the top guitar shops in America with some of the best people in town! So lucky to have them here! A Reno tradition!

Great to deal with. Bought my guitar here and very fast shipping. Exactly what I wanted read more

I made a terrific deal on a 2005 Epiphone Les Paul Standard. Staff was helpful when I needed them and left me alone when I wanted to listen to the guitar. Travis, Dave Strels, and Kenny helped me out, called Greg Golden and got the deal for me. Guitar Center can't hold a candle to Bizarre Guitar. Guitar Center is like walking on to a Hyundai car sales lot. Everyone is on commission and on the make. The guitar I bought is in fantastic shape for a twenty year old used guitar. It's like new. There are a couple pick scratches on the pick guard but, other than that, there is virtually no wear on it. An incredible used guitar buy. Thank you, five Stars, guys!!! Great work. Greg should give you guys a good bonus at Christmas. read more

Bizarre Guitar - Epiphone Les Paul Standard - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Reno, Nevada

Great service, great selection of Guitars. The store was forced to close for walkin traffic through Covid, but has been open for again for a few years now. Great selection of new and used equipment. read more

I now have 3 high-end guitars from Bizarre Guitar. All ordered from and delivered to SW Florida. All arrived super fast and extremely well packed in super condition. Dave at BG is just super to work with on the phone and I could not be happier. read more

Bizarre Guitar - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Reno, Nevada

Store is closed to walk in customers, it is online shopping only. Three stars because I have no idea so let's meet in the middle. Bummed we could not come in and walk around. read more

I brought in an original 1970 Gibson SG that they arrogantly misdated as 1977. The know it all employees didn't even bother to look online on how to date a classic Gibson guitar properly, it takes about 1 minute on the Gibson website. I've had countless negative experiences at Bizarre Guitar but this is just their greatest and most recent folly with me! read more

I put in an offer for a Les Paul here and it was accepted. Could not believe how awesome the guitar looked and most importantly played when it arrived. I spoke with Ken (I apologize if I got the wrong name ) over the phone and everything went completely smooth. Super friendly dude and the guitar was shipped out same day. Very happy with the whole experience, Ill be keeping this guitar for life. Would definitely recommend these folks. Thank y'all! read more

I purchased a beautiful Gibson Dove acoustic guitar at a great price from Bizarre Guitar and cannot say enough about their customer service. I encountered a situation with the guitar that could very easily have been an unresolvable one, but they came through for me in a big way. A special thanks to Dave E. and Travis for all their help. I know it can be a little scary sending thousands of your hard-earned dollars across the country to purchase a guitar sight unseen, but you can rest assured that there is no need to worry when dealing with the good folks at Bizarre Guitar. read more

Bad customer service. Inventory is unorganized. We were practically tripping over boxes in the aisle. Wanted to purchase a very high end guitar as I am a collector. We drove in from out of town to make this purchase. They didn't want to show me the vault because they were "taking pictures". The guy acted like it was an inconvenience. I didn't realize the economy was so good that they could turn down a five figure sale. Im sure the competition will gladly sell me what I want. read more

I recently purchased a Gibson LP here and couldn't be happier. I was not happy with my experience at the big corp. Guitar store in town and I thought I should be supporting local anyway, so I decided to drop by Bizzare Guitar and check it out. They are working under covid-19 protocol and they have their number on the door for specific gear or what have you. I called and set up a time to come in and look and feel the axe I had done alot of research on already. Dave was very helpful and knowledgeable, in particular about the specific Guitar I was interested in and that made for a great experience. Dave set it up perfectly for me and it's a pleasure to play and I'm pleased with my purchase as well as the entire experience. For what it's worth, if your serious about a nice Guitar or other gear, this is where you want to go in Reno/Sparks. They're priced very competitively and the level of expertise is great. If you're looking to horse around with guitars and are really not looking to buy, this is not the place to go. I'll definitely be back for pedals so I can get more versatile sounds and I know I can rely on Dave to point me on the right direction. ;) read more

AVOID BIZARRE GUITAR!!! Dishonest, rude, incompetent are just a few words to describe Bizarre Guitar. I ordered a case. UPS delivered it to the wrong address. When I reached out to Bizarre Guitar they replied anonymously and accused me of trying to steal the item. I already contacted UPS who provided me with documentation of the erroneous delivery. I also spoke with the person who actually received the package. Bizarre Guitar continued their harassment via multiple abusive messages. Instead of being accountable they choose to blame the customer and leave slanderous comments online. Bizarre Guitar is the WORST retailer I've ever dealt with and judging by other feedback on this forum I'm not the only one who has experienced their horrible apathetic "customer service". I guess I'm lucky as to have lost only $150. I can't imagine the nightmare of buying an overpriced B-stock guitar or other expensive gear from these terrible people. There are many musical instrument retailers out there. I strongly recommend doing business with any other store. Don't risk having a terrible experience and possibly losing your money. DO NOT PATRONIZE BIZARRE GUITARS! read more

I cant say enough about Bizarre Guitar and David Ecker, who sold me my 59 custom shop Less Paul. He answered all my question and explained all I needed to know about this guitar. I shopped this guitar but their prices and customer service was by far the best. Their prices are "Bizzzzzzare" The delivery was quick, on time and arrived in perfect condition. It was a pleasure to deal with them. They are honest, and knowledgeable. Check them out before you buy anywhere else, you wont regret it! Thanks David and the crew at Bizarre Guitar read more

Purchased a 60s Les Paul Standard, it was set up perfectly, and looked even better than the picture, and the folks that worked there where Awsome read more

Not very welcoming by the staff when coming in. Cool instruments that are pricy. Didn't really buy anything cause again the staff vibe wasn't approachable. read more

This review comes after a series of annoying experiences with this shop. Of the past three times I've showed up here just trying to visit/support a local music shop, I walk in to a group of employees staring at me looking confused and asking what I need. Sometimes this is an easy enough question to answer, but other times I have a general idea but want to see some options/talk to some other musicians about it before I make a decision. Aside from that, they always seem inconvenienced by the fact that their conversation was interrupted by a customer opening their unlocked door during their posted business hours. This time one of the five people standing around said "we only do online orders" which would've been a pretty cool thing to advertise, I think. Either way, pick another local business to support or go give the commission to the local guitar center staff (which I never thought I'd say). I have absolutely no idea how this place has such good reviews. TL;Dr They only do online orders. Don't go here and expect anything other than weird looks. read more

As someone who has shopped at Bizarre Guitar for over 20 years as well as purchased a number of guitars there, it stands to reason that if I was ever treated bad, had a bad experience, bad service, etc. that I wouldn't be back. At the very least, I would ask to talk to the manager and tell them that I'm a loyal customer and explain the situation. I have seen a number of personnel at Bizarre Guitar through the years. Never in all of that time, whether when I was just browsing anonymously, inquiring about guitars or when I've made a purchase have I had a single negative experience. Sometimes, like any retail store, there are more customers on hand than staff. Be patient and understand people can only do so much. And especially if serious buyers are there along with tire kickers, guess who will get the attention first...? I can tell you from being in there today and seeing firsthand someone who was being rather insulting to the manager (Greg) that these other complaints seriously need to be taken with a grain of salt. Some people in the public, particularly those who have not worked retail or even owned a retail business, fail to understand trade value of used merchandise along with the fact that there is overhead (rent, utilities, internet, insurance, phone, employee salaries, etc.) that have to be accounted for. So let's say someone wants to sell their used guitar there, they think because it may be selling for $500 (example) elsewhere that is what they should expect to be paid the same amount in cash to sell said guitar. It doesn't work like that. I could give numerous examples of people I've seen in these situations who may be well intended but are sadly clueless. A used piece of gear sells for less than it was new. And if it's banged up, scratched, etc. it is simply not worth what one that is in very good to excellent condition is. I've seen this numerous times in several stores where people come in expecting something instead of being realistic about the factors at hand. You want INSTANT CASH. You will be given an offer. If you accept it, problem solved - you now have INSTANT CASH. It may not be what you expected... but you're getting something off your hands that YOU wanted to sell. They didn't come to you - you came to them. Their money is tied up in said item until it sells, which could take weeks or months... the time you weren't wanting to sit, wait and sell it yourself for. You also don't have to place an ad, wait for weeks for someone to want to see it, either flake out on you or try to talk you down in price. There's a reason Bizarre Guitar has been around for over 40 years... and it's NOT from ripping people off or treating people shabbily. It's because of service, selection, knowledge and longevity. read more

Drove 45 minutes to visit the store with the intention of buying a nice Les paul or PRS. Turned away at the door and not even allowed to look at their inventory because I didn't know the exact guitar I wanted. I am a collecter and typically "know it when I see it" when it comes to my guitar purchases. Should post that your not open to the public if you turn away customers with cash in their pockets. Enjoy losing business to guitar center. read more

i've done business with Greg Golden for years, worked the retail guitar business fo nearly 15 years, working as am accessories mgr for GC in Santa ana, Ca, Carvin, CMI with Gary Kahler, and several stores in Orange County Ca. I trust Greg and his crew implicitly, and if you don't like the treatment at Bizarre, go to GC. I've always thought GC was a training camp for used car salesmen. read more

I have been coming to Bizarre Guitar since 1988. I have bought countless electric guitars, many Marshall amps, acoustic guitars, pedals, strings, and so much more. I've had my guitars serviced and set up here. I've sold guitars here. I've taken lessons here (Jeff Montgomery!!), and I've simply hung out here. Greg Golden is the epitome of an honest man. I've had the pleasure of many handshake deals with him. He's given me a guided tour of The Vault and some amazing pieces of musical history. He even let me noodle on his personal 1954 Gold Top Les Paul!! Where else are you going to get this kind of treatment? I'm an ESP player and Bizarre always has a big selection. When I was a Jackson player back in the 90's, Bizarre always had more than enough to choose from. I bought 2 Taylor acoustics from here and got to play the hell out of them before making my choice. No other place in Northern Nevada comes close to Bizarre Guitar in selection, price, and that "home" vibe. Thank you, Mr. Golden, for all the decades of making me feel like a part of Bizarre. Here's to many more! read more

Went there a couple of times looking for a guitar for a lefty. Both times the guys behind he counter seemed to be inconvenienced by my questions. I ended up at Guitar Center and got me a nice lefty at a decent price. It's too bad because as a drummer/guitarist I have to find a place for strings, drum heads, sticks and picks etc. read more

These guys have an excellent selection of guitars. They have some nice stuff, and I have found them totally reasonable and willing to cut a deal. They want to sell. They are legit. Personally, I would probably go to guitar center if all I wanted to do was screw around and not buy anything... because I would feel bad to do that to a mom and pop shop, but if you are serious and looking to buy, definitely check them out. I think you'll find them willing to work with you to get the guitar you want at a price you are happy about. That's been my experience anyway. read more

This place is awesome!!! Tons of amazing guitars, friendly and helpful staff. Thanks so much!

I stopped in on my way back home to SoCal on the off chance they might have the new 2019 Gibson Les Paul in stock I've been drooling over. Turns out they didn't have it but holy cow the guitars they had on hand! Not to mention the amps and effects. I could spend days on end there just tinkering. What a great shop! And the lady running the front counter was extremely friendly and helpful. I will definitely be returning next visit to Reno. read more

Have bought twice from this seller online. Great customer service and the best prices I could find. Will continue to be a repeat customer. Thanks for the excellent service!! read more

Walked in bought 5150 head , walked out. Killer service. Great price. Next time I'm in Reno this is where I will go and I'm shopping for gear thank you again I really appreciate it. read more

I purchased couple high end guitars from them over the past few years, I usually deal with Travis A. for online purchases and he has always provided exceptional customer service both before and after purchase. Incredibly professional, helpful, and thrilled about many of the custom guitars they have. Their pricing is awesome, actually it's shockingly vastly better than any other store when it comes to high end gear. I drove there once (it's a 4h drive...) as I really wanted to check out a guitar prior to purchasing it; the staff at the store was very helpful too during my brief visit. Their 'vault' of high end guitars is quite something to see. read more

Never been to the shop physically so I can't speak to that, bought direct instead of on reverb so I wanted to leave a good word. Insane deal with no bs, quick shipping, easy to work with if you call at the right time, although there is some quirky wizard of oz stuff going on because the guy who manages inventory and sets the price isn't available by phone, so the shop proxies you and him. Anyways, I love my PRS and the deal was exceptional, I'm loving this guitar. read more

They don't back up even a long term customer ,left me with a new custom J45 that is unplayable ,after 50 years of buying and playing guitars I never have been left in such a position ,basically ripped off $4000 dollars , by these people with little empathy except take your money and run ,,DON"T TRUST THEM 100% read more

I just moved to Reno last week and one of my guitar strings broke a few days ago. I'd been needing new strings anyway so I checked guitar shops on yelp and decided to give this place a try. I was so impressed! The staff were kind, attentive and thorough and the prices were outstanding. They also have a seriously impressive selection of items. I asked if they would help me install new strings (I've never done this before) and they completed it on the spot for a low fee. Brandon strung my guitar and, not only that, he gave it some serious TLC. After he cleaned, oiled and restrung my guitar it looked better than I've ever seen it look! I seriously enjoyed my experience and think Bizarre Guitar is an outstanding business. Thanks for the love! read more

Darn shame the good results are filtered. This store is a diamond in the rough. Easy going, no high pressure sales staff, great deals and pricing. They have the best of the guitar gear off the main floor area so you may have to ask for it ...but it's there. Bizarre Guitar will take care of you....custom orders too. The drum dept is oustanding: they will help you set up your gear, demo items, and special orders. I purchased amps, guitars, and drums from them. I've been playing music since 1979 and these guys and gals treat you well. I traded a used Gibson ES335 and listening to Greg Golden discuss, describe, and date it was a treat. A massive cornucopia of knowlege poured forth and he was both honest and very fair. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS SHOP. read more

I had been looking at Fender Acoustasonic Telecaster guitars when I saw 3 "B Stock" limited edition exotic wood ones come up on Bizarre Guitar's Reverb website. I had seen this model before, but not made with these very cool exotic woods. I called to inquire what the blemishes might be on the Ziricote model but was told the guitar was only "on order" so far. I bought the guitar (over the phone) from Sarah with her promise that she would send pics of the instrument when it arrived. A few days later I emailed back to get an update. Sarah immediately responded telling me that the B-stock unit hadn't arrived yet, but to not keep me waiting, she'd pulled a brand new (unblemished) unit and was prepared to ship it to me. I was amazed and blown away! She even sent pics of the guitar to my phone! The Tele arrived a few days later and it is PERFECT. Sarah provided customer service way beyond what I might have hoped for. I have no doubts that I'll be a repeat customer of Bizarre Guitar. Thank you, Sarah! Thank you, Bizarre Guitar! I can't recommend them highly enough! read more

***BUYERS BEWARE*** You cannot speak with anyone at Bizarre Guitar about the guitar you are interested in. If you call the number it goes to their gun sales operation and some guy named David will answer but has no idea about what's going on with the guitar business and was quite rude to me as well. He said the owner Greg doesn't do much with the business and mostly just pays the bills. I recently ordered a Les Paul Standard 60's and it had an issue on the neck that I felt could be bad for my playing style and the life the instrument. I even called Gibson to verify the issue and they said it is not common for this specific lip on the neck. I then had to email some guy named Travis, couldn't speak with anyone about it and he said to send it back and they would exchange it for another that I liked. I sent it back and yesterday 2/18 when they received it they just took it upon themselves without any communication with me to refund my purchase and refuse to send the new one because they are afraid I would send it back if it wasn't perfect. I was also not able to leave my feedback through reverb since they processed the refund so quickly. They said they checked another one of their higher end Les Pauls and it had the same issue! I really don't think they have these guitars stored properly and it makes me question their whole operation. Here are both of the serial numbers for the guitars they say are ok that they have reposted back onto reverb- Bourbon Burst 236500107 has a bad neck and the unburst that they wouldn't send since it most likely has issues too is- 219300094. I feel so disappointed about this whole experience and to be honest I'm really glad they did refund me as I don't want to support a business that obviously doesn't care about their customers. I recommend buying a new guitar from Wildwood Guitars in Colorado. I purchased a Les Paul today and the experience is already night and day. I was able to speak with a friendly and knowledgeable associate, I got a nice discount on a way more beautiful guitar, they include an amazing setup to my specification free of charge and a free Wildwood t-shirt. Night and day!!! I just want anyone considering purchasing from this so called Gibson dealer to be informed of my worst buying experience ever. It was a Bizarre experience indeed!!! read more

SoI assume Greg Golden saw my review on here and decided to send me a few more very professional messages, I'm obviously being sarcastic. I looked around and was very surprised this is something he does regularly. Check the other reviews for this store and you will see other people have had this problem. I have posted the messages here edited for content. Greggolden Bizarreguitar You take me asking you to message me and let me know how I can help you in any way as rude?? Well I guess you will think this is rude! F*ck you you piece of Sh*t. You are not welcome in my store you little bi*ch! Greggolden Bizarreguitar You were a F*cking jerk to me on an email after I asked to help you, so F*ck you! Maybe come down to the shop instead of hiding like a little b*tch and give it your best shot! Guys like you act real F*cking tough on an email. You want to be a jerk ok! Come down punk. Keep in mind I recieved these messages for complaining about the customer service in the store. This is childish and just really crappy people skills. People will always have a problem with a store or a service nothing is perfect. It shows how little he believes in his business if he flys off the handle because someone had a bad experience in his store. read more

DO NOT BUY ON LINE FROM THIS ESTABLISHMENT. The on line sales guy Travis must be a family member because he offers the absolute WORST customer service I have ever experienced. If he isn't family he should be fired! I bought a Martin 12 string as a Christmas present and it arrived damaged. Travis said he would take care of it. He said he would send a return UPS label on the DEC 26th. I never received the label after repeated messaging. Finally on Jan 4th I contacted the store and the store personnel handled it with one phone call. During the entire time I worked out a deal with Travis to exchange for a Taylor 12 string. we would use the credit from my original purchase and I would pay the difference by Pay Pal. Travis suggested this and I agreed. I repeatedly messaged him to make sure they didn't sell the Taylor and asked if he received the returned Martin, crickets... 12 days later he messaged me and advised they received the Martin and he REFUNDED my credit card. That was NOT what we agreed to. So obviously he is ill equip to handle this job and pays no attention to previous messages or agreements. A few days later he advised me to contact the store and talk to Sarah to arrange the purchase. I called the store number for three days, it rang and rang and rang, no answer and no VM. I messaged Travis and he said they were having no issues so it must be my fault. I called the next day and after ringing several times it spit out the fax connection sound like it was connecting to a fax. I messaged again and again Travis blamed me. Finally the next day I called got through and asked for Sarah to complete my purchase and she said she didn't know anything about it!! WHAT? Travis the great communicator didn't even tell her anything about this yet he had me contact her. She said she would look into it and call me back in an hour. She never called me back. I finally called her in 2 hours and she said Travis would contact me. I was astounded and reiterated the story to her about what transpired and she too blamed me for the UPS return label situation!! WHAT? Its my job to email me the return label?!?! she then hung up on me. #RUNAROUND #shittycustomerservice. January 26th one month to the day I advised them of the damage and asked for help resolving this issue and Travis messaged me and basically told me they were not selling me any guitar because they seemingly couldn't please me. So not only did Travis give me the runaround on the return but he made a deal and then reneged on the deal and refused, after sending me to an associate who had no idea what was going on. WOW, what excellent customer service eh? I will be buying my guitar elsewhere and suggest you do the same. Maybe the in store experience would be better as their sales associate did fix the UPS debacle that travis didn't and Sarah blamed me for, but NEVER BUY ON LINE from this establishment. Such arrogance! read more