Chicago Music Exchange (CME) is massive. There is a lot of ground to cover and many instruments to see. I accompanied my husband to CME during our weeklong trip to Chicago this summer. We took the L to Paulina, and the music store is a short walk from the train station. So many guitars on the street-level part of the shop. Drums, basses, and the repair shop are found on the lower-level. Aside from all the guitars displayed on the walls, there are also so many canvased photos of musicians and groups who visited CME over the years. There are a number of comfortable spots where you can sit and play. There's also a cushy couch area with Gucci pillows where you can sit, especially if you're waiting for your significant other :) read more

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I used to be able to play a little. Love guitars and amps, everyone should. Walking in here: I'm not Worthy. I'm NOT Worthy. Beautiful guitars in many different price ranges. From classic American Fenders, to Paul Reed Smiths, Gibson, and a full fledged acoustic guitar room with beautiful acoustics. The people working there are helpful and not elitists cooler than thou musicians. The folks I encountered were warm and welcoming. Really positive and fun. read more

Love the store, loved guitars. Big missing opportunities on sales. I don't know if sales advisors make any commission. They are nice and say hi, but that's about it. No one walk up next to you, asking what brought them to the store, go through sales ceremony, make that client seen and valued. We all buy with emotions, specially something my like this. We buy guitars not because we need it, but because we want it. And if someone told me why this guitar is so unique and one of a kind and that I deserve it. My "just browsing" could have been turned into "I don't care how much it cost- I want it". read more

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One of the biggest and best instrument stores I've been to. Their inventory is massive, and I was impressed by the amount of high end guitars and amps available. The staff were very friendly to me, and I was able to play a variety of guitars, including some vintage archtops; there aren't many places left in the world where you can just walk in and do that! read more

Have amps listed with undisclosed replaced parts. Have a 1961 tremolux listed which is actually a 1960 with a 1981 silverface Schumacher power transformer in lieu of the correct 8160 triad. They also have a Harvard listed with an undisclosed non original output transformer you can see the super long lead which is green and yellow. CAVEAT EMPTOR AND AVOID read more

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Very impressive and eloquent Guitar & Drum plus Equipment Showroom. Inspiring when you walk in. Beautiful designed and tasteful as well as trendy decorated. The Posters on all the walls, it's like walking into a wonderful celebration of all musics greatest of all time. BB King, Lenny Kravitz, The Beatles, ... those are only a few of the greats that adorn these beautiful walls here. The amount of guitars and equipment they have available is impressive. They have private studios as well. Drums downstairs . They repair and purchase equipment. Very nice people. This is an Absolute Must SEE in Chicago.! In the beautiful neighborhood of Lakeview. Located on the West Side of the Street. Park Chicago App for parking or CTA available outside also. Target, LAFitness and Starbucks on the corners read more

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I bought a 1983 Hamer Bass.The pictures that they displayed did not show the cracks (checking) to the extent that the was on the guitar.I understand that it is a 43 year old guitar and the description said minor checking but i feel they should have taken pictures to show the condition of the bass.In the pictures you could see a few minor cracks around the headstock but when it arrived it had cracks the entire length of the body on front and back.This checking on the front and back did not show in the pictures.I have bought from this store before and the Thunderbird bass i bought from them was exactly what the pictures showed. I would have bartered a lot more had the real condition of the Bass was displayed. read more

While my son was in town he wanted to check out Chicago Music Exchange. I have never been , and wow what an experience. This store is like a guitar museum. The amount of guitars is unreal. They have seating areas with comfy couches to sit and try out a guitar, or you can go in one of the individual rooms. There are pictures of famous guitarists who have purchased guitars from CME. The staff were friendly, and let you spend time browsing. They have very specific guitars of good quality and expensive. It is an experience to visit and browse the huge selection. read more

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I really liked one of the CME exclusive Telecasters, so I decided to get on the preorder list. The original wait time was supposed to be a couple of months. I was pleasantly surprised when I received notice that the guitar had shipped a month early. When it arrived it had a hole in the box and I was very concerned that it could have been damaged. However it was double boxed and extremely well packed and protected. The guitar (as expected) needed to be tuned, but after that played beautifully out of the box. This was an exceptionally smooth transaction, and a beautiful guitar. I would definitely purchase from CME again, and will likely visit the store when in the area. read more

Very welcoming expansive and neat environment. Although they have a thriving on line business the retail store is exceptional. And it has a "museum" feel for any aspiring guitarist. No attitude either.One can audition a $10,000 instrument with no hesitation... Well worth the trip here even if one is just "browsing".. read more

Purchased a guitar online, delivered by fed ex, damaged cartoon, no signature, case had small dent top and lower bout latch was stuck closed, tried to reach salesman to report and left 3 phone messages, no return phone call back from them and salesman who did answered phone kept giving me the run around....I would rate there customer service poor and for now would gladly shop the big box stores as there customer service is vastly superior. read more

I searched the country for a great Martin D 28. I played dozens of them all over the place and I finally found the one I wanted in Chicago music exchange. It was a modern deluxe. The first week I had it, I started having problems The first month I had it the bridge split in half Apparently, the split bridge caused the top to split Now they want 725 bucks to repair it at Martin Chicago music exchange was no help to me at all when I called them a couple times. I bought two guitars from them that day, and I will not ever buy anything from them again and certainly not from Martin guitars Self imploding pieces of junk read more

If you play the guitar this is one of the best places in the world to visit. As a guitar player they have almost anything you might desire. The staff is uber friendly and encourage you to play anything you wish. Each time I have the chance I stop by to browse. They also sell drums and other instruments, so don't think it's all guitars. Time flies where you are having fun. Had a great conversation with cool guys. Definateley put this on your bucket list. Merch is awesome as well. read more

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I purchased a 1981 Fender Stratocaster from CME a few years back. The service was average as was everything else associated with the sale, but I just got this creepy corporate vibe that I wasn't used to while making a guitar purchase. It was very sterile and cookie cutter Esque. Nothing warm or "Ma and Pa shop" about CME. IMO Stores like this are taking the fun and excitement out of the thrill of the hunt along with their 35-year-old multi-millionaire Hipster owners. I guess old guys like me should just be thankful that we grew up in the era we did. Blah read more

So this feels like an apt time to give them another five star review. I continue to highly recommend Chicago Music Exchange and am very happy to support them and what they bring to the music making community. Here is a concrete story of why. Through the course of playing music with more people I had started playing bass more and decided it was time to get one. Initially I tried to do it very cheaply via other mechanisms and while I was made whole when what I received was no good it was a long drawn out process that from beginning to end took over a month. I decided a better use of my time and money was investing in a quality bass that would retain the majority of its value even if I discovered later it wasn't exactly what I wanted. So I proceeded to go the only place I'd suggest going... I went to the other "CME" in Chicago (not to be confused with the Chicago Mercantile Exchange) I know guitars very well but bass is new to me. I needed some assistance and I got exactly what I needed from the main man of the aptly named "bassment" Jason, with zero upsell pressure. He gave me the time, space and information I needed to make the most informed choice for me that took into account my ability, playing feel preferences, musical taste, budget and long term interest in music. I felt like a VIP. I tried out some instruments below my budget, some new 4 string variants of basses that were not currently on hand but would be at my initial budget, some slightly above my initial budget and one way above my current budget (but not unreasonably out of a future budget) to see what a realistic dream bass (MusicMan StingRay 5 HH) felt like and sounded like by comparison so I could better appreciate the difference/gradient and what I was paying for from level to level. I settled into a spot I felt best for me which was slightly above what I initially was looking to spend and months later I can still say this was the right decision for me. (As I watched several bandmates who had bought cheap starters right before me all outgrow and replace them with instruments akin to what I started with) I also want to emphasize at the same time I could see that everyone else who came through was also treated like a VIP it wasn't just ME because I was ultimately looking at higher end instruments. But the story gets better because this is "cme" and is a 5 star review. In the course of making the purchase we had also discussed what else I play and had mentioned my unhappiness with my hard shell cases and that I didn't mind that surprisingly this bass didn't come with any case (highly unusual at the price point) he told me what he was using and liked but suggested I should do some homework to figure out what would work best for me as I didn't have time to figure it out that day and had something suitable enough to transport it. zero pressure. I did some homework online and came to the conclusion that that was the thing for me (Momo Vertigo Ultra M80 case) so I came back a couple weeks later to purchase not one but two of these cases (one for guitar and one for bass) and got some help initially upstairs from some one I'd interacted with many times who showed me the main differences, pros and cons of this model, the one below it and the competitor model from Gator or something like a Levi's case I had previously used. Again ZERO pressure to upsell; made sure I knew there were cheaper options, what I was paying for and disclosed what he personally used. Again treated like a VIP and at the moment all I'm looking at is a ~$150 to ~$400 case... well after deciding on it and mentioning I needed a bass one we headed downstairs where he handed me off to Jason who was glad to see me (and relived after I confirmed nothing was wrong with the bass). He grabbed exactly what I needed (the bass version of this case). We had a very quick conversation and he hooked me up with a small but very much appreciated discount on the cases. Jason politely followed up later via a personal email to make sure that a: I was happy and b: everything was good with the gear and c: demonstrate their continued approach to client relationships; I wasn't just a transaction to them. He informied me about some upcoming events and a specific incoming product unrelated to my recent purchases that he knew I'd be interested in solely from our conversations. The only challenging part was when I came HOME and had to visually demonstrate to my wife that despite coming home with three cases (the day I got all the cases I had come to the shop after a practice nearby) that I had in fact not come home with any more/new instruments. (I'm at S-1 to those who know) and in fact was throwing out not one but two dead gig bags as a result. read more

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It's always a pleasurable experience shopping at CME. The store itself is incredible, and the folks working there, especially David, are an absolute pleasure to work with. The customer service experience is also on par when shopping online and needing post-sale assistance. I can't recommend this place enough. It has become one of my favorite music stores in the country. read more

don't buy anything you don't see actual photo of I order a Seymour duncan custom shop pickup and I did not get what the discription said then the customer service tried to fast talk and make excuses like the box might not match the pickup I said you have no idea I want a refund read more

I bought 2 major items from CME - a used 1965 Fender Tremolux amp and a used 1951 Fender Custom Shop Telecaster Bass reissue - and a minor item - a pickup. Chicago Music Exchange is AMAZING! My amp was perfectly packed, included a Professional Quality Certification sheet that confirms the amp was checked out, included a new speaker cable to connect head/cab, exactly as represented in pics and description, and at a very reasonable price for both the amp and shipping. Same with the Telecaster Bass and pickup. I visited the store once when driving a new car from NJ to CA. Their store is a MUST VISIT if you are in Chicago. The neighborhood, building, atmosphere, selection of new and vintage guitars and amps, friendly and numerous sales people to help, private demo rooms - I think it's the best store in the world I've ever been to - and I've lived in New York and Tokyo and visited Los Angeles many times. 5 stars for sure for Chicago Music Exchange! read more

Chicago Music Exchange - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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They were real quick to ask me for my bag but the crowd of 4 employees behind the front counter took their sweet time helping anybody. I watched 3 people come up to the counter for help and all of them were ignored. One employee joked to another saying "If you need me, don't!". Travelled 45 minutes to be told you don't sell an item that your website says you have 3 in stock of. Guitar Center is right around the corner. read more

Amazing store, awesome customer service!!! Rick was great and ensured I was totally taken care of before leaving the store. This is going to be my go to music store from now on... read more

Friendly, knowledgeable staff. I've bought 2 guitars from here over the years. Love this place!

Cool inventory and knowledgeable staff that has a good handle on the latest a greatest in musical gear!

I first went to CME in 2019 when I was looking for a professional level electric guitar. I had always heard of the place but had never took the time to go and visit. I'm so glad I came here because I left with a beautiful Reverend that I use till this day. The selections are amazing and there is so much to choose from. Since then, I have come back here for any music equipment needs I have. I will say that the customers service can be a bit of a hit or miss, but I think it depends on how busy they are. In a complete 180, I actually feel like I got better customer service when they were busy rather than when the store is empty, which is certainly odd. Some of the workers are straight to business and just ring you up while others take the time to talk about the equipment, offer suggestions, and every blue moon, throw in something discounted after purchasing. I will also say that the instrument repair department is great, but I've had very few chances to use them because they are always booked straight for weeks. I think they need more people down there. read more

Chicago Music Exchange - My current guitar(CME MIM Fender Tele) bought and set up - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

SO while in Chicago, I had to check out the Chicago Music Exchange......what a great place! The place is a bit north, but it was easy enough to find after a train ride. The subway in Chicago is really easy to navigate, so. I was able to hop on a train and find it no problem. The store is in a cute & quite neighborhood with several other shops nearby. When you walk into the store, it is everything you want a music store to be! Tons of equipment and not just the generic everyday stuff you see at the big oil stores, you will find stuff that is harder to fined both new and used. The place is set up like a guitarist's dream of a loving room......area carpets, couches and Amps all around, with walls of guitars taht are thoughtfully organized. I was able to check out a few guitars and amps that I had on my radar here I also happened to be on the hunt for the perfect wah (does it exist?). The staff was friendly and pulled out a Jam Wahcko I wanted to try and gave mine a few other suggestions. He even handed me a Vintage Vox to go compare it with....and suggested he could work on the price if I loved the vintage effect. I was also able to sample a few hard to find boutique gain pedals there. It would be hard to describe the atmosphere without being there.....but if you are a musician and in Chicago,m I highly recommend going to send just a little time browsing......but be careful, you could very well be going home with something! read more

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I don't care to purchase electronic products from them only to find that they have no repairmen to fix a product they sell! Will not use or recommend there business at all! read more

I bought a Fender Player Mustang Bass PJ from their Amazon storefront. My bass arrived in beautiful condition and I absolutely love the sound! Thank you Chicago Music Exchange for a great purchase experience. read more

After playing exclusively on acoustic guitar for about 20 years, I decided that I wanted to get an electric. I had heard nothing but great things about Chicago Music Exchange and made them my destination. When I got there, I was amazed by the selection and access. Thousands of guitars on display, and you can pull any one off the wall and try it out. It's like a guitar museum, only better! There are several booths with amps to try each one out, and the staff is very attentive and accessible, but not suffocating or overbearing. I could have easily spent all afternoon there. After trying out several, I ended up being really drawn to a Gretsch G2622T Streamliner in Torino Green. It's got a semi-hollow body, Broad'Tron BT-2S humbuckers, and a Bigsby vibrato. Zach from the staff was very helpful with completing the purchase, including honoring an online deal that included a gig bag, cable, tuner, strings, and picks. About a month after purchasing, I had a minor issue with the vibrato bar - I reached out to Zach, who got back to me quickly and I was able to bring it by the shop and get the issue resolved in less than 15 minutes. I'm a customer for life - cannot recommend more. read more

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I have bought 2 vintage guitars from them and have come in many times. I really like that they have booths where you can test out gear. It's also great you don't need to hear really awful guitar playing blasting in the background especially guitars that are woefully out of tune! The store is boutique and high end. They not only have great guitars but really nice boutique amps and pedals as well. I love the fact that they actually let you try vintage instruments. Most of the guitars here would be behind a glass at big box stores. The last guitar I bought was a 1955 Gibson LP Jr. It was amazing that they had 2 50s Juniors and I actually got to play both and pick the one that was right for me. Interestingly, they actually sounded quite different and definitely had a really different neck profile. There are maybe a handful of stores in the country with the amount of stock and inventory on vintage instruments and happy to have one in Chicago! read more

Chicagousic exchange is every guitar player/bass player, and drummers dream come true. The selection is UNREAL. The quality of guitars is too notch, the staff is VERY nice and even more knowledgeable. I spent over 2 hours just wandering around and having the best time... I spent about 700 bucks on pedals, but trust me... if I felt like I had any more room for MORE guitars in my home? I would have walked out with an electric and another acoustic. Their amp, pedal, string, and gear selection over all is stellar and some of thr best I've ever seen. Thank you Chicago Music Exchange for the amazing time and for making my trio to Chicago so VERY special. I hope we can make it back from Vermont again VERY, VERY soon. But until then? I'll be sure to keep on ordering my gear from you guys on your App. Love you CME!!! read more

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Bought a used strat. Price ok. Plays well. Communication while purchasing was great. When I got it, I noticed a large chip--guitar obviously had been dropped. Not shown in any of their descriptions or photos. I wrote them; no response. Wrote again. No response. Wrote again. No response. I never accused them of bad faith or deliberately selling damaged goods. PS: They made it good; I assume the problem was closures due to the holiday. read more

I don't live in Chicago but I have done business with CME on multiple occasions - buying and selling vintage guitars. Every transaction ton I have had with them has gone extremely well. Their prices on mid priced vintage Gibson's and Fenders is reasonable (as opposed to places that way over charge ). Plus they always pay a fair price for guitars I've sold them or used for trades. I have primarily dealt with Dave Azizinamni (spelling). Dave is a great guy to work with quite fair. Aside from instruments I have bought accessories that could easily have bought here in LA, but I like to give CME my business because they have always treated me well. If you want to buy or sell any type of guitar I strongly recommend you use CME. They also make good use of IG. In FA t I saw them feature a vintage guitar in IG and I immediately cut a deal for it. It seems like a fun place to shop and the next time I'm in Chicago I'll stop by. read more

Dreadful customer service, vastly inflated prices and a mostly run of the mill offering of gear. No thanks.....

I just bought a Fender Ultra Telecaster in Plum Metallic purple with brass anodized pick guard from CME. It's a CME exclusive. To say it's beautiful is an understatement. I waited 36 hours (that was tough) to let it acclimate to my house. With a minor truss rod adjustment and dialing intonation on 3 strings (maybe spent 15 minutes on the set-up tweak) and to be honest, I didn't pay for a set-up, but it was playable straight outta the case. it's simply the best Telecaster I've ever played. There is no hum from the new generation noiseless single coil pickups. They sound perfect and have great sustain. Grab one if you have the cash (it's worth every penny). The packing was great and it shipped super fast. I buy alot from Sweetwater. I won't hesitate to buy more from Chicago Music Exchange. My experience exceeded all expectations. This is a top tier guitar shop. Thank you, thank you, thank you! read more

Go. It's awesome. Great and friendly staff, amazing amounts of inventory. Exceeded my expectations.

Everyone was extremely polite and eager to help, answer questions, etc. They had a room where I could choose the amp to use while trying out guitars - this gave some privacy and I could really listen to the tone of the guitar. The guitar came with a free setup and they even gave me the case at half price. It was nice to be taken seriously - worth the trip into the city! read more

best guitar/ music shop in america. not even close. also super friendly and inviting. After looking around for a couple of minutes, one of the clerks asked if i want to play any of the guitars, just let him know. i told him i was looking for the Gibson SG that CME put out but they were sold out. (they go for around $1800) Instead he hands me a vintage 70's SG and tell me i can plug it in. I look at the price tag and its 6k. Im like, why am i even holding this guitar. im not worthy. the clerk was like, there is an empty room if you want to try it out. i go in, plug in and start playing. the guitar is butter. sounds great. I go outside put the sg back and grab a vintage tele with a price of 8k. amazing guitar. I could have done this all day. Their selection is bonkers. Like most amateurs, i feel like a poser when i walk in a guitar shop. But CME makes you feel absolutely comfortable. Like you belong there. The clerk that helped me didnt know I noob. He treated me like I should be there. And it felt great. also i saw J Mascis there looking exactly how you would expect J Mascis to look. If you get a chance, go visit or buy from from online store. Huge Fan. read more

I am writing this review as a Reverb customer. Much like few of the reviewers before me, I am quite disappointed that I didn't receive the same courteous or professional service that most reviewers had rated from the idiots who are communicating on behalf of CME via Reverb on NUMEROUS occasions. This review is a years worth of my occasional communications with them. 1) The first time I've communicated with CME on Reverb, I had to message them that they were trying to sell a guitar that was already bought from a friend of mine about a week prior to the sale listed on Reverb from CME. I had mentioned to them that I was looking to buy one myself and asked whether they may have had one in store. As a result of giving them a friendly heads up and interest in buying a guitar, I ended up getting an idiotic response from "David A" whether it was serious or sarcastic. 2) The second time I've communicated with them, I had tried to sell/trade in 3 of my guitars for something I've found on their Reverb website. I was expecting them to appraise my instruments to a fairly low value since they obviously would like to make profit from these deals, but the offers I've received were a complete ripoff. To my surprise, I would have ended up getting a better deal from Guitar Center vs. CME. I luckily found buyers in the used exchange market who were willing to buy from what was already low prices from me before it ended up in a shop that would mark up prices unreasonably. I still had one more instrument that was sitting on dead water for about a month and I had contacted CME again to reconsider a proper deal. I had a different employee tell me that they were not interested in my guitar at this time. So I had contacted them again mentioning that I had spoken to someone there a couple of weeks ago who appraised my guitar for a low deal and was hoping to hit a more reasonable number. Now I ended up being appraised for the same number again. I don't know why I have to consistently follow up with them since they have been unresponsive to my inquiries. Inconsistent and absolutely inconvenient. 3) The last time I had contacted them, I had informed them that the used instrument they are selling is only $20 less than that sold by my friends at the guitar company Aristides, brand new from factory. I ended up getting another dumb response. I do keep a watchful eye on Reverb as there are some instruments and brands that have my interest. Whether these shops like it or not, my friends and I have a strong online guitar following and community that sees everything that goes on here and will call out BS when we see it. I dislike the lack of professionalism and the responses I get from some of CME's employees especially after trying to be somewhat helpful and respectful in my inquiries or "feedback". I would not consider doing business with CME until they get their s*** together. read more

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Thanks to Nick, Alex, and the team at Chicago Music Exchange, we recently welcomed the newest member to our guitar family--a custom Fano Jm6. My hubby had been in the market for a new guitar for awhile, and being the supportive wife I am, I let him obsess over finding the right guitar for a pretty long time. I looked at all the guitars online, I listened...for hours...about what exactly he wanted and didn't want. And, because I'm truly the best wife--ever--I even made a few trips into the city to go guitar shopping. In the end, all roads led to CME, and I'm so grateful to Nick for sticking by my hubby's side and making sure he helped make a guitar purchase happen. Nick totally rocks! Initially we brought home a different guitar, but we ended up returning it due to an issue we couldn't live with. Alex, the manager, took it back with no questions asked. Because we knew we'd be back to eventually pick up another guitar (round two), we had them keep our credit on file. The great thing about CME is that they have a high revolving inventory. Within no time at all, my hubby picked out the Fano, played it, went home, we went back together, negotiated a price and closed the deal! Before taking it home they set up the guitar while I waited in a comfy chair, and we were so happy to finally take our guitar baby home. Thanks to the attentive and patient team who helped make this all happen. read more

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This is a world-class music retailer. Stunning selection of new and vintage instruments and customers are encouraged to play any of them. Low/no pressure sales team, but pleasant, accommodating and helpful when you need them. This is a must-stop for any musician when in Chicago. read more

Trust me when I say I don't fit the description of the most likely CME customer but I've always been given the absolute best treatment by the acoustic guitar room guys. They totally understand my limitations and have helped guide me to some great guitars. Many thanks to Karl. In addition - Phil Glodek in the repair shop goes above and beyond to save my Martin from myself. He brought it back from a long dry winter of discontent last year. This year I was happy to hear the condition met with his approval. He tweaked it and got me out the door in record time. Go here. Shop here. Get your guitar fixes done here. It's a Chicago treasure. read more