Jerry is one cool dude! Went in after seeing a listing online for a vintage guitar. He let me try it out and gave me a heads up about repairs the guitar had (which he had done very well) and answered all my questions. At the end of it all, we made a great deal and I walked out with a sweet vintage piece. I also learned a thing or two while I was there. Thanks, Jerry - I enjoyed chatting it up today. Look forward to being a regular customer! read more

Jerry was very welcoming and helped me test some guitars. I didn't end up buying, but he still treated me very well and gave me space to practice on several guitars. He's got some good stuff in there, I recommend checking out the store! read more

The guy answers his phone extremely rudely has minimal signage explaining to you where the store is. I think he's probably in the wrong business and needs to not be dealing with the public anymore. Sometimes when you get to be 1000 years old, your anger out paces, your ability to deal kindly with others. read more

Just came to look at guitars and owner was incredibly rude and unprofessional. I do not recommend this store to anyone. Do not go.

The owner is a burned out hippie. He was rude and unprofessional. There was another customer in the store and he was incredibly rude. Didn't say hi when I entered. Was too busy doing some stuff behind the counter. I wanted to buy a big collection of magazines. He wouldn't sell them because he wanted to sell the entire collection though I wanted at least several dozen issues. No one was going to come in and buy the entire collection. They'd been sitting in plastic bins behind the counter for who knows how many years. And it wasn't that he didn't want to sell the issues I wanted, which is his option. It was the way he was so dismissive and acting as if he couldn't be bothered to talk to me. Do not go to this store. There are other guitar shops around. Customer service is dead. Go to this shop and you will see a great example of what customer service has degenerated into. read more

Great selection of equipment and vintage guitars. Good people and good vibes. I've bought a few guitars here for good price .......

Had the pleasure of talking guitar with Jerry for a few minutes! He's a great guy and very knowledgeable!! Def go and buy a guitar from this guy!! Super helpful!!! read more

Guitar Collector - Guitar collector shop! - Guitar Stores Near Me - Orange, California

The atmosphere in this place is very friendly. While many guitar shops seem like used car dealership vibe, Jerry is easygoing, and understands that people aren't always ready to buy something. I found Jerry to be knowledgeable and easy to talk to. Definitely easy to find yourself a couple dusty gems in this place. read more

Scammed my little brother! Stay away from busted guitars! Sells overpriced and buys dirt cheap! No returns

Jerry buys, sells and trades. Wonderful selection of gear. Very fair, knowledgeable and trustworthy. Highly recommended!

The Guitar Collector is the best guitar shop in OC. The owner is super knowledgeable on everything guitar related and will get you squared away in no time. I highly recommend this place to guitar enthusiasts and or people just getting into guitar. I am never disappointed after a trip to the Guitar Collector, check it out for yourself! read more

Jerry's store is like Disneyland for guitar enthusiasts. Such an amazing and entertaining collection of guitars and amplifiers! Each time I go there, there's something new and unusual. Jerry is a trip: full of information and great stories. His historical knowledge is immense, and his technical skills are spot on. If you are anywhere in Southern California, make it a point to visit this store. You'll never go to Guitar Center again!!! read more

I hardly ever post reviews on places good or bad, but damn did I have an experience today that got me off my butt to do so. I went out amp shopping with a couple buddies of mine. Found this place after walking away from 2 different Guitar Centers dissatisfied. Walked in with $2,000 in cash in my pocket just ready to spend. We wandered around for 5 minutes before the owner (I'm assuming from other reviews his name is Jerry?) finally asked what he can help us with and I told him I'm looking for a new amp head. I said I wanted to replace my Marshall head with something a little tighter on the bottom and he pointed me over to some real crappy looking Bogner that looked like it could be either really amazing or something you hear a middle school metal band playing from. To my regret I will never get to know because that's when s*** got weird as hell. As I'm gearing up to sit down to try this amp out, the owner tell me go ahead and grab whatever to try it through the amp. So my buddy grabs a guitar right next to us on the stand RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE AMP. The dude starts flipping out on my buddy cuz he's touching his guitar that is on a rack on display at a guitar store. Cuz that's where you want to leave you prized possession that you don't want anyone touching.. Before my friend can finally get it back on the stand the dude turns off the amp, says get out of my store and walks away. We were pretty much jaw dropped. But we left with pleasure immediately after that incident and never plan on returning. Jerry, I hope you read this. I truly do. I don't know if you're a racist who didn't like a Hispanic man touching your guitar, I don't know if you have unaddressed mental issues, but whatever it is just know that you turned away a guy ready to drop $2,000 for an amp today because of your psychotic bi-polar attitude. I am friends with tons and tons of fellow musicians and I will definitely let them know about you and your store and that they need to avoid it.. Which is a shame because you had some real cool stuff. Stuff I'd easily drop some money on in a heartbeat, but you can definitely forget about that now. read more

I used to love coming in here but after my last visit, I will never be returning. I have dealt with this shop before and made a couple of purchases and it has always been a 50/50 shot if the owner Jerry is in a good mood or not. I'm helping my great uncle buy a vintage Gretsch. (I have about a decade of retail experience in the music industry from working in different music stores). Upon looking online I thought I would give a local business a shot. I am a player and prefer to feel a guitar in person before purchasing and I would much rather support a local business. So I called him up last week asking if he had any vintages Gretsch guitars to which he replied "I've got some buddy, but they're not cheap" in a condescending tone (as if to discredit my ability to afford one). I went in anyways to see what he had as said he had a '56 Chet Atkins 6120 in orange which was exactly what we were looking for. Upon arrival Jerry had no mask on, and in fact never put one on through your whole interaction. That aside, the Guitar was in decent condition provided its age with just some extra oxidation around the pickup (not out of the normal) and pickguard. Asking price 20k. I let Jerry know my situation about doing research for my uncle and he then proceeds to try to get me to tell my uncle it's 20k but sell it to me for 15k so I can pocket the difference. I didn't even acknowledge his underhanded used car sales tactic and just politely exit the shop for the day. I didn't have a lot of time that day so I did not have a chance to actually plug it in.... I refrain from telling my uncle the shady business that Jerry was trying to pull just in case he does like the guitar and want to go with it. We decide to go in there to check it out and make a deal with a trade. When we get to the point of plugging in the guitar we find out that the bridge pickup is 1/4 the output of the neck pickup which is very disheartening. It was clear from the look on Jerry's face that this was news to him. He then shows us a country gentleman guitar that we try to check out, but can't get any notes to ring out on the big E string. Clearly in need of a setup, he takes the guitar away from me. I then make a call to my repair expert to see if it's something he thinks is worth the risk. He actually is very optimistic and confident that he can handle the job and bring it back to life. That being said we ask Jerry what the price is on the guitar and he responds with "I told you yesterday 20k". Now while that might have been the case with everything in working condition, obviously something needs to be renegotiated as a non working pickup definitely changes the ball game. I then ask if I show him a similar listing on Reverb if he would change his price at all. He says "No, but if you're trying to prove a point then show me". I showed him literally the same year guitar, arguably in better condition, with one cosmetic ding on the back of the neck for 13k. He points out the blemish like a toddler and then proceeds to rip the guitar away from me. I responded with "At least both pickups are working" I didn't stoop to his level and left calmly which we then proceeded to go to another local store that had another 56 Chet Atkins in perfect working condition. In hindsight it actually worked out better because we got a better guitar an better experience from a different company. (And a better deal!) Bottom line is he was unwilling to lower his price at all and frankly got very offended. Took the guitar out of my hands and started cussing me out. I feel like he felt the deal slipping out of his hands and rather than own up to his mistake, took it out on me. This guy is a pirate, swindler and frankly a hazard to trusting people trying to make an instrument purchase. It's unfortunate because his inventory is pretty decent but the cons definitely out way the pros. Especially in this current state of things, one must be really cognizant of where ones money goes to. Silver lining, Jerry showed me exactly how a deal should NOT go down. read more

Was he just being racist?? - 3 years later and I just bought thousands of dollars more in used gear (NOT FROM THIS STORE ), and the only thing I can think about is the owner of this store who looked at me and my friend like we were garbage for asking to try a guitar at his store 3 years ago. Dude, I seriously hope you treat people better, thats all I can say. And I while I see a bunch of other great reviews, I just hope how my other guitarist and I were treated was not a reflection of how the owner perceives one race over another. read more

Jerry is not a bland overpriced new school style shop. He is old school to the bone , and in the best of ways. If you can't handle the spice, stay the f____ out the kitchen! His shop is full of a vast selection of guitars and amps ranging from vintage les Paul's to Hammond B3 to vintage compressors and Efx pedals. He is a walking dictionary on vintage guitars. Pro tip* talk to him, don't be shy. read more

This store totally rocks! They have an amazing selection of beautiful guitars at ridiculously low prices. I can come in here and find amps and guitars I have never even heard of (and I've been playing for over twenty years) and they sound phenomenal. Jerry the owner is extremely friendly and has great knowledge about his music business. I would recommend this store to any musician looking to find their next boutique amp or guitar (perhaps, both?)! I would give 6 stars if I could. read more

Jerry is a legend. I had some guitars stolen and they wound up in his shop, he got them back to me. I needed to replace my stolen '75 Les Paul Deluxe, Jerry recommended me some guitars and let me play. I probably spent 15 hours in his shop over two months, playing ES 335s, and a PRS Studio, trying some effects and different amps. Jerry got me a killer deal on the 88 ES 335, Blues JR IV (custom tolex, AND he swapped in a greenback speaker), and a Wah pedal, and helped me get back on my feet and gigging again with the best setup possible. You're going to find an incredible selection of vintage and unique guitars here. Be sure to ask if he's got any hidden gems in the back . . . Jerry has an incredible inventory and he doesn't keep it all on the floor. PS - Jerry has some wild stories, and if you spend enough time with him, I hope you get to hear a few. Thanks Jerry! read more

Would give negative stars if possible. Read all the other negative reviews (and his assoholic responses to them.) They are all correct. Walked in today around 3 PM, first thing the guy is doing is making jokes about suicide. Next (out of respect) I ask if I may pick up and play a guitar, he proceeds to bark at me and say "ONLY IF YOU PLAN ON BUYING IT!" First, how am I supposed to buy something I haven't played? Second, there are no price tags on anything...so again, how am I supposed to buy something when I don't know the cost upfront? Terrible shop owner, super rude & disrespectful and not at all someone I would ever want to do business with or give my money to. Little did the jerk know I came looking to buy a Telecaster and was prepared to spend approx $3000 on the right one. Laughed at him and walked out as soon as he said what he did. Super trashy dude and I hope he goes out of business. Try Normans Rare Guitars in the San Fernando Valley or Wild West Guitars in Pasadena for all your rare & vintage guitar needs. Not to mention nothing in the shop is necessarily note worthy & is an unorganized junk pile. No reason at all to do business with someone who has no people skills & no idea what it means to be in the sales / service industry. Read all the bad reviews before coming here. Or walk in and see for yourself what a low life the guy is. Cheers. read more

Rudest shop owner I've ever dealt with. Not sure if all of his guitars are genuine. Spotted something off about one Fender model I know a fair bit about and he got defensive and said "that's how they make 'em". I clarified the part of the guitar I was asking about because that's not how they make them and he yelled at me "I know how they're built!". Never again. Avoid read more

I don't ever type up reviews, but this place, I have to. My band members and I were out amp hunting. They have a nice collection of guitars, amps, and all of that stuff. Looking at the reviews, his name must be Jerry. He guided us to one of the Bogner amps to try out. One of my band members grabbed one of the guitars but turns out to be a guitar that he didn't want us to touch. We thought he was joking around as it would be a typical joke at other musical instrument stores. He kicked us out of the store after five minutes of being there. If he didn't want people touching his stuff, why leave it out in the first place for people to grab? Might as well either leave it behind the register or have a "do not touch" sign. Jerry, if you happen to read this, do a better job of taking care of the gear you don't want people to touch. read more

Update(2-3 months later) : Usually "USA" Charvels are nearly perfect from factory, and usually don't require fret work, maybe just a setup. This fake "USA" Charvel this ahole Jerry sold me claiming it's 100% real didn't realize I know Charvels more than he does. Just because I'm younger than him, he thinks he knows everything but his head is so much bigger than him and so far up his own a$$ he simply refuses to accept that he sold me a fake USA. So I took it to a REAL Charvel collector and Charvel enthusiast guitar tech to get a fret level/dress/setup, he confirmed the neck is a real USA neck but the body is not a USA body but a Mexican body. My guitar tech, a Charvel collector and enthusiast, also contacted Fender and sent them pictures of the guitar and the serial# and we found out that the Floyd Rose is a FRT-0200 Korean made Floyd that is used in Mexican made Charvels. Basically this guy Jerry(the store owner) is selling fake highend/USA/Custom shop guitars but disguises them really well and puts an attractive price tag to draw you more in to buy them and distract you from analyzing thoroughly before purchasing, as he naturally has a no refund policy. I also checked the Serial number online with my Charvel enthusiast tech, and he confirmed as well that the serial is a Mexican serial. DO NOT TRUST THIS GUY! HE IS SO SHADY AND DOESN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT PICKUPS, PRODUCTION YEAR, HARDWARE, AND THE DETAILS OF HIS OWN "USA/CUSTOM SHOPS). HE OVERCHARGES AND DOESN'T PRICE MATCH HIS EFFECT PEDALS AND AMPS! HE HAS THE DIRTIEST/ARROGANT/COCKY/KNOW-IT-ALL PERSONALITY AND DOESN'T UNDERSTAND THE CONCEPT OF BUSINESS AND CUSTOMER SERVICE. As soon as I call him out on it, as expected, so predictably, gets all hostile and angry and actually thinks Charvel doesn't make USA Charvels with ORIGINAL German made Floyd Rose tremolos LOL! He is so far up his butt that he convinced himself that he knows certain things about Charvels when he is completely wrong, all you have to do is go check Charvel's website to know that real USA Charvels come with bullet truss rods(non heel like the Mexican one I got) and they come with a HSS config with DiMarzios instead of Duncans. He would know all this if he bothered to check Charvels website. Bonus ridiculousness : He tried to sell me a freaking used Chinese VOX AC15CC1(which he didn't even know if it's a C1 or CC1) for $600! So I asked how much would he sell me his VOX AC10 and tried to charge me $400! He also charged me about $70 for a freaking EHX Soul Food pedal when you can find it for half the price online, both the amps and the pedal. Also while I was there, another customer was there trying to buy a TS9 or a TS808 and he asked Jerry what the difference between the two tube screamers were and I of course knew but Jerry had no clue LOL so I had to chime in and let his customer know what the difference between a TS808 and TS9 is FOR him, his OWN damn product....freaking pathetic and amazing. I've visited this guy's shop about 5 times total prior to buying my fake USA/Mexican hybrid Charvel and each time I came, he had 0 sense of customer service and just has the worst personality ever. Do not shop here. He only wants your money and WILL overcharge you, give you attitude, will treat you like s***, couldn't tell you details of his products, will be arrogant about his products, and maybe you might get lucky and actually get a real custom shop/USA/limited edition guitar he's so proud of but there's also a 50% chance you're going to get a fake or a hybrid fake. You have been warned. The other reviews also speak for itself. I completely regret trading my real USA limited Edition strat for this Mexican charvel. read more

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Jerry is very knowledgeable easy to work with he even takes trades. I have gotten several guitars from him since opening and always been satisfied with the deal. He is a wealth of information and openly shares what he knows. Lots of quality guitars and amps if your looking for something special. He is a local, and hope he stays around. read more

I got quoted $40-ish dollars for a guitar restring and tune up. He ended up charging me $65. He put strings on my guitar and slightly fixed a knob. That was irritating. I could have done that myself. There is a huge crack on neck building up, he could have done something like glue (like he recommended). read more

Guitar Collector - That neck crack - Guitar Stores Near Me - Orange, California

I walked into this shop looking for a vintage foot switch and ended up meeting one of the coolest people I've ever meet The owner is passionate about guitars He is the real deal I was a kid in a candy shop So much to look at . He was very honest and upfront about anything I asked him and maybe that's why he gets bad reviews I think he's just misunderstood . I know there's customer that want to be treated like royalty when they shop blah blah blah .. then maybe this aint the shop for you and should just stick to guitar center read more

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Great old school music store, and tons of really cool stuff. I found Jerry to be very in tune with what gear is actually worth. If you're a Panzy and afraid to negotiate probably not the store for you. But if you're respectful, and not afraid to throw out a reasonable offer on the low-end and then go from there you'll be able to make a fair deal. Besides, I think he enjoys the dance. I'm an ol'gummer now, been playing for over fifty years. You just don't find places like this anymore. A real gem. read more

I had a very good experience here. I traded an amp I wasn't using + cash for a new-to-me fender strat. Super happy with the transaction, Jerry was very easy to work with and transparent on pricing. I highly recommend this shop, easily one of the best in Orange County. It probably helps to know what you're looking for in advance. I called ahead of time, and actually called more than 1 guitar shop. Jerry was the only guy who had it locally. Instead of me ordering on ebay(last resort), he facilitated an in-person trade for an authentic vintage instrument. Pretty hard to beat. read more

Absolutely the best guitar store I've been to in years. Bunch of gear packed into a store and it's all awesome! From vintage fenders and Gibson's guitars and amps to Mesa Boogie and shred Jackson's and Charvel USA custom shops. Awesome effects and amps and heads and pedals. Place is dope. The man running the spot is super helpful and friendly. He actually wants to help you find something kick ass and he isn't a whiny little snowflake bitch about that 'Rona. read more

The staff are very helpful and knowledgeable on guitars, they also have great deals on guitars and other equipment. Prices are very fair and reasonable. Great store, people should definitely check it out. read more

Really nice and mixed inventory. You can find vintage gems here as well as affordable favorites. Lovely neighborhood-feel guitar shop.

Great guitar shop. The store owner Jerry is very knowledgeable, every time I have come in with many questions to ask about gear and he has an answer for every one of them. I always leave the store with more knowledge, and in one case a nice Yamaha acoustic for a great price. read more

Jerry was great. Very helpful and knowledgeable guy. I wanted to try out a couple cabs he had with my new amp head and he was totally cool about it. Didn't give me any pressure to buy, just offered very fair pricing, unfortunately the cabs didn't have the style I wanted. He then helped me set up my guitar bridge real quick for free! Great guy great shop. read more

This guitar shop has tons of interesting and old guitars which is really great because actual guitar shops, (not guitar centers) are a dying business. Too bad the owner Jerry is an actual incompetent moron who doesn't know how to run a business. I collect guitars and walked into the shop to see if there were any interesting guitars that I wouldn't find in my local guitar centers. I walked around for a couple minutes and nothing really caught my eye except a gibson les paul that was kind of beat up but looked like it would sound beautiful. A nice hidden gem. I asked the owner Jerry a few questions about the guitar. He couldn't really tell me shit about it other then what year he thinks it's from. Finally after listening to him ramble about shit he clearly didn't know anything about for a couple of minutes I finally asked politely to plug the guitar in to hear how it sounds. To which he responded by asking if I was looking to buy a guitar. I said potentially and he told me "this isn't a jam session. you can't play a guitar unless you want to get serious and buy it". Which is the wild for a guitar shop. Especially because I could've been in the marketer for that guitar if I liked playing it. I then responded saying how am i supposed to know if I want it unless I play it. He immediately disregarded that argument and told me the most comical bullshit i've ever heard saying "yeah even most guitar centers don't let you play their guitars unless you're gonna buy them buddy". Which is the biggest bullshit considering guitar centers are known for letting any 12 year old kid come play their guitars even if they bang them up. I would've straight up told the guy how that's not really the case but to be honest it really seems like he's not all there. Bottom line, don't go here. read more

These guys are legit and knowledgeable. They don't play games and won't rip you off. Great inventory amazing selection. Good stuff keep it up! read more

By far, the best music store in Orange County. Like a good hole in the wall restraunt, this small store is a place you may not even see on your daily route, but boy is it something. My grandfather's landlord had worked with Jerry (or so the story goes) and had recommended that I stop by and check the place out. I was heading to the address that my grandfather had given me, and I realized that his store was on't 2 blocks away from my home in Old Town! I couldn't believe that this store had been here the whole time! When I first walked in, he was having a conversation with a customer so I just decided to look around. Wall to wall, the entire store is lined with every guitar imaginable! Fenders? Yep. Richenbacher? Gibsons? Gretsch? Tons! Not only does he carry guitars, he carries amps, capos, pedals, stands, cases, and loads more collectable items! The entire front window is filled to the brim with collectable (and new...) amps! He also has records in back, and from what I've learned from the many times that I've visited and done business with Jerry, is that no matter the record, it will always be a flat price. Whether you be interested in Elvis, or Sinatra, the Byrds or the Beatles, he has it all. His passion lies with his guitars, records is really his side business. I look forward to visiting this store anytime I get. Even if I come in just to say hello or to ask for advice on which guitar to get, Jerry is a great person with a big heart, so stop by and check out the store! read more

TGC (The Guitar Collector) store is a time machine. You can revisit almost any period in rock 'n roll history through all the guitars, amps, speakers, parts, racks, and p.a. equipment on display. Even the newer stuff is cool! Jerry certainly is a unique character ready with a quip and a quote from his touring band and music/guitar experiences. Any questions about the inventory, ask Jerry, he knows a lot. He's straight forward (blunt to some) with his replies. I visited the store a couple of times and worked a few deals with him and spent the afternoon chatting him up about stuff from "back in the day". He a tough negotiator, but hey, that's his business. A couple of guitar owners came in with their guitars that needed minor repairs and Jerry took care them on the spot. Two other people visited looking for guitars for their kids. One dad was shopping for an acoustic nylon string. Jerry and I discussed it with the dad and demoed a Schechter electric with a much narrower neck. Put 8s on it and it will work fine for a nine-year-old's finger strength. Jerry's favorite advice: "Plug it into Rocksmith" (https://rocksmith.ubisoft.com/rocksmith/en-us/home/ ) and have fun learning. I'll be visiting TGC soon to check out that Hofner bass hanging on the wall. It's pretty close the one I had when I started playing. Like I said, the store is a history lesson! read more

Place owner is nice and knowledgeable. He knows his stuff. Came in to get some repair work done on my Fender and he was more than happy to assist me. Great guy to talk to and good customer service. read more

Extremely overpriced. Customer service does not exist in this place and all the guitars I picked up had serious issues like cracked headstocks, warped necks, and extreme fretwear. That's what you can expect when you pick up a guitar at this place. Do yourself a favor and shop anywhere else but here. This place was a complete waste of time. Come here if you want to pay double for a guitar that has major issues. This is the worst so called music shop in Orange county. Buyers beware you will get a lemon at this place. read more

Always a good experience with Jerry at The Guitar Collector. Fair and knowledgeable. This is the kind of shop you go to if you know your stuff. Every bad review I've read on here reeks of "I don't know what I'm looking at". Jerry is straight up about the provenance of his gear. Jerry will also help educate you if you don't. Love this place. Will continue to shop here for years to come. read more

Couldn't believe it when I walked into this place. A REAL guitar store! It's hard to find true guitar shops like this anymore. Somewhere you can actually hold and play rare instruments right off the wall. I talked to Jerry for a bit while I played a few guitars that I loved. He is super cool and knows his stuff. Let's help keep this gem in business! read more