In 1970 George Gruhn established Gruhn Guitars, which is one of the largest dealers of vintage and…read moreused instruments in the world. The "guitar guru" also plays with some curious new equipment as well. This shop is basically George. The first floor is available to everyone. If you ever get a chance to follow someone who invites you to the upper levels, go do it no matter how not into guitars you might be. Up there you will see the collection only extremely serious buyers and collectors are interested in. This also includes George's personal collection. (and most likely George himself) Beyond that there is also the shop where people with immeasurable talent turn broken guitars into back to life masterpieces.

Gruhn's Guitars is one of my favorite guitar stores. I travel through Nashville yearly on vacation…read moreand have been spending an extra night in town just so I can visit Gruhn's. Their selection of new guitars is the best I've seen. Besides the normal Taylor and Martin standard models, they have some amazing "Gruhn Spec" Martin guitars. My personal favorite is the Custom 0 Kenneth Pattengale Special. A few years ago I was trying one out, and George Gruhn himself came up to me and we had a conversation about the guitar. They have a wide variety of instruments, from standard flat top acoustics, to resonators, electrics, classical guitars, and even ukuleles. The staff has always been excellent, encouraging me to try anything I wanted, and leaving me alone to do so. But being available when I had questions. They have a good selection of guitar accessories (strings, capos, etc.) and a wide selection of Gruhn Guitar swag. I've bought Gruhn t-shirts every time I've visited and now have a wide variety. Parking in Nashville can be an expensive nightmare, but Gruhn's has the luxury of a private parking lot!

Backline Nashville ROCKS.... Mark and his staff are always on time and deliver quality gear…read more.. They have it ALL... I have been using rental houses all over Nashvlle for years and I have found the Best ! I won't be using anyone else Thanks guys

Great quality gear and Mark took care of me well while I was visiting TN. Everything was on time…read moreand ready to go when I got there. Can't wait to use their services again!

Located in Nashville & hidden away is this treasure called Nelson Drum Shop, which features a lot…read moreof vintage drum kits & parts, along with a drum room to try out a kit & a room full of various types & brands of drumsticks. Also you can pick up a cup of Joe while you browse since they have a small coffee shop inside their store! They also sell cool Nelson Drum Shop swag to show your love for them & their amazing store. Very good service & value here.

Just had an experience with Rumble Seat that made me question which year it was…read more Saw a guitar listed online that interested me, and then saw that it was not too far from me -- right here in Nashville. Called the store. A human answered, pretty quickly. I mentioned the guitar and my interest. He went and physically found the guitar, so that we could talk about it. My budget only allowed for a certain amount, so I made him an offer. He said yes, if I came in today, we could do that. When I came in, I found the guitar needed some work. Nothing too bad, but above my skill set to make it really shine. As I left, I thanked him. He thanked me also, and said, "Now you don't have to wonder about it!" The rest of the world may be somewhere between 2026 and 2097, but Rumble Seat Music is a portal back to my first music store experiences in the early 1990s.

This guy is a total liar, says he sets up all the guitars sold, and everything is made to work…read morebefore listing. He also evades taking photos of the problem areas and doesn't even mention the major issues that would make a guitar a deal breaker. He waits for you to get it after you pay 175.00 shipping on a 10k guitar. Steer clear of this tacky ass.

This is my go to guitar! The playability and feel are second to none! Only a Gibson is good enough!read more

I have a lot of fond memories where my Gibson SG standard is in my hands. I've beat the hell out of…read morethe thing at gigs all over the country, recorded with it in fancy studios, and even wrote some not-too-crappy songs on it. Funny thing is after it took a dive in my basement about 10 years ago and broke its headstock, it started playing better than ever once it was repaired and set up properly. All in all Gibson is a great American company with some seriously iconic guitars in its brand lineup. Hope they stay around for many years to come.

This is a very cool drum shop & the employees here are very knowledgeable & laid back, not to…read moremention friendly! My boyfriend & I each picked up some drumsticks & I bought a Fork's Drum Closet shirt during our stop here. Many thanks to James for his hospitality during our visit here & also for helping me when I bought my Pearl cajon at the Music City Drum Show! There are drum sets everywhere that you can play & try out. Lots of amazing sets for your preference. Lots of drum gear, hardware, percussion pieces, & essentials for the everyday percussionist. Great value & prices as well! I was quite impressed with this place & highly recommend it!

It's amazing how much stuff can fit in a small place. Lol…read more Tons of selection and the employees were friendly. Only bought a t-shirt today, but was tempted by so much more. Maybe that Black Beauty snare will come home with me next time.

The best Strat model I've ever played. Mine is the 4th American Legends prototype made, and she's…read moreheld up beautifully. The guys are very helpful answering questions. If you find one, you better grab it while you can. These are more rare than hen's teeth.

TNAG, as they are called, is the successor to Cotten Music Center, a Nashville iconic hangout for…read moregreat musicians and aspiring greats. When Kim Sherman took the reigns in 1998, she raised the bar from Richard Cotten's little corner hideaway into a world class guitar shop. Her warmth and Kentucky charm was blended with her vast knowledge of guitars, artists and the know how to suite every player's needs at any price range. That's no small fete. But, she did it by treating every buyer as special regardless of the size of their pocketbook. Placing goodness and honesty over the value of the dollar, her adoring fandom grew. This year, she was able to expand her inventory to include rare masterpieces from boutique makers from the world over by her partnership with London-based The North American Guitar. And, rather than losing the identity of her great shop where genuine warmth and Nashville courtesy always reigned supreme, she carefully chose her expanded staff to ensure her philosophy was not lost. Her inventory is now world class. But, you still feel like a valued guest and a member of her guitar family. Sound corny? Check it out for yourself. Her shop is a gem by any name. It's still Kim's fabulous corner of the guitar universe, but, bigger and better. To quote Kim, her single goal is "to just do right by my customers." And, that she does, as she has for 22 years, and will likely continue to do as long as there are guitars and players who need them.

Carter Vintage was so easy to work with in consigning and selling my Gibson '57 Les Paul R7 Custom…read moreReissue for the exact price we put on it. It took about 8 months to sell, which is a little longer than I thought it would take, but I am thrilled with the result. During that time they assured me that my guitar would be insured and taken good care of while it was in their showroom, and it was! To me it was well worth their reasonable commission to have my guitar professionally photographed and catalogued among the other fine instruments under their sales management. Carter Vintage is only getting bigger and more reputable.

I first stopped by Carter Vintage Guitars when it was in the old location. I liked it a lot better…read moreduring that time. The staff was more welcoming. The selection had more vintage guitars. I think that another customer's review really hits the nail on the head -- this has now become a cousin of Gibson Garage. I regrettably have the same problem at Carter Vintage Guitars that I do at many guitar shops in Nashville -- no salesperson wishes to talk to me. I... apparently don't look like their target demographic. There's been quite a few recent visits where I can't seem to get a salesperson to approach me even though I am in the market for a new guitar. For now, I still have fond memories of the staff member at the old location welcoming me to Nashville. I still will keep the branded leather pick holder keychain. I just maybe will make my next expensive guitar purchase at Gruhn instead, where I haven't once had an issue of salesperson disinterest.