Great old timey vibe. Lots of vintage pedals. Nifty other stuff like quality cables.

Several month ago I had an Elektron Digitakt serviced at this store. There was a small mix up during the repair, manager Andrew Marrah went above and beyond to ensure the device was returned to me in perfect working condition. I cannot overstate the professionalism of Andrew Marrah and everyone at Synth City. I would trust this store with anything regarding my gear, they will make sure to treat you well and with respect. 10 out of 10 hands down. read more

I went into this shop with a friend of mine. He tried out some Les Paul and other fender guitars. This place has a nice collection of vintage instruments and equipment. read more

Rock N Roll Vintage - Great historic recording device. Old school volume - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Super cool ship with a lot of great gear! Staff is super knowledgeable and helpful. Jason specifically was extremely helpful when working out a trade read more

Excelllent shop. Did business there a few years ago while I was in a cast for my broken ankle and they went above and beyond for service. They set up the amp I wanted to try in a side room and also gathered a guitar and a pedal for me to test it with. I loved the amp, bought it and they carried it out to my vehicle for me. Absolutely stellar folks and if you are looking for a great collection of pedals, guitars and amps definitely check out this overlooked gem with CME close by. read more

I literally could not recommend this store more. I have been shopping with them for decades since they were over on clark in wrigleyville/lakeview. When I was a teenager wearing jnco jeans and blue flamed Hawaiin shirts with riot spiked hair, this was the only music store I could go to where I didn't feel profiled, followed, distrusted. I'm writing this review to maybe balance out the awful review they received from a cpd officer who wanted to browse in their store during a pandemic and complained because he didn't receive special treatment. I've bought several guitars, accessories, and pedals from rock n roll vintage. They're the most knowledgeable, friendly, and fair-priced guitar store that I know of in the city. They don't rush you out, they don't look at people and see dollar signs. They don't try to get you to convince you to buy one thing when you came by to buy another. They are just. Plain. Decent folks. read more

Gear is mostly rough, and prices higher than Reverb. Na, I'll pass. Not sure what the strategy is here, but maybe they know something we don't.... read more

Purchased a recording console through rock n roll vintage in December of 2022 for $4,500. The board was listed as being in "very good" condition and the listing also mentioned that it had been serviced by their technician and was "ready for action." None of this was true and the board requires $3,000 in repairs. Rock n roll vintage also blamed me by saying that I had it transported incorrectly and the damage happened in transit. My local tech says there is no indication of any dropping, PCB damage, damage to wires or any boards that would be indicative of shipping shock. 5 out of the 12 channels don't pass audio, the master buss is distorting, the power supply is out of spec, and there are 47 other individual points on the console that don't work. They didn't service it prior to selling as they mentioned and it hasn't been in "very good" condition in a very long time. Now they aren't responding to my emails. Thanks guys! This is really cool. read more

I had no idea what to get my husband for his birthday and Andrew helped me find the perfect guitar for him. He was so patient (I know nothing about guitars) and he also respected my budget. He did not make me feel stupid about what I was purchasing and made sure to include extra strings and a case. I am also really careful about going in any stores because of Covid and they were very clear about their policy, I did everything through email and the pick up was very easy, they brought it out to my car and kindly loaded it into my car as well! Thank you!! read more

Wow, I thought I reviewed this new renovated store a couple years ago, so I'm glad my recent visit made me realize I never did...such a gem of a guitar shop. Originally located on Lincoln Avenue in Lincoln Square, I'm totally digging the new clean intimate space. I agree with Jesse J 100% regarding their phenomenal pedal selection. And, they have an insane synth room (called SYNTHCITY) where you can get your Euro-techno thing happening. Out and about with my musician hubby, we stopped in to say hello to the owner and check out the current inventory. They have a killer selection of vintage and boutique guitars and amps, and I found much of their gear to be affordable and obtainable. We also discovered a nice collection of drums and keyboards sprinkled around the shop. There's so much inventory to see in every nook and cranny, that we didn't want to leave! Totally and completely worth the stop. Top Tip: My hubby can attest that Ben Frye is an excellent guitar repairman :-) read more

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How sad is it that a full year later, no customers can browse the merchandise. Before I buy I want to see it, not internet pictures. Just allow 1 or 2 customers at a time if you have to. smh read more

My four year old walks past this store several times a week and comments about wanting to learn to play "KIT-ar". After months of him pestering, we went in today to buy a ukulele. The guys at the store were so kind to my son and patient and attentive--and not at all annoyed by a small, shy, kid wandering around indecisively. This is what makes local retail so important. We'll be back as my son's interest grows. read more

Rock N Roll Vintage is the place. I've been buying modular synth stuff, and rare guitar parts from here - and finally a vintage guitar. The customer service here is second to none read more

Very pleased with my experience here. Had a vintage Gibson in desperate need of repair (snapped headstock). Their repairman, Ben, did an excellent job fixing it at a very reasonable price and had it back to me within a week (other shops were quoting 2-3x $ and a 4-8 week wait). They were still in the middle of their move, but let me play some gear and I ended up getting a pedal as well (for a deal too!). Overall very happy, will definitely return again. The new location is quite nice with lots of room. read more

When I scored an old early 60's Gibson acoustic from a local guy off Craigslist for $25 that was on the verge of becoming firewood, I knew exactly who to take it to... Ben does amazing setup work in Chicago for a great price. He took my early 60's Gibson LGO that was literally breaking apart at the seams and now it plays like it came out of the factory yesterday. Like butter up and down the neck. And it has that great old-school acoustic tone, too. This thing was literally almost tossed into a garbage can, and now it's my main acoustic. Awesome work, guys. Keep it up. read more

It really doesn't get a whole lot better for guitar junkies, especially jazzers who want a decent selection of archtops and hollowbodies to choose from. Unlike other guitar boutiques where the salesmen have minimal knowledge of the equipment they're selling, these guys seem to have some hefty guitar knowledge. The luthier, in particular, was extremely helpful, offering to change the strings and do a basic setup on a jazz box that caught my interest. It was an artful move on his part because I ended up buying it four days later! Additionally, it's nice to walk into a laid back shop frequented primarily by guitar aficionados, instead of having to listen to six teenagers struggle through Little Wing (and for some reason playing it so loud that everyone in the shop can hear their myriad mistakes). If you want a chill, vintage, and mature atmosphere to peruse guitars then check this place out; if, on the other hand, you want an impersonal and stressful overall experience, then check out one of those Guitar Wal-Marts I keep hearing about. read more

I was in the market for a new acoustic. I went in to check out the Guilds and Taylors they had, because I had been doing a bunch of research and thought I knew what I wanted. After trying most of the guitars in the place, someone came over to ask if I needed help. I started asking a few questions and the guy said, "let me show you my favorite guitars we have." I'm thinking, well, I'm going to be unsold and this is totally going to be way out of my price range. He turned me onto a brand I'd never heard of for a few hundred dollars less than I was prepared to spend. He was right! The Art and Lurtherie he showed me was amazing. I thought about it a couple days, went back, took great care of me, restrung it and set it up exactly as I like it while I waited. Great experience and would highly recommend! read more

Eating lunch in Lincoln Square I'd wander over with a friend (Hey Jeremy!) to check out the goods: perhaps a Gibson archtop from the 1930s or even one of those Moog synth guitars literally from the future! Its always a fun experience to look if you're knowledgeable about guitars. The price is high for such gems and you should know what you're doing but if you do then it could be worth it. They also have random effects pedals, a few keyboards, basses and what not. Its fun to pop in and see whats new since the stock changes all the time. A little known secret is that they also carry overstocks and "NOS" - new old stock guitars on some low profile brands. I walked in one day expecting to ogle that Moog synth again and lo and behold they had a G & L Legacy (Strat) for an incredible price (20% cheaper than internet) in new condition. I came back the next day and bought it on the spot. They told me that in the next 30 days from purchase if I needed the action tweaked to bring it right in and it would be done for free. It didn't need tweaking but I'm glad they stand behind the service. I felt very confident with my purchase (alas not always the case with music stores.) read more

I really can't say enough good things about Rock N Roll Vintage. They just are the nicest, most helpful music store in Chicago. I can say this, because I've actually been to ALL of them. If you have a question, they can help. If you have a problem, they can fix it. If you want a piece of vintage gear, but don't want to pay a arm and a leg, go here. Seriously, I don't work for them, I promise. read more

Boutique selection without the boutique attitude. Awesome selection of vintage pedals & new pedals. I just picked up a Strymon Deco the other day - it nails the vintage studio tape deck sounds. Nice selections of new & used amps too. Rock N Roll Vintage is a great store that only carries higher end gear. The staff are friendly, knowledgeable, and low-pressure. Chicago Music Exchange is about mile away (also recommended) but I will note that Rock N Roll Vintage's inventory is VERY different, its quite amazing that they've got this complimentary thing going on - just great store to visit. read more

Poor Customer Service here! Cannot recommend.......the manager is not very friendly OR knowledgeable.

Went here to browse and to see if I could find a gift for my nephew, who does play guitar. Found a pedal with two options on it - looked like something he'd enjoy, so I bought it. The staff here was polite and helpful, but they actually didn't sell me enough or give me enough information. I told them I was totally ignorant about guitar equipment and wanted their assistance. After I bought the pedal, I got to thinking that it would also require a cord to connect it to the guitar to the pedal - I ended up buying that at another guitar store that was closer to me. The item also could use a converter to plug into an outlet - I'm still trying to find one of those as the instructions that came with the pedal were minimal. The store was nicely kept and did seem to have a few interesting guitars in it. read more

This place is so great. Helpful, knowledgeable staff, and tons of great new and used equipment. Large selection of pedals, guitars and amps. Of course it's also fully stocked with strings and accessories and what have you. The shop itself is also really nice, neat, and well organized. So far this is the best guitar shop I've found in the area. read more

Rock n Roll vintage is the best guitar store in Chicago. They have the best pedal selection and have boutique stuff that you can't find anywhere else. I love Chicago Music Exchange but Rock n Roll vintage is more intimate, has a great (always changing) selection of used/vintage gear and has a SYNTH ROOM! The staff is super nice, easy to talk to and very knowledgeable about everything. They gave me a discount on strings because I lived in the area. Go support them! The new location is really cool too. read more

Heith and company run a great guitar shop. Have purchased a few instruments from RnR over the years (including, most recently, a very cool 1974 Les Paul Custom at a great price), and every time it's been a pleasure to go to the store, look around, and settle on an instrument at a price that's reasonable. All the salespeople are quite helpful, and it's hard to find a more enjoyable store to walk around. Their in-house repair man Ben is also top-notch, he rehabbed a nearly-trashed Guild 12 string I picked up, and for a reasonable amount of cash. All in all, I couldn't recommend RnR more highly as a go-to instrument shop in Chicago. read more

I've purchased 2 guitar pedals here in the last couple weeks. Andrew (I think?) was immensely helpful each occasion I have been in; I didn't know exactly what I was looking for, and he helped out in getting me set up with a couple awesome pedals. Both guitars I used to demo the pedals were perfectly set up. He's also been able to get me a great price on brand new items (lower out-the-door price than anywhere on the internet!). Overall, the selection leans heavily toward higher-end items ($$$), but prices are better than can be expected. I wish they were open later in the evening, but that's really the only negative thing I can say about this store. read more

I love going to Rock N Roll Vintage and checking out the cool vintage equipment they have sitting around. Their stock tends to rotate in and out very quickly so there's always something new to check out. The staff and owner are all extremely knowledgeable about everything, helpful, and friendly. Plus it's nice to go to a vintage music store that actually keeps the guitars in tune and the amps in mint condition, instead of missing strings/mismatched tubes. Usually the guitars are slightly out of my price range as they are highly collectible, however, they do stock new and vintage pedals, and are more than happy to let you try them out through their amps, so that was very helpful when I needed an overdrive pedal. 4 thumbs up! read more

Great place with very well priced quality gear! Nice people that are very informed and willing to help. read more

Rock N Roll Vintage - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Place not only had the exact rare hand-wound pickups in stock, in a strat, but was kind enough to let me come test them out, to make sure they are what I want. AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME! read more

Such a great guitar shop. Staff are knowledgeable and unimposing, wonderful place to browse some rare gear.

This place is great. Nice inventory of new and vintage guitars, amps, effects pedals, etc. I came in and picked up a strymon blue sky pedal, they happily let me try it out for a while in one of the private rooms (probably where they give lessons as well?). The guy helping me out was friendly and tipped me off to a set of strings I haven't tried before, said they have lasted him considerably longer than other strings. Which, is obviously not a way for him to get me back sooner to buy more, but is indeed a way to get a customer for life. I'm still rocking the same set and he was absolutely right that they kept their tone longer than the typical d'addario strings I use (or used to use). Found out just before I left he is the owner operator of the store. I definitely recommend this place. Musicians need to support local music stores to keep them around! They hooked me up on my purchase to the point where I really didn't spend much more than if I had ordered on Amazon. And I walked away with what I needed right then. read more

Bought a longtime dream guitar at a great price from a terrific neighborhood place, and I will continue to go back. This place and the people here are second to none! Thanks again for making dreams come true. read more

I love this store! They have an incredible boutique pedal selection as well as killer amps and guitar options. I have found them to be very fair and open to trades and bargains. This is a real players store. Rich who works there is very nice and helpful and a bad ass musician. I told him I was looking for a new guitar rig and he set me up big time! They had great heads and custom cabinets and he basically built my rig for me. I appreciate the professionalism and knowledge and it seems they have a good community spirit and generally want to help their customers get what they need. They have stuff in stock that you cannot find in most retail stores. After a long search I have found my home in Chicago for music gear! They have always beat any price on the internet. Nuff Said! read more

I got my acoustic guitar set up there the other day. The guys behind the counter were friendly and quick to help me out the minute I walked into the door. When I came to pick up the repaired guitar a couple days later they informed me that I can call back if I have any problems with the repair. I thought that was great customer service and another bonus was the set up was only $40. I will return to Rock N Roll Vintage for another set up for sure. Maybe some day I even purchase one of their beautiful vintage guitars. Definitely a place to check out if you love guitars. read more

Recently picked up a Teese RMC4 Picture Wah from Rock N Roll Vintage. Buying online from them is very easy. I also called in with a few questions and their customer service is excellent! I live in North NJ and had the pedal at my door in 2 days. I'm very pleased with their overall service and they have an excellent selection of instruments/pedals. I highly recommend Rock N Roll Vintage and will definitely buy from them again. read more

Being ripped off while selling gear here will never be forgotten. Shameful business practice of taking advantage of musicians when they are down on their luck. Be Careful that this does not happen to you with this store. read more

t's the first time that I went there for a quick set up on my Fender Telecaster. Honestly, I don't recognize my guitar, the guy did such an Amazing job. Not only he set it up perfectly but also did a Lev, Fret Crowning. The result is unbelievable. And all of that for only $80 and only 2 days at the shop. Magnifique! great job guys I'll make sure to pass the info around! Bravo read more

My comment has nothing to do with music but, instead, with humanity. The guys working at Rock N Roll Vintage Guitars last night proved people in the world still give a damn. They threw themselves into the middle of a scary altercation involving my dogs and two other dogs that was happening right outside their store and, in the process, became my local heroes. My gratitude reaches beyond words for you guys. I am so, so sorry to everyone involved. To say it was traumatic would be a blistering understatement but you all stepped up, helped get Charlie off of the little guy, watched my goofball, Brando, and kept checking on Charlie and I down the way in 4Legs. Thank you sounds too generic for how much I appreciate all of your help but it's the best I can do at this point. So, thank you so much! read more

Yes, you will find super awesome old guitars and amps here. Yeah, the ancient acoustic guitars here are all gnarly and raw and sound absolutely killer. Sure, you'll find a whole pile of intense effects pedals (many of which were totally new to me). And of course, the prices are incredibly high. read more

While this shop is a hidden gem with great finds, twice I saw something I wanted on their website and then drove and hour to the store only to find out the stuff wasn't in stock. They really need to keep their website updated properly. read more