Best Places to Shop/Drool in Chicago

jfspencer · #1 09-21-2010, 12:23 PM

Hey Everybody,

Some friends and I are travelling from St. Louis to Chicago this weekend. Does anybody have any recommendations for places to shop for bass stuff? I'm not really looking for anything in particular, just looking. I like the vintage stuff, mostly. Who has the best selection? Who has the best prices?

I have heard of Chicago Music Exchange and Make 'n Music, but are there some other good ones? I will be in the Mag Mile area and travelling by rail.

Oh, and Lakland's based there, right? Do they have tours?

Thanks a ton,
Jonathan

Spraeg · #2 09-21-2010, 04:55 PM

There's been a few other threads about places to go in Chicago, a quick search should turn up 3 or 4 of them with alot of good venue & shopping suggestions. That being said, CME is probably my favorite place to go (and has a decent amount of vintage stuff), with Music Garage being a close second, due to their selection of effects. Bass Club Chicago has a good boutique selection, but I've never been particularly impressed by their staff, although I seem to be in the minority on that count. Andy's Music has some cool oddities, but as far as bass stuff goes, I've found them kind of lacking.

LaklandBass · #3 09-21-2010, 05:03 PM

Bass Club Chicago for sure. Very impressive boutique selection and awesome service.
Chicago Music Exchange for vintage selection as well.

jollygiantchris · #4 09-21-2010, 06:31 PM

CME has the best vintage and IMHO the best service. Make N Music has a great high end selection and a really good effects selection. Midwest Buy N Sell on Irving/Austin is totally random but can have some great deals and used to have a decent bass selection (haven't been there in awhile). If you go there go in the antique shop next door theres this hilarious 80 y/o polish guy that makes custom tube amps thats cool. (Kafel I think his name is)

Gecko 5 · #5 09-21-2010, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LaklandBass

Bass Club Chicago for sure. Very impressive boutique selection and awesome service.
Chicago Music Exchange for vintage selection as well.

Thats the place. Mark is a cool dude

jfspencer · #6 09-22-2010, 04:10 PM

Thanks, everybody. You guys are great. Somebody also recommended Midwest Buy & Sell, a pawn shop a bit west of town. Does anybody have experience there?

The EH Man · #7 09-23-2010, 10:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jfspencer

Thanks, everybody. You guys are great. Somebody also recommended Midwest Buy & Sell, a pawn shop a bit west of town. Does anybody have experience there?

Went there a couple of months ago. They had a very motley collection of instruments, which I prefer to the standard Fender/Gibson/Ibanez set.

Recommended!!

jfspencer · #8 09-28-2010, 01:12 PM

Thanks, everybody. I ended up with a cramped schedule and only made it to Music Exchange and Guitar Center (everything else was closed). CME was great. They really were cool with letting people play anything. It got kind of annoying with the kids in the listening room next to me cranking up the theremin, but their inventory made up for it.