Best Places to Shop/Drool in Cincinnati

jfspencer · #1 09-28-2010, 01:44 PM

Hey There,

I am heading to the Cincinnati (actually Wilder, KY) area this weekend for a wedding (not mine). I will have a lot of time to kill on Saturday, so can anybody recommend a few shops to while away the hours? I like the vintage stuff, friendly sales people, and good prices (don't we all?).

From the forums so far, I have found Mike's Music (http://www.mikesmusicohio.com/) and Midwest Music and Audio (though I cannot seem to track down a website or address).

P.S. Thanks to everybody who responded to my call for help in the Chicago area last weekend in this thread: Best Places to Shop/Drool in Chicago

cbass1 · #2 09-28-2010, 01:51 PM

midwest music is cool, just north of cinci (10 miles) off 75 east about 5 miles. Geez I know those are bad directions. Have not been there in 10 years since I moved to Texas, but always had a great selection.

DanNowhere · #3 09-28-2010, 04:20 PM

There are two Guitar Centers within driving distance. The closer one is in Florence, just about 10 minutes from Wilder. I'm not that impressed with it, though. It gets raped and pillaged regularly by the local high schoolers. The other GC is about 40 minutes north in Fairfield, and is in the same strip mall complex as a Sam Ash. Selection is pretty much what you'd expect at either place. The edge goes to Sam Ash.

In the 90s, Midwest Music was my favorite place in town, then it went south, almost closed, and recently reopened in a new location. I haven't been to the new place yet. The owner is a good guy, very helpful.

Mike's Music is fun to window shop, but I think his prices are a little high on most of his stuff. I think he still has a place in the Main Strasse Village in Covington, KY.

A friend of mine runs The Music House in Erlanger, KY, but their inventory is down to next to nothing since the economy tanked. He survives mostly on giving lessons, so not much to see there anymore.

Our local music stores aren't what they used to be.

sonic assassin · #4 09-28-2010, 10:01 PM

both mikes music locations are fun to poke around in. never had the thought of buying any of it.

florence and cincinnati guitar center are both tolerable. the sam ash is around the corner from the new GC location, so you almost have to hit both.

there are various willis music locations, but they all suck noodles.

theres some tiny place over in harrison if you happen to be northwest of the city.

midwest music is one of my favorite places on earth. rusty is my go to for.. well.. everything. very cool guy. even to just sit and BS with. his shop is hit or miss depending on the day. one day.. budda superdrive. the next, 10 knock off stratocasters. its a small place and entirely secondhand, so theres no telling whats in there. i walked in one day to get a neck adjusted and walked out with a hollowbody. good timing. his old shop was a little better, before his business partner split and he was bankrupted, and the lease was up on the awful building he was in. hes not doing any more free work, but he's always fair.

midwest might be hard to find, as he likely doesnt have a website and hes recently moved. google map "Rusty's Midwest Music, Norwood, Ohio" and you will get the proper address. park in the open lot across the street.

jfspencer · #5 10-04-2010, 07:21 AM

Thanks for the help, everyone. I went to Rusty's Midwest Music, but there was a sign on the door saying he was out on a service call. I then toured the two Mike's Music locations, and those were two of the coolest shops I have ever seen. The one in Cincinnati was like a fun house with guitars instead of wallpaper and amps instead of carpet. The one in Covington seemed like an abandoned auditorium, and the lights were off. Creepy, but kinda fun. Didn't end up buying anything, but the hunt was a blast. Cincinnati, you have some neat shops.

Now on to Kansas City....