Chicago Music Shops

RG · #1 06-09-2007, 05:39 PM

In a couple of weeks my wife ,child and I are going to be in Chicago to see some sights ( museums etc.) We will be staying across from Grant Park on Michigan Ave. I just wondered if there are any nice music shops near by? Just wanted to see what the big cities had to offer.

LifeIsBass · #2 06-09-2007, 05:55 PM

It's a little bit of a drive from where you're staying but you may want to check out Bass Club Chicago. I haven't been there (due to the weird hours) but have always wanted to. Lots of high end bass gear there.

Check it out at www.bassclubchicago.com Be sure to take note of the odd hours.

Other than that, there's several Guitar Centers in the area. I don't know if I'd call them "nice", though.

I would imagine there's some other spots in the area so someone else chime in!

dotlikeimpact · #3 06-09-2007, 06:55 PM

Chicago Music Exchange for everything vintage. amazing shop.
Make'n Music for boutique (though relatively little bass stuff compared to guitar)...

RAM · #4 06-09-2007, 07:12 PM

You might be able to set up an appointment with Luthiers Access Group to check out their amazing stuff, too. It's a bit of a drive, and your wife and kid will be bored, but you'll experience GAS like never before.

RG · #5 06-10-2007, 08:44 AM

Thanks for the input fellow TBers. I'll have to see how much time I've got once I'm up there but those are all good ideas. Even a GC or something like it,with a good bass department would be nice. There are somewhat common brands of basses that I read about and never get to check out.

GregC · #6 06-10-2007, 12:19 PM

Bass Club is a must. It's definitely a drive from downtown, but absolutely worth it. Very, very cool stuff. And if you drive north up Cicero from Bass Club, there's a Sam Ash at 7780 S. and a GC at 7250 S..

If you're really restricted, the closest place (other than Maken Music, which I haven't been to) is a GC on the North Side at 2633 N. Halsted. From there, it's not too far to Chicago Music Exchange (3316 N. Lincoln)--beautiful vintage instruments at obscenely high prices, but they're fun to look at.

basspraiser · #7 06-10-2007, 12:38 PM

You should call/e-mail Dan Lakin and see if he will take you on a tour of Lakland.....not fancy but you can meet some great Luthiers and/or techs and get some great advice on the side....you can also try out the new "shy-soniks" (phonics spellling) (really Chi-sonics)....

davec · #8 06-10-2007, 12:53 PM

all great ideas, I'm fond of THE MUSIC STORE on Irving park, and Andy's on Belmont. If your also into 6 six string alt tunning piccilo basses (also know as guitars) midwest buy in sell on Irving can be fun

RAM · #9 06-10-2007, 02:37 PM

The downside of Make'n Music is their selection of basses...last time I was there, they had a few nice MTDs and a few Modulus, and a few Fenders. They really don't do a lot of bass business.

Eilif · #10 06-11-2007, 02:52 PM

If I may offer my humble opinions of the places listed

-MUST SEE

Chicago Music Exchange: The largest collection of vintage basses you're likely to see in the midwest in a really cool environment.

The Bass Club: If you can make the drive out it really is the place to find great basses, especially boutique stuff.

Lakland Factory: Really nice folks you can try out all the Laklands you ever dreamed of.

-Good General Music stores

Guitar Center: The Halstead location is pretty good, the Berwyn location has alot of great used stuff that isn't terribly common, but their prices are often pretty high (they pay to much and end up holding if forever)

Music Store: I like this place because it's constantly changing stock often has some neat oddities

Midwest Buy and Sell. Lots of used Goodness.

-Nice, but not particularly bass focused.

Makin' Music. Great boutique guitar selection. Poor bass selection

Andy's: Lot's of great "World" instruments Not a ton of basses, but some really neat old stock warwicks and custom stuff.

RG · #11 06-12-2007, 08:58 PM

Great, lots of great ideas!
Thanks

jonnychicago · #12 02-05-2008, 05:28 PM

Just was doing a search and thought I'd bump this thread. I recently moved to Chicago and can also recommend the Music Store on Irving Park. Nice guys at least. They are setting up a bass for me now - anyone have experience with their tech work on basses?

Other than that, can anyone recommend anyone in Chicago for setting up a bass?

Thanks!

#13 02-05-2008, 05:40 PM

If you can make the drive south to Worth, IL, Jerry from Players Guitar is a good bass tech (i.e. not another guitar mctech at your local instrument mill) who charges ridiculously low prices for most work that I know of. He only charged me $40 to route a jack onto the side of my old SX J bass and replace the old jack with a kill switch. I forget what he quoted me on epoxying a fretless neck, but it was well south of $200.

jollygiantchris · #14 02-05-2008, 06:52 PM

Best place in Chicago is probably the damn place with the columns.
http://www.chicagomusicexchange.com/

I've never had any tech work done anywhere but Minstrel Music in Niles. He does good work but hes incredibly slow because hes backlogged.
http://0043a7d.netsolhost.com/mmlnews.html

You could also try Midwest Buy N Sell farther down Irving which is a far better store for buying basses usually just with less brand selection then when I've been in The Music Store they had only a couple basses that were all over the place brand wise.
http://www.mwbuynsell.net/index.html

I have never personally been there but I find it hard to believe that a place called Bass Club Chicago doesn't have a good bass tech =x I've heard its a really nice store.
http://www.bassclubchicago.com/06/main.html

jonnychicago · #15 02-05-2008, 07:06 PM

Yeah Minstrel Music! That place has a great vibe, on Milwaukee avenue.

I'll update with how Music Store goes on setting up the bass. Other than that kind of work, I doubt I'd go there for anything else. The guy there said the owner tends to buy things from friends on consignment at over-inflated prices (such as a used GK 400rb + rack case + 1x15 that is sitting there for $895!!!), so that may be why you saw the same thing I did - which meant I'll stick elsewhere for being instruments/amps. That said, I do know all their strings are 50% off at the moment.

jollygiantchris · #16 02-05-2008, 09:30 PM

Yeah I only went to The Music Store once awhile ago and they had like a Warwick 3 Laklands 2 MTDs and 2 other basses and then the entire store was acoustic guitars. Although to be honest to this day I regret not buying that Czech MTD Grendel 4 for $450 there

Minstrel is a nice place, I took lessons there for a year and a couple months good teachers and all the staff is friendly. The owner is a nice guy too.

Barkless Dog · #17 02-06-2008, 05:53 AM

Quote:

He is a year old now and starting to show his "male tendencies" but I have about had it. If this is going to continue, he is going to take a nice trip to the vet and get "snipped"

Cool to look, but crack head prices. Also have heard some unsavory things about them.

jonnychicago · #18 02-06-2008, 08:34 PM

Alright, got my bass back from "The Music Store" - it plays like a dream! Brian, the guitar tech, did incredible work - it feels so awesome now, nothing I've ever felt. Highly recommended - I'm taking a jazz bass there next week!

jollygiantchris · #19 02-07-2008, 12:21 AM

Good heh, I'll have to remember that, like I said before Minstrel Music is good too but their tech is backlogged to hell so next time I need something done I'll go there.

Swimming Bird · #20 03-18-2008, 01:35 PM

Sorry to resurrect a dead thread, but would you all make the same shop recommendations for effects? Any other places I should check out in Chi-town?