Dusty Strings Music Shop**** - Recommended
Dusty Strings, a truly grassroots Seattle entity, is a major fixture in the folk music scene. In addition to great instruments ranging from entry level to very high-end, a friendly and knowledgeable sales staff, an in-store luthier, an in-store school with private lessons and workshops, and a separate facility where they actually build many of their own instruments, Dusty Strings has a stage where they host concerts throughout the year. They also have a teacher directory for any kind of music lessons they don’t personally offer in their own school. Of course, I am biased, because I teach there part-time myself, but I think Dusty Strings is one of the greatest institutions in Seattle. My only critique would be that their instruments can sometimes be priced a little higher than what you might find if you hunted around for a bargain. However, you definitely get what you pay for - and part of what you are paying for is the highly trained staff. Dusty Strings is the only music store I know of where you actually have to pass an extensive test on your knowledge of musical instruments before they will allow you to work there. So any questions you have as a customer will be fully answered, and you are sure to walk out of there with a quality instrument that is well-suited to your needs. I recommend all first time guitar buyers to go to Dusty Strings, as I am confident they will always be well-cared for.
http://www.dustystrings.com/
3406 Fremont Ave N., Seattle, WA, 98103
(206) 634-1662
October 28th, 2008 at 2:00 pm
This is a wonderful shop, and a Seattle treasure. I’m lucky enough to work a few blocks away, but have exercised remarkable self-control in not visiting every day! They have a great selection of instruments of all sorts, both new and, to a lesser extent, used, and the staff are very helpful and friendly. They also have a terrific selection of CDs, books, supplies. A few weeks ago I had heard a song on the radio that that I liked, and to get some info on the artist (who I didn’t know) I took a quick look on Amazon, which had listed it as being out of print. I went to Dusty Strings, and there was a copy of the CD right there on the shelf. I’ve also taken many seminars there, all but one of which have been great, have taken some lessons, had a setup done on a guitar by a very competent luthier (John), and have attended some concerts there too. I also bought an acoustic guitar there, which I love, and may well buy other instruments there in the not-too-distant future. It’s a great place to visit over and over again, and one of my favorite in the City.