Music store
A music store or musical instrument store is a retail business that sells musical instruments and related equipment. [1] In United States and Canada, most music stores sell musical instruments as well as the sound reinforcement system and PA system gear used in live concert performances and the sound recording equipment used to record music, such as microphones and digital recorders.
Products
In the 2010s, general music stores typically carry a range of instruments used in popular music and traditional music such as the electric guitar, acoustic guitar, electric bass, guitar strings, instrument amplifiers (guitar amplifier, bass amplifier and keyboard amplifier), electronic effects (e.g., distortion pedals), electronic keyboards (including digital pianos, stage pianos, clonewheel organs and synthesizers), drum kit components, which include drums, cymbals, drum and cymbal stands and drum accessories (drum sticks, drum heads, etc.) and percussion instruments (e.g., tambourine, shakers, etc.). Some stores carry other types of stringed instruments, such as mandolins and ukuleles.
General music stores also typically carry sound reinforcement system gear such as microphones, small-to mid-sized mixing consoles designed for live sound, speaker enclosures, PA systems, power amplifiers and mic stands and sound recording equipment such as studio microphones, recording-oriented mixing consoles, digital recording systems, digital audio workstations and digital audio software (e.g., softsynths, virtual instruments, ProTools, etc.).
General music stores often carry a range of music accessories used during rehearsals and performances, such as metronomes, electronic tuners, music stands, stand lights and conducting batons.
General music stores may also sell brass instruments (e.g., trombone, trumpet, etc.), woodwind instruments (flute, clarinet, etc.) and instruments from the violin family (violin, viola, cello and bass), but there is usually a smaller selection of these instruments, as compared with the guitar, bass and drum sections. Some music stores also sell sheet music, including popular music, traditional music and Broadway songs, classical music pieces and instrument methods and studies ("etudes").
Services
Some music stores also provide services to customers for a fee, such as instrument maintenance and repair, amplifier and sound gear repairs, and/or music lessons. Some music stores rent guitars, basses and amplifiers and PA system equipment.
Specialized stores
Larger cities may have a large enough population to support both general music stores and specialized music stores. Music stores in smaller towns tend to be general music stores, because there is not enough of a customer base to support specialized music stores.
Piano
One common specialty store is the piano store, which typically sells a range of upright pianos and grand pianos. In the 2010s, some piano shops also sell grand pianos equipped with a digital player piano mechanism that can play back a recorded performance by activating the hammers.
Violin family
Another specialty shop is the "violin shop", which, despite its name often sells various violin family instruments (violin, viola, cello and often double bass, and the bows used with these instruments). Violin shops are often operated by luthiers (violinmakers) who make violin family instruments and bows for sale. Luthiers also do maintenance and repairs on violin family instruments and bows.
Other single category stores
Specialized music stores that sell only guitars, only basses or only drums are more likely to be found in major cities. Near Orlando, Florida, there is a bass guitar specialty store. [2] Ottawa, the capital city of Canada, has a specialty music store that only sells drums and percussion equipment.[3]
Organ stores
Prior to the widespread availability of electronic clonewheel organs in the 1980s and 1990s that emulate the sound of an electromechanical Hammond organ, many cities had organ stores which sold large electric and electronic theatre organs and spinet organs made by Hammond, Lowrey and other manufacturers. These organs were sold for use in private homes and in churches; electric and electronic organs were popular for churches, because they cost significantly less than a pipe organ.
Used stores
Some music stores sell used, vintage or collectible instruments and sound gear. Even though there has been a major shift towards the use of electronic and digital instruments and sound gear in the 2000s, there is still a strong interest in vintage instruments amongst musicians who play blues, roots rock, Americana and indie rock. Vintage instruments that are sought out include 1950s Hammond organs, Fender Bassman amps and electric guitars, 1970s Fender Rhodes electric pianos and old analog effects, such as 1970s and 1980s stompbox pedals. Stores that mostly sell used equipment may also sell some new merchandise, such as new guitar strings, patch cords and mic cables. Conversely, some stores that mostly sell new equipment may also sell some vintage, used equipment.
Online stores
In the 2000s, some music stores sell their instruments and sound gear through a website that contains digital photos of the equipment, which are grouped into categories (e.g., electric guitars, amplifiers, PA gear). Each photo of a product is accompanied by the name and model number of each item, a description of each product's features and the price. Patrons pay electronically using a credit card, PayPal or other electronic payment systems. The goods are shipped through the mail or by express delivery companies such as FedEx. Some music stores sell their products solely online. In other cases, some stores operate both a "bricks and mortar" store or chain and an online store.
See also
- eBay sells used instruments and sound gear
- Electronics stores may sell some instruments, typically electronic keyboards and electric guitars
- Pawnshops often sell used instruments, amps and sound gear
- Professional audio stores primarily sell sound reinforcement system equipment, but some also rent "backline" instruments such as stage pianos and bass amplifiers