AUTHORIZED REPAIR FOR: Ampeg
NOTES - This is NOT a music store, just a repair shop for amplifiers. BUT - this is THE BEST PLACE to take amplifiers for repair in the Milwaukee area! I found him when I called Ampeg to have some work done on my SVT head. He has been doing ALL my amp repairs ever since - HIGHLY recommended! There is no storefront, he works out of his basement. Call him if you have a question or need amp repair.

DEALER FOR: Modulus, Fender, Yamaha, Ampeg, SWR, Mesa-Boogie, etc...
Web Site = http://www.interstatemusic.com
eBay Auctions = CLICK HERE!
NOTES - This store is HUGE - many, many things to check out here. And their remodeling makes it a nice atmosphere to be in as well. They have separate rooms for keyboards, guitars and basses, acoustics, PA/DJ, a recording studio and probably some rooms I don't even know about. They were my number one stop in Wisconsin for gear up until December 2004 when I bought my recording studio gear through them and got less than stellar service. Promises that weren't even close to being kept coupled with a general attitude of indifference from salespeople and managers in the recording department soured me on the place for sure. I did finally go high enough up the chain to get to a couple people who did everything possible to make up for what happened, but that experience made me look to Music Center again as my main store for new purchases (see below)...

DEALER FOR: Lakland, Fender, Gretsch, Gibson, etc...
eBay Auctions = CLICK HERE!
NOTES - This was the old CROWN Music store before moving to their new Brookfield location in December 2007. I always liked shopping here when i lived in the Milwaukee area. Haven't seen the new store yet, but in a recent e-mail from Joe he told me this: "our new store has a ton of things the one did not - over 500 guitars and basses on display ( over 800 in stock total ) - largest selection of vintage gear in SE Wisconsin - Ron Jones, Master Luthier on staff - Largest Gretsch dealer in US – separate “ Gretschworld” showroom of new, used and vintage Gretsch - Full line Gibson dealer - Fender Custom Shop dealer - Lakland basses now in stock"... I gotta get there soon!

DEALER FOR: Fender, Martin, Fodera, Music Man, etc...
Web Site = www.davesguitar.com
NOTES - Well, I made the trek to LaCrosse in 2005 to check out the new improved Dave's Guitar. The place is HUGE! Tons of vintage gear to look at upstairs that ISN'T for sale. Walls & walls of guitars. Their bass section is kinda generic. And the service we received was really not very good. I checked gear out for hours, had several questions about certain basses, but was really surprised at the way we were treated. Felt like any question asked was a HUGE inconvenience and so we left without buying anything. I won't go out of my way to go back any time soon.

OTHER DAVE'S GUITAR LOCATIONS:
1801 Sherman St., Wausau, WI 54401 (715)849-4800

DEALER FOR: Fender, Peavey, Danelectro, Music Man, Schecter, Gretch, Ibanez, etc...
Web Site = www.goodmusic.com
NOTES - This is probably my favorite store in Madison, I'll stop here any chance I get when I'm in town. Nice selection and sometimes they have some interesting used stuff...

DEALER FOR: Ampeg, Gibson, Fender, Ibanez, Gallien-Krueger, SWR, Warwick, MANY others...
Web Site = www.guitarcenter.com
NOTES - Huge, clean store with a lot of stuff to check out. We got decent service, too! It'll become a regular stop for me when I get to Milwaukee to check out gear!

DEALER FOR: Unknown
Web Site = www.guitarexchangelacrosse.com
NOTES - Haven't been here yet, this store was brought to my attention through an e-mail...

DEALER FOR: G&L, Alvarez, etc...
Web Site = www.guitarshopofwisconsin.com
NOTES - I have heard a lot about this store, never been here myself yet. Through an e-mail Greg did give me this information: "We have been here since 1996, located on Madisons East side, in a historical general store built in1902. We are G&L and Alvarez dealers, but 90% of our inventory is used and vintage! We stock at least 150 guitars and 30 basses, and at least as many used amps! We also are Madisons repair shop, with on site techs, and luthere' featuring "Sid Williams". with over 35 years of repair service here in Madison. Fast, Friendly, and knowledgable!"... Another store I gotta get to ASAP!

DEALER FOR: Fender, Martin, Peavey, Ibanez, Ashdown, etc...
Web Site = www.henris-music.com
NOTES - I have had nothing but problems with the Oshkosh Henri's - poor service and atmosphere, but I've heard that Henri's has changed how the store is run to alleviate some of the issues they were having. Haven't been there since that happened, though, so I still recommend heading to Appleton if you want to go to Henri's. It's worth the extra drive as the Appleton store is bigger, nicer and has better salespeople. Henri's has a kinda generic bass selection, but the salespeople in the Appleton store are usually pretty willing to help and friendly, too!

OTHER HENRI'S MUSIC LOCATIONS:
1173 S. Washburn, Oshkosh, WI 54904 (920)233-1173, 1-800-838-1538
500 S. Military, Green Bay, WI 54303 (920)496-3710

DEALER FOR: Eden, SWR, Modulus, Fender, Trace-Elliot, etc...
Web Site = www.jimlaabs.com
NOTES - Biggest store I've seen in central Wisconsin. Road Trip bought a majority of their PA equipment there when we owned our own gear, and it was the store of choice for the people in the band that live in Oshkosh for a long time. Good people to deal with, fair with trade-ins, knowledgeable about the equipment they sell.

DEALER FOR: Fender, Hartke, etc...
NOTES - Apparently Mike sold the store to someone else recently. It's still called Mike's Music, though. A recent trip lead me to believe that I'll never return as the selection and pricing are terrible - they wouldn't come off their list price on strings, hardly any gear worth note to check out, etc... Looks like Jeff from the old Mainstream Music store in Oshkosh works here now, if you gotta go here at least make sure you deal with him!

DEALER FOR: Eden, Fender, SWR, Warwick, Yamaha, Modulus, etc..
Web Site = www.musiccenterinc.com
NOTES - A big, impressive store. They have a lot of things in stock I haven't seen at any other stores in Wisconsin. Good place to check out a bunch of high end gear all at once. Well, I finally rediscovered Music Center in June 2006 and it's STILL an awesome place to go! I had lost touch once I moved from Milwaukee to Waupun (2 hours away). They had been my #1 store to deal with for a long time before the move and now I remember why - GREAT selection, GREAT prices and they treat customers well, too. A winning combination in my book!

DEALER FOR: Cort, Conklin, G&L, etc...
Web Site = www.musicgoround.com
NOTES - Another chain store, Music-Go-Round also specializes in used instruments. They have some lines of new gear that aren't available in many other Wisconsin stores and you can find a cool used piece here now & then as well... I'm most familiar with the Greenfield store, but there are three other locations in Wisconsin as well:

OTHER MUSIC-GO-ROUND LOCATIONS:
849 N. Casaloma Dr., Appleton, WI 54915 (920)749-8888
696 S. Whitney Way, Madison WI, 53711 (608)271-3939

DEALER FOR: Danelectro, Mostly used & vintage gear...
Web Site = www.rockhaus.com
eBay Auctions: CLICK HERE!
NOTES - I haven't dealt with this store very much, but they seem to have some cool used gear at times. Rusty does the guitar set up and was recommended to me - I have used him for a couple small jobs without any problems. They do a lot of stuff on eBay, check out the link above to see their current auctions...

DEALER FOR: G&L, Fender, Ashdown, Marshall, Yamaha, etc...
NOTES - OK, frequent visitors to this page (if there is such a thing) probably know from July 2001 - July 2005 I refused to shop here because of terrible service received and the fact that they smoke inside the store (I'm a non-smoker). Well, the last two Road Trip drummers have shopped here for years and love the place. The owner saw that I had a bad review up and asked me to contact him personally, which I did. Since then he's gone OUT OF HIS WAY to earn my business, which they certainly have started to do. Maybe I just needed to get to the right person, I dunno - but if you're gonna shop here deal with Jeff in the drum department - he's been VERY good to deal with and I'm starting to use UB's as one of my main stores to buy from. Now if they'd just stop smoking in there they'd REALLY have something! :)

DEALER FOR: Rickenbacker, Alvarez, Martin, etc...
NOTES - Did someone say vintage? This is your best bet for finding a cool old bass or guitar in Milwaukee. In the past I have had some TERRIBLE service here, but it was very good the last time I stopped in. Best bet is to deal directly with Wade...

DEALER FOR: Fender, Gibson, Paul Reed Smith, Ibanez, Peavey, Ampeg, Marshall, Eden, etc...
Web Site = www.ward-brodt.com
NOTES - I'm listing Ward-Brodt here even though they're NOT one of my favorite stores. Since they're on the poll I thought I'd add an info blurb here for them, but I've never liked this store much. It's big and they seem to stock a lot of gear I have very little interest in. I'll stop every now and then when I'm in Madison, but I won't go out of my way to shop here.

DEALER FOR: Martin, Gibson, Fender, Ibanez, Marshall, Peavey, etc...
Web Site = www.whitehouseofmusic.com
NOTES - I've NEVER been here, but I've had enough people e-mail me about adding this store to the list that I thought I might as well!

OTHER WHITE HOUSE LOCATIONS:
1668 S. Church St., Watertown, WI (920)261-0700
3218 W. Washington, West Bend WI (262)334-4426