Village Music

For a couple years I've been searching for a nice acoustic guitar that fits my style of playing. This search has included a lot of online research, trips to big box music stores (locally and abroad), as well as many conversations with other guitarists. There are a few big box stores around town, and my biggest issue with them has to do with the staff...specifically the turnover rate. I find it difficult to do business with a kid who wasn't born when I started playing guitar, has very little knowledge about the products they're selling (other than what some corporate kool-aid bartender has been serving them), only to go back a few months later to find they no longer work there, and some new 20 year old is in training. That, and as a small business owner, I would always much rather deal with other small business owners. So this lead me to Village Music. It was so refreshing to walk into the store, a small store adorned with gorgeous Gibson and Epiphone guitars, and be greeted by the owner, Dale. Dale is very knowledgeable, and very patient in answering questions, with years of wisdom and experience backing his answers to these questions. During my quest to find the perfect Gibson for me, I received more education from him about how they are made, why certain guitars sound one way or another, and historical facts about them, in one hour of discussion than I've found online. Best part, is I could have this conversation peacefully without some group of 14 year olds walking in unchaperoned, grabbing a guitar that they can't afford, plugging it into an amp and cranking it up to show off how well they can play the first couple measures of some Metallica song. Whether you are looking for a Gibson or Epiphone in the greater Cleveland area, or anywhere in the state of Ohio, it would be well worth your time to come visit Dale. He even took the time to put new strings on it that were more to my liking than the factory set. Buying a Gibson just wouldn't feel right online, or the Walmart equivalent of a music store. I'm the proud new owner of my second Gibson guitar, and I want to give a big thanks to Village Music for being a part of making that happen.