McCabes Guitar Shop

I just purchase my 2nd acoustic guitar at McCabes, such a great experience! I love everything about this place from the great selection of acoustic guitars, the relaxed environment to the incredible staff. Alex was so helpful and patient while I was in the shop, striking the perfect balance between helpful and just letting me do my thing and play some awesome guitars.

I have checked out some of the other guitar shops in town, but McCabes will always be my favorite by FAR. Also, if you buy a guitar there they have such a great warranty so they'll take care of you for years to come. Lastly, live shows are back! They have such a great concert space in the back room for hosting shows. The concerts are all very civilized with comfortable seats and the speakers set at the right volume so you don't need to worry about your ears ringing the next day.

This place is legendary. Such a great shop. Went there twice on my recent visit from NYC to LA.

The child that does guitar setups should take a class in humanity! Rude and and talked down to me and my kid. been going to this shop since 82 and was happy to know covid didnt take down the business BUT this guy should NOT be working with customers - he can set up a guitar not like he found the cure to cancer - you need to be kind man! Or hit the bricks!

It is hard to express how important McCabes has been in my life. I attended concerts there as a child in the 1970s, took my first guitar lessons there in the 80s, purchases some excellent instruments, and learned about music through out my life. I bring my children to concerts there, and this is where I buy heir first stringed instruments. There is a consistency to the quality of the people, the instruments they offer, their repair services, and the community of this place that makes it a great resource and important institution.

I've had my guitars for about 10 years and never really had maintenance done. I decided it was about time and since McCabe's was Taylor authorized, I figured it seemed like a good place as my acoustic is a Taylor. They were FANTASTIC! Everyone I spoke with was so kind and really knew what they were talking about. They also were able to install a pickup on my acoustic, something I've been considering for at least a year.

The store itself is also just a really cool vibe and I couldn't help but wander around for a little bit after dropping off my guitars. The next time I need maintenance done or need to get something music-related I'll definitely be coming back!

Great staff, great selection. Some very cool obscure guitars. Worth a visit. Fair prices. Almost bought a Taylor of a type I didn't even know existed. happy with a T-Shirt, patch cables and those cool guitar picks.

Came in to look around. Wow! Such a cool place and so many great looking guitars. Dylan was super helpful and friendly ( super handsome also).

McCabes is part of Santa Monica. Over the years they've shared expertise with our neighborhood. I've bought guitars, strings, music, repairs, cases, etc. and they always take time to explain my options, no upselling or pressure sells. It just feels good to be there. It's a great place to see a show too, listening to music in a guitar cathedral. There are not many neighborhood places still in business, and McCabes makes that seem sad.

Great guitars, relaxed atmosphere, extremely knowledgeable, helpful and friendly staff make going in a fantastic experience. Never felt pressured or unwelcome. I spent a little time trying out some harder to come by acoustics and found a few that were cool surprises. Can't wait to go back in and pick one up soon!

If words must be prescribed to the feeling of walking into McCabe's, then it is like entering an old film from the 70s. Charming, warm, friendly and inviting, McCabe lets you explore your musical curiosity by taking you through history. The plus side is that they also provide amazing service. I had them install a pickup on my Taylor acoustic and it's been a pleasure to play with it.

Why did I originally give only 4 stars? I have no idea. I'm grateful this family owned shop is surviving the pandemic, as its history and quality of all its services is important on the Westside. Keep on keep in' on, McCabe's

Brought in a 1949 Banjo that had belonged to my father who had just passed away from Covid. Told Doug Whitney the story about how my dad met my mom - he was playing in a bar when it was raided for serving minors. My dad was a minor. He ran out the back door and up a fire escape to the second floor where a dance/mixer was going on. To avoid the police he grabbed the first woman he saw for a dance.

That woman became my mother. My dad used to play Guthrie/Seeger/Dylan songs to myself and my siblings - that is until he lost the tips of two of his fretboard fingers in a lawn mower accident in the 1970's So the banjo was left unused for 45 years. I asked Doug to make it playable again but leave what he could of the patina so it would always remind me of my dad. Doug did exactly that.

And McCabe's charged me a very fair price. I know that's a long story - but the point is that if you have something of value (even if it's only nostalgic) bring it to people that can respect and honor that value and know what they are doing. Thank you Doug. And thank you McCabe's.

I loved my visit to McCabe's. As a newcomer to LA, I got a few recommendations to come here and am so glad I did. I brought my electric guitar to get a setup for $85, and they did a great job making it feel like a new guitar again and fixing this issue I was having with the string popping out of the nut. The wait time for the repair was about a week.

The store also feels like a guitar museum with all the unique guitars hanging up, and the showroom has a great selection of both new and used guitars. Definitely come to McCabe's!

This place used to be the gold standard for all things guitar in Los Angeles. The place has become a disorganized and unfriendly place to do business with. I took a very expensive Ibanez Bass to them for a simple repair over 6 months ago. I went in to ensure they had done it, and it not had it done. They now cant find the Bass and have essentially cost me nearly 800 dollars leaving me no choice but to file a small claims case for the loss. No apology. No offer of compensation. Complete mess. Their Covid protocols are over the top as well and you end up sitting outside. Find another shop.

This place is like a musical instrument museum where you can buy the art. Very cool low-key atmosphere and an incredible selection of amazing instruments. They have shows there too but obviously not right now because of well.you guessed it.

Mike fixed my 80 year old classical so that's it's perfectly playable again! It looks and sounds as good as ever. These guys are pros don't trust anyone else with your instruments, thank you.

I've been a customer here for four years. When I've been out of town, I've waited and used out-of-whack guitars instead of going to a local shop because McCabe's is the only place I've ever gone with 100% consistency and quality. There's good stores I like in Nashville; I wait and come back to McCabe's. There's good stores I like in Atlanta. But I still always wait and come back to McCabe's.

They are warm, good people. They are passionate professionals who are good at what they do. You will pay an old-fashioned fair price with old-fashioned customer service. And by old-fashioned, I mean something sorely missing from today's guitar tech experience. They teach and sell too, under the same principles. The only guitar I've never sold out of my entire collection is the one guitar I bought there.

Not out of nostalgia. Because it sounds the best. Because they're the best. And if you ever have a chance to go to one of their concerts, you should buy a ticket immediately. Doesn't matter who they picked for the show. They'll be someone you needed to see.

Good selection of guitar books (reference, repertoire, and technique) and helpful staff. They have guitars in all price ranges and all kinds of accessories. Their t-shirts and mugs are great too.

Love McCabes! Been coming here for years! They've fixed a few of my guitars and the prices are really fair for the quality of work! 10/10 would recommend!

Friendly to musicians of all ages and skill levels. Relaxing atmosphere. Friendly and helpful staff. The store offers a lot of services too, including lessons, guitar repair, and concerts. Don't forget to grab a free guitar pick when you visit!

This is an interesting space. Access it from the front and it's surprisingly quite spacious in the back of the store. I came here to check out the California Guitar Trio for some easy-listening acoustic guitar sounds on a Sunday night. Looks like McCabe's books some highly talented, but definitely underrated acts. This place is definitely Old School from the antique register, card system up front and low ceilings.

There are displays of old guitars as well. Reminds me of a very small museum. This is one of those hidden gem places where people in the know come here to enjoy great musical acts and it's a secret not everyone wants to share. This was evident with a line forning right before showtime. I avoided the surcharge and just purchased our tickets right there in line.

I loved the cozy feeling and one of the regulars gave me a tip.to grab a seat cushion up front by the stage. Yes! I would come here again. No food served here. Street metered parking.

Always a great experience when I come into McCabe's. I can get lost in here for hours. I found these guys after a recent guitar purchase and they did the set up. Professional, friendly and local. Highly recommend.

Was there for Uke fest. Amazed of their collections and all. Uke fest was great. The stage system was far better than any other theater, I think. The lighting and the sound was super. Very friendly personals.

I can't believe that I haven't reviewed McCabe's yet. I've been coming here for much of my life, and this was definitely the show spot for me during high school and college; a bunch of my favorite Irish, Scottish, and English musicians have played here. As for the store, they have a great selection of different folk instruments.

While there is a definitely a guitar focus, the store carries many different instruments from around the world, particularly strings and percussion. Everyone here is really helpful and friendly. As far as concerts, the back room serves as a very nice, intimate space to watch performers. They set up chairs facing the stage. 10-20 years ago there was a huge influx of musicians from the British Isles who would perform here, so I got to see some of the best musicians and bands at this venue.

Huge selection of guitars and other instruments, staff is extremely friendly and knowledgeable. They are reachable when you need them, and they don't interrupt when you're just trying to get to know an instrument.

This guitar shop is a great concert venue with absolutely terrific acoustics. The back room has a stage with a large seating area that probably accommodates around 75-100 people. You get a very intimate experience for may a $25 concert ticket. A music lover's dream experience if you're watching your favorite artist, which I did recently when Paula Cole came to town to do a special 20th anniversary show celebrating her breakout album, "This Fire." Photos and videos are prohibited but it made for a truly wonderful experience where the audience was engaged and listening to the artist and not blocking people's views with their mobile phones.

After the show, we got to check out the showroom which has a ton of cool string and percussion instruments that you would never find in a Guitar Center. Yes, you can play with them! We waited a little while, but not too long after the show, and got to meet Paula in person. It was nice that the store didn't shove people outside into the cold to wait. Tip: get in line at least an hour ahead as it was already long when we got there. Still, even though we got there when the line was long, we still got seats in the first few rows close to the stage.

In the 1960s the folk movement was spurred by social changes, the Vietnam War and a "rediscovery" of the Delta Blues. Long at the forefront of such movements, certain guitar shops have weathered economic downturns and shifts in musical styles, and McCabe's Guitar Shop in Santa Monica still promotes artists and hosts performances regularly. My father's hippie Dead Head background influenced my musical tastes as a youth and nurtured my musical growth when I shifted to playing and performing music, not simply consuming it.

This was one of many guitar shops I visited for strings, picks and such and last night I made a wondrous reunion with McCabe's. A Texas folk and country artist named Terri Allen was playing and Dad was very excited because not only had he never seen him play, his music helped, as it often does, Dad get through some tough times. I remembered those days and was delighted to be in such a small venue to share the experience.

First we checked out the shop and I immediately fell in love with several guitars. Damn my good eye, the cheapest was $1,000 and the super sweet one was $6K! There is an instrument for everyone there and like good family owned shops there are lesser known brands that are exceptional (like the six grand model). Upstairs are rooms for rehearsal and lessons.

Everything you need plus live music. The sound is fantastic! The stage and monitors ensure that the tight sitting space is immersed in the music, free of booming bass and shrill frequencies. While I was fooling around with the guitars Dad met and chatted with his hero. All around good times, memories and music at McCabe's.