Everything About Music In New York City 

Local music shops New York City buy drums guitars in your area

Everything about music in New York City is going to be covered in full detail over the next few minutes. Of course this is a really broad topic but we will do our best to share as much info as possible while doing our best to not waste your time.

Getting things going will be a list of the best musical instrument stores in your area. There will even be separate lists for where to buy guitars and the top drum shops in town and while some may quibble about which store should go in which list we will do our best to get things sorted out for you.

Where to get a broken instrument repaired will follow that up. There are many repair companies that can tune a piano, repair a guitar, or work on all varieties of band instruments.

Once all the instrument talk is out of the way we will pivot to local music classes and lessons for kids or adults before moving on to stores for music lovers that sell vintage CD’s and records. You can find numerous places to be entertained at the best concert halls and live music venues near you.

Bars and restaurants with live music will get a shout out as well. A discussion about the New York City music calendar wouldn’t be complete without mentioning some great festivals and events either.

At the end we will share a map to help you find these stores or venues, and you are all welcome to read more about the scene in some other towns around the region if interested.

Musical Instrument Stores In New York City

The best musical instrument stores near you would be:

All Music sells a variety of musical instruments in your area including guitars, basses, amplifiers, pedals, effects, pro audio gear, electronics, orchestral and band instruments, percussions, and keyboards in addition to outstanding repair and rental services, music lessons, and a vast selection of gifts and collectibles including vinyl records.

Brass musical instruments are sold at J. Landress Brass along with exceptional repair and restoration services.

Sam Ash Music Store is a veteran chain selling musical instruments in Manhattan like DJ and lighting gear, recording equipment, guitars, drums, speakers, microphones, recording, band, orchestra, and more.

There are numerous items available at Music Inn World Instruments including some from around the world along with the classics plus they sell various records of different genres like world, funk, classic rock, jazz, Latin, reggae, R&B, and more and they can even do local instrument repairs.

Rogue Music has been dealing with new, used, and vintage musical instruments since 1983 in addition to buying, selling, and trading new and pre owned music gear.

One of the premier musical instrument stores in NYC is Jon Baltimore Music that aside from buying and selling woodwind and brass musical instruments they also provide rentals, repairs, and restoration.

Main Drag Music is a great place to buy instruments and gear including new, used, and vintage guitars plus they can do repair services while also being an event space for various performances.

Brooklyn Woodwind and Brass buys, sells, rents, and repairs wind instruments with matching accessories.

If you are looking to buy a new guitar, bass, drum sets, keyboards, trumpets, saxophone, flutes, amps, mixers, microphones, effects, cables, cases, violins, strings, reeds, compressors, timbales, or congas i Bronen’s Music in The Bronx is one of the best options and they also do repairs.

You can also purchase instruments over in Queens at Rikhi Ram including Indian strings, winds, keyboards, percussions, and accessories plus they offer repair services too.

Uke Hut is exclusively a ukulele store offering rentals, lessons, and repair services.

At Castellano’s House of Music in Staten Island you can buy a variety of instruments or use their repair services.

Rustic Music provides sells a wide variety of instruments near you plus excellent repair and rental services.

One of the premier destinations for musicians all over the world is the New York Music Emporium in North Bellmore featuring a vast collection of instruments and gear along with excellent music lessons.

Where To Buy Guitars

If you are specifically trying to buy a guitar or guitar accessories check out:

Rudy’s Music has been a NYC landmark since 1978 selling instruments including vintage, new, and pre owned acoustic, electric, and bass guitars.

Alongside offering vintage and used guitars, a large assortment of new effects, pedalboard setups, and numerous new and used amps 30th Street Guitars also offers expert repair services.

Rivington Guitars is a renowned dealer displaying wall to wall classic guitars and gear in Manhattan from the 60’s to present as well as amps and pedals while also providing repair services.

Head over to Retrofret Vintage for their wide variety of guitars including amps and effects as well as banjos plus repair services too.

Brooklyn Fine Guitars sells new acoustic and electric guitars, resonators, banjos, mandolins, and ukuleles.

Apart from dealing new electric, bass, and acoustic guitars from different brands Southside Guitars also buys used guitars in your area.

Guitar Boutique in The Bronx features high end, luthier made, classical, and acoustic steel string guitars but they are only available by appointment.

Many of the local instrument shops from other lists will also have a nice selection of guitars to choose from.

Drum Shops Near You

And for the best drum shops visit:

Steve Maxwell Vintage and Custom Drums offers new, used, and custom made drums and cymbals and they even have a drum museum.

Keur Djembe builds, sells, and repairs all types of African drums including djembes that are made of hard African wood, goat skin, metal rings, and nylon ropes as well as sabar and talking drums, djun djun, balafons, and shekeres. Classes and workshops are also available.

At Wula Drum in Queens you can select from all sorts of djembes, dunduns, and drum accessories plus avail of their repair services.

Long Island Drum Center sells drums, drum sets, cymbals, drum sticks and heads, electronic drums, bass pedals, congas, bongos, and many other percussion products from top brands like Ludwig, Musser, DW Drums, Tama, Paiste, Zildjian, Remo, Yamaha, Sabian, Mapex, Pearl, and others.

You can buy drums near you at a lot of the other NYC music stores we have mentioned in this post so you don’t only need to choose from one of these shops.

Instrument Repairs

You can get quality instrument repair services in New York City at:

For more than 30 years Perry Ritter Woodwind Repair has been doing complete restoration and repair of woodwind instruments like saxophones, flute, and clarinet mouthpieces, necks, keys, rods, pins, screws, and pearls.

Brooklyn Woodwind and Brass is a full service woodwind and brass repair shop in your area and is the exclusive representative of Rampone and Cazzani in New York City which is passionately engaged in the manufacture of handcrafted saxophones.

In addition to providing outstanding repair and restoration of vintage and high end guitars Stokkers also buys, sells, and trades musical instruments and gear.

Amp and Guitar Wellness Center buys, sells, and repairs instrument and a full line of accessories.

Customized local guitar services including repair and restoration are offered at FS Lutherie.

Bronen’s Music in The Bronx excels in equipment maintenance, repairs, and tune ups plus they buy and sell new and restored used equipment.

Featured at Vin Paul Guitar Repair and Restoration in Staten Island are services like custom paint jobs as well as rock star replicas, custom guitar set ups, and much more.

There are tons of other shops offering instrument repairs around the New York metro that we have mentioned in other sections so you don’t only need to focus on this one.

Music Lessons

Taking music lessons at these schools can level up your game in a hurry:

Octopus Music School has been teaching guitar, piano, string, voice, brass, woodwind, and drum lessons near you for more than 10 years using their proprietary flexible curriculum and assessment program OPUS that has helped students establish a firm foundation upon which to build a lasting relationship with music.

Personalized private and group music lessons for adults are featured at Sage Music School.

Riverside Music Studios has been offering piano lessons in NYC since 2012 and has now expanded to provide music lessons in violin, voice, flute, and guitar for children and adults.

Founded in 2015 Willan Academy of Music has been teaching music lessons in piano, guitar, flute, cello, saxophone, and singing to children.

You can also visit School of Rock where they offer lessons in guitars, drums, singing, keyboards, pianos, and rock music along with conducting camps and workshops.

Another great place to take instrument, singing, and voice lessons is at Park Slope in Brooklyn.

Bronx School for Music gives high quality instrumental and vocal instruction plus they have available space for practice or rehearsals.

There are multiple music lessons in a variety of styles for all ages offered at Music Academics Music School including drums, voice, horns, guitars, violas, tubas, and more.

Queens Music Academy is a comprehensive music school for all ages and levels offering lessons in all sorts of instruments.

The programs offered at Further Music School include classical, jazz, blues, rock, popular, and folk genres providing the highest quality music centered education for children and adults.

The Staten Island School of Rock provides lessons in voice, guitar, drums, and piano.

Many shops that we have linked you to in other sections also provide music lessons like All Music, Uke Hut, New York Music Emporium, and Keur Djembe.

CD & Record Stores

Live music lessons near you New York City vintage CD record stores

Some of our favorite stores for local music lovers with lots of vintage CD’s and records are:

Westsider Records stocks used vinyl, CD’s, DVD’s, turntables, and used LP’s in most genres as well as scores and performing arts books.

One of the go to places to buy new and used vinyl records in Manhattan along with CD’s, DVD’s, and Blu-ray’s across a broad range of genres is at Academy Records and CD’s.

Jazz Record Center buys and sells rare and vintage jazz records, CD’s, DVD’s, books, and magazines.

At Stranded Records you can find new and used vinyl records in your area across a variety of genres from the 1950’s up to present.

Psychic Records in Brooklyn gives you musical treasures from new and vintage vinyls and CD’s, vintage tapes, musical gear, and instrument supplies.

Major Records and Video is an enduring storefront offering new and used vinyl records, CD’s, and DVD’s in addition to movie rentals.

One of the largest music outlets in Long Island is Vinyl Bay 777 selling both new and pre owned vinyl records, rare and out of print records, CD’s, and new and used cassette tapes as well as all forms of music memorabilia.

Live Music Venues

These New York City live music venues are great places to see a concert or performance:

Rockwood Music Hall has been a beacon of emerging and established live music acts in New York City since 2005 providing a bar and an intimate venue for singers, songwriters, and new artists’ performances for free or for a nominal charge.

Bagged as the #1 Best Club in America by the Rolling Stone Magazine The Bowery Ballroom is one of the more popular destinations among local musicians and audiences.

One of the ultimate spots for live music and DJ led dance parties is at Bowery Electric where they also offer event and party space rentals.

The Bitter End showcases live music in NYC every night featuring rock, blues, jazz, funk, alternative, hip hop, a cappella, and country music.

Since 1999 The Cutting Room has been featuring live music, comedy shows, cabarets, and more in a classy yet funky concert venue plus a dinner theater setting with a bar in front.

Elsewhere is a massive venue featuring several spaces including a roof terrace for live music and DJ nights.

Popularly named as one of the 10 best live music venues in America by the Rolling Stone Magazine in 2018 Brooklyn Steel features a 1,800 capacity music venue.

Music Hall of Williamsburg can accommodate up to 650 people and offers shows on most nights of the week.

You can enjoy your espresso, cafe fare, beer, and wine along with regular live music in The Bronx in a comfy and artsy setting at The Artist.

Lehman Center features a 2,310-seat venue that is perfect for programs, concerts, and other events by well known and emerging artists.

If you’re interested in literary events, film screenings, and live music in Queens with availability of a full bar Terraza 7 is a must visit.

89 North is a premier music venue on Long Island showcasing a large stage with an open dance floor and a very sparse seating in the main area for live performances.

Plenty of well known performers and bands play at The Paramount’s bilevel concert hall with a nightclub vibe.

Restaurants With Live Music

Have a nice meal and enjoy good music at these restaurants:

Guantanamera is a friendly, fun, and vibrant Cuban restaurant featuring traditional Cuban fare, magnificent mojitos, and live Cuban music.

You can head to a Japanese low key bar and grill Tomi Jazz for a late night fun, Japanese food, and live jazz.

St. Mazie is a funky jazz bar featuring frequent live music near you while also having an outdoor area and a restaurant downstairs serving a compact menu.

At Marian’s you can enjoy trivia and live music occasionally on weekend nights.

BAMcafe is a fairy lit loft atop the Brooklyn Academy of Music offering live music, readings, and pre show dinner.

Suyo offers unique acoustic nights full of good music plus amazing ambience and delicious foods.

Great entertainment food and live music all evening in Staten Island are available at Trackside Bar and Grill.

Butterfields offers live entertainment on weekends by booking the best bands on Long Island as well as amazing restaurant dinner specials.

Bars With Live Music In New York City

Plus there are bars that play live music too:

Birdland Jazz Club is an intimate cabaret style venue offering a classic bar and Cajun influenced food options.

Since 1940 Minton’s Playhouse has been a popular venue in the development of modern jazz featuring their great performers like Thelonious Monk, Bud Powell, Kenny Clarke, Charlie Christian, Charlie Parker, and Dizzy Gillespie.

Harlem Nights is a bar and lounge serving craft cocktails and an extensive food menu to enjoy while listening to their live music.

La Lanterna di Vittorio’s next door nook offers coffee, wine, and light bites plus live jazz nightly.

There’s live music in Queens on most nights and TV’s for sports available at The Shillelagh Tavern.

Nutty Irishman is a lively pub with drinks, basic eats, and a patio plus bands, DJ’s, karaoke, and country nights with bull riding in Long Island.

Music Festivals

And finally for the top music festivals near you:

The Governors Ball Music Festival is a huge multi genre music festival in New York City that takes place each September.

Electric Zoo is New York City’s premier electronic music festival every Labor Day weekend.

You may also be interested in our posts about:

Enjoy The New York City Local Music Scene

Well guys, we tried cover as much as we possibly could. You read about the best musical instrument stores, drum and guitar shops, instrument repair services, where to go for lessons, vintage CD and record stores, concert halls and other live music venues like bars and restaurants, plus the best festivals near you.

Anyone that is still here probably knows bit about the local music scene themselves. If so feel free to tell us if we got anything incorrect, if we left any cool spots out, or just share your own thoughts in the comments at the end of the post. Now go have fun enjoying the music in New York City.

Related Posts:

Leave a Comment