Everything about music in Philadelphia is about 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.
Contents
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 Philadelphia 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 on around the Northeast if interested.
Musical Instrument Stores In Philadelphia
The best musical instrument stores near you would be:
- BridgeSet Sound at 710 South St
- South Street Sounds at 1531 South St
- Sam Ash at 1887 Franklin Mills Cir
- Vintage Instruments at 507 S Broad St
- Flute Pro Shop at 4023 Kennett Pike #308, Wilmington
- George’s Music at 650 Swedesford Rd, Berwyn
BridgeSet Sound provides audio gear, instruments, and lessons for producers, podcasters, composers, and music fans.
Instruments, accessories, lessons, and an on site recording studio are offered at South Street Sounds.
The Sam Ash Music Store in Philadelphia excels at providing top quality drums, amplifiers, band and orchestra, and wind instruments as well as used equipment and maintenance services.
Vintage Instruments sells guitars, banjos, mandolins, ukuleles, violins, cellos, and historical instruments in your area.
Flute Pro Shop is a full service musical shop in Wilmington selling new and used flutes, sheet music, and accessories.
Some of George’s Music’s specialties include guitars, keyboards, and sound and recording equipment plus they provide lessons in Berwyn.
Where To Buy Guitars
If you are specifically trying to buy a guitar or guitar accessories check out:
- Di Pinto Guitars at 407 E Girard Ave
- Classical Guitar Store at 2038 Sansom St
- Danny’s Guitar Shop at 102 Forrest Ave
- Guitar Center at 2100 NJ-38
Di Pinto Guitars offer electric, bass, and acoustic guitars, amps, and other accessories.
A comprehensive range of instruments as well as local lessons and repair services are available at Classical Guitars.
You can find acoustic, bass, and electric guitars, amps, and accessories at Danny’s where they also provide high quality courses and repairs.
The Guitar Center near you is home to one of the largest selections of popular guitars, basses, amplifiers, keyboards, workstations, drums, percussions, microphones, PA systems, DJ equipment, stage lighting, recording software, studio gear, and more.
We’ve mentioned Sam Ash, South Street Sounds, Vintage Instruments, and George’s Music in our Philly music stores list but they are also great places to buy guitars.
Drum Shops Near You
Drum & Percussion at 443 E Girard Avenue has been featuring a wide range of high end cymbals, boutique snares, and drum kits since 2016.
Sam Ash Music Stores, South Street Sounds, Vintage Instruments, Guitar Center, and George’s Music from our other lists are also good places to buy drums in your area.
Instrument Repairs
You can get quality instrument repair services in Philadelphia at:
- Bluebond Guitars at 511 S 4th St
- A Minor Tune Up Trumpet & Brasswind Services at 1704 N Scott St, Wilmington
- Joe Z Guitar Repair at 165 Fallsington-Tullytown Rd, Levittown
- Delco Music
- Andy’s Guitar Repair
Guitars, bass, drums, keyboard,s and vocal lessons for people of all ages and skill levels as well as repairs and sales are provided at Bluebond Guitars.
Delco Music repairs numerous wooden instruments including guitars, basses, drums, violins, and cellos.
Andy’s Guitar is a fretted instrument repair shop near you.
Whether you’re looking for custom work, cleaning, or just accessories Minor Tune Up Trumpet and Brasswind Services is one of the best places for you to go.
For over 40 years Joe Z has been repairing woodwind, brass, and string instruments Levittown as well as pianos and keyboards.
Music Lessons
Taking music lessons at these schools can level up your game in a hurry:
- Philly Music Lessons at 2111 E Susquehanna Ave
- Settlement Music School at 6128 Germantown Ave
- Good Music Academy at 4705 Baltimore Ave
- The Music School of Delaware at 4101 Washington St, Wilmington
- Stages Academy at 8919 New Falls Rd #11-15A, Levittown
- School of Rock at 511 Old Lancaster Rd #4, Berwyn
Philly Music Lessons excels at providing on site, online, and private courses for students of all ages and ability levels with individualized lesson plans based on each student’s interests, needs, and learning styles.
Individual instruction, classes, ensembles, and performance opportunities for students of all skill levels, interests, and goals are offered at Settlement Music School.
Students aged 3 years old and above can take some of the best music classes near you at Good Music Academy.
Since 1924 The Music School of Delaware has been offering top quality piano lessons in a formal setting.
School of Rock has programs that combine one on one lessons with group band rehearsals and students can even put on live performances at local venues.
CD & Record Stores
Some of our favorite stores for local music lovers with lots of vintage CD’s and records are:
- Repo Records at 506 South St
- Record Museum at 110 Cushman Ave
- Phidelity Records at 12 Haddon Ave
- Hideaway Music at 8232 Germantown Ave
- Main Street Music at 4444 Main St
- Digital Underground at 732 S 4th St
- Sit & Spin Records at 2243 S Lambert St
- Common Beat Music at 4916 Baltimore Ave
- SqueezeBox Records at 1901 W 11th St, Wilmington
- Positively Records at 4151 Woerner Ave, Levittown
- Shady Dog Record & Disc Exchange at 638 Lancaster Ave, Berwyn
A large selection of new and used LP record, CD’s, and cassettes ranging from metal and jazz to punk rock and hip hop to soul, R&B, indie, classic rock, and more are available at Repo Records.
Record Museum buys, sells, and trades vinyl records in your area along with CD’s, cassette tapes, vintage turntables, and stereo equipment.
Phidelity Records is a good place to buy affordable records and CD’s too.
Whether you’re looking for new and used releases, classics, rock, jazz, blues, and more Hideaway Music provides it all.
An extensive collection of affordable new and used CD’s, DVD’s, and vinyl records can be found at Main Street Music where they also host performances by local and national acts.
Sit and Spin Record is an independent record label offering a wide assortment of new and used punk, hardcore, metal, psychedelic, rock, and many more genres.
SqueezeBox Records in Wilmington is a family owned vintage and new vinyl and electronics store.
You can choose from a massive collection of new and used vinyl, CD’s, and shirts at Positively Records in Levittown.
Shady Dog Record and Disc Exchange sells new and used rock and jazz records and posters in Berwyn.
Live Music Venues
These Philadelphia live music venues are great places to see a concert or performance:
- World Cafe Live Philadelphia at 3025 Walnut St
- Union Transfer at 1026 Spring Garden
- The Fillmore Philadelphia at 29 E Allen St
- Ortlieb’s at 847 N 3rd St
- Freedom Mortgage Pavilion at 1 Harbour Blvd, Camden
- The Queen at 500 N Market St, Wilmington
- McStew’s Irish Pub at 5316 New Falls Rd, Levittown
World Cafe Live has been hosting live music in Philadelphia since 2004.
You can catch funk, jazz, and rock artists performing live at Ortlieb’s.
The Freedom Mortgage Pavilion is an outdoor amphitheater and indoor theater complex on the Delaware River.
The Queen is a local live music venue in a historical building that comprises a 1,200 capacity main hall, 220 capacity crown room, and an upscale cocktail bar.
Live music and DJ nights are hosted at McStew’s Irish Pub.
Restaurants With Live Music
Have a nice meal and enjoy good music at these restaurants:
- South at 600 N Broad St
- Time at 1315 Sansom St
- The Five Four Bar & Grill at 8919 New Falls Rd, Levittown
- Ripplewood Whiskey & Craft at 29 E Lancaster Ave, Ardmore
There’s live music, dance nights, and classic pub fare at Time.
American pub grub and craft beers are offered along with live music in a laid back setting at The Five Four Bar and Grill.
Bars With Live Music In Philadelphia
Plus there are bars that play live music too:
- Howl at the Moon at 258 S 15th St
- Grape Room at 105 Grape St
- Johnny Brenda’s at 1201 Frankford Ave
- The Fire at 412 W Girard Ave
- The Twisted Tail at 509 S 2nd St
- Hummingbird to Mars at W 16th St, Wilmington
Howl at the Moon is a fun piano bar in Philly that hosts live music and features novelty bucket drinks.
Live music, open mic’s, and professional comedians are hosted at Grape Room.
Johnny Brenda’s is a bar, restaurant, and independent venue hosting indie rock performances in addition to serving seasonal American eats and craft beers.
There’s also live music and open mic nights at The Fire.
The Twisted Tail is a bi level spot offering cocktails, barbecues, Southern American fare, and live blues on most nights.
Hummingbird to Mars hosts nightly entertainment, old school beers, elegant handcrafted cocktails, fine wines, and much more.
Music Festivals
And finally for the top music festivals near you:
- Made In America in Septermber
- Philly Music Fest in October
Made In America is a two day music festival in your area that was founded by Jay Z back in 2012.
The Philly Music Fest is a non profit event that benefits children and musicians.
You may also be interested in our posts about where to:
- Buy Guitars, Drums & Pianos In Baltimore
- Buy Guitars, Drums & Pianos In New York City
- Buy Guitars, Drums & Pianos In Washington DC
- Buy Guitars, Drums & Pianos In Atlantic City
Enjoy The Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia.