Violins on display at the Dodd Violin Shop.
Carpenter’s Music World
Absolute Music
2700 S. Virginia St., 852-7618 www.carpentersmusic.com
8175 S. Virginia St., 852-2637 www.absolutemusiconline.com
Carpenter’s Music is a staple in Reno. It started as a small, thousand-square-foot store in 1964. The business has grown to its current size of 12,000 square feet, which offers retail, rental and lessons for “every instrument under the sun.” Carpenter’s claims to be the only full-service music store in town. They’ll also throw in a free month of lessons with your chosen instrument, and all their teachers are certified by the Music Teacher’s Association.
Absolute Music is celebrating a decade of business in Reno. It began when owner Steve Gibson bought the string section of Carpenter’s Music to start his own store. Absolute’s specialty is the band and orchestra world, and this store is a great choice for large quantities of school repairs. The store also sponsors music groups. The staff presents the trophy at the Marching Band Competition, and sponsor Envision Performing Arts. They also work with the Reno Municipal Band, where Gibson performs. They offer free emergency repairs at events.
Blue Note B’s Horn Shop 1155 W. Fourth St., 453-9219 www.facebook.com/hornshop
N 16 | RN&R |
T O E FO R
E
N
The staff at Blue Note B’s Horn Shop know their repairs. Reno’s newest band shop, which opened in February 2014, is fully staffed by certified technicians. Brandon Dolph has been playing saxophone and horns in jazz and funk bands for years, and is also himself a repair tech for other music stores around town. Blue Note B’s also offers in-store lessons for not only brass and reed instruments, but also guitar, piano and violin. They also organize an Artown event called Music Under The Stars. This is a great place to go for band instrument repairs, either in large or small quantities.
OT
AUGUST 21, 2014
There’s a slew of very different musical instrument stores in the Reno area. Here’s a quick guide to some of them. Many of Reno’s current music stores are in an early stage of business, making it an exciting time for local musicians to discover something new. If you’re a veteran musician or want to get started, here are some places to explore.
Dodd Violin Shop 1170 S. Wells Ave., 348-7492 www.facebook.com/ doddviolinshop
Tim Dodd is regarded as a master of his craft. In his new string repair shop, which opened this year, you’ll also find expert guitar work by Jim Anderson. The Dodd Violin Shop emerged when a group of former Maytan’s Music employees decided to form a dedicated outlet for specialized string work. Although already renowned for repairs, they also sell handmade professional and student instruments, and can modify your instrument for better sound and playability. Go here if you want to support a new business, and if you want a quality job of customizing, upgrading, or repairing your stringed instrument.
Antique Rocker 454 Washington St., 324-4540 www.renoantiquerocker.com
A self-described “guitar junkie,” Bill Young of Antique Rocker is your friendly neighborhood guitar guy. He’s a humble dude who likes to let his work speak for itself. He has a selection of used instruments, mostly in the rock band range of supplies. He offers a free re-string of an instrument, and only charges for the strings. “My philosophy is to build a relationship with my customers by giving them excellent service,” says Young. “People come back because I treat them right.”
JamPro Music Factory 9300 Prototype Drive, 800-1772 www.jampromusicfactory.com/
Approaching their first anniversary here in Reno, JamPro is a blend of music school, professional “LA-Style” engineering studios, and a retail store on steroids. Owner Chris Sewell is an intense and intelligent guy, who covers all the bases. JamPro’s school has a semesterbased program that includes high-end recording equipment, giving its students the chance to hear their music played back. The demo is then given thorough critique and polished. Students can form anything from a rock band to a chamber ensemble. Musicians here are trained to be professionals; recently a band of eleven-year-old JamPro students opened for Billy Ray Cyrus at his Fourth of July show.
