Local Atlanta Favorites
I often get asked about my favorite local guitar stores, repair techs, and gear builders. As a lifelong Georgia native and a resident of the Atlanta, Georgia area for the past roughly 15 years, I believe in supporting my favorite locally owned and operated business. Here are some of my local to Atlanta recommendations!
Acorn Amplifiers
Having started as a predominately amplifier repair business, Atlanta has been fortunate enough to watch Acorn Amplifiers grow into one of the best new up-and-coming pedal and amp manufacturers in the U.S. Between their creativity and quality, I am a big fan and friend of this brand.
Maple Street Guitars
One of my absolute favorite guitar stores on the planet. The folks at this store know what they are talking about, and their selection of boutique builders is tough to beat. If you are in the market for Collings, Santa Cruz, Eastman, Martin, Taylor, G&L, Fender, or a ton of other fantastic brands, visit them and drop my name!
PS - This is where I send people inside the perimeter for setup and guitar tech work.
Atlanta Discount Music
In contrast to Maple Street Guitars’ boutique and high end guitar selection, Atlanta Discount Music is THE place in Atlanta for the largest selection of new and used pedals from a plethora of builders — and the same can be said about their amplifier selection. Probably the most fun you will have walking into Atlanta Discount Music, though, is discovering whatever weird and wild selection of used equipment they have on their walls!
Avedissian Pickups
Avedissian Handmade Pickups is an Atlanta company that focuses entirely on hand winding excellent pickups for a variety of different styles. I have a bridge pickup on theirs in a Tele/Esquire build, and it is one of the best sounding twang machines I own!
Greer Amps
Okay okay, for my local Atlanta people, yes — I acknowledge that Greer Amps is an Athens, Georgia company and not an Atlanta one. However, close enough for me! Greer Amps makes some amazing pedals and amps, including one of favorite overdrive pedals of all time: The Greer Lightspeed. I did a video on that pedal, and it remains on my board to this day.
Full Scale Guitar Repair
Sticking with the not-quite-Atlanta recommendations, Full Scale Guitar Repair in West Georgia is where I send most folks for any outside of the perimeter or heavy guitar repair work in Georgia. The owner and sole repair tech, David Harper, is a lifelong machinist with an eye of precision and a real talent for all things guitar.