Guitar shops worth the trip in Las Vegas

The shop names its own lineup rather than describing itself, and the list is the argument: Lowden, Bourgeois, Rick Turner, McPherson, Santa Cruz. That is a serious high-end acoustic room. The showroom is appointment only — North Las Vegas is a separate errand from anything on the Strip, and worth booking rather than chancing.

Originally a Chicago shop, and by its own account the oldest music store in the Las Vegas area — nearly fifty years buying and selling vintage guitars and amps, though the site’s own title tag says twenty-five, so treat the number loosely. Mainly an internet dealer with a brick-and-mortar store behind it, out in Henderson rather than the city. Appointment only, and they will put up buyers who travel in, which tells you what sort of transaction this is set up for.

Founded by Ed Roman in 1976 and continued by Roman Guitars LLC after his death — the shop is plain that the original company is no more, which is worth knowing given how contested a figure Roman was in the vintage trade. A custom build shop, a new and used wall, and repair and restoration on the premises. Off Harmon, a short way west of the Strip, which makes it the easiest of these to fold into a trip that was never about guitars.

Family-owned, and the widest brief of the four: vintage, custom, new and used across guitars, basses, amps and pedals, with sales, trades and repairs all on offer. East Sunset Road runs along the southern edge of Harry Reid, so it is the practical stop on the way in or out.