Thinking about getting that guitar out of the closet or trying to revive those childhood piano lessons? Maybe you just moved to town and want to get your gear together for when you join a band? Why not visit one of the Milwaukee area's great music shops and feed your passion for music. Here is a quick guide to some of the city's best. Add your favorite by using the talkback feature at the bottom of the story.
Baldoni Accordions
N87 W16432 Appleton Ave., Menomonee Falls, (262) 250-9990
Formerly the musical anchor of Brady Street, Baldoni had the services of the late Jerome Brisch (aka Presley Haskell) and was, consequently, a mecca for guitarists requiring repairs. A few years ago the shop relocated and now has returned its focus to the glorious accordion.
Beihoff Music
11737 W. North Ave., (414) 607-3900
Beihoff sells guitars and keyboards, but it's less a place for an aspiring Jimi Hendrix than for kids in the school orchestra and budding classicists. All kinds of strings, woodwinds, brass and other instruments are rented, repaired and sold and there's a wide range of sheet music on hand.
Bjorklund Violin Shop
(414) 774-8930
Again, unless you're in an ELO cover band, Bjorklund is mostly for classical (and Irish and bluegrass) musicians, with a range of violins, violas, cellos, bows, cases and accessories. Instruments are bought, sold and repaired by owner Terry Bjorklund.
Cascio Interstate
138th & National, New Berlin, (262) 789-7600
Port Washington & Mequon Rds., Mequon, (262) 241-3360
108 W. Capitol Dr., Hartland, (262) 369-9290
www.casciointerstate.com
Cascio has long been the music superstore of the Milwaukee area. Although it's no longer the biggest (there are chain stores for that), it's still among the best and worth the trek to New Berlin or Mequon for good prices on a wide range of guitars, basses, drums, amps, band and orchestra sales and rentals, sheet music, accessories and more. The New Berlin location even has a recording studio now, run by Chris Adler, who enginners much of the recorded work of Daryl Stuermer.
Classical Strings
311 N. Plankinton Ave., (414) 271-7190
This downtown boutique also specializes in violins, violas, cellos, bows, cases and accessories.
Faust Drum Center
2204 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., (414) 744-1112
For one of the most memorable shopping experiences in Milwaukee, visit this long-lived Bay View shop. Marvel at the autographed Gene Krupa pic and hear the story of his visits to the shop. There's also a wide range of drum gear on tap and a selection of other instruments, too.
Bob Kames Keyboards
4415 W. Forest Home Ave., (414) 321-8633
Another historic shop, Kames has been the king of Milwaukee keyboard for decades and his shop is where many Milwaukeeans got their first piano, living room organ, synthesizer or digital piano.
Kraft Music
3575 N. 124th St, Brookfield, (262) 781-9700
www.kraftmusic.com
Formerly located in downtown Milwaukee and on Brady St., Kraft is one of the better places in town to find electronic keyboards, synths, sequencers and the like. They've now branched out into other instruments, as well.
Melk Music
8625 W. Adler Ave., (414) 771-0900
From I-94, you can see the little storefront where Melk specializes in the sale, rental, repair and teaching of woodwind and brass instruments.
Music Center
7700 Green Bay Rd., Kenosha, (262) 697-9393
www.musiccenterinc.com
Our southerly neighbors lucked out with the Music Center, which is a large shop packed full of every kind of instrument you can imagine, plus lighting and effects gear.
Nova Musik
608 N. Broadway, (414) 270-1948
Nova, located in the heart of Downtown Milwaukee, isn't the best place to look for a vintage Rickenbacker or a wide range of drum sets, but it is the best place to go for a lot of recording gear and newfangled hi-tech musical gear.
Rauen Guitars and Repair
2473 N. Weil St., (414) 265-4343
Rauen, located in Riverwest, is one of the most respected repairers of guitars and other stringed instruments in the city.
Record Head
7211 W. Greenfield Ave., West Allis, (414) 453-5355
7418 W. Hampton Ave., (414) 463-9500
Guitars galore. That's what you'll find at the two Record Head locations. An ever-changing selection of vintage instruments means regular visits are required. You're sure to find a gem here.
Rockhaus Guitars & Drums
4300 W. Forest Home Ave., (414) 545-5900
www.rockhaus.com
Greg at Rockhaus is the city's guitar maven and has been a part of the music scene for years. His unassuming shop on the southwest side has a great selection of vintage guitars and drums and he also sells a lot on the Internet, so stay in touch with him if you're looking for something special and elusive. They also do top-notch repair work.
Uncle Bob's
10220 W. Greenfield Ave., (414) 453-2700
www.unclebobsmusic.com
Uncle Bob's sells new and used gear at great prices annd they carry everything from guitars to p.a. systems, drums to lighting gear, keyboards, amps and more.
Wade's Guitar Shop
3490 N. Oakland Ave.., (414) 961-0848
The east side's premier guitar shop, Wade has the kind of reputation in town that earns him a salute on the CDs of most Milwaukee bands. That's due to his killer selection of stringed instruments (he's a Rickenbacker and Martin dealer and has the best choice of those classic American guitars on hand) and his ace repair work. Lessons are also given.
Walker Music
12229 W. North Ave., Wauwatosa, (414) 774-2002
This stalwart shop near Mayfair serves up everything for a rock and roll or high school band, along with repairs, rentals, sheet music, books, instruction and more.
Warpdrive
2637 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., (414) 481-3430
In the former home of Crown Music, across from the Hi-Fi Cafe, Warpdrive has set up shop, specializing in vintage guitars and amps, but they buy and sell keyboards, drums, effect units, p.a. gear, accordions, analog drum machines and bagpipes! The store, although still open at press time, appeared in early 2003 to be preparing to shut down permanently, so call before heading over there.
White House of Music
2101 N. Springdale Rd., (262) 798-9700
S. Church St., Watertown, (920) 261-0700
For those of you further out west, White House has two locations stuffed full of everything you can think of, pertaining to music, of course. They rent and repair instruments as well as sell and lease them. There's sheet music, lessons and more.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
