Uptown Strings

One of my favorite parts of being a writer is hearing people’s stories. It makes for an exceptional experience when the person is clearly passionate about what they do. At first, as I was browsing around at the acoustic guitars, I wasn’t sure what to write about because I hadn’t had an inspiration yet; shocking, for as much of a music lover as I am.
Then I decided to ask about the Washburn guitars, which were the most that were for sale. I didn’t know much about Washburn — which tells you how young I am. The owner, Ted Kerr, who is most often at the store, I was pleased to find, chooses to support lesser marketed names rather than the big names, like Fender and Gibson. What is all the more fascinating is each of the line of guitar manufacturers sold there has a unique story. I recommend looking up the information and reading the stories yourself. Or visit the store and ask Mr. Kerr, who will gladly tell you. There’s C.F. Martin, an American company that started 175 years ago in Nazareth, Pennsylvania and today is run by fourth generation Martins. My favorite had to be Stonebridge, which comes from the city of Prague in the Czech Republic and is a story of finding inspiration while under oppression.
Uptown Strings seems to be committed to quality, from the humidifiers around the building to keep the instruments from drying out to music lessons. Mr. Kerr is choosy about who he picks as instructors. All the instructors must be able to show they can teach because as Mr. Kerr believes, it’s not enough to just be able to play an instrument well. Though, the instructors are not only great teachers but are seasoned and top class musicians too.
Uptown Strings offers music lessons for acoustic, electric and bass guitar and teaches rock, blues, country, classical, bluegrass and modern finger style. Banjo lessons are also available and styles taught are 3-​finger bluegrass, claw-​hammer and tenor. For violin they teach classical and fiddle style (for Celtic and bluegrass). Drum lessons teach rock, blues and jazz on full drum sets. Piano lessons are taught in all styles. Mandolin, ukulele and dulcimer lessons are also available. Mr. Kerr might know a thing or two about playing instruments himself as he used to be a drummer in a rock band back in the day. His father was also a woodcraftsman and he learned the trade himself and even makes his own guitars.

I guess for some folks this place is OK. I just didn’t get it.
Located in uptown Westerville appropriately enough, Uptown Strings offers mainly mid-​range to highish-​end guitars, amps, instruments, accessories and weird rock art.
As if the huge display of Orange amps (awesome yet snooty British amp company) in the window wasn’t enough to discourage me, I walked into the store one day to buy some guitar strings. When I asked about the strings the worker said something about how they had the best price on these particular guitar strings. I said that I had purchased them elsewhere at a lower price. Then he proceeded to challenge me on the price I had paid. He even went as far as to tell me that I hadn’t paid the price I thought I had. I found the whole situation to be uncomfortable, off-​putting and pretentious.
There are better guitar shops with better selections around the area. I’ll be heading to those in the future.