Chicago is, of course, the historic home of the electric blues: Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon, Howlin' Wolf, Buddy Guy, and many other greats honed their skills in its clubs and set masterpieces to tape for Chess Records at 2120 South Michigan Avenue. But since that seminal scene, Chicago's musical culture has only continued to flourish.
Look around today, and you'll find world-renowned venues, guitar shops, and record stores. If you're a guitarist visiting the city—or a local player that just wants to know your city better—Andy Martin and Joe Shadid are here to show you all the best spots for guitarists in Chicago.
Last December, Reverb released our Guitarist's Guide to London, in which Andy Martin and That Pedal Show's Dan Steinhardt traipsed around the city's best guitar stores and historic music spots. This time around, with Reverb being headquartered in Chicago, it's very much a journey through our own backyard.
After viewing, you can browse the list below to see the places that Andy and Joe visited. If you're not planning on traveling to Chicago anytime soon, you can still click on any of the highlighted shops to see what they have on offer right here on Reverb.
- 606 Records
- Avenue N Guitars
- Bass Club
- Bric A Brac
- Chicago Music Exchange
- Electrical Audio
- Guitar Works
- Kuma's Corner
- Make'n Music
- Midwest Buy & Sell
- Pinwheel Records
- Reckless Records
- Record Breakers
- Rock N Roll Vintage
- Shady Rest Vintage & Vinyl
- Shuga Records
- Willie Dixon’s Blues Heaven Foundation
- Wrigley Field
- Beat Kitchen
- B.L.U.E.S
- Buddy Guy's Legends
- Cole's Bar
- Cubby Bear
- The Empty Bottle
- FitzGeralds
- Green Mill
- Harlem Avenue Lounge
- The Hideout
- Kingston Mines
- Lincoln Hall
- Park West
- Phyllis' Musical Inn
- Rainbo Club
- Reed's Local
- Schubas
- Sleeping Village
- Subterranean
- Thalia Hall
- The Vic