Elderly Instruments

Good selection of instruments and accessories, staff is friendly and eager to help

Elderly instruments is the premiere stringed instrument store in the state of Michigan barre none (sic on purpose)…. Have visited for years. Housed in an old building that adds to the vibe. With a repair shop and ability to appraise as well. Many consigned instruments, new, used and crazy vintage. We saw a 1927 upright bass that looked like a mandolin built by Gibson! Even has a dedicated lefty room for people like me. Gibson, Fender, Taylor, Martin are just a few of the countless brands. They even have a cool amplifier room for bass and electrics, as well as a small acoustic amp room. Lots of pedals, strings and accoutrements to boot. Great helpful staff!!

I received fantastic support from Dan in purchasing a Kremona Fiesta FC! He took the time with me, and even got the guitar and looked it over while on the phone. No rush, no pushing, very patient and answered all my questions thoroughly. I received the guitar in one day and it was as he had explained. I love it! I would definitely buy from Elderly again. Thanks Dan!

I have known about this shop since I was a kid,and I finally had a chance to visit ! Great, great selection of stringed instruments, super friendly employees, layed back atmosphere and the building itself has its own vintage vibe.

Purchased from Elderly for the first time in 2026. Stellar experience. The staff was enthusiastic and willing to send plenty of photos of specific instruments/serials that I was interested in. Fast shipping too. Thank you! Will be back in the future.

Definitely worth a visit, huge selection of acoustic guitars, ukes and steel guitars, and amps decent selection of electric guitars. Staff is always really nice and helpful, they will help buying for you or for buying a gift. Nice room to try out amps/guitars. Sometimes there is an amp hog playing to loud and for too long but you can find one at any guitar store. Worth a visit once a year or if you are looking for something more exotic then a guitar center would have.

No music stores near me that carry Martin's, hours of operation make it extremely difficult to drive hours away to get there in time to make a trade. 2hrs to assess two guitars is insane. Take 5+ hrs out of my day to possibly be turned away and waste 3+ hrs driving? No thank you.

We made a four-hour round trip to Elderly Instruments to explore trading or selling a few guitars. The appraiser barely glanced at the instruments and was rude, dismissive, and defensive when we politely asked why he wasn’t interested. He claimed there were “several things wrong” but couldn’t give a clear explanation or even identify the type of guitar. His best responses were, “I’d lose my job if I took this,” and, “I’ve been doing this 40 years, what do I know.” A simple “It’s not what we’re looking for” would have sufficed. We’d planned to purchase something as well, but the interaction made us too uncomfortable to stay and browse. Very disappointing experience.

Best guitar sales and repair shop I've ever visited for 25 years. It's jaw dropping musical instruments 12 months of the year. Just going to soak up the history is reason enough for me to drive 90 minutes from Royal Oak

Waste of time. Been talking to luthiers all around southeast Michigan about performing a neck angle reset on a family guitar. This place came highly recommended. Of course I was skeptical so I called ahead and explained the issue and the repair in great detail. Guy said "no problem, I do that work all the time, take it right in and we'll get it fixed no issue". Take the guitar in. Tell me "it's not worth it" to repair my late grandfather's guitar. Looked it for a total of 45 seconds told me he can't do it. Very frustrated. Don't bring your guitar here for anything major unless previously serviced.

Elderly isn't an unknown name to me, even though I live in Florence, AZ. Still I was a bit unnerved to buy a guitar online. I was looking for a very specific guitar though which I couldn't find anywhere else, a Breedlove Pursuit Exotic S CE Blackberry. I have a Breedlove Discovery S so I knew I would like the way it played, but getting the cutaway in Blackberry was an almost impossible find. My usual Breedlove dealer in Springfield, MO didn't have it and I couldn't locate it anywhere in Arizona. Breedlove themselves didn't have it in stock anymore and couldn't give an eta on when they would produce more. Finding one online was my only option at this point which you can imagine raised all sorts of concerns. Would it arrive with a decent set up on it, or would I have to go spend another eighty bucks to get it set up? What if it was cracked, scratched, nicked or dinged. What if it as obviously used? It arrived in a timely manner and as I unboxed it I did so half expecting there to be an issue on one of these subjects. I am so happy to say that Elderly totally nailed it!! There was nothing wrong with it at all. It came with new strings and had clearly never been played before. There weren't any scratches or dings and it was set up perfectly right out of the box. I bought from Elderly because I didn't have any other way of getting this particular guitar. I went into it with admittedly low expectations but they totally knocked it out of the park! Way to go guys.

OK, I went here because my boyfriend is a guitar maniac. That being said there was a lot to see and it was worthy of exploring. It is a virtual museum of acoustical instrumentation through the ages. Downstairs is a worthy repair shop with knowledgeable experts that were evaluating and reselling instruments. Folks were coming for more than a hours drive to have their artifacts evaluated and resold. Upstairs were lots of other little cubbyholes featuring old and new instruments. And one room where my boyfriend was lost in a dark hole of guitargasms (his word) for over an hour and a half. That room featured the most elaborate and beautiful and exclusive guitars. Elderly is known as being an A+ place to purchase respected and well evaluated instruments. They arrive safely even if shipped across the country. Worthy of your investigation.

I have been a customer of Elderly Instruments for probably 30 years and have bought many instruments there. It's a 500 mile round trip for me, but I always love going to the store. I really don't want to leave a negative review, but I think people should hear the good and the bad. I brought a USA Strat in to trade for a banjo. I arrived 20 minutes before they opened and really there were only a couple of other customers there the whole time. I waited an hour for them to look at my guitar and make an offer on it, which was a fair price. I found a banjo I liked and was going to also buy a capo, strap, instruction book and 2 sets of strings. I asked the sales person if they would throw in the capo and strap (the least expensive one they had), if I bought the banjo, book and strings. The sales guy said he'd run it by the man upstairs, which shouldn't take long. 45 minutes went by and I still didn't have an answer! I had been there for at least 2 hours at this point. Again, there's maybe 2 other customers in the store. I finally asked for my guitar back because I still had a 5 hour trip back home. The sales guy said he'd call me when the man had an answer, but he never did. To top it off, they charged me $25 to appraise my guitar to trade it in! I've told everyone for years that Elderly is my favorite music store in the world. No more. At least I won't have to make anymore 500 mile round trips up there

What a great place with helpful professionals. I've bought a couple guitars, traded guitars over the years. Always a great selection of guitars and other instruments. If you don't see what you want today try tomorrow. I always see old classics as well as new top of the line. Favorite place to dream big !

BEWARE before you purchase an expensive instrument from Elderly Instruments. I had to persist to ask three times to get a straight answer out of them regarding their return policy. I inquired about purchasing a Deering Golden Era banjo, or something similar with the Gibson ESS tone. They didn't have any ESS banjos. So, I decided to buy a Deering Golden Era, but I don't like to buy a very expensive instrument sight unseen without at least having the option to return it if I don't like it, for whatever reason. Elderly didn't have any Golden Eras in stock other, so they had to order it. The banjo costs over $5,000. I was shocked to learn from Jeffrey that Elderly requires a 50% NON-REFUNDABLE deposit. Elderly would allow me to return the Golden Era banjo within 30 days if I didn't want it, but they'd keep $2,500 of the money. THAT IS INSANE!!! Elderly Instruments are greedy!

Called ahead the day before and then drove and hour to Lansing. I was looking for an appraisal and a set-up on a used PRS. Initially thought the store was pretty cool. Took my instrument downstairs. Thought great, now I have some place to take my guitars. However, the technician that came out could not have been more disinterested in helping me. He looked at the guitar, strummed it and then told me it was set up fine and that it was too late in the day to do an appraisal (which is fine). I asked him if the action could be lowered just a bit to suit my playing style. I was more than willing to leave it. He said, "No, it's set up already." He then suggested I had a weak hand. I don't know. I've been playing for 40 years. What do I know, I guess? Weird customer service. Left disappointed and a little insulted. Sad. Will never go back.

It's Elderly. They've been around forever. They're special, and they damn well know it. Since time immemorial, the attitude toward customers of every single employee (well, not Jimmy) is: "If you ain't famous, then you're stuck to the bottom of my shoe." If you want to see amazing stringed instruments and some vintage amps, all priced to the hilt, by all means come. Try to avoid interacting with the staff. They will pay you the same courtesy.

This a huge endorsement for their online store. Was looking for a discounted bass that they had in stock. Reached out via chat and they worked with me to get a great price, and then shipped it the same day. Really great service. Received it double boxed and well padded and I couldn't be happier with the experience with Elderly from start to finish.

I purchased my PRS Paul's guitar and an Oceans 11 pedal on separate occasions from Elderly and could not be happier with them! I live in Florida and both were well packaged and great out of the boxes. I had a chance to visit the store yesterday and am thankful I don't live closer as their selection of stringed instruments is vast and I was able to pick up and play several I have had my eye on but are not available in my local music stores. Looking forward to purchasing another guitar and will be ordering it from Elderly, I just have to decide what it will be after actually being able to lay hands on several. Awesome selection!!

I recently purchased a new, and recently discontinued 12-string acoustic/electric guitar direct from Elderly Instruments. The guitar arrived professionally packaged and exactly as described. The customer service phone support is superb with knowledgable, friendly, and helpful employees. I had called to check the status of my shipment which arrived via FedEx Ground about 4-5 days after placing my order. Elderly Instruments has been a premier family run music store for over 50 years. If you seek a hard-to-find or high quality musical instrument, you may want to check with Elderly.

I love the guitar, but I paid extra money for 2 day shipping, it took a week to get to me. I asked if they could give me a refund for the difference in the shipping from the 2 day that I paid for and the standard which I recieved. They said no. That is unfortunate terrible customer service. The difference was like 100 dollars in shipping, the guitar i purchased was over 2k. Had they refunded my the 100​ I would have rated them much higher. But to me it seems like they do not have good customer service.

Elderly has long been my go to for musical instruments and this time it was used banjo for my wife's collection. I ordered it on a Sunday and by Monday it was shipped. By Thursday it arrived in Montana appropriately packed and just as described. I love their great photos and descriptions. Prices are appropriate as well. I love knowing they will make it right in the rare instance where something did go wrong. The first thing my bluegrass instructor wants to know is if I checked "Elderly"? I did! May wife has higher end instruments, but this time she just wanted a well made open back practice banjo that was light and comfortable. We were lucky my first look was Elderly. And there it was! Now it's in our log cabin making happy sounds. Thank you Elderly!

I used to show great loyalty to this store, but there has been a tremendous drop in customer service over the years. Even when you complain to the management, nothing is done. Promises to get back to you are never kept. The staff has become discourteous and even openly disrespectful.

These folks are not only knowledgeable about what they sell, their inventory is interesting and very diverse and their prices are amazingly competitive. This, combined with their outstanding customer service is why I so highly recommend they be considered for any musical instrument/instrument accessory/repair purchase. I recently contacted them via e-mail regarding an item purchased in 2011 with a lifetime warranty requesting either repair, replacement, or full or partial credit. On the next business day, they contacted me saying the the manufacturer said that item had been discontinued, so they would send me, free of charge, an identical item made by a different manufacturer, at no cost to me. Thank you, Elderly Instruments, I will ALWAYS consider you for my musician supplies!

I have attempted to purchase many musical instruments from Elderly. Each time they give me a hard time with shipping: They have a 'company policy' to ship ONLY over night or two day FedEx. Very expensive ($300-400) USPS ships to Hawaii, but Elderly will NOT use them. (much less expensive) Cannot get a response why. Makes NO sense! GuessI will have to take my business elsewhere. SUGGEST EVERYONE STOP SHOPPING THERE!

Very friendly, knowledgeable, and willing to go the extra mile. Joe in the repair shop and Andy in sales were very very good to me

I once drove halfway across the country on a 3-day weekend just to visit this music store. It's that good. The building looks more like a middle school than a big-box music shop, which brought my expectations down toward realistic as I entered...after all, I'd already expected it to be awesome...I'd just driven there from Rhode Island. Inside are all the guitars, mandolins, banjos, ukuleles, dulcimers, and hybrid stringed oddities that you could ever ask for. All there, hanging from the walls, asking you kindly to play with them, maybe take them home with you. The prices are definitely reasonable. Not to say you won't find something cheaper on eBay, but I've grown skeptical of internet auction steals...I like knowing where my Gibson is coming from, and being able to see how much of a deal-breaker that "superficial" crack is. That's also not to say I haven't used their mail order - heck, I just bought me a banjo from elderly.com - but these guys have high quality standards...and free shipping. Great combination when driving to Michigan just doesn't fit into my schedule. If you want to spend an afternoon in stringed-instrument heaven, come, have a look. Tell them you're from Rhode Island, and they might just look at you like you're an alien, but what does that matter?

It wasn't too long ago I was as much a guitar buyer as I was a player. I mean, I like to get into hobbies when I do them, and who doesn't love shopping for things you love? My grandmom could go shopping all day long, well into her 90's! I think I inherited this shopping bug from her. Anyway, I got to know which online guitar stores I prefer and why. I bought a guitar from Elderly and this is why I really like this place: - good prices - they have nice instruments. The instrument presentation on their website doesn't do their instruments justice. Their presentation is kind of boring. I mean, compared to other sites where they have great lighting and the proper background that highlights the beauty of the instruments they're selling (guitars are as much art as they are tools). I am drawn to the beautiful images and sometimes I feel they really do influence my buying decisions. Anyway, their guitars are as nice as the prettiest one you see on other sites, even if they don't present them in the best light compared to some of their craftier competitors. - I received the guitar in absolutely perfect condition. I'm pretty sure I'm the first person to ever really play the guitar I purchased. I figured this would be the case because when I called to inquire about the guitar the salesman told me he had to go in the back to get it because the instrument was not out on the floor. I'm sure this is not true with every instrument they sell, but at least it's a possibility. I'm not knocking the small shops who have all their guitars out on display to be played by potential customers, I'm just saying it's nice to get a new guitar delivered that's clean and perfect. - my next reason for loving this place could possibly contradict my previous reason for loving them. Elderly has a 30-day return policy on new guitars. They don't charge you a restocking fee, either. This is fantastic if you're the one who played the new guitar for almost 30 days then decided to return it, but probably not so fantastic for the next person who gets that same "new" guitar. Is it even new at that point? I dunno. I'll tell you, I certainly enjoyed the 30-day return policy; it was peace of mind, even though I kept the guitar. To recap, Elderly Instruments = great prices, fresh guitars and the best return policy out there. Shop smart when shopping online and you won't be disappointed here.

Did my annual Christmas pilgrimage to Ederly today. As always awesome place to shop!!!

Here's a challenge: go to Elderly and find a guitar that isn't nicely set up and in tune on the shop floor

I made a spontaneous purchase of an old, beat up guitarlele at a thrift shop recently and brought it into Elderly. The staff at the repair shop went above and beyond to get my new instrument into working shape. Thank you, Elderly! I will be back here for any and all repairs from now on.

Took my James Tyler Variax in for a proper set up. They did a complete re-fretting but must have not got the fret wire even as a few of the strings rub badly against the fret wire when being pressed down, which has resulted in the frets becoming ground down in certain areas after minimal playing. I also asked for a short to be fixed that causes the pickups to cut out when using the pickup selector, which nothing was done about. i an bummed that I spent the money here only for it to create more problems I'll have to pay someone else to fix.

I bought a Recording King RP06 acoustic guitar from Elderly, and unboxed it at home to discover the pictured side crack. Elderly's response: "Our position on the condition of the guitar remains that the marks on the waste of the instrument are not cracks as indicated. Instead the marks you've pointed out are actually results of stress placed on the laminated sides when being shaped. It's for that reason the finish pools in that area leaving dark lines, across the grain of the wood. You are correct that this did take place during manufacturing, however this is considered a cosmetic issue and does not pose any threat to the integrity or playability of the instrument."

I've visited this shop numerous times and always enjoy checking out the latest stock. This shop is relatively unique in that customers are free to take any of the instruments off the wall and try them out -- without having an armed guard or even a suspicious clerk spying on you. I favor electrics, and they have a very strong selection of Fenders/Squiers, along with a selection of PRS, Gretsch, a couple of Rickenbackers, ESP/LTD, and other brands. This is not the shop if you're looking for a Gibson, though, since they had a legal run-in with Gibson some years back; the only Gibsons here are in the used/consignment section. In acoustics, the main focus is on Martins and Taylors, with some Ovations and others as well. When you need/want help, service is generally quite good; these guys will often go out of their way to help if you're buying equipment. You just might have to pry them away from their own "guitar testing" in the amp room. (I've found, though, that the repair-shop service can range from excellent to poor. They treated my 35-year-old Gibson Hummingbird with great care when it needed some work done; they treated a three-year-old Epiphone carelessly, leaving it playing worse than when I brought it in.) Over the years, I've bought at least five guitars from Elderly and wouldn't hesitate to buy another. And there's no denying that it's a fantastic place to browse (and drool). That said, I've received slightly better service and better deals -- surprisingly -- at Marshall Music in Lansing, which is more of an old-fashioned all-things-to-all-people music store -- offering everything from piano lessons to band instruments. That's also about the only place in town to find brand-new Gibson electrics (and just a few at that). Marshall, though, has a strong "look, don't touch" vibe; it's nowhere near as friendly as Elderly. And they can't hold a candle to Elderly's sheer quantity of guitars/basses for sale.

International Order of Odd Fellows. IOOF. How fitting, that Elderly Instruments resides in an old IOOF hall? Certainly, there were odd fellows, odd ladies, the odd hipster, goofball and serious musician trying out the wares. We planned an eight-hour round-trip drive just to experience this place. That's a pretty serious commitment of time, and it turned out to be well worth our while. Previous posters covered Elderly's vast guitar and other stringed instrument stock, but what amazed me even more was their acceptance of any odd jughead just grabbing a guitar off the wall and playing. (Sure, they keep a few WAY up off the floor and ask you to fetch someone before destroying... uh, "playing" those, but come on. That's pretty generous of them.) I watched as a very, VERY talented young lady picked through every Martin parlor guitar they had, finally walking out, thanks to her parents, with a stunning beauty. My heart soared like a hawk. I played a wider range of instruments in our six or so hours in the store than I've played in my previous four decades of guitar wankage. A 1935 Gibson L-7, followed by a Ribbecke "Halfling" Jazz hand-made, brand new? It could be the only place on the planet that's even possible. There are a precious few "destination" shops in the country: Gruhn's, a couple in NYC, LA and Vegas. But within a half-day drive, this is IT. Prices reflect rarity, condition and market shifts, but I'll never buy another instrument on eBay, now that I've been to the IOOF. Now, we'll see if they accept the offer on that consignment guitar... My one, tiny, niggling criticism was that some of the guitars had newer strings, while some had "dead" strings, making comparisons nearly impossible. I suppose, if you were really stuck making a decision they would re-string for you. They are THAT helpful. (Stopping at Zingerman's Roadhouse in Ann Arbor, in BOTH directions, is the perfect bookend to the day. Roast that piggie!)

I impulsively ordered an instrument from Elderly and then changed my mind about it. It was nothing against them or the instrument- I was just on an instrument-buying binge and I needed to CHILL. They cancelled it and refunded it extremely promptly and I didn't have to do anything but send an email saying, "Please cancel, thank you." I can only imagine how helpful they are on orders that you *do* follow through with!

Ok, let's paint a scenario. Woman 46 I asked around and who would be the best to look at her prized 1954 all original Les Paul she inherited from her dead husband. She gets the response from a lot of people telling her elderly instruments is the way to go. She trusted her intuition and musician friends, she takes at Les Paul into Elderly Instruments, is then later called with a minor repair that needs to be done to make it playable( was playable just had fret buzz) Guy says he'll do the repair for a couple hundred bucks. Now when she goes to pick up that guitar a . whole lot of the 1954 Hardware is now vacant from the guitar and replaced with something from the 1970s Bringing the estimated value of the guitar way down from $60,000 to about 1000. I don't think this is how this company stayed in business for so long, Just because she's female it doesn't mean she doesn't know the difference between what she had brought in originally and what she was left with!! This is an amazing experience with this company that I would put my money on being the normal experience seeing as how casually they made it seem!! Sorry folks if they can do that to this widow who was just wanted it to be in playable condition then this place should not be in business!!! JUSTICE FOR KATT!!!

This place is THE guitar shop of all guitar shops, pretty much for the country. People literally come from around the world to Elderly, and for good reason. I bought both my newest bass guitar and my first and still reliable (and only) acoustic guitar here, as well as a $30 ukulele and a more expensive mandolin. The instruments here are of high quality and you can be sure that if any adjustments need to be made, they have the skill to do it. Apparently Lansing people don't know that they have a goldmine in their backyard, judging from the 4 (now 5) ratings here. That's a shame. Even those not musically inclined should stop by at least once to check out the variety of neat percussion instruments that anyone can play (I didn't say play well). And it's a great place to pick up your first instrument as well, so why not learn to play your favorite songs on guitar?

Elderly goofed on my order but then Chris Beyer, Sales Manager, realized my issue, refunded my money, and sent very sincere and generous apologies and let me keep the disputed item, so I'm editing review & upgrading rating. Thank you, Elderly! I would do business with you again. The issue was they kinda goofed, then refused to honor my request to cancel before it was shipped. The manager later told me employees were trying to adhere to store policies and a new computer system was posing some challenges. I ordered a DVD to help me prepare for a music class. When I didn't receive any notification about shipping status for over a week, I called them and the guy told me that his coworker had failed to email me that it was on backorder, and he offered to cancel my order if I wanted. At the time I decided to go ahead and keep the order. A week later, after the class had passed, I still had not heard anything so I asked them to cancel it. They said they couldn't because it was a special-order item. That didn't sound right because if it was special order, the guy I spoke to initially would have mentioned it. 1. conflicting information 2. delayed response to a message I left on their webform requesting escalation to a manager (but ultimately a very fine and generous response!) 3. I couldn't get through on the phone when I tried to call during business hours regardless of which department I selected in their phone system 4. their phone system cut me off and disconnected me while I was leaving a voicemail But again, the manager made it good in the end and I appreciate that very much.

This is The Toy Store. Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory for Musicians. A music store run by musicians, staffed by musicians, and containing the bright, shiny bits and pieces musicians want. Their website is excellent, but you really owe it to yourself to go to Ground Zero and look around. If you can leave in less than half an hour, check to see if you have a reflection in a mirror; you have no soul, and may in fact be a vampire. Instruments, amps, parts, strings, media, it's all here and readily accessible. Why are you still sitting there reading? Go!

I called yesterday to speak to someone in the repair department as I had a question about a Graphtec tailpiece that Elderly sells. I asked the repair guy a question and he could not have been more rude or nasty. Thanks for nothing asshole!

Between Elderly Instruments and Huber & Breese, I'm basically done. If I hit the lotto, I'd hit both of these shops up! Anyways, I went up to Elderly w/ my buddy on Saturday and he was looking at this sweet vintage amp while I took "Baby Blue" in for some service. I'd gotten my favorite guitar set up at a different shop, but she still wasn't right. I thought I might have to leave her there and have my sis pick her up for me, but Scott in the repair area got my guitar fixed up right. The selection of instruments in this place is unbelievable...vintage to modern they have it covered. You're pretty much guaranteed to stumble into something cool here. They have an incredible music selection too and there was a guitar clinic/performance going on when we arrived. Checkout their website and look at some of the stuff they have!

I used to love this place but to so much after today. Brought a friend to help her buy a guitar ..ended up just looking ... when we were leaving I had some picks and she was gong to buy a shirt - small purchases I know but apparently we were invisible. Very few customers on a Friday morning...I'm standing in front of the register with an employee standing right in front of me at that register. He contnues to type for around 5 minutes. Will not make eye contact or acknowledge me at all. I wait patiently..he then just turns away and goes to the bathroom. We were the only women in the store. My friend felt it was because we were females. I dont know why but I ended up putting my intended purchases on the counter and leaving. Guess we go back to Huber and Breese. Much better treatment there.

Waist of time never got back to me on a guitar I was selling - ended up selling on eBay for 10k !! There loss Great job folks.

Elderly remains at the top of many touring musicians' and guitar fanatics' bucket lists--and for good reason. Stan Werbin's 40-plus-year-old shop is legendary for its rare (and seemingly endless) inventory, awesome staff and great spaces to play. This family-owned and operated business prides itself on knowing everything there is to know about their instruments, making it easy to understand why many consider Elderly one of the finest shops on the planet.

My go to music store for professional opinions and service. Their service has gotten even better now and they are the last of the great music stores in Michigan. Don't go to GC when you can go and talk to local musicians that support the local community. Great store with great service.

Its difficult to overestimate how good this music store is. Their repair department is world class. Their prices are competitive with anyone, and their staff are knowledgeable and helpful. They've survived in the post-GC world by knowing exactly what they're doing.

I purchased a guitar from Elderly Instruments online and had it shopped out to WA state. I was afraid to order such an expensive instrument online ($1,200) but EI answered all of my questions about the instrument and was very easy to work with. I decided to go ahead with the purchase and the guitar was promptly shipped out the next day. The guitar was packaged extremely well, with the instrument inside of a hard-shell case inside of other boxes which helped insulate the instrument from poor weather. Rolled up wads of paper were placed between the box and instrument case for protection against bumps. They even placed tissues under the floating bridge and pickguard to protect the instrument. And the strings were de-tuned about a 4th prior to shipping to reduce neck tension during transit. The people I dealt with answered my questions quickly and were honest about the cosmetic damage my instrument had sustained. The instrument arrived precisely as they described it. It plays beautifully and came exactly as described. I couldn't be happier that I bought this dinged up guitar from Elderly Instruments.

Had a bad experience with a cashier who was really rude to me. I play the banjo and wanted some advice on strings. He treated me like an idiot and gave my husband a lot more respect even though he doesn't play an instrument. Very sexist vibe. As we left we felt sad because it really is the best store around for banjo players. As i was playing some vintage banjos some old dude picked one up and started playing so that I couldn't hear myself. And didn't stop. Full of arrogant maleness that day.

Overhyped. Just another music store. Not that big, not that much inventory. Its a big box store disguised as boutique. Not a great selection over any other chain and vintage stuff is not on the floor. A few low end pieces but they claim their good vintage is "in the vault". Like they have a vault for one and 2, how do you sell it? Only one floor of this place is actually the store. The rest is not part of the retail space. Seagulls, epiphones and squiers take up most of the space. Its just another big box where parents by little jimmy their first guitar. Nothing wrong with that but after all the hype the reality will be a let down. Might as well shop Ebay.

My experience with Elderly was less than terrific. I was impressed by other reviews, their selection, and prices so I ordered a new ohana ukulele, with free shipping. It came very quickly, on a Saturday even, and it was extremely well packaged. Sounds great, right? But the ukulele itself looked like it had been a floor model, or was b-stock -- it didn't look new. I could have overlooked most of it, but not the chip. Granted, it was quite small, but still, a chip. I e-mailed right away explaining about the chip (with a picture attempting to show the chip) and requested a refund. I might have requested an exchange but I checked the site where it was stated the model was no longer available, and I was disappointed enough not to want to go through it all again. The response was very quick and courteous, but I wasn't happy with what I was told, which was that certain imperfections should be expected. I don't consider a chip -- an actual missing piece -- an imperfection. I was offered an exchange (maybe they didn't check if they still had it in stock before quickly responding, which I can understand), but was told that since imperfections should be expected, there was no guarantee that a replacement ukulele would be in any better condition, and that there might even be more imperfections. If I wanted to return the item, I would have to pay for return shipping. Or, I was also given the option of keeping the ukulele at a nice discount. I appreciated the effort, but 1) I didn't want a damaged ukulele, and 2) I was annoyed by having a chip characterized as an imperfection. As I was filling out the return paperwork I noticed it stated that I might be responsible for the shipping costs to me as well as the return shipping cost. I wanted that clarified so I e-mailed again. Again, the response was quick and courteous, and I was told there was a possibility I would be charged but in all likelihood, I would only be responsible for the return shipping. I thought it was the best I could hope for and I wanted to get the matter resolved as quickly as possible, so I returned the ukulele. It cost me about $14. I tracked the package delivery and waited a few days beyond that, but I didn't receive an e-mail acknowledging the receipt, or stating what their determination was as far as how it would affect my refund, or when I would be able to expect a refund credited to my account. So I e-mailed requesting status of the return -- again, quick and courteous response, saying that I would be refunded the full purchase price and that I could expect the refund in 7-10 business days (which I did). So that's my story. I will say that their customer service was very professional and responsive, and they were very good in their efforts to offer reasonable options given their policy. But I disagree with their position that a chip is an acceptable imperfection for an item purchased as new. And I wouldn't say I would never purchase from them again -- because never say never, and I really, really love buying ukuleles -- but I would have to seriously consider and reconsider the risk in light of this past experience.

Finally made the visit after many years of hearing of EI. Loved the atmosphere and the great collection of the vintage, seasoned and new gear. Was slightly put off by a couple of the staff members until I met Jim. Very courteous, friendly and helpful at the counter! The lady in the Mandolin room with the Silver Mullet should take note! Here's a tip....put down your book or magazine and engage the customer!....who knows...they might even have a credit card or some cash they are willing to use!..I know I did! Maybe next time...

I recently purchased a Martin GPCPA2 Mahogany guitar through the mail order department of Elderly Instruments. I received the guitar yesterday and it is flawless - exactly as described!!! The set up, which Elderly checked before shipping, is perfection as well. This is the first time I have purchased a high end guitar through the mail and without playing it so needless to say I had concerns before placing the order. I had only played a six year-old version of this model at a local guitar shop and it blew me away but I wanted a new one. Since Martin has discontinued the model they are quite hard to find and Elderly was one of the few guitar shops in the country that had one....the last one in their inventory! As part of my due diligence I had extensive conversations with Pat and Jeff in the mail order department who gladly answered my myriad questions as they had intimate knowledge of the model. They not only inspired confidence in that they too were musicians but they were patient, personable and provided the type of customer service that has become far too rare in our country. I also dealt with Dawn and Cynthia and they too were professional, warm, friendly and highly competent. I cannot imagine a better purchasing experience than the one I had in dealing with Elderly instruments. I have been playing guitar for over forty years and these folks "get it" soup to nuts. Their price was the best as well!!! Thank you Tony! Bravo to all at Elderly Instruments. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and for your patience and kindness. Thanks as well for my new Martin GPCPA "Hog," America's guitar and what a beauty ;-). You folks are the best!!! Joe Bruno (Sarasota, FL)

I could not be happier. I ordered a recording king guitar from elderly. The sales lady who helped me was very nice, she even allowed me to voice some concerns about a known defect in some of these little guitars. I received the shipment on time and everything was just as they said. The best part about elderly is the guitars come ready to play. A technician inspects and adjusts your guitar before shipment. There may be cheaper places online but these guys are true professionals and that means a lot

What a special place! Not only is it Elderly, but you get a historic vibe when you walk in. They're very well stocked with vintage basses, guitars, etc. the staff is very content with letting you spend some alone time with instruments. I played an incredible 1980 Precision Bass, it growled. I haven't heard tone that smooth from any other bass but my own. They also have recent, modern models for any budget. I love spending time here, and look forward to visiting again!

This is where I take my guitars to get them strung, purchased many instruments. The people are friendly and the service is good. I have purchased about six or seven instrument their. Taking every experience into consideration it's a fair business and unique place in the Lansing area to go and try musical instruments before you actually purchase them.

Summary: An excellent music store that really takes the time to make sure things are right. Often times, a company makes the strongest customer impression, not when everything goes 100% right, but when something goes sideways. It's the response to these unforeseen issues that separates the truly customer-focused from the rest of the pack. And, in my recent experience with Elderly Instruments, this is where they truly shine. I'm not exactly what you'd call a good guitarist, but had always wanted a Martin. A D-28. My situation is similar to the Chevrolet Vega driver - you've got transportation, but you know what a Bugatti Veyron is. Well, right around the start of the year, I received an unexpected bonus and finally decided to pull the trigger on my dream guitar. So, I started researching vendors, and narrowed my search down to a couple of the best music stores that were recommended consistently. After speaking with both stores, I decided to go with Elderly because I could speak to a Describer who took the time to tell me about the particular instrument I was looking at, and the fact that they had the specific D-28 I wanted in stock. Despite all my research, I was still a bit nervous about purchasing across the internet, but in the end, I placed my order. About a week later, I received two boxes via UPS: my guitar, and some accessories (Hercules stand, some various strings, etc.). My guitar was securely packed in a large box, with lots of protection (I should probably store this box in the attic in case I have to ship the guitar somewhere in the future). I unboxed my new baby and gave it a good look - it looked perfect. I tuned it and played for a bit, and was rewarded with a sound unlike any I've been able to previously create. This was a Good Day! Later that evening, I was examining the wood work on the sides of the guitar, and noticed a finished hole on the bottom of the guitar - clearly, that should be filled with something. So, in the morning, I contacted Elderly and asked about this. Turns out, the guitar should have been shipped with an end pin that fills the hole - the person I spoke with told me they don't ship with end pins in the guitar due to a request from Martin. Mine should have been included in the shipping box or the case, but it wasn't. Elderly ordered another part (mine is ivory with a black dot) from Martin, and shipped it to me immediately - without a problem. They were friendly, helpful, and didn't make me feel like some sort of n00b when I called to ask what I thought was a stupid question. They rapidly corrected a shipping oversight, and used the opportunity to strengthen the relationship between vendor and customer. Based on my purchase and follow-up experience, I'd strongly recommend Elderly Instruments to you if you're looking for an instrument of some sort. I know I'll do more business with them in the future - I just wish I was close enough to go there in person!