Thunder Road Guitars PDX

When I first went into this shop, I was overwhelmed by the prices of some of the high-end guitars and felt like this place wasn’t for me. I’m extremely grateful that time has changed my perspective and I really enjoy coming here! They have high-end guitars of your dreams, but also some surprisingly affordable new and used guitars. Some of the Used prices are so good that I see them listed on the website, but they sell before I can get in there! I’ve also been bringing guitars here recently for set up. The results are very good and the turnaround time is normally a couple of days. The folks that work there are also really nice!

Thunder Road Guitars is hands down one of the coolest guitar shops in Oregon. They’ve got a killer selection of high-end guitars — Jackson Custom Shop stuff, vintage pieces, and all kinds of gear you don’t see every day. If you're into quality instruments, this place is a goldmine. The staff was awesome — super friendly, helpful, and never pushy. They really know their stuff and made the whole experience easy and enjoyable. Whether you're just browsing or seriously hunting for your next guitar, this is definitely a shop worth checking out.

I just walked out. I came in with the intention to buy a specific guitar. After taking an eternity to actually FIND the guitar, I was offered a tuner but not an amplifier or a cable to actually test the guitar. Ah yes, the time honored method to test an ELECTRIC GUITAR -strum it unplugged. They managed to get a kid who came in after me set up and playing without any effort. "Here's the guitar, here's the amp and a cord. See how you like it" I get "here is a tuner" and then walked away. Apparently, there is a 15% end of year sale that I only heard about from the other customer who came in after me. It would have been nice to have had that mentioned by one of the three people who greeted me. Yeah, I was looking at a $400 guitar and not a $2000 one like the person who came in after me, but that doesn't mean I don't deserve quality service.

Love this place. The selection is incredible and the prices are as good as you'll find. Staff is very knowledgable and friendly - special thanks to Knuckles for the setup on my guitars (ask for him).

These guys have a wonderful collection and are super nice. They had one particularly hard-to-find guitar I was interested in- I was visiting Portland from out of state, and they went above and beyond to answer my questions beforehand and let me check it out. Thank you guys so much! Highly recommended. This store just has a really nice, welcoming, and friendly vibe.

Great neighborhood guitar shop. They restrung my nylon string guitar with strings that had balls on the ends of them. Those broke about two weeks later. I know strings break, but strings that are tied (without a ball) have a little more wiggle room/flexibility. On the up side though, they cleaned the fretboard and applied some finish oil to the wood. Also a knowledgeable associate gave me a brief history on my Lyle classical guitar, and I left with a new tuner.

My experience at TRG was great because of the people. I'm not an experienced guitar player; I'm the guy who somewhat dreads playing a guitar at all in a music store in front of people. While other guys are shredding, I'm strumming some open chords feeling like I'm a fish out of water and have no business looking at high end guitars. Well, the guys at TRG were warm and welcoming and gracious to this novice. Will and John both made sure that I was comfortable, answered all of my questions without a hint of an eye-roll, and seemed genuinely engaged. I bought a very nice guitar for a very fair price and I couldn't be happier with the experience. I'll be a return customer without a doubt. Thank you!

Great store! I had never went to this store before, but decided to go there because I had seen on their website that they had some unique vintage guitars and it did not disappoint! I spent a good amount of time here and ended up buying a 1950 Gibson J-45. The owner was very nice and was a pleasure to work with. He was able to answer all of the questions that I had. If you’re looking for a professional and unique guitar or amp, I highly recommend checking out this place.

Looking for guitar specialists? Thunder Road is your place. They have a selection ranging from relatively inexpensive to "to die for" models. The best part is their service--these guys love guitars. They own them, play them, know them, and they will expertly guide you to the instrument best suited to your level of playing, size, and budget. Will, the owner, recently helped me with an issue I had with a Martin acoustic, and I walked away completely satisfied. It was a "win-win" solution. Great place for guitar aficionados as well as beginners who need guidance on finding the guitar of their dreams

Had a great experience with Thunder Road Guitars of Portland ! This is the 3rd guitar I've purchased from them now, they were helpful, patient, informative and went above and beyond to ensure satisfaction with my purchases Highly recommended, 5 stars Go check them out and the huge selection of Guitars, and equipment ! You won't be disappointed

Cool place. Great guitars. The staff is welcoming and very knowledgeable. They have some real old authentic guitars that are beautiful to hear played.

I recently bought a new guitar from Thunder Road, and had a really amazing experience that I feel I should share. I was looking at no less than 4 guitars that were high end to me, but not necessarily at the expensive end of what was on the wall. After a few minutes of staff getting the guitars off of the hangers and onto stands, I found myself feeling like I was left alone with all 4 beauties. I never once felt like I was being hovered over, and yet somehow, if I had a question, someone was right there with an answer. It was one of the most comfortable guitar store experiences I've ever had (I ended up with a new Les Paul). At some point I will be in the market for something truly stratospheric, and when that happens, Thunder Road will be the first place I look.

When bringing in used guitars or guitar related equipment for trade, be sure to have a set price you will accept in advance of talking with the shop staff. They may take advantage of your position and low ball you on the trade price. For instance, most shops will tell you they will give you 60% of the value they can get for resale and you may indeed find it for sale on the internet for a low price. However upon double checking the shop's website for the price they are selling your trade-in for you may find they took advantage of you and are reselling it for more than what was calculated for the 60% value. Thunder Road Guitars, in spite of their reputation, are no exception to this practice, indeed they do it themselves. Check with other shops that have been around longer and offer more fair trade value and frankly deserve the business such as Portland Music Co. or Old Town Music. Better yet, sell your item on concession which typically offers a better percentage and you get to set the price.

A Gem in the Neighborhood! I'm so lucky to have this shop close by! The staff is incredibly insightful, trustworthy, and friendly--they always take the time to answer all my questions. The selection of guitars is outstanding, and every instrument is unique and beautiful. The shop itself has such a great vibe; it's a fun and welcoming space. Best of all, Rosie, the shop dog, always makes my visits even more special! Hands down, the best guitar store in PDX. Don't skip!

Took my guitar in to get set up done, they were very helpful and explained what they would do. They said ready in two days but, called next day to let me know it was ready. Smooth and easy transaction with no up sell.

I brought two instruments in for trade and had a wonderful experience dealing with the whole staff, including the owner, Will. We negotiated a more than fair trade-in value for my gear, and I left the proud new owner of a 2023 Gibson Les Paul. This isn't Guitar Center, and I'm thankful for that. They carry a wide range of instruments across all price points, and at least to me, appear genuine in wanting everyone to find the right gear for their needs. I highly recommend Thunder Road to anyone local or for any visitors to Portland.

This place is the best! If you're looking for the best inventory and service in the area, look no further. Super friendly and knowledgeable owner!!

Very cool shop with a cool, laid-back owner. I didn't have much time to spend in the store as I was on business travel, but I grabbed a fuzz pedal, a cable, and power supply, all priced very well. Their inventory is top notch, with many rare and unique guitars and amps.

Sweet guitar shop in Portland. The owner was super friendly & informative. Tons of guitar choices. Easy to find & very well set up. Also in Seattle. Catchy name too.

This is an incredible guitar store! Very helpful and passionate staff. They carry a great selection of guitars and amps. The store has an awesome atmosphere and is very well curated with classic and timeless options as well as some great boutique items like Milkman amplifiers and vintage tweeds!

I spotted this beautiful Larrivee classical guitar. Beautiful inlay, fantastic sound, and a good price. If you know what you want check this place out.

Awesome shops with tones of unique gear if you're looking to build your own tone with good vintage and new gear this is the spot

I just got back from picking up a used guitar at Thunder Road PDX. Not an unusual thing for me, it's the second guitar I've bought from them, and they have also sold four for me on consignment since they opened up in September of 2017. The prices both buying and selling have been very competitive, and always fair. Their sales setup gets attention and my consignment guitars have all sold pretty quickly, even in the pandemic market. The first thing you notice when you walk in and look around is that it's a store for guitar players. The inventory is a wide range of high quality, interesting, and well-loved guitars of every description and a great selection of amplifiers of various ages, sizes, and conditions. Necessary accessories in the way of picks, pedals, and straps are well represented. You can sit down and mix/match guitars and amps until you hear what you are listening for, and everything feels and sounds right. Doug, the security dog, is vigilant but forgiving and will greet you enthusiastically if your head is in the right place. If you're looking for a quality, ready-to-play "new to you" guitar, it's a great place to shop. Check it out.

Really cool owner and staff. Incredible selection. I'll definitely stop in. There is nothing like this in the area. It's like the coolest guitar shop I've seen.

Will is super knowledgeable about everything guitars, and approachable to boot. Thunder road is a great place to sit down on a rainy day, strum and talk guitars. The shop dog, Molly is a bonus too.

So helpful! Great advice and when they didn't carry something, suggested another store :)

Will sold a vintage guitar for us. He knows his business and is very very honest. Don't bother going anywhere else.

My band is heading into the studio very shortly and I needed some pickups installed and 2 Gibson's set-up. I'm familiar with Thunder Road Guitars for their awesome guitar and amp selection but didn't know they serviced gear as well. I've had some bad experiences in town over the years with too cool for school luthiers that take their good old time doing short order work. I expected a long wait for what I needed done. They did it 3 hours. Same day service and everything was spot on based on my specs. I couldn't be happier with the service and the folks that know their stuff in store. Safe to say I have found my go to for guitar work.

I recently had my brother's new Martin 000-28 Modern Deluxe set up here. Before it was set up the strings were a bit farther than comfort. After Thunder Road set it up, it played phenomenally! I've had 4-5 other guitars set up at other stores, and these guys definitely do the best job I've seen so far. They were also incredibly fast, I brought it in Saturday, and they had it ready the next time they opened up. They also have an amazing selection of vintage gear as well as boutique builders like Waterloo & Collings. It's less expensive than other guitar shops in PDX and I would say they do a better job. Would definitely come back here.

Awesome selection of guitars. The guys there are very knowledgeable and made me feel comfortable asking questions. Stoked to have this little shop in a cool neighborhood!

Amazingly well curated guitar store - apparently they have a sister shop in Seattle as well. I've sold/bought/browsed guitars there and they've been super nice every time. Fair prices and paid me well for my guitars I brought in. Recommended.

Great selection of unique and memorable guitars with a super friendly, down to earth, and knowledgeable staff. Definitely a place to check out and support!

Cool selection of vintage guitars and some vintage amps too...from expensive 60s ES335 to a pretty big selection of affordable vintage Les Pauls, Jaguars, and cool stuff like a 60s Roy Smeck Harmony. Prices seemed pretty reasonable for these vintage pieces. It's a small shop, guys were friendly and unobtrusive. Guitars seemed well curated and set up well. They have a small selection of accessories (strings, effects pedals, etc. even bass strings). Not many basses though IIRC. And a friendly pup.

Favorite shop in town! The guys are all super knowledgeable, warm, and gracious in creating a welcoming space to check out guitars. Absolutely incredible selection with guitars treated as instruments to be played and not museum pieces stored behind a glass case.