Tampa's Top Guitar Shops: Exploring Replay Guitar Exchange & Tampa Guitar Center

[@bmurphy616]

I moved to Tampa a year ago and went searching for a guitar store. Replay is freaking awesome, a store created by guitar players for guitar players. The vibe, selection and staff are awesome and they also have a really great “lessons area” with a couple of great instructors. I make it in there at least once a week- they’re definitely worth the trip

[@badbrad]

Yes killer store!

[@chrisalexander1661]

Good morning. My teacher, Doug Doppler and Larry Mitchell, recently held a guitar clinic there.

[@badbrad]

Wow very cool!!

[@philipmarsh3522]

Replay is owned by a guy who loves guitars, playing music and who is fortunate to have the resources to support a guitar store that probably would struggle to even exist without a sponsor who isn’t necessarily in the business just to make money. They also hire employees who are some of the best local players and who will go out of their way to help you pick the gear you will use and show you how to set it up. Great store and great people.

[@badbrad]

That is great to know .

[@petesmith6434]

I agree, Replay is the last of the old-style guitar stores. It’s a joy to go there.

[@badbrad]

@@petesmith6434 Great guitars there...

[@alterfloyd1]

All true statements. Owner has passion for the hobby and the artists.

[@badbrad]

@@alterfloyd1 That rocks!

[@jeffmorris739]

I used to go to Rock Block guitars over on Elliston near the Exit Inn, and Corner Music next to Forks. Guitar Center in Nashville was a cool place and I had a lot of friends that worked there. I was jamming some blues trying out an old Marshall head and I looked up and Stevie Winwood was standing there listening. Freaked me out and I had no words. Only in Nashville.

[@badbrad]

All great spots of Yore....loved Rock Block..

[@terrygrady7683]

Those Gretches are so beautiful.

[@badbrad]

Yes indeed

[@jayp.2313]

Guitar Exchange is Great .

[@badbrad]

It really is.

[@dwainphillips]

We have a great great live music scene in Jacksonville Florida. Great local guitar repair and build guy's. Many talented artists in many genres.

[@badbrad]

Will try and check that out...

[@jayp.2313]

Deals Are Great

[@badbrad]

yes!

[@jayp.2313]

I went last week . It is the best I have ever seen in a long time .

[@badbrad]

It is awesome!

[@troypeterson7943]

Replay is my favorite store. Got my boogie there, and a Dean Zelinsky lavoce. Also, the Tampa Guitar Center is actually Excellent. I've gotten great deals from them, and they have A Lot of inventory.

[@badbrad]

GC Tampa does have alot of inventory...and you can find deals in GC.

[@ArmandoVegaTV]

Wow. Looks like a great store. You scored man. Thank you for promoting them. We need to help spread the word on these great music stores.

[@badbrad]

No doubt!

[@gary3439]

Cash is king. I am always on the hunt for guitars. just snagged a LP standard 50s for a very affordable price. A lot of gear was bought during the pandemic. It’s now for sale. Great show.

[@badbrad]

Yeah I hear ya. Thanks for tuning in.

[@MackAxyzz]

...it's all grace of God; blessingzz brother 😎

[@badbrad]

Thank you!!!

[@Instramark]

I did Tampa to Sarasota in the Mid Nineties. Nashville for a few years before Florida. What a huge difference. Comparatively, Nashville had an order to it, trickled down from the record labels maybe. West Coast Florida was a complete free for all Daddy-O. Tiki bars, rusty gear and wall to wall crazy folks. Funny.......huge crowds were drawn at clubs normally kind of dead, with banners saying " put together band tonight with a guy that jammed with Jimmy Buffett for ten minutes 20 years ago. Cover 10 bucks. Packed, I mean packed. Parrot Heads ruled!

[@badbrad]

Wow that sounds fun.

[@Yeti-Redi]

Wildwood Guitars in Lafayette, Colorado is my favorite guitar store. I purposely park my car several blocks away and leave my wallet locked in the glove box. I can't help myself when I go in there. Walking thru the front door of that store some "magic fairy dust" falls upon you and come out 4 hours later with a guitar in hand, an invoice, and 4 hours of missing time that you can't recall what just happened. I live about 500 miles from that store, and I still hear that siren's song. My car knows the way. My wife lets me go there only when I have a chaperone (to be my chaperone requires that person must not be a guitar player and likes to study interior decorating; we refer to this person as the Guitar Nazi). I'm a weak man......

[@badbrad]

Yes I would agree....they have an amazing guitar selection and I love to watch the demos by Greg Koch on KZbin.

[@benallmark9671]

Good stuff Brad ! Thank you Sir.

[@badbrad]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@rickbrooks1956]

I was vacationing in Clearwater about a month ago. There was a Guitar Center store across. From our hotel, and I visited twice. Not much inventory to see, but I saw a couple of guitars I was interested in. I'm an older man, heavy set, and the staff showed absolutely zero interest in even saying hello, or offering to help. You could read their minds... "old fat guy who's not going to buy anything". Nevermind that I work, and being older, I have a wallet full of credit cards, and even theirs. I won't be back. Gonna check out Replay on my next visit to the area. Thanks for the great video!

[@badbrad]

I get the same treatment...some people just don't know how to sell...and I will buy a guitar from time to time. Check out replay I guarantee they will take care of you.

[@GreatPlanet-c7o]

Orlando has the Flash Flood of Guitars store. Those guys would likely really like to meet you and do business with you. They pick they're stock very carefully and can source anything imaginable.

[@badbrad]

I would like to meet them.

[@TheFeelButton]

Most venues today can only afford 200-300 for entertainment and 300 plus tips is pretty awesome for a solo guy and I get fed and praised and all the good stuff; if I bring a drummer and bass it costs all the profit and I get to play with two people who likely resent their low wages and treat the gig accordingly leading to less food and praise. Private and corporate gigs pay more for bands but they come with their own set of hassles that I don't enjoy dealing with. My 2 cents on gigonomics outside Nashville. Cheers Brad!

[@badbrad]

Man I get it. But wish the pay was more for everybody.

[@TheFeelButton]

@@badbrad I bet the cooks and servers wish their pay was higher too.

[@badbrad]

@@TheFeelButton You know it!

[@ScottWalker-uw3rp]

You are spot on regarding that Guitar Center. It is depressing and the area is very sketchy. Replay has a great selection of guitars. I'm curious if they have any premier luthiers. I have a couple of refret jobs I'm needing to get done soon and I'm scared to death to let an amateur do them. Any luthier recommendations in the Tampa area? Refretting is all I need to get done. Great video. Cheers.

[@badbrad]

Thanks Scott. I'm so new to this area I don't have any recommendations. But the guys at replay seem like stand up guys and I think it would def. be worth taking it in there and talking to their guy. You can't have a guitar shop their with that stellar selection of guitars without having someone who can work on them..

[@Gentlegroove71]

Replay is a great place. I alway walk in the store with no intent to purchase a guitar, just to look around. I usually walk out with a guitar.

[@badbrad]

I can’t blame you!

[@petrucci12]

Hi, I recently moved to the Tamp area coming from south Florida and it’s like starting all over again, I play solo gigs with tracks, yes it’s great to play with a band but man I don’t see any money in it to play the bills plus I keep looking and I still wasn’t lucky enough to do 1 gig, best of luck to you and let’s see if I can land some of those gigs to. 🤘🏻🤘🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻

[@badbrad]

Best of luck bro!

[@PaulLoughrin]

Thanks Brad. That's cute, about your daughter wanting to play the instruments! Yea, that is sad about seeing Guitar Center like that. However, Replay looks and sounds awesome. I hope you find at least one good paying gig in the Tampa area. Nuthin Fancy, somewhat of a Lynyrd Skynyrd tribute band, is in Clearwater. Cheers from Jacksonville, Florida.

[@badbrad]

Thanks bro!

[@alterfloyd1]

Replay is a solid store. For the most part the staff isnt Bon Jovi wannabe washouts but there is a couple. They have great annual sales and def have a large guitar stock. Need more amps but thats not their main thing so its cool. Special shoutout to Shawn in the Bass department. Helped my Dad get started from total beginner.

[@badbrad]

Hey I resemble that remark...actually I'm more of a VH Burn out.

[@alterfloyd1]

@@badbrad 😂 Aic/Soundgarden burnout myself

[@marvelharris9540]

You would have loved the old Thoroughbred Music days!

[@badbrad]

Man sorry I missed it.

[@saltyapostle44]

Brad - consider using the Rule of Thirds for your camera placement. It's makes it look better.

[@badbrad]

I'm not sure what that means...I'm just a dude who plays guitar.

[@guitardude1981]

Daves guitar shop in lacrosse wi is my favorite store. And my favorite guitar luthier is Tom Bielefeld from S.S.E. Music in lacrosse, wi.

[@badbrad]

I've checked out their website but have not been to their store....

[@guitardude1981]

@badbrad he has stores in Madison and Milwaukee too! Main store is in lacrosse. He has a vintage museum of guitars and amps upstairs in lacrosse store.

[@badbrad]

@@guitardude1981 Wow didn't know all that. That's pretty incredible.

[@guitardude1981]

​@badbrad it's under The Dave's Rogers Collection on Dave's Guitar Shop website.

[@badbrad]

@@guitardude1981 I will def. have to check that out...

[@miketuttle9319]

If you want to take a little road trip, Jimmy’s Vintage Music in Auburndale is a great guitar/amp store. Jimmy does business with the guy who owns Replay, worth the trip.

[@badbrad]

Now that sounds like a plan.

[@ThisIsJoeRice]

Heya, best guitar shop in FL - Seven C Music & Coffee in St. Petersburg, FL

[@badbrad]

I need to check that out

[@t-bone3657]

Mainly acoustic. Very few electric and all used. Nice ppl - not cheap

[@Caturday123]

They have a writers round about once a month to showcase local talent. It’s great.

[@badbrad]

@@Caturday123 Very cool!

[@badbrad]

@@Caturday123 very cool

[@NoCoverCharge]

I bought a killer tele there at replay for $900 tele deluxe with the two humbuckers

[@badbrad]

It's a great store!

[@alanwatson3367]

It will all work out for ya big daddy 😊

[@badbrad]

Thank you!

[@jamesday5636]

Tampa Scene: Bro Country & tributes...singles & duos in buffet bars.

[@badbrad]

I toured with bro country acts....

[@philipmarsh3522]

It’s so weird how local bands want to play music that is on every radio station from bands that sell out their shows every night. Completely baffling. They should be playing real music from the 70’s that Jamesday5636 likes.

[@badbrad]

@@philipmarsh3522 I like stuff from the 70's and 80's and 90's and ......

[@jamesday5636]

@@philipmarsh3522 Not true Philly. Its the Tampa scene. Jimmy Buffet songs in tiki bars. Bro country and tributes are teh current trend - not harshing you -just a fact.. relax man. Disco was a trend- DJ's are a trend, punk rock was a trend , new wave was a trend.. so the 2024 trend is BRO /ALT country and TRIBUTE BANDS.

[@jfree336]

Moved to the area last year, I have settled into an acoustic duo, but I really would like to play with a full band. I need to check this store out, I saw some sweet 335’s.

[@badbrad]

Go check it out...they got some sweet 335's.

[@mellison1]

Thank you for your kind words about our shop! Come back any time and check out our amp room and hang out as often as you like.

[@badbrad]

Will do. Thank you so much!

[@kylebenjamin8772]

That store looks killer. Would love to pick up that honey burst Les Paul on the wall. Will definitely hit that place up next trip to home.

[@badbrad]

Yes indeed.

[@bryansmith6865]

Tampa/St. Petersburg has got some of the working bands but it falls closer to the beaches and downtown St Pete. I’m not sure what the rates are in Nashville but I’d expect that bands aren’t hitting those figures. Most folks who are fulltime in music do a mix of the acoustic solo gigs and band gigs when they can make it worth it. I guess it a wonky market overall but get in where you fit in. Check out 7C music as well, very different from Replay but serves the player community well with repairs, writers in the round, coffee, etc.

[@badbrad]

Cool will check out

[@jimmyjames2022]

Wow some great deals at Replay! Guitar sales drying up here in Canada, new and used, but no sales to compensate, since they're driven by the manufacturers not the dealers. I prefer the local stores to chain stores, I get better deals and staff are always available. That's tough there's no trios in Tampa. If there's a duo or single performing, it's not rock, it's folk ;)

[@badbrad]

Yeah singles and duo's no bueno. But the deals are here to be had.

[@uncledodad]

$50 is standard for a practice gig and a $100 for the show a gig for a guitar player ,drummer etc.. here in Tampa Bay area.

[@badbrad]

Man that's rough.

[@DanaDeerwester]

It's like a audition place where they play to loud and trying to impress! Can't stand that! Have a great day Bad Brad 👏💯🎸💜❤🤍💙

[@badbrad]

It wasn't very impressive.

[@jayp.2313]

I play a few instruments if you need a harp player I got a good set up. I know a great drummer too.

[@badbrad]

ok cool.

[@johnpichla9557]

The younger guys are bypassing the old clunky amps and using like a mooer X2 pre amp modualer pedal etc. Or something similar and running straight to a P.A. system or just a separate cab. That's a whole other conversation of eliminating a amp with a computer/ new pre amp modualer. Get unlimited amp samples in one pedal 😂

[@badbrad]

I get it. If I was young I probably wouldn't want an old clunky amp with one crappy sound.

[@frankhenicke348]

🎸

[@badbrad]

Thanks for tuning in.

[@larriveeman]

Covid wasn’t the problem as much as the inept/ incompetent response

[@badbrad]

ok

[@cadeoadrian7556]

What band you played in L.A ?

[@badbrad]

"Shock" and that turned into "Boy Elroy"

[@TheMoneyMakingMentor]

It's a shame that the kids today don't have the patience to learn to play an instrument. Most artists themselves can't play guitar.

[@badbrad]

Should be brought back into schools.

[@johnpichla9557]

Peavey bandit 112 was a standard 😂 Marshall jcm 900 2 × 12 combo amp weight was ridiculous and always problems with the tube's/ dependability. Then we have the new antique, line 6 spider 😂 who really wants to drag around a vintage tube amp to gig anymore?

[@badbrad]

I didn't even use a tube amp in Nashville....it just got too heavy to carry.

[@johnpichla9557]

@badbrad I hear you, after spending thousands on the Marshall jcm 900, new groove tube's, getting it re-biased, thing never sounds the same, volume and crackling and just plain unreliable, lugging it around, a solid state amp just was so reliable at the end of the day.

[@badbrad]

@@johnpichla9557 I bought one of the MIC Marshall JCM900's and it lasted for one gig

[@larrymann1272]

It’s ESP or Jackson for me.

[@badbrad]

✅

[@t-bone3657]

We can all thank sleepy joe for this crappy economy and lack of lucrative gigs. I live in St Pete. Still plenty of ways for a musician to make a decent buck here but you have to know where to go and who to talk to. Replay in south Tampa is a great store. Ask for Cliff 😮 Their sale this month is only up to 15% for quality gear.

[@badbrad]

Replay is a great store. Which one is Cliff?

[@TheJimburke]

Ha Ha Ha you think Joe Biden is the reason there are less good gigs in Tampa.The night club and tourist bar industry in Tampa Bay and all of Florida has been changing and moving away from bands and guitar oriented live acts since 1999. You haven't noticed that Hip Hop and Pop music dominates the charts for the last 15 years or so? Sleepy Joe, really? Good players can still get a gig. If you can't find a gig learn how to play don't blame it on the president.

[@jayp.2313]

They must go on volume sales at those prices. Every sale is a good sale and every sale brings in profit and helps the store and the customers.

[@badbrad]

perhaps

[@larrnew]

Have you considered teaching guitar? There seems to be money to be made if you have the patience for it.

[@badbrad]

I could do that.

[@NedraWesley]

Musicians not making 50.00 plus an hour need professional help!

[@badbrad]

You will never make that because the work starts at home.... a four hour gig at 50 an hour is still just 200. But you might spend 4-6 hours learning material, plus strings, plus gas etc...