921 Queen West, 416-203-0202, www.capsulemusic.com
Rating: NNNNN
Catering mainly to the working musician – meaning everyone from your everyday busker to Coldplay (I’m not even exaggerating – the Brit rockers were in last week and picked up a Fender Musicmaster), Capsule Music , owned by twin brothers/fellow musicians Peter and Mark Kesper , has been selling and repairing guitars since 1998.
And while the Queen West West neighbourhood has gotten loftified, Capsule’s clientele is anything but lofty. Here, a customer is just that, and quality service rules, not ass-kissing. Known for the awesome stock of new/used and highly collectible vintage guitars and the excellent repairs done upstairs – often in as little time as one day, compared to other places that can take two weeks – this is the place to get what you want, when you need it, so you can get back on the road, whether you’re riding in a tour bus or not.
The Kespers’ picks: 1964 vintage Gretsch, model 6120, $3,800 new Blueridge acoustic guitars starting $450 and up and guitar tech Brad Keoghan’s (pictured) restoration of a late-60s Gretsch. Full restorations start from $50.
Look for: Vintage cowboy shirts (collected from all over Ontario) retro microphones (often rented as movie props) studio/rehearsal space in back of the building to come website updated daily.
Store hours: Tuesday 11 am to 7 pm, Wednesday to Friday 11 am to 6 pm, Saturday noon to 6 pm.
