Good store! It was in it that I bought my son his first guitar in life! He will remember this forever.

Fair prices, good service.The trade up policy isnt that great but new and used prices are good...especially if you barter a little bit on the used.Because theyre not a big chain like Guitar Center, they have a fair amount of eclectic stuff you wont see elsewhere...at least in the Northwest.

LOVE THESE GUYS. Its open by appointment only during the ongoing pandemic like most small businesses are. I called from home and Ellis made an appointment for me right away at the Alberta store. He was professional, went out of his way, knowledgeable and did a fair deal. The guitar I needed was at the other store so Ellis traded in my old telecaster guitar and gave me store credit so I wouldnt have to go through an appraisal again. Then he called Sam at the Division St location and put a hold on the guitar I wanted. I was greeted by the wonderful and also professional, went out of his way, very knowledgeable, Sam. Who was very kind and very patient with me as I tried it out. I now have the guitar I want. Thank you Trade Up Music

Lost a sale. Went there this morning to buy a birthday present. After “politely knocking” on the gated, locked, front door as the sign instructed, I was finally (after several attempts) greeted by an employee who told me that they were “at capacity” and as soon as someone left, i could come in. As I peered into the glass windows all I saw was one other person inside. I waited on the sidewalk for 15mins without anymore acknowledgement from the employee what so ever. I decided, at that point, to take my business to another music shop in NE., had a great experience there, made my purchase, and returned home.

Over the years I have bought and sold lots of gear from this store, and when I was in this part of town, Id often stop by the store to see what was in stock. The real value of a used music store is sometimes finding something cool I didnt know I needed. Recently I stopped by the store and was told from behind a locked door that we dont allow general browsing. Really stupid, insulting covid policy! (Im vaccinated and was wearing a mask). I wont be back.

Dont bother, they dont want your business. I am sympathetic to the situation COVID has put businesses but they could have at least been respectful. I drove out of my way to check them out. The door was locked and someone finally came and seemed very put out that I was there. Asked about a subwoofer and he was very disinterested. I guess they are only doing appointments which is fine but he didnt even want to give me any info on how that worked. I almost mentioned the item I had for sale but didnt want to bother since they didnt care i was there. I spend tons of money on equipment and am always looking for new places with good deals where THE SERVICE is good. Wont go back.

With as much business I did through the years, and based on how rude the sales staff has become through this pandemic. You may want to strongly consider craigslist for gear. Just saying

I tried calling and had no answer. When I got there I waited out side for 20 min while the employee finished lunch.

Trade Up music staff are super friendly and helpful they have variety of amazing instruments.

The store needs to be updated. Walked a mile in the heat with my son just to arrive and the store employee tells me to wait because there are two many people for him to watch. I would have offered to trade my vintage Gibson but I’ll be moving on.

Trade Up Music offers some of the best gear at some of the most affordable prices in Portland. Moreover, Trade Up Music sales persons are knowledgeable and committed to helping customers make the smartest purchases for their specific needs.As a guitar teacher, I send all of my students to Trade Up Music on NE Alberta Street, and I strongly recommend you shop there too—and support local music in the process!-Brian ParhamFounder of Rock Dojo

Great shop, knowledgable and friendly staff!Fair prices for used stuff (always worth more in trade, so go when you need something). Staff is friendly, knowledgeable and helpful. Highly supportive of local independent musicians (Im a regular customer and the manager is often asking about how my gigging is going.)Trade Up Alberta is my go-to for ALL the basics.Thanks guys and gals!

Great shop with a large selection of all kinds of instruments. Comfortable and cool atmosphere and friendly staff. Definitely stop by if youre interested in buying or trading an instrument. :)

Im looking to start playing Bass and was mulling over a specific guitar for around an hour. The staff was super accommodating, understanding, and patient with me. Since Im a beginner the staff played the bass a little bit for me and explained a lot of stuff that I had no idea about to me. Great vibe, great people, and great prices on a lot of stuff as well. Even though I had been looking for a while, I never felt rushed at all by them to either purchase or get out, and they were very understanding that I was nervous about making this investment and encouraged me to think about it, take my time, even look up used prices on craigslist and such to feel more comfortable about my purchase.

Best shop in town

I came in the other day to buy a guitar. Will was SO helpful. He listened to what I wanted, and steered me toward a great beginner guitar that was toward the bottom of my price range and he even called another store to see if they had a cooler looking version of the guitar for me (and they did). Will is the perfect example of what I look for in customer service. He listened, was nice, and went above and beyond to get me what I didnt even know I wanted. WAY TO GO TRADE-UP! YOU ROCK!

Trade up or trade downSpread the music around.If it can play a note,It’s sure to float someone’s boat.So raid your basement and the attic stash.Just remember it’s not all about cash.

My 8 year old recently got an itch to play the ukelele so over to Trade Up we went. Taylor helped him pick one out and spent time with us letting my kiddo try them out with no sales pressure. They had a huge range of options including a bunch in the $40-50 range for beginner players or outdoor use. My son is thrilled with his new instrument. The employees will let you look around and arent right on you when you walk in the door. I love this approach as I often like to browse on my own. However they are more than willing to help when approached. Im super happy to have this store in my neighborhood.

Just amazed at the reviews that complain about how much they are willing to give you for your used equipment. Have you been to a pawn shop and asked what they would give you? Are you expecting them to give you top dollar for your used equipment and then somehow sell it for a profit? If you arent looking for a quick, convenient sale, you can go through the hassle of trying to sell it yourself. But if you decide you bought the wrong guitar 2 months later, dont complain that they wont bail you out of your mistake.This is not a business that makes money by buying equipment, they sell it. And all the reviews seem to agree, if you are in the market to buy, this place is great.

Laid back store with good selection of used gear. Staff is friendly, even the store dog is mellow. Im a pro player transplant and feel very comfortable here. I recommend it highly

Quality used gear if you are buying. If you are selling it can be difficult to get what you want, but if you go in with the understanding that they need to be able to profit, it makes sense. Overall good experience.

Got my first guitar there. They were really awesome and made sure to find me the perfect one. I had a problem with it shortly after I got it, so I brought it back and they happily fixed it at no cost. I love these guys.

I love Trade Up Music. I have had so many instruments come in and out of my life due to these folks. Its always inspiring to have new sounds and new ways to make them. And - hello - the business runs on recycling and barter! I love it! The staff is always friendly and chill, and I have gotten some great deals here. Its also where I take my guitars when they need set-up or repair. Their luthier is great.Some reviewers have complained about not getting offered as much as they want for their gear when they bring it to Trade Up to sell. Bear in mind that Trade Up has to make a profit to cover overhead, and that instruments may sit there for months before selling. I have my happiest results when I trade, anyway. If you want more for your stuff, sell it on Craigslist or eBay. Me, I like Trade Up

They didnt have any 9v ac adaptors (thats what the staff member told me) and thats totally okay but Im entitled and Im pretty sure this is a hate crime since it inconvenienced only me. 5 stars.

Being hung over from the previous day and passing through portland to catch a flight. I had a limited amount of time to find a jumbo size case for my newly acquired guitar, so that I would be able to gate-check my guitar on the plane.Everyone in town seem to be out of a jumbo case or unwilling help, even the Trade Up Music across town had none in stock:/. I began to panic that I was not going to be able to find the right case to carry my guitar on the plane, after 6 stops and 8 phone calls. I finally came across this Trade Up Music in Alberta St.I felt welcome the moment I walked in the store and the staff was willing to help until we found the right fit for my guitar. A knowledgeable friendly down to earth staff and reasonably price inventory will warrant another visit the next time Im in Portland. I will even put their logo sticker on my case to remember them by.

Damnnnnnn if youre not a straight white indie bro be prepared to be patronized!!! ive felt extremely condescended to every time ive been in here...most recently the guy who was checking me out assumed i didnt understand how A GUITAR STRAP and capo worked. bro just sell me what Im trying to buy, hard pass on the mansplaining. Just because i am not a white man with long hair doesnt mean i dont know how guitars or MUSIC AT LARGE works THANK U!!!!!!

My dad bought me my guitar here. This place is cool!

Friendly, knowledgeable, helpful, and well priced. I live in Beaverton and will gladly make the trip out here over the stores closer to me. Almost everything here is used, allowing you to find many good deals that you wont see elsewhere. Definitely recommended.

A musicians store. Everything and knowledgeable staff. Highly recommended. I picked up misc small guitar parts in stock. 👍🏻

They bent over backwards to help me find an odd size tom to bass drum mount. It would have cost big bucks to have one made. I couldnt believe that after a few minutes of searching, the salesman was holding the very part I needed. Someone else had gone to the trouble and had it made. Since it was used and a bit ugly, he wouldnt accept more than $5.00. It cleaned up nicely and is a coveted mount. Thank you !!

This shop is set up for stupid people to go in a get 1/3 of the price they paid for a guitar. (even a brand new guitar). Lets say you recently spent $600 on a guitar and decided you it was not for you.. you enter their shop and they offer you $200.(They want your $150. case too, or offer you a guitar theyre selling for $179, (they paid $65.00 for)My guitar was two months old. MSRP $979. Theyve got people by the short hairs here. I kept my guitar.

Love this place. If you want convenience and inexpensive used musical equipment head on in. If you want to get top dollar for your stuff, try to sell it on craigslist.

I think the staff were helpful and friendly enough, not arrogant & rude like a lot of shops Ive been in over the years. Guitar store employees can be some of the most condescending snotballs (or brown nosers until they find out they wont make a commission from you) in the service industry. I havent gotten that vibe here (and its usually not just a vibe, the air is thick with it)Ive been in here a half a dozen times now, and I only made more than a $15 purchase the first time, the other times Ive gotten strings, volume knobs, etc. I wont say the employees were the friendliest ever but nobody acted like they were way too cool or didnt get paid enough to fetch whatever item I came in for from behind the counter. There was no eye-rolling whenever I had a question. Thats saying a lot for a guitar store. Around here thats saying a lot for an ice cream shop.Prices were fair enough for their used gear (at least it was on what I looked at and was knowledgeable about), so Im sure Ill buy something besides picks there again. But the strings & pots & switches and plates were all significantly cheaper than Guitar center. Since I found it, I only go to GC if Trade-Up is closed.

I guess I am old school. A customer walks in the door, the first thing I expect is something like, how can I help you? But to be ignored completely other than a Hey is over the top for me. Especially since I made an effort just to get there, no parking, too much traffic, etc. I mean someone could have kept eating and at least talked to me, or maybe I just expect too much?

Its hard enough going into music stores in Portland without feeling like the staff is infinitely cooler than you are. Its that much more agonizing when they talk to you like a 2 year old. I have given pretty much all my guitar consumables business to them for over 2 years. But I guess since Im not chummy with anyone, that makes it ok to be a complete dick when Im trying to sell you something instead.

I brought in some gear I had lying around that I had outgrown and was just taking up space so I decided to take it in and see if I could get some fair credit towards something cool. One of the items was a Peavey Classic Series 120 All Tube Power amp. Worked great, sounded amazing and was very reliable. The guy who has the dark long hair, glasses, trucker hat, (trying not to label anyone as hipster) dealt with me and I felt like I was being judged the second I step foot in the door. He treated me like I was the biggest hastle and waste of his time hed ever had to deal with. He offered 5$ for the Peavey head and 40$ for 4 celestion speakers and a mint. Crate 120 cdfx amp that sounded amazing. Guitar center had the same Peavey head listed for 200$ on their site, and gave me 120$ happily when I brought it to them. I buy and sell, trade and repair alot of music gear as a hobby and really enjoy it. I usually dont even mention it because I like to let people think theyre getting over on me, before I exhaust every question, every second they have to spare and all of their patience before moving on without making a purchase as a way of getting back at snobby, crabby, disrespectful jerks who try to rip me off. This local chain is for the birds and hope it gets bought out by musicians friend.

Very welcoming an up front the customer service is alluring an final I felt right at home! The prices were awesome!!!

They refuse to special order even those most basic things. Other then that its a good store.

Nice selection, but they only give you 1/3 of the price of whatever youre trading.

I have been buying gear from Trade Up for several years, this is my 1st review. I purchased a new mandolin, a Rover RM-35S, two weeks ago. I had originally purchased a used Epi mando, thinking it had a truss rod since it had a truss rod cover. Upon removing the cover, it was just for looks! I returned it the following day and bought the Rover. The salesman was very cool, and removed the truss rod cover to ensure the Rover indeed had a truss rod. Their price was $43 higher than Amazon. I asked for a price match and was told that they cant compete with Amazon or GC pricing. I purchased anyway and added a used gig bag. The mandolin played like a dream. It appeared their tech performed a setup on the instrument. I was so delighted with the Rover, that I decided to purchase a more expensive Kentucky mando from GC. What a joke! The salesman at GC told me that he personally setup all the mandos, yet the Kentucky I came in to buy, was junk! Several frets were not seated and you could fret multiple positions and the same note would sound. I wound up not purchasing the Kentucky. It is worth.paying a bit more to buy an instrument that had been setup properly. I returned to Trade Up last night to exchange the gig bag for a hardshell case. It had been over the 7 day return policy, and the gentleman assisting me started to tell me that they couldnt allow me credit on the used gig bag. I thanked him and started to leave when he decided to help me. I left happy with a new case. If Trade Up Music is just fair with folks, they will gain loyal, lifetime customers. They have a lot going for them. I will return and gladly spend a few dollars more to purchase a quality instrument. I wont be going back to GC.

Really nice people, got a sweet uke there.

This place is love. This place is life.

Hope they got rid of that tall stinky jesus looking guy,what a goober, I mean artist.

Found a used sitar and udu drum

Awesome staff and quality used gear.

I personally traded down but it was what I wanted.

Great ukulele sekection

It is wonderful