By Hollie Gibbs
Just listen for a minute. The sustain — listen to it.
If you’re a guitarist whose spent countless hours searching for the illusive perfect tone like wandering through a backstage maze searching for the Authorized Personnel Only stage entrance, your search may be over. Guitar Riot, offering a unique collection of boutique, custom and hand-built electric guitars, tube amps and pedals, has set up shop in the ArtCraft building on the corner of Superior Ave. and I-90.
With hopes of returning Cleveland to its rock ‘n roll heyday when if it was new and hot you heard it here first, Brent Ferguson and Tim Parnin hope to make theirs the destination store between Chicago and New York City.
The city’s history proves it can be done. It was not that long ago that blues legend Robert Lockwood Jr. chose to move here to play out his remaining four and a half decades. At the same time, DiFiore’s, a small privately-owned music shop on Lorain Ave. and W. 134th St., would regularly welcome members of the top touring acts to try out their wares. (The Who’s Pete Townshend bought one of their Les Pauls, and Cream’s Ginger Baker purchased a cymbal, while Carlos Santana and hundreds of others walked the hallowed halls, singing the wall.)
Tim is a guitarist with Sweet Apple and Cobra Verde, and Brent was operation manager at Dr. Z Amps where he worked for 11 years. Brent now feels it is time to bring the city back to its former glory.
“There has never been a more prolific time in the history of guitar, amp, and pedal building,” he said. “We wanted to bring the best of the smaller, boutique brands to Cleveland and the region in general. The response so far has been great. People are genuinely enthusiastic to have a place locally to try this type of gear out.”
For those who view guitars as something to play and cherish, Guitar Riot will not discourage you from playing (or pointing, or even looking) at their stock. Two thirds of their 2,800 square-foot space is a showroom, including a private demo room to try out gear.
“That way they can relax and really spend some time playing and listening,” Brent explained. “Everything on our website is in stock. We make it worth the drive for people. We believe in representing the lines we carry well.
“All of the guitar and amp lines we’ve brought in complement each other well. They each have their own signature qualities about them. With the exception of Reverend, all are made in the USA. We offer locally built brands as well, Dr. Z Amps and EarthQuaker devices being the most recognizable. We’ll be bringing out new guitars from local luthier Jay Pawar in the next few months as well as amps from Jim Hissem of 94 Amps.”
Guitar Riot also keeps used gear in stock, and accepts trades and consignments.
“While many of the new guitars and amps we carry are higher end, we do have gear for people on a budget too,” Brent said. “Adding a new pedal into a person’s rig can do wonders for less than $200; used gear can be very affordable too.”
Check the goods out for yourself at Guitar Riot, 2530 Superior Ave. Suite 100 or GuitarRiot.com.
Hollie Gibbs has a BS in journalism from Kent State University and studied photography at School of the Visual Arts in Manhattan. Her articles and photographs have appeared in numerous local and national publications. She can also be found playing guitar with various bands and building life-size monster props.
Cleveland, OH 44102