Gruhn Guitars, founded by George Gruhn in 1970, is one of the most respected vintage guitar dealers in the world. The Broadway shop (relocated from its long-time 4th Avenue location) is a three-storey wonderland of pre-war Martins, pre-CBS Stratocasters, 1950s Telecasters, vintage Gibson archtops, and rare flat-tops at every price level — from a few hundred dollars for a working player up to six-figure museum pieces.
You don't need to be buying to visit; the staff is welcoming and used to musicians dropping in to play. The basement repair shop is one of the country's leading restorers. A useful contrast to the celebrity-themed retail elsewhere on Broadway — Gruhn's is a working business that built Nashville's vintage instrument scene from the ground up.