Tone Dispensaries : Portland, OR
Oh Portland, how do we love thee? Let us count the ways.
You are the birthplace of Sleater-Kinney, Modest Mouse, and of course, Tommy Thayer. You have the world’s smallest park, and also the biggest. You have a lot of breweries. You are a good place to live for people who ride bikes. You are weird, but in a loveable way. And you are home to two of the raddest guitar stores ever, Centaur Guitar and Old Town Music.
For all you Portlanders looking to cram another pedal onto your board, read on to see what makes these two shops so magical.
Centaur Guitar
2833 NE Sandy Blvd.
Kerns
Year opened: 2005
Tell us a little bit about Centaur Guitar and what makes it special.
People. The people that work here and our customers in the local music community working together to keep Portland’s music vital and moving forward. Trying to maintain a relationship with our customers and understand their needs and if we can’t fulfill them, try to help them find someone who can. Customer service is job #1 around here. We try to keep the inventory interesting and varied, in style as well as price point, to be as inclusive as we can! We strive to be the old school neighborhood guitar shop we grew up in!
What’s the coolest or weirdest piece of gear you ever sold?
We have had some interesting pieces of gear through our doors in the almost 17 years we’ve been open. We’ve sold Moog Theremins, Baldwin Fun Machines, Guitars Shaped Like a Scorpion, a daisy, hearts, butterflies, lightning bolts, axes, machine guns. Fun stuff!!
I asked the Chadillac what his favorite piece of gear is currently in the shop and he without hesitation said the late 20’s Style 4 National Triolian!! [See photo]. It’s definitely a great sounding/looking piece!!
What’s your favorite lunch spot in Portland?
We are fortunate to be located in NE Portland Next to the Zipper, a building that utilizes one of the small triangle shaped lots on this street to house a cornucopia of local foods. From vegan pizza to deep fried chicken sandwiches to Bulgogi/kimchi steak. We’re pretty lucky.
What’s your favorite music venue in Portland?
Chad - aka The Chadillac - says for some of the bands he likes to see he enjoys going to Mississippi Studios or Revolution Hall. Jason & Kelly like some of the old dive bar rock venues their bands play in like the Lay Low Tavern and Misdemeanor Meadows. Al likes Mano Oculta, an all ages venue that specializes in punk and hardcore.
What’s your favorite non-music store in Portland?
We all love Music Millenium and 2nd Avenue Records, two of Portland’s oldest continuously operating record stores!!
Who’s your favorite Portland band, current or past?
Kelly has always been a fan and friend of the local band Dead Moon. He worked for them for 15 years as well as being the designer of their logo. Al Says he likes Dry Socket, Gilded Age and is also a fan of Dead Moon. Chadillac & Jason could not be reached for comment.
Old Town Music
55 SE 11th Avenue & 11905 NE Halsey St.
Buckman
Year opened: Old Town Music was opened before the current owner purchased it. Back then it was called Denny's Music Exchange and was located in a different spot on the other side of the river. In 1996, Denny sold the business to Pat who changed the name to Old Town Music. About 13 years ago, he moved the business across to the other side of the river where we have been ever since. I started working here about 5 years ago.
Tell us a little bit about Old Town Music and what makes it special.
Besides our great used gear selection which most people enjoy, I think the thing we are known for most is our pedal selection. Cases and cases full of new and used pedals that are always changing. If you're into making weird/cool sounds, stop by our shop and check out our pedals. You won't be disappointed.
What’s the coolest or weirdest piece of gear you ever sold?
A couple of our favorite pieces here are the 3 Martins shown in the pic. In this pic we have a Martin 0-18, Martin 000-21, and Martin 0-15.
What’s your favorite lunch spot in Portland?
Favorite lunch spot here in Portland would probably be Sizzle Pie. Great pieces of New York style pizza sold by the slice. A perfect lunch for us on the run.
What’s your favorite music venue in Portland?
Our favorite venue is Mississippi Studios. They have a cool viewing area that looks out above the stage. They are connected to a bar called Bar Bar with good food and great drinks. Take my advice, you can't go wrong hitting them up for a show and some food/drinks.
What’s your favorite non-music store in Portland?
Powell's Books is a great spot for finding interesting reads and is the largest bookstore in the United States. Highly recommended just be careful you don't get lost as it's a huge building.
Who’s your favorite Portland band, current or past?
Matt's choice for favorite Portland band is Federale. Nathan's choice is Alien Boy.
-Matt Rice, owner
Anna Blumenthal handles Sales and Artist Relations for EarthQuaker Devices. She lives in Brooklyn, NY, plays guitar in an all-girl band, DJs 60s soul and R&B at various Brooklyn bars, and has seen Cheap Trick over 30 times.