THIS WEEK @ CME
Shop Fresh Gear
This just in at Chicago Music Exchange! Fresh Gear is where you’ll find fresh gear from all your favorite manufacturers, updated daily, so you’re always ahead of the beat.
SHOP OUR BACK TO STAGE SALE!
Back To Stage Sale — Hit the Stage Strong for Less
Summer's winding down, but the gigs aren't slowing down — and CME's got you covered. The Back To Stage Sale is here with up to $500 off CME Exclusive Guitars, 10% and 15% off select CME Gear Sale Collections, and fresh CME Exclusive price drop promotions across the store. Whether you're rebuilding your rig, filling out your pedalboard, or finally grabbing that guitar you've had your eye on, this is the sale that gets you back on stage without wrecking your wallet.
Highlight Of The Week
From Powerful New Signature Electric Guitars, to Acoustic Guitars Full of Character, to New Cases, Ibanez’s Newest Releases Have Something for Everyone!
The latest guitars from Ibanez represent an incredible value to each modern-minded player! To start off, two of Ibanez’s biggest stars get new signature guitars: the newest Joe Satriani Signature has everything you need to boogie through any performance, with Sustainiac Driver and DiMarzia Satchur8 pickups, a high-pass filter tied to the volume control for extra searing solos, and Prestige fret edge treatment for supreme comfort! Nita Strauss’ newest signature Ibanez sets phasers to stun, with a quilted maple top, DiMarzio pickups, and a JIVA 3 piece maple/purpleheart neck.
Acoustic players also have several options they will love among these newest Ibanez guitars, headlined by a pair of Grand Dreadnought AAD models with solid spruce tops, X-M bracing for a lively responsiveness, and AIR ports for accurate tonal monitoring.
For a Limited Time, Grab Select Novo Dealer Limited Guitars For Less at CME!
Novo makes instruments that feel alive in your hands, and deliver a unique feel that makes them stand apart from other guitars in their price range! Their Dealer Limited line goes a step further, with flamed maple tops and other specifications on select guitars that you can only find at dealers like CME! Through September 25, grab select Novo Dealer Limited Guitars from CME for less!
Our Newest Fender American Ultra II Guitars are Going Above and Beyond, for the Modern Player!
Fender’s American Ultra II Series is Fender’s most forward-thinking lineup of guitars and basses! With Ultra II Noiseless vintage-inspired pickups delivering instantly identifiable tones, S-1 switching for instant tonal shifts, 10-14” compound radius fingerboards with Ultra rolled edges, and sculpted body contours for comfort and easy access to the higher frets, these seamlessly merge the iconic silhouettes and designs that made Leo Fender a legend, with the modern advancements that make every performance stand out!
The John Oates Collection has Arrived at CME!
Stage-played, Studio-Loved, Collector Guitars & Amplifiers at CME!
John Oates isn’t parting with his past—he’s investing in the future. The John Oates Collection has arrived at Chicago Music Exchange—an extraordinary lineup of stage and studio-played acoustics, amplifiers, and electric guitars from one of the most iconic songwriters and performers in American music history. These aren’t just instruments—they’re pieces of living music history, shaped by decades of recording, touring, and performance. From road-worn character to studio-crafted tone, every piece tells a story, and now, those stories are available to you! Whether you’re a serious collector, a lifelong fan, or a player chasing authentic inspiration, this part of his collection delivers rare energy, legacy craftsmanship, and true provenance. The John Oates Collection is available now at Chicago Music Exchange. It’s about real gear, real history, and real connection to the music that shaped generations, and now will continue to shape the next generation!
Chicago Drum Exchange
You can’t beat the Chicago Drum Exchange. Shop the newest gear from Chicago’s best drum shop today.
SHOP TAMA DRUMS
From Bursts to Builds! Chicago Music Exchange "CME Spec" Guitars is the Gibson Custom Authority!
When it comes to Gibson Custom Shop guitars, we don’t just sell them—we live them. Chicago Music Exchange started as a vintage guitar shop, surrounded by real-deal Bursts, Explorers, Vs, Specials, 335s, 355s, SGs—you name it. We know what the old ones sound like, look like, feel like. That’s why we spec our Gibson Customs with one goal: get them as close to the golden-era tone and mojo as modern builds allow.
We’re not chasing myths—we’re chasing the sound, with decades of experience guiding every decision. If you’re looking for the real deal in Gibson Custom Les Pauls, SGs, or ES guitars, CME is the only destination you need.
SHOP CME EXCLUSIVE GIBSON
Featured Video
3 RARE Pelham Blue Vintage Gibsons In One Room!
We recently had a crazy trio of guitars in the shop, so we had to pull out all the stops to show off a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Nathaniel plays them, Daniel talks a little about how it all came about, and Alec inspects/verifies them!
All 3 of these guitars are already sold!
UPCOMING EVENTS AT CHICAGO MUSIC EXCHANGE!
Wednesday, August 27, 2025
Inside the Custom Shop: Fender Master Builder Dennis Galuszka in Conversation with Nathaniel Murphy
You’re invited to a night of Fender tone, Custom Shop tools, and true guitar obsession. Join us at Chicago Music Exchange on Wednesday, August 27, 2025, at 7:00 PM for an exclusive Evening with Fender Master Builder Dennis Galuszka, hosted by CME’s Master Player, Nathaniel Murphy.
Expect deep dives, big tone talk, and behind-the-scenes stories from one of the best to ever do it—Fender Custom Shop Master Builder Dennis Galuszka, who's been shaping the sound of Fender since the late ‘90s. Holding it down for CME is none other than Nathaniel Murphy, who’ll be hosting and leading the conversation, gear-head-friendly chats, plugging into the latest Fender builds, surely something you do not want to miss!
Guitars will be played! Stories will be told! Nerdy questions encouraged! Don’t miss out!
Effects & Amplification
Let us be your Pedal Plug and Amplifier Tone Shop!
Meet the Newest CME Exclusive Amplifiers: Benson Amplifiers in Navy Blue Floral!
We’ve partnered with Benson for many years, and are excited to announce that we are continuing our shared exploration of tone and panache with three new CME Exclusive Benson Amplifiers in a stunning Blue Floral finish! First, the Monarch Reverb Plus is a regal amp that finally gets its flowers, thanks to this stunning new finish, a Chimera tone stack, and tube-driven power scaling. Second, the Vinny Reverb is their first amp of its size (5 watts) with tube-driven power scaling, allowing for the powerful tube sag and harmonic saturation at any volume! Finally, the Nathan Junior Reverb pays tribute to a Portland indie music legend, and offers up an incredibly clean signal path, with dynamics not thought possible for a 5w amp! All three are now in stock, so to be among the first to add these amps to your sonic arsenal, call us today at (773)525-7773, chat with our sales team on our website, or simply come into our Lincoln Avenue showroom!
Shop Our Huge Selection Of New, Used, And Vintage Pedals In The Store At CME This Season!
JHS AT Mini Andy Timmons Signature Drive
We may be biased, but we here at Chicago Music Exchange think that Riot Fest is the best festival in the world! That’s why we’re excited that Daredevil has partnered with Riot Fest to bring you Deep Dish-Tortion, the tastiest effect in our pedal case*! Deep Dish-Tortion contains multiple stages of op-amp gain that can be routed into two different modes of output: tavern (mid gain), and deep dish (high gain). The bottom end is big, the gain cuts hard, and there’s no shortage of sustain!
*Chicago Music Exchange cannot confirm that this pedal, or any of its constituent parts, are edible. Trust us. We tried.
Preorder the New Portable Marshall JTM Series Amplifiers!
The amp that started it all is back! Now in a new portable size, the iconic JTM has been added to Marshall’s Studio range, offering players authentic, smooth, valve-driven break-up at lower volumes. Check out Marshall JTM Studio options now available for preorder at CME!
Featured Video
The Fender Double Neck Jaguar You’ve NEVER Seen!
Nathaniel Murphy performs an original arrangement of The Beatles' "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds" He's playing a 2003 Fender Custom Shop Double Neck Jaguar previously owned by Zac Brown of Zac Brown Band! Playing through a 1966 Fender Princeton amp.
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Fender | Limited Edition Vintera II Road Worn
In the ‘50s and ‘60s, Leo Fender’s guitar and bass designs sent shockwaves through the musical landscape, giving players in emerging musical genres the tools needed to shape a new world of sound! The new Limited Edition Vintera II Road Worn Series pays homage to the look and feel of those original instruments, bringing their designs to a new generation of movers and shakers. Now available on our showroom floor and on our website, each guitar and bass captures the magic of a well-loved musical companion, thanks to period-correct specifications and subtly aged finishes.
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Staff Picks
Staff Picks is where each of our experts share their FAVORITE GEAR! It's always changing, always updating with the latest and greatest. Enjoy CME Staff Picks!
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EarthQuaker Devices | 2025 One-of-A-Kind Series
Make your pedalboard pop with the 2025 EarthQuaker Devices One-of-a-Kind Pedals, available exclusively at Chicago Music Exchange! For the fourth year in a row, CME is teaming up with the legendary Akron-based pedal builders to deliver a limited run of truly one-of-a-kind stompboxes. Each pedal showcases EarthQuaker’s most beloved circuits—like the Avalanche Run, Hoof, and Plumes—reimagined with fresh graphics, bold colors, and unique finishes. Built by hand in Ohio, EarthQuaker Devices pedals are known for their innovative tones, player-friendly controls, and eye-catching aesthetics. Every pedal in this collection is one-of-one, making it as unique as your sound. Shop CME Exclusive EarthQuaker Devices One-of-a-Kind collection now and grab the pedal that will set your board apart in 2025.
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