Ever wondered where legends strummed their first chords? That’s McCabe’s Guitar Shop. It stands here on Pico Boulevard, Santa Monica. McCabe’s is more than just a shop. It is a haven for musicians and music lovers alike.
Gerald McCabe, a furniture designer, founded it in 1958. Initially, McCabe focused on furniture. A damaged guitar changed everything. Someone asked McCabe to fix it. McCabe and his partner Walter Camp started repairing instruments. They also offered new ones for sale. The shop became a musicians’ hub. Many performed in the intimate space after hours.
McCabe’s specializes in acoustic and folk instruments. Guitars, banjos, mandolins fill the shop. You will also find dulcimers, fiddles, ukuleles and more. Ethnic percussion instruments are also on display. Since 1969, McCabe’s became a noted venue for folk concerts. The back room transforms into a concert space. Folding chairs replace instrument cases. Walls showcase vintage instruments. The setting is intimate and bare-bones.
Legends and local talents pass through McCabe’s. They come to get their guitars fixed. The club is one of the oldest stringed instrument stores. McCabe’s is intimate in the extreme. A gig here feels like your living room. By day, it is a mild-mannered guitar shop. By night, it opens as a world-class concert venue. The concert room holds 150 people at full capacity.
The first concert was a benefit for Elizabeth Cotton in 1969. Mike Seeger organized it. The lineup included Bryndle, Karla Bonoff and more. Jackson Browne was the opening act.
Robert and Esperanza Riskin once owned McCabe’s. Robert is the son of actress Fay Wray. The Riskins retired in 2020 due to COVID. Their daughter Nora McGraw and her husband Walt McGraw now run it. Concerts returned in 2022.
McCabe’s has hosted many performers. Mose Allison, Altan, Dave Alvin have all played here. Jackson Browne, Shawn Colvin and Ry Cooder are some famous names. Tom Waits, Lucinda Williams and many more have graced this stage.
Takoma Records had offices nearby in the mid-1970s. They built a recording studio. Audio and video cables ran from McCabe’s to the studio. This allowed easy concert recordings. These recordings are now in the McCabe’s Guitar Shop Collection. It is located at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Numerous artists have recorded live albums here. Norman Blake, Townes Van Zandt and Tom Paxton are among them. R.E.M. also recorded a live performance at McCabe’s in 1987. Bruce Springsteen joined John Wesley Harding on stage once.
Gerald McCabe was born in Long Beach, California, in 1927. He established McCabe’s Guitar Shop in 1958. He sold the business in 1986 to focus on furniture design. McCabe died in 2010 at the age of 82.
McCabe’s offers instrument sales and repairs. They have a fantastic selection of instruments. Their luthiers are the best. They offer a three-year warranty.
McCabe’s has served as a cornerstone for LA-based guitarists. It is a home to touring musicians. McCabe’s is more than just a stage. It’s a catalyst for songs, albums, bands and friendships. Loudon Wainwright III recorded a live album here. John Hiatt’s album “Bring the Family” grew out of his association with McCabe’s.
Free coffee awaits every visitor at McCabe’s.