Tobias Music

What Tobias Music does

Tobias Music is a family-owned acoustic guitar retailer founded in October 1978 by Ken and Margaret Tobias in Downers Grove, Illinois (Chicago suburb). The company sells premium new and pre-owned acoustic and electric guitars from Taylor, Martin, Santa Cruz, Eastman, Bourgeois, Jet, and Walden, with instruments priced from $449 entry-level ukuleles up to $21,999 for AAA Brazilian Rosewood custom builds. Revenue is generated through a diversified stack of streams: new and pre-owned instrument sales, custom guitar programs via Taylor Custom Shop and Martin Custom Shop Expert Dealer relationships, Gold Level repair service (an authorized service center for Taylor and Martin handling 100+ guitars/amps per month), a music lessons program with 12 instructors serving ~200 students per week, and an 80-seat events room hosting concerts, manufacturer demos, and workshops. Pricing is unit-based with 0% Synchrony financing available on most Taylor and Martin models.

The business operates primarily from a single physical showroom at 5013 Fairview Avenue, Downers Grove, supplemented by a Shopify-powered e-commerce site with nationwide shipping. Its go-to-market is sales-led via in-person consultations and custom-build assistance, reinforced by event-driven activation through concerts and clinics featuring touring artists (e.g., Lee Murdock, Pierre Bensusan, Catfish Keith, Adrian Legg), manufacturer road shows (Taylor), and digital channels including a blog, email, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Customer segments are horizontal — split across premium acoustic enthusiasts, students/learners (guitar, bass, mandolin, banjo, drums, and Garage Band U band development), and instrument owners seeking repair.

Operationally, Tobias Music runs on 1-10 employees, with the Tobias family (Ken 'Pops' at 47 years, son Paul and daughter-in-law Pat as co-owners since 2006) anchoring the bench alongside long-tenured professionals such as repair tech Nate Weathers (26 years) and musical director James DiGirolamo. The company has no proprietary technology, no app, no API, and no disclosed AI capabilities — differentiation rests entirely on four-decade manufacturer relationships, in-house gold-level repair expertise, a deep teaching staff, and event programming rather than on a technology platform.

Name

Tobias Music

Legal name

Tobias Music

Website

https://tobiasmusic.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Tobias Music is a family-owned guitar retailer founded in 1978 in Downers Grove, Illinois, selling premium acoustic and electric guitars from Taylor, Martin, and Santa Cruz, and operating custom guitar programs, gold-level repair services, a 200-student-per-week lessons program, and an 80-seat events venue for individuals and hobbyist musicians.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Musical Instruments Retail

NAICS

Musical Instrument and Supplies Retailers (459140), Musical Instrument and Supplies Retailers (45914)

akta.pro primary industry

Musical Instrument Retail (Guitars, Keyboards, Drums, Band/Orchestra) (CRALAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Instrument Repair, Maintenance & Luthier Services (CRALAEAF), Used & Vintage Musical Instruments Retail (CRALAEAH), Instrument Accessories & Consumables Retail (Strings, Reeds, Sticks, Cables) (CRALAEAE)

Keywords

• Acoustic guitar retail
• Guitar repair services
• Music lessons
• Custom guitar building
• Vintage guitars

Headquarters

HQ city

Downers Grove

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. New Guitar Sales: Sale of new acoustic and electric guitars from premium brands including Taylor, Martin, Santa Cruz, Eastman, Bourgeois, Jet, Walden, and others. Products range from entry-level to custom high-end instruments priced up to $21,999.
2. Pre-Owned Guitar Sales: Sale of pre-owned and vintage guitars including Collings, Ted Thompson, Fender, Gibson, Guild, and other premium brands.
3. Custom Guitar Services: Custom guitar building through partnerships with Taylor Custom Shop and Martin Custom Shop. They are Martin Custom Shop Expert Dealers with direct access to fine wood selection and custom specifications.
4. Guitar Repair Services: Gold Level guitar repair and amp repair services. Nate Weathers (26 years experience) and Ken Tobias 'Pops' (45 years experience) handle over 100 guitars/amps per month. Authorized Service Center for Taylor Guitars and Martin Guitars.
5. Music Lessons: Guitar lessons program serving nearly 200 students per week with 12 teachers. Also offers bass, mandolin, banjo, and drum lessons. Garage Band U program for band development.
6. Events and Concert Revenue: In-store events room (70-seat capacity) hosting concerts, clinics, workshops, and private event rentals featuring professional musicians.
7. Gift Cards: Digital gift cards available in denominations from $10 to $10,000, redeemable online, over the phone, or in-store.
8. Amplifiers and Accessories: Sale of amplifiers (Genzler Amplification) and other guitar accessories.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Tobias Music is a family-owned guitar retailer founded in 1978 that sells premium new and pre-owned acoustic and electric guitars from brands such as Taylor, Martin, Santa Cruz, Eastman, Jet, and Walden. The store also offers custom guitar programs through the Taylor Custom Shop and Martin Custom Shop Expert Dealer programs, Gold Level guitar and amp repair services, music lessons (guitar, bass, mandolin, banjo, drums), the GarageBandU band program, financing, gift cards, and live performance events in its 80-seat events room.

Product overview

Tobias Music is a family-owned guitar retailer (since 1978) offering premium acoustic and electric guitars, guitar repairs, lessons, and financing services. The core product portfolio centers on high-end acoustic guitars from Taylor, Martin, Santa Cruz, Eastman, Jet, and Walden brands, with a strong focus on custom guitar programs through Taylor Custom, Martin Custom Shop Expert, and Santa Cruz Custom programs. The company differentiates through its authorized dealer relationships (35+ years with Taylor, 45+ years with Martin) and comprehensive guitar services including Gold Level repair (authorized Taylor/Martin service center), lessons (200+ students weekly), GarageBandU band program, and events hosting. Additional offerings include pre-owned/vintage guitars, amplifiers (Genzler), accessories, and gift cards. The business operates as a single physical retail location in Downers Grove, Illinois with nationwide shipping.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Taylor Guitars
• Martin Guitars
• Santa Cruz Guitars
• Eastman Guitars
• Jet Guitars
• Walden Guitars
• Custom Taylor Guitars
• Custom Martin Guitars
• Custom Santa Cruz Guitars
• Amplifiers
• Pre-Owned Guitars
• Bargains & Closeouts
• Guitar Repair Services
• Guitar Lessons
• GarageBandU
• Financing Options
• Digital Gift Cards

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 600 attendees at Taylor Guitars Road Shows
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Garage Band UcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Garage Band U, directed by James DiGirolamo, relocated to Tobias Music facility in 2013. Provides band development program for adults, teens and pre-teens to combine talents and create music.
• Third Coast Guitar ServicecoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2013Partnership with renowned Third Coast Guitar Service (based in Chicago) to offer Gold Level Repair Service for all makes and models of guitars and amps. Nate Weathers operates in-house 5 days a week.
• Santa Cruz GuitarscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 1999Original dealer for Santa Cruz Guitar Company in Chicagoland since 1999. Close personal relationship with Richard Hoover, Santa Cruz Guitars founder. Perfect match for experiencing world-class guitars.
• Taylor GuitarsflagshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 198935+ year partnership as Taylor Guitars Top 10 Dealer. One of the longest-standing Taylor dealers in the country. They offer custom Taylor guitars and host Taylor Guitars Road Shows that have drawn nearly 600 attendees.
• Martin GuitarsflagshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 197945+ year partnership as Martin Custom Shop Expert Dealer. First sale was a Martin D-28 in 1978. Have close working relationship with Martin Custom Shop with access to finest wood selection in the industry, hand-selected for their shop.
• Walden GuitarsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCarries Walden guitars in their shop. Close relationship with owner Jonathan Lee.
• Genzler AmplificationminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCarries Genzler Amplification products including the AA-PRO Acoustic Array Pro amplifier.
• National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerMember of NAMM, the international music products trade association. Recognized by NAMM with Top Dealer Award for Road Show.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Sweetwater: One of the largest US musical instrument retailers, headquartered in Fort Wayne, IN. Closely comparable to Tobias Music in selling premium guitars, offering lessons-style customer service, and providing financing, though at a much larger online-led scale.
• Chicago Music Exchange: Chicagoland-based specialty retailer focused on premium and vintage guitars. Direct competitor to Tobias in the same metro market, with a strong used/vintage and online presence that overlaps Tobias' premium positioning.
• Rudy's Music NYC: New York-based specialty guitar shop known for premium acoustic and vintage instruments. Direct competitor in the boutique high-end acoustic segment, with a similar collector/custom focus and celebrity clientele.
• Gryphon Stringed Instruments: California-based premium acoustic guitar retailer with strong Taylor, Martin, and Santa Cruz representation. Comparable to Tobias as a long-tenured, service-led independent dealer serving premium acoustic enthusiasts.
• Wildwood Guitars: Colorado-based authorized premium guitar retailer carrying Taylor, Martin, and other high-end brands. Matches Tobias' premium acoustic focus and e-commerce-driven national reach, with similar high-touch customer service orientation.
• Matt Umanov Guitars: Long-running New York acoustic guitar shop specializing in boutique and vintage instruments. Comparable to Tobias as a small, service-led, family-style independent retailer focused on discerning acoustic players.
• Elderly Instruments: Long-standing Michigan-based specialty musical instrument retailer with a strong reputation in acoustic guitars. Comparable to Tobias as a multi-generational, premium, service-led independent dealer serving a national customer base.

Broad incumbents

• Sam Ash Music Stores: Long-established US musical instrument chain offering guitars, lessons, and repairs. Comparable product offering to Tobias but at broader price points and scale; serves as a mid-market incumbent competitor.
• Guitar Center: Largest US musical instrument retailer with hundreds of locations. Offers the same guitars, lessons, and repair services as Tobias but at mass-market scale; competes on price and convenience rather than high-touch premium service.

Emerging players

• Reverb: Online marketplace for new, used, and vintage musical instruments. Increasingly competes with Tobias' used/vintage offering and online sales, though it lacks the in-store service, lessons, and repair moat.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCBGvrUqxBCvKMiSPamaf1jg
• Facebookm.facebook.com/TobiasMusicFineGuitars
• Instagraminstagram.com/tobiasmusicguitars
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tobias-music

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Tobias Music