Business Details
47 Years
experience
Your Trusted Guitar Shop in Oceanside, CA
Since 1979, Dusty's Guitar has been a family-owned institution on Coast Highway in Oceanside, CA. Founded by Dusty Wheeler, we represent one of San Diego County's oldest continuously operated guitar shops. Our four-decade legacy includes features in Guitar Player magazine, the Wayne Charvel book, and inclusion in Morgan Neville's Academy Award-winning documentary. As NAMM members, we combine deep industry expertise with personalized service across all our offerings. Our inventory spans over 300 guitars, including both vintage and modern instruments, alongside comprehensive repair services performed by experienced technicians.We maintain a fully equipped studio for music lessons covering multiple instruments and styles. Our commitment to quality extends to guitar accessories, stocking more parts than most local competitors. We facilitate musician connections for live events across genres from surf rock to bluegrass. Accepting major credit cards and offering layaway plans and gift certificates, we aim to make musical experiences accessible. Through our combination of generational knowledge and modern service standards, we continue serving local musicians and collectors while maintaining our reputation as a regional music authority.
Services
Guitar Sales
Amplifier Repairs
Music Lessons
Instrument Appraisals
Guitar Accessories
Vintage Instruments
Floyd Rose Setups
Gift Certificates
Live Band Connections
Layaway Plans
Details
- Year established: 1979
Highlights and features
- We have over 40 years of experience specializing in guitars and amplifiers
- Our family ownership ensures personalized service and product expertise
- We maintain the largest guitar inventory in North County San Diego
- Our technicians perform specialized guitar and amp repairs with low bench fees
- We offer combined retail, repair, and lesson services under one roof
Associations and certifications
- National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM)
Services
Guitar Repairs
Specializing in comprehensive guitar repairs since 1979, our experienced technicians handle broken headstocks, bridge repairs, pickup replacements, and complex wiring projects. We offer precise Floyd Rose and Kahler tremolo system setups with quick turnaround times. Our repair services include strobe tuning calibration and custom modifications for both electric and acoustic instruments.
Music Lessons
Our professional instructors provide personalized lessons for all skill levels in our fully equipped studio. We offer instruction for electric, acoustic, and bass guitar across multiple genres including rock, blues, and surf music. Lessons incorporate modern teaching techniques while maintaining foundational musical principles for comprehensive artist development.
Vintage Appraisals
With decades of experience buying and selling vintage instruments, we provide accurate appraisals for insurance and resale purposes. Our appraisal service covers both common and rare guitar models, leveraging our deep market knowledge and historical sales data to ensure fair evaluations for collectors and sellers.
Guitar Accessories
We maintain extensive inventory of guitar parts and accessories including pickups, tuning machines, fret wire, and case components. Our self-service parts section supports DIY repairs while our staff provides expert advice on component selection. We also stock strings, picks, capos, and other essentials from major brands.
Amp Repairs
Our technicians specialize in both tube and solid-state amplifier repairs, addressing tonal quality issues and technical malfunctions. We maintain vintage amp components while offering modern upgrade solutions. Repair services cover both maintenance tasks and complete restoration projects for various amplifier types.
People
Dusty Wheeler
Founder & Master Technician
Dusty Wheeler established the store in 1979 and remains actively involved in daily operations. With four decades of guitar repair experience, he personally handles complex restoration projects and vintage instrument evaluations while mentoring our technical staff.
Questions
What types of guitars do you carry?
We maintain over 300 guitars in stock, featuring classic Fenders, Gibson Les Pauls, and modern instruments across all price ranges in our Oceanside showroom.
Do you offer guitar repair services?
Yes, we provide comprehensive guitar and amplifier repair services performed by experienced technicians with over 40 years of combined experience in musical instrument maintenance.
Are music lessons available at the store?
We offer private music lessons in our dedicated studio space with qualified instructors covering multiple instruments and musical styles for all skill levels.
What payment options do you accept?
We accept Visa, MasterCard, and Discover credit cards along with payment plans through our layaway service for instrument purchases.
Do you service vintage instruments?
Yes, we specialize in vintage guitar evaluation and restoration with documented expertise featured in Guitar Player magazine and industry reference books.
Are you open on weekends?
We operate seven days weekly with extended weekday hours until 6:30 PM and Saturday hours from 11 AM-6 PM.
Videos
Reviews (7)
MisterWillX
Mar 26, 2022
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Great store. Dusty's has been here forever, and everyone there is laid back and knowledgeable. They're prices are great too. I definitely recommend Dusty's for any of your guitar needs.
Justin Green
Mar 08, 2022
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Went in with 2k in my pocket to find a quality guitar. I've owned a recording studio for decades full of classic valuable instruments. I also played a bunch of the cheap ones showing I'm not your average player. Figured he'd be smart enough to know I'm not your average new player looking for something cheap. I found a vintage Guild I was interested in playing. Before I touched it dude behind the counter yells across the room. "Don't touch that unless your buying it. It's very expensive" "I said 1400 isn't very expensive and I was interested but I guess I'll just leave." You want a cheap guitar and a dude to not be very nice to you. Hit this place up.
Sulo King
Mar 01, 2022
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One of the oldest guitar shops in all of San Diego. You'll always find the owner Dusty behind the counter there too. I you're looking for a great deal check out Dusty's Guitar.
Dan Gollner
Feb 10, 2022
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I was new to the Oside area- needed some new strings- and found these guys through Google. Was pleasantly surprised by the vibe there. Since then I purchased two guitars, the most recent being a 12-string. These guys are not only knowledgeable and friendly, they are also very generous. They offered me a great deal on the instrument and then threw in some freebies and discounts on accessories. I am very happy with my purchases and will continue to use Dusty's for my forever music addiction!
Jens Lykkesfeldt
Feb 08, 2022
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I am thankful to Dusty's for helping me to pick and sending spare parts for my two left handed Ovation guitars all the way to Denmark - parts that I had been searching for for years. Even threw in a set of Adamas strings for free! Very quick and kind service.
Matthew Hunter
Apr 11, 2021
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Amazing place; amazing staff. Awesome owner and outstanding instruments and gear. We bought a Jazzmaster with active pickup (which I'd never experienced) from Dusty a few weeks back and it's quickly become one of my favorite guitars I've ever owned. Go there!
Adam Chiarella
Apr 08, 2021
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I've given a lot of business to this place, and when I sat down to try out some 12 strings I've been eyeing up, one of the guys at register kicked me off and said "you look like you just walked in off the street, unless you're buying a guitar today you can't be playing." And rushed me to the register. I understand covid but they weren't like this a year ago. Not friendly, and j won't be returning to this place.
