If you've ever had the experience of being made to feel uncomfortable or intimidated in a music store, you'll find us completely different. As Albuquerque's oldest guitar specialty shop, we've provided friendly and knowledgeable service to our customers for thirty years -- and still do.

Marc's Guitar Center began in 1978 when Marc Foman started teaching guitar in his home in the university area of Albuquerque (the business was then called Marc's Guitar Studio). As the number of Marc's new students increased, he became frustrated by how often their brand-new instruments were out of adjustment and difficult (if not impossible) to play. To solve the problem, he began renting and selling instruments to his students, vowing that any new guitar he sold would be properly adjusted. Word-of-mouth solidified his reputation, and when things got too crazy, he hired some help and relocated.

In October of 1981 Marc opened the original Marc's Guitar Center on 143 Harvard SE. This was a small, old, duplex house that he had converted into a very homey retail store. Here he was able to increase his inventory substantially and provide space for a repair area and four teaching studios. Soon the place was buzzing with 180 students per week coming for lessons, and many more customers coming to buy instruments, amplifiers, and accessories. This is also when Marc's developed an outstanding reputation for repairs and modifications of all types.

November of 1993 heralded another expansion and a new era at Marc's. The old store on Harvard was now much too small to cater to the larger customer base that existed, so Marc and his crew moved to 2324 Central SE across from the University of New Mexico. Finally, Marc's was housed in an actual storefront!

Over the last few years a policy of offering substantial discounts on all instruments and amplifiers has been instituted to stay competitive. What has always stayed the same, however, is Marc's pride in being the best at helping people find just the right guitar at just the right price.