Folkway Music

Folkway Music Thanks for visiting Folkway Music, Canada's finest fretted instrument shop, located in Waterloo, ON. Visit our website too: www.folkwaymusic.com

Folkway Music was founded in 1999, and has since become Canada's favourite acoustic instrument shop. Specializing in acoustic guitars, mandolins, banjos and ukuleles, the store is home to the most inspiring collection of new and vintage instruments you'll find anywhere in Southern Ontario. We pride ourselves on our service, product knowledge, quality and integrity, and strive to make everyone who

visits a life-long fan. We offer full repair and restoration services to all fretted instruments. We proudly represent instruments by C.F. Martin & Co, Taylor Guitars, Collings Guitars, National Resophonic Guitars, Deering Banjos, OME Banjos, and many others. There are always plenty of vintage instruments to choose from as well. Thanks for your visit, we look forward to seeing you in the shop.

06/19/2026

Friday Facts at Folkway: Episode 54. - Martin New Yorker Guitars

In this week’s vintage guitar deep dive, Mark Stutman discusses Martin’s New Yorker series instruments introduced in the early 1960s.

1957 Martin D-21Introduced in 1955, Martin’s D-21 was a budget friendly alternative to the D-28. While the Style 21 drea...
06/18/2026

1957 Martin D-21

Introduced in 1955, Martin’s D-21 was a budget friendly alternative to the D-28. While the Style 21 dreadnought featured the rosewood back and sides of its more expensive sibling, the model appointed like a D-18. The pairing of rosewood back and sides along with the rosewood bridge and fingerboard resulted in a Dreadnought with a completely unique voice in the Martin range.

A current shop favourite, this ‘57 D-21 is among the finest rosewood dreadnoughts we have heard in some time. The guitar delivers the power, bass-handling, and presence of a Brazilian rosewood dreadnought mixed with the sweetness, warmth, and overtone flower of a D-18.

This D-21 has just listed in our website.

Please follow the link in our bio for more details.

1997 Guild Starfire IV TPRA Westerly-built Guild Starfire IV in classic cherry red with added Bigsby and Towner tension ...
06/18/2026

1997 Guild Starfire IV TPR

A Westerly-built Guild Starfire IV in classic cherry red with added Bigsby and Towner tension bar. Guitars from this era of Guild production are known for their exceptional build quality, comfortable necks, and premium components.

The Seymour Duncan SD-1 Humbuckers are powerful, rich and articulate making for a wonderfully versatile semi-hollow.

#1997

1964 Gibson ES-355A stunning example of a golden-era Gibson semi-hollow, this 1964 ES-355 remains in beautifully preserv...
06/17/2026

1964 Gibson ES-355

A stunning example of a golden-era Gibson semi-hollow, this 1964 ES-355 remains in beautifully preserved condition and is completely original with unmodified electronics.

A local guitar, this ‘64 ES-355 spent the vast majority of its life about an hour from our store under the care of its original owner. It’s always special to have these one-family guitars come through our shop!

Please follow the link in our bio for more details.

Collings 470 JL Designed in collaboration with acclaimed guitarist Julian Lage, the Collings 470JL is a truly unique hol...
06/16/2026

Collings 470 JL

Designed in collaboration with acclaimed guitarist Julian Lage, the Collings 470JL is a truly unique hollow body electric that blends vintage inspiration with modern craftsmanship. Its lightweight mahogany construction, custom neck profile, and exclusive Ron Ellis “Ellisonic” pickups deliver exceptional playability, rich single-coil clarity, and a voice unlike anything else in the Collings lineup.

Beautifully resonant, effortlessly expressive, and built with Collings’ renowned attention to detail, the 470JL is a dream instrument for players seeking vintage character with uncompromising performance.

Collings Guitars

06/12/2026

Friday Facts at Folkway: Episode 53. - Late ‘60s Gibson Factory Refinishes

It’s Friday, and we’re back talking vintage guitars. In this week’s video, Nathan Schiller discusses guitars that were sent back to Gibson in the late 1960s for refinishing.

1960 Gibson Les Paul Junior A phenomenal example of a double-cut Les Paul Junior, this 1960 build has got a lot going fo...
06/12/2026

1960 Gibson Les Paul Junior

A phenomenal example of a double-cut Les Paul Junior, this 1960 build has got a lot going for it - it’s lightweight and resonant, the original electronics work perfectly, the dog-ear P-90 sounds exceptional, and the guitar has just enough wear on it that one can justify taking it out to a gig or studio session.

This guitar is free of breaks and is largely original.

Priced at $7,500 USD / $10,725 CAD.

We’ve just listed this guitar on our website. Please follow the link in our bio for more details.

1950 Martin D-28A wonderful 1950 D-28 with all the qualities bluegrass players look for: a powerful, dry, fundamental-ri...
06/11/2026

1950 Martin D-28

A wonderful 1950 D-28 with all the qualities bluegrass players look for: a powerful, dry, fundamental-rich voice, excellent note separation, and a neck that feels effortless in the hands.

Remarkably original and structurally exceptional, it has survived more than 70 years with only a pickguard crack, no neck reset, and no significant repairs. Recently set up and playing beautifully, it comes complete with a later 1950s hardshell case.

Visit the link in our bio for full details.

#1950

1998 Rickenbacker 381/V69 Mapleglo.Rickenbacker’s flagship model, with German carved body, figured maple highlighted by ...
06/11/2026

1998 Rickenbacker 381/V69 Mapleglo.

Rickenbacker’s flagship model, with German carved body, figured maple highlighted by the classic glossy Mapleglo finish, toaster pickups, and classic Ricky controls. It’s a gorgeous guitar in great shape and has just been set up in our shop.

This one isn’t yet listed on our website so please call us or email if you’d like to call it yours.

CAD$3995 with non-original padded gigbag.

2006 Martin CF-1A rare collaboration between Martin and archtop master Dale Unger, this 2006 CF-1 is one of only about 2...
06/10/2026

2006 Martin CF-1

A rare collaboration between Martin and archtop master Dale Unger, this 2006 CF-1 is one of only about 260 built between 2004 and 2007.

The CF-1 is a 17” X braced archtop with full depth, venetian cutaway, ebony fretboard and fittings, and a floating Kent Armstrong humbucker with pickguard-mounted volume control. The body is made with a formed three-layer laminate European spruce top and figured maple three-layer laminate back and sides.

The guitar’s acoustic tone is wonderful, which might come as a surprise given the laminate body. Whatever the secret sauce was used in the design of this model, the Unger/Martin team hit a home run and built an affordable archtop that sounds like a guitar that’s 10 times the price.

Follow the link in our bio for more information and photos.

Address

22 Dupont Street East
Waterloo, ON
N2J2G9

Opening Hours

Tuesday 11am - 6pm
Wednesday 11am - 6pm
Thursday 11am - 6pm
Friday 11am - 6pm
Saturday 10am - 5pm

Telephone

+18557720424

Website

,

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Folkway Music posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Folkway Music:

Shortcuts

Share

Category