06/13/2021
Will travel for tone. Love seeing what builders around the globe do with our Silver Hand Pickups.
Cole Music Co.
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- Cole Music Co.
Builders of boutique Guitars, Amplifiers, and Effects. World class guitar repairs. We operate locally as Cole Music Company and are located in Spokane's historic Garland District.
At ColeCraft Guitars we design, build, assemble, and finish all of our instruments and electronics by hand in the USA. We also operate a retail Guitar store with specialty in instrument repair. For over 10 years we have been buying, selling, and restoring fine instruments and amplifiers in the historic Garland District in Spokane WA.
Operating as usual
02/07/2021
Cole Music Co. updated their business hours.
Cole Music Co. updated their business hours.
03/31/2020
Premier Guitar
Check out the new review of our Paradrive on Premier Guitar. You can get in on the second run now. Details on our site.
The Cole Music Co. Paradrive is a top-notch driver built around a powerful parametric EQ. Check out our review (with audio clips) of versatile dirt box.
03/03/2020
Huge thanks to @demosinthedark for the awesome review of the new Paradrive. We’ve uploaded this to the pedal page on our website, but you should totally check out his YouTube channel. #demosinthedark #guitarpedal #effectspedals #overdrive #parametriceq #boutiquepedals
03/03/2020
If you missed our blog on this unique piece of electric guitar history last week, give it a read. #guitarhistory #electricguitar #pickups #guitarpickup #vintage #humbucker
03/03/2020
We rotate the homepage pic of our website from time to time with artists playing Cole gear. Next up: The amazing @vannaohmusic playing a Hollowtop at the Red Room here in Spokane. She’s a force of nature on stage and also a generous mentor helping girls to be strong rockstar women. Many kudos! #girlpower #rockstar #boutiqueguitar Check our her stuff, she’s got new music dropping soon! 💪
02/29/2020
Steve Bauer about to record on a 1920’s Gibson L3, outfitted with a pickup handmade by Art Stimson at Lead Pencil (analog recording studio in Spokane, WA). #guitarhistory #electricguitarhistory #pickup #gibson #vintageguitar
02/27/2020
Do YOU know how old this sign is? Guitar nerds would like to know! (Thank you Wilhelm Underwood for finding this!) #vintagesigns #brasssign #artloom
02/27/2020
We bet this is the oldest pickup you’ve ever heard. Meet the “Cigar Box Pickup” made by Art Stimson, inventor of the magnetic electric guitar pickup. Read all about it and listen to video on our blog. #guitarhistory #guitarpickup #electricguitar #missinglink #vintageguitars #guitar #guitarporn https://colemusic.co/blogs/news/the-cigar-box-pickup
02/21/2020
Love this pic of William and Catherine Stimson from our post yesterday. These are the parents of the father of the electrical guitar pickup as we know it today. Check out yesterday’s blog article if you missed it. #history #guitarhistory #guitarpickups #electricguitar (Photo from the Stimson Family Archive) See the post here --> https://colemusic.co/blogs/news/art-stimson-spokane-s-missing-link-in-electric-guitar-history
02/20/2020
Art Stimson: Spokane’s Missing Link in Electric Guitar History
Very rarely do you get a chance to change guitar history. It starts off with a random guy walking into a guitar shop and ends after a year's long journey of uncovering the life and work of a truly unique man, Art Stimson. The icing on the cake? One of the rarest bits of guitar gear in existence. Check out the blog on Cole Music Co. https://colemusic.co/blogs/news/art-stimson-spokane-s-missing-link-in-electric-guitar-history?fbclid=IwAR2wRZnqkVcQPhPThktuvpPcMHtEumJH-mwZ-OlKSu-WAwovqnHkKpi7cfQ
Art Stimson has been an obscure footnote in guitar history. We unearth family history and details around his life that bring to light a remarkable musician and unique history of the inventor of electric guitar pickups.
02/19/2020
Custom milled acrylic pickup bobbins for new ML-90 prototypes. Best of Silver Hand Missing Link tech with a P-90 flavor. Coming soon. #boutiquepickups #p90 #electricguitar #pickups
02/15/2020
Garland Business District
😊
Pretty cool that the Garland District has three of the most-talented luthiers in Spokane! Cole Music Co., Mark's Guitar & Violin Works
#gottalovegarland #garlanddistrictspokane
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2020/feb/14/family-owned-music-stores-keep-spokane-sounding-go/
02/14/2020
Hey you lovebirds, check out our blog for a story about a guy, a girl, and a guitar. Happy Valentines Day! #love #guitar #vintagegear #1965 #electricguitar --> https://colemusic.co/blogs/news/the-back-end-of-1965
02/11/2020
Big shout out to the lovely folks over at @premierguitar! Our new Paradrive pedal was highlighted in the Gear Radar section of the February digital and print editions. Our first run sold out quickly but we’re Now taking pre-orders for run two. #boutiquepedal #electricguitar #premierguitar
01/20/2020
Test parts for new Silver Hand Pickup projects. So many steps go into making new things. Always an adventure. #boutiquepickups
01/11/2020
The first run of Paradrives sold out quickly, but you can now pre-order for run 2. Delivery in 8-12 weeks. #pedal #boutiquepedals #electricguitar #guitareffects #overdrive #parametricEQ
01/03/2020
Putting on the last touches is always fun. #luthier #guitarbuilding #boutiqueguitars #electricguitar #stamp #letterpunch
12/30/2019
Congrats @austin_s_hagel on the new Hollowtop! Number 1901014 with a Silver Hand Mini-Bird neck pickup and @bigsby Hope you get years of fun out of it! #guitar #boutiqueguitar #telestyle #custompickups
12/28/2019
Marking serial numbers for Holiday Hollowtop deliveries. #boutiqueguitar #guitar #electricguitar #bluedpine #engraving #oldschool
12/18/2019
Thank you @premierguitar for the front page love! It’s very much appreciated! Check out the Paradrive Pedal on https://www.premierguitar.com when you get a chance. Order online at colemusic.co #boutiqueguitar #boutiquepedals #guitarpedals
12/11/2019
That one time @scottiefeider rocked out on a Hollowtop at the Observatory. ( 📸: @brandonjvasquez ) #guitar #guitarsofinstagram #boutiqueguitar #livemusic #whoneedsvocals #blackandwhite
12/09/2019
Just a heads up: Only two Paradrives left in our first run if you were thinking about X-mas. Working on more very soon! #boutiquepedals #effectspedals #overdrive #parametricEQ #boutiqueguitar (Thanks for the product pics @erickdoxey !)
12/07/2019
That one time @marshallmcleanband rocked a Hollowtop in the middle of a gorgeous cathedral. #boutiqueguitar #guitarsofinstagram #church #music ( 📸 @erickdoxey )
12/05/2019
Neck plates. #boutiqueguitar #luthier #luthiery #cnc #engraving #electricgiutar #hollowtop
12/03/2019
Silver Hand Pickup Mini-link in a Hollowtop. #boutiqueguitar #boutiquepickup #luthier #luthiery
12/02/2019
Swapped out the website pic for @lucasbrownsounds for a bit. We keep meaning to change that up more, but get busy. If you’ve got a great pic of you playing a Hollowtop, send it to us and we’ll make it the main image for a while, maybe link it to a blog about your band or something. #website #boutiqueguitar #guitar #guitarbuilders #localband #hollowtp ( 📸 @erickdoxey )
12/02/2019
Bugaloo Shrimp might be a new Cole Music Co. house band for sound checking rare vintage gear and road testing designs and prototypes, or it might just be a figment of my imagination. #bass #guitar #boutiqueguitar #amps #studio #mixerboard #vibraslap #vintageguitar #vintagebasses
11/30/2019
So many thanks to @ashmadbass for showing off possibly the very first fretless Bartell Bass. And to @leadpencilstudios for all their help. We just posted a blog about how this gem walked into Cole Music a couple days ago in case you missed it. Link in bio. #fretlessbass #boutiqueguitar #guitar #sirduke #steviewonder #blog #music #bass #bassguitar #musichistory #spokane
11/29/2019
For all those consumers out there on Black Friday trying to fill that void. 😈 #guitar #luthier #electricguitar #hollowtop #bluedpine #woodworking #telestyle #boutiqueguitar
11/28/2019
Meet the Bartell Bass
New blog article! Check out this fretless bass. Is it the first ever? Also, great video of Ash Madison playing this remarkable piece of music history.
https://colemusic.co/blogs/news/meet-the-bartell-bass
11/27/2019
Back that axe up. #hollowtop #finishing #boutiqueguitars #guitar #luthier #woodworking #bluedpine #asspun
11/23/2019
Time to get some actual pics and demo vids of the new ParaDrive. Overdrive with parametric EQ. #pedals #pedalboard #boutiquepedal #electricguitar
11/23/2019
From Brad’s bench. Minibird and ‘78+ tele pickups for next Hollowtop batch. (Note: Minibird only available in a Hollowtop, not sold separately.) #boutiquepickups #electricguitar
11/20/2019
Another of @lucasbrownsounds by 📸 @erickdoxey Thanks for the tunes and photos fellas! Seeing a Hollowtop gigging is the best. #guitar #luthier #electricguitar #boutiqueguitar #boutiqueguitars #jamband
Address
816 W Garland Ave
Spokane, WA
99205
Opening Hours
| Wednesday | 12pm - 2pm |
| Saturday | 12pm - 2pm |
Telephone
Website
http://www.colemusic.co
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Videos
Putting on the last touches is always fun. #luthier #guitarbuilding #boutiqueguitars #electricguitar #stamp #letterpunch
Neck plates. #boutiqueguitar #luthier #luthiery #cnc #engraving #electricgiutar #hollowtop
So many thanks to @ashmadbass for showing off possibly the very first fretless Bartell Bass. And to @leadpencilstudios for all their help. We just posted a blog about how this gem walked into Cole Music a couple days ago in case you missed it. Link in bio. #fretlessbass #boutiqueguitar #guitar #sirduke #steviewonder #blog #music #bass #bassguitar #musichistory #spokane
Friday! #boutiqueguitars #guitarpickups #guitars #guitar #hollowtop #gearporn #guitarporn #love #luthiery #luthierygoofery
Tele the shop dog supervises as Eben glues on spruce tops. #dog #shopdog #boutiqueguitars #guitarpickups #guitars #guitar #hollowtop #gearporn #guitarporn #love #luthiery
Last of this batch’s spruce pockets. Hollowtops are all made “Leo-Style” with Leo Fender’s classic techniques but with our unique design and special made components. Like our beefy custom bridge, custom wound pickups, and resonant chambering. All engineered to make this one of the sweetest playing electrics you can get your hands on. Check out demos on our site. #boutiqueguitars #guitarpickups #guitars #guitar #hollowtop #gearporn #guitarporn #love #luthiery
Spruce pockets! The Hollowtop gets its resonance from floating a custom wound Silver Hand neck pickup in a tone-wood spruce cover over the chambering. #boutiqueguitars #guitarpickups #guitars #guitar #hollowtop #gearporn #guitarporn #love #luthiery
Eben on the pin router. Each Hollowtop step takes a template and time. (This one is going to get paired with Mini-birds, if you haven’t heard these pickups before, check them out on our site. They’re half fire-bird and half mini-hum, and carry spectacular tone, with extra sustain in a Hollowtop.) #boutiqueguitars #guitarpickups #guitars #guitar #hollowtop #gearporn #guitarporn #love #luthiery #woodworking #wood #pinrouter
Here’s a look at Brad doing a custom rewind of a vintage horseshoe pickup. (If you want an amazing new tone to your favorite electric, check out his work on our site.) #guitar #pickups #guitarpickups #vintageguitar #silverhandpickups
If you haven’t checked out the site in a while, we’ve got a lot of great video demos of the Silver Hand pickups uploaded now, that you might have missed. Watch @dennislloydludiker give them all a good workout. :) #boutiqueguitars #guitarpickups #guitars #guitar #hollowtop #gearporn #guitarporn #love #luthiery #hollowtop #silverhand
Here’s video of @lucasbrownsounds playing sweet licks through that Ra-Tel amp on a ‘72 Gibson Les Paul Gold Top with Silver Hand Pickups. #music #blues #riffs #gibson #goldtop #amp #boutiqueguitars #guitarpickups #guitars #guitar #hollowtop #gearporn #guitarporn #love #luthiery #hollowtop
We’ve got new audio clips of those special Hollowtop pickups on our site now. Check them out. #boutiqueguitars #guitarpickups #guitars #guitar #hollowtop #gearporn #guitarporn #love #luthiery #hollowtop
Check out Dennis Ludiker and his new 1950 Gibson L7 courtesy of Cole Music Company. This dude is tearing it up playing fiddle for Asleep at the Wheel these days....and clearly rips it on 6 string too!
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Our Story
At Cole Music Company, it is our mission to produce unique designs that sound amazing, look cool, and function perfectly. We hand make all of our gear in the United States using only the best materials and the finest components. Seriously.
“Lutherie is in my blood. I know it sounds cliché, but it’s true. My father was a luthier, so I grew up around fine instruments and the smell of hot hide glue. I’ve carried on my family legacy in my shop, Cole Music Company, where I specialize in the repair of high-end vintage and boutique guitars. For over a decade, this experience has given me the rare opportunity to learn from—and sometimes improve upon—the techniques of the greats. Now I’m proud to bring these skills to bear, to continue my family tradition—to present Cole Music Company Guitars.” — Eben Cole
A BRIEF HISTORY
Gene Cole bought a small general store from Reverend Laraway in Susanville, CA in 1968. As a self-taught luthier he turned it into Cole Music Co., a repair shop and purveyor of high quality string and fretted instruments.
In 1970, he moved the operation to Sonora, CA and stayed there until 1976 when he sold that particular location to Kent Stevens, who ran it until the 1990’s.
Gene, the ever rolling stone, was off to Colorado Springs from 1976 to '79 and operated under the name Old Folklore Center. That eventually became John Ramsey’s store, and he changed the name to Tejon Street Music. The storefront is still there, an amazing place, nestled right in the midst of that top-notch bluegrass scene.
In 1979, Gene moved the family to Spokane, WA. Eben, his son, who learned from his father, took over the business and opened a new storefront in the historic Garland neighborhood in 2006, and has been there ever since.
This rich history of working with the world’s finest fretted instruments informs every decision put into a Cole Music Co. instrument. You might notice they come across with a bit more soul.
Nearby shops
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822 W Garland Ave
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825 W Garland
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817 W Garland
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905 W Garland Ave
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913 W Garland Ave
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907 W Garland Ave
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918 W Garland Ave
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Garland Avenue
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3911 N Monroe St
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635 W. Garland Ave
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3808 N Monroe street
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604 W Garland
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600 W. Garland Ave
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612 West Garland Ave
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12109 E Sprague Ave, Spokane Valley
Other Musical Instrument Stores in Spokane
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2424 S Grand Blvd -
99223
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9107 N Country Homes Blvd #9
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1305 W 14th Ave
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116 E Wellesley
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Dog House Studio/Kicho's Music
1513 W Nora Ave -
5702 N. Division St.
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2910 E 29th
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Learn To Burn School of Music and Guitar Shop
11 E Rockwell Ave -
British American Guitar & Bass Instruction -
Whitworth neighborhood. Call for appointment. -
3911 N Monroe St
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303 E. Pacific Ave
Comments
With all this new free time on my hands I've been playing alot and thinking about you guys in Spokane. Wish I could come visit but staying home and doing my part to save the World. I hope you're doing well and business returns to normal soon and just wanted to say we're thinking about you guys. 😊
The Collings CL just arrived. Putting it down for a few minutes to thank you for a smooth transaction and delivering exactly what described. Look forward to dealing with you again. Thanks Eben.