About Us

This year 2012, Guitar Stop® is celebrating it's 50th year in business. Guitar Stop® was originally started in 1962 by Edward Oster. The original name for the store was Central Sales Co. It was changed to GUITAR STOP® in 1998 to better reflect the store's focus.

Edward Oster originally started Central Sales Company in 1962. He was an entrepreneur in the true sense of the word. He graduated from Harvard with a Bachelors degree in English and got his Masters from Rutgers. He started his professional career in the 1950's as a driving instructor, the driving school was located under an Insurance Agency. It seemed to him that the Insurance Agency was more profitable and less hazardous to his health than teaching people how to drive.

He got his broker's license and started the Oster Auto Insurance Agency in 1952. At that time, all Auto Insurance policies in Massachusetts renewed in January. The majority of the year was very slow, waiting for policies to come up for renewal. He decided to sell used typewriters and adding machines while he was waiting for the busy season for Auto Insurance. The retail side of his business continued to grow, used TV's, stereos, cameras and jewelry were soon added to his inventory.

He named the business Central Sales Company because the store was located in Central Square, Cambridge. In 1962, Ed bought and sold his first guitar, an Aria Acoustic. It was the beginning of his musical instrument inventory. The small store quickly became full of used instruments, several rows of guitars were hung from the ceiling. Central Sales Co. was the type of place you could find any used item you were looking for, no matter how obscure.

Ed brought his 5 children into the store to work with him, beginning from the time they were old enough to see over the counter. In September of 1986, he passed away, leaving both businesses to his wife. His daughter Jeanne purchased Central Sales Co. and Oster Insurance Agency from her mother. Six months later, the landlord of the store front asked the store to relocate.

In May of 1987, Jeanne moved Central Sales Co. and Oster Insurance Agency  to 1702 Massachusetts Ave. between Harvard and Porter Square in Cambridge, Ma.  Jeanne decided to concentrate solely on musical instruments, she changed the name to Central Sales Music Co. She became an authorized dealer for Fender, Ibanez, Gretsch, Guild, Squier, Takamine and Walden Guitars. A lesson program and a sheet music department were added. 

Central Sales Music Co. changed its name to Guitar Stop® in 1998 to better reflect the store's focus. Guitar Stop relocated to 1760 Massachusetts Ave on June 27, 1999.  Guitar Stop became Jeanne Oster's only business  on January 7, 2005 when Oster Insurance Agency was sold to the Lonergan Insurance Agency in Medford.

Customer service and satisfaction are top priority. There is a No Haggle - No Hassle policy: items are marked at the lowest possible selling price so that everyone gets the best deal that the store can offer on every purchase. Free Set-Up, Case and Accessories Kit are included with every instrument. A 75% Trade-in Guarantee, full Manufacturer Warranties and Guitar Stop Store Warranty comes with every item we sell.

Guitar Stop remains a family business, Al Oster is the Service Manager, Annette Oster is the Retail Manager, Alex, Annette's son, is the third generation to work in the store. People come into the store quite often and tell us that Edward Oster sold them their first guitar and now they are buying their children's first guitar from Jeanne Oster.