Aaron originally launched Pro Guitar Shop in 2003 as an eBay store run out of his home . After picking up guitar in college and spending some time on the road as a touring musician , he had become something of a gearhead and tone chaser , and was hoping to turn this budding obsession into a rock ‘ n ’ roll dream job . At first he simply bought used guitars , amps , and pedals from local musicians , piling them to the ceiling in his house , and ultimately flipping them for profit in his eBay store . In his first month of business , he made about five thousand bucks , played a lot of cool gear , and met many cool musicians , verifying a powerful hunch that he had indeed found his calling .
By the time I moved to Portland and began working for Aaron in early 2006 , he was no longer flipping used instruments and effects . He had tired of driving all over the city and haggling with Craigslisters , and yearned to turn Pro Guitar Shop into a serious retail enterprise . The company was now housed in a cozy 1000-square-foot shop outside Portland , and boasted a small but impressive selection of stompboxes from boutique and mainstream builders , as well as various guitar parts and , curiously enough , bicycle parts , as bikes were another of Aaron ’ s lifelong passions .
Aaron hired me on at PGS as a part-time shipping guy , but as he became more aware of my talents and knowledge base he was quick to reward me with greater responsibility and full-time status . He sought to grow the business significantly and become a major player in the burgeoning boutique pedal game , and he thought I might be able to help him further this endeavor , which I was more than happy to do . For several months I was the only Pro Guitar Shop employee , but after Aaron acquired a few more notable dealerships and began expanding our inventory , it was clear that we needed help .
Our first hire was none other than Andy Martin , a former Fulltone employee and California transplant , fresh off the road and looking for work . We hired him because of his affable demeanor , excellent taste in music , and connections to the boutique pedal world , but it soon became clear that he was also a superb guitar player with a keen ear for tone , and considerable knowledge and experience in the vintage gear realm . We sensed that these qualities would become valuable later on .
Pro Guitar Shop in it ’ s downtown Portland location
THE BIRTH OF PGS
Aaron originally launched Pro Guitar Shop in 2003 as an eBay store run out of his home . After picking up guitar in college and spending some time on the road as a touring musician , he had become something of a gearhead and tone chaser , and was hoping to turn this budding obsession into a rock ‘ n ’ roll dream job . At first he simply bought used guitars , amps , and pedals from local musicians , piling them to the ceiling in his house , and ultimately flipping them for profit in his eBay store . In his first month of business , he made about five thousand bucks , played a lot of cool gear , and met many cool musicians , verifying a powerful hunch that he had indeed found his calling .
By the time I moved to Portland and began working for Aaron in early 2006 , he was no longer flipping used instruments and effects . He had tired of driving all over the city and haggling with Craigslisters , and yearned to turn Pro Guitar Shop into a serious retail enterprise . The company was now housed in a cozy 1000-square-foot shop outside Portland , and boasted a small but impressive selection of stompboxes from boutique and mainstream builders , as well as various guitar parts and , curiously enough , bicycle parts , as bikes were another of Aaron ’ s lifelong passions .
Aaron hired me on at PGS as a part-time shipping guy , but as he became more aware of my talents and knowledge base he was quick to reward me with greater responsibility and full-time status . He sought to grow the business significantly and become a major player in the burgeoning boutique pedal game , and he thought I might be able to help him further this endeavor , which I was more than happy to do . For several months I was the only Pro Guitar Shop employee , but after Aaron acquired a few more notable dealerships and began expanding our inventory , it was clear that we needed help .
Our first hire was none other than Andy Martin , a former Fulltone employee and California transplant , fresh off the road and looking for work . We hired him because of his affable demeanor , excellent taste in music , and connections to the boutique pedal world , but it soon became clear that he was also a superb guitar player with a keen ear for tone , and considerable knowledge and experience in the vintage gear realm . We sensed that these qualities would become valuable later on .
16 TONE TALK // Unparalleled Vision A Tribute To Our Own Aaron Miller