Pittsburgh Guitars has been in business for over 40 years, and we offer private, individual guitar, bass & ukulele lessons at our store in Pittsburgh’s South Side.

PLEASE GET IN TOUCH IF YOU WOULD LIKE MORE INFO!

Our teachers provide lessons to a wide variety of skill levels and to all ages, from complete beginners to musicians that want to brush up on theory and technique. Whether you’re interested in learning acoustic styles, blues, jazz, rock, or “Hey! I just want to learn some chords so that I can play guitar around the campfire!” we can get you there. Each lesson is tailored to your skill level, preferred style of music, and your goals in learning to play.

Lesson Fees

30-minute lesson: $25 … $100 for a month of 4 weeks, $125 for 5 weeks

45-minute lesson: $35 … $140 for a month of 4 weeks, $175 for 5 weeks

60-minute lesson: $45 … $180 for a month of 4 weeks, $225 for 5 weeks

*Some books may be required to be purchased for instruction. The student is required to bring an instrument.

Payment Policy

Tuition is paid on a monthly basis. Cash, Zelle, and checks are acceptable. Please make the payments to your teacher by the last lesson of the previous month, or prior to the first day of the new month. This prepayment guarantees the time slot to the student, and without it the time slot is not guaranteed.

Cancellation & Makeup Policy

If the student knows that a scheduled lesson will be missed, we ask that the teacher be notified at least 24 to 48 hours in advance. Illnesses or other emergencies can arise day of, are understandable, and can be potentially made up, but with no guarantee. Same-day, No-call / no-show absences will not be made up. – In the unlikely event that the teacher is unavailable or must cancel, makeup lessons will be available.

Our Instructors

Greg Richards has been teaching music in private and group settings since shortly after high school.  He is a graduate of Duquesne University's School of Music, with concentrations in guitar and sound recording technology, and holds an AS degree in Theatre.  He has played in musical ensembles as small as acoustic duos and as large as pit and chamber orchestras, with rock bands in between.  This has led him to utilize electric and acoustic, 6/7/12-string, and nylon string guitars, along with bass (fretted/fretless/4/5), ukulele, mandolin, and voice.  Noteworthy gig: served as a hired gun in Gilby Clarke's (of Guns n' Roses) backing band for a September 2015 Pittsburgh performance.

• Guitar, bass, ukulele, voice
• Rock, classical, folk, blues, jazz
• Electric, acoustic
• Theory, harmony
• What the controls and components of the instrument, amp, and pedals are meant to do

Current Band: MidKnight Rose

Name of First Band: The Six Balls and Kenny

First Live Gig: The Six Balls and Kenny11th grade Variety Show.  Played Pink Floyd's "Nile Song" and Bowie's "Moonage Daydream."

Main Live Rig: Lately, guitar is "Patient Zero" from EclipseGuitarsUSA and some older Rocktron rack stuff as an amp head.  Bass is a Fender Precision into a Markbass head & GK cabinet.

Favorite bands: Many of course, but turning points for me include Led Zeppelin, The Who, Pink Floyd, Black Sabbath, Hendrix, CSNY, Bowie, Jane's Addiction, Bauhaus, and counting ...

Musician I Would Most Like to Meet: Robert Plant, so that I could tell him how much I appreciate the surviving members of Joy Division recognizing their remaining chemistry as a songwriting  team, and continuing on under the different name New Order. I'd like to think he'd get the hint.

First Concert: Page & Plant, Wednesday July 1st 1998, Civic Arena

Favorite Beer: Blue Moon had a good Iced Coffee Blonde for a little while

Favorite Food: I do hold myself back from eating Asian cuisine as often as I'd like.

Favorite TV Show: The X-Files is classic, but 21st century includes 1st seasons of 24, True Detective, & Stranger Things

Humor Influences: Clue, Tremors, Leslie Nielsen, Bruce Campbell

Who Would Play Me in a Movie: James McAvoy could bring it. I'd be curious to see that.

Spencer's first musical instruments were the viola and clarinet, but as he discovered rock n' roll he began to develop his own musical taste and started playing guitar around age 12.  His musical pursuits have led him to study Jazz Guitar at Duquesne University, where he received a Bachelor's degree in Jazz Guitar Performance. Spencer plays around town in various groups, playing primarily funk, jazz, and rock music, but enjoys all genres.  

Spencer recently moved to LA to expand his musical opportunities and we are excited to announce that he will continue to teach lessons remotely for Pittsburgh Guitars.

Spencer has experience teaching:

• Rock Guitar
• Blues Guitar
• Jazz
• R&B
• Folk and Acoustic
• Lead & Rhythm techniques
• Songwriting
• Music Theory
• Bass
• Ukulele

Current Band: Duration Band, and a few different side projects

Name of First Band: Discontinued

First Live Gig: I played the Hard Rock Cafe through a school of rock-type program.

Main Live Rig: Fender American Standard Stratocaster or an Eastman 810ce through a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe

Favorite bands: Soulive, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Jimi Hendrix Experience, Wes Montgomery, I always found it hard to say who my favorites are though...

Musician I Would Most Like to Meet: If I could bring him back to life, that'd be pretty cool to hang with Wes Montgomery

First Concert: Mickey Hart with Zakir Hussain and some other World percussionists

Favorite Beer: Rogue Juniper Pale Ale

Favorite Food: Indian Food

Favorite TV Show: Breaking Bad!!!!

Humor Influences: Louis C.K., Aziz Ansari, and George Carlin

Who Would Play Me in a Movie: Bruce Willis with a huge beard