Bernunzio Uptown Music

Bernunzio Uptown Music is a vintage and used instrument specialist on East Avenue with roughly 50 years of history buying, selling and repairing guitars, banjos, mandolins and ukuleles from makers like Martin, Gibson, Fender and Epiphone. It's a destination shop for serious players, but it's also become a genuine community hub for acoustic music in Rochester.

Atmosphere and Setting

The shop's back room, normally used for lessons and instrument demos, transforms into an informal jam space on jam days — walls lined with vintage instruments rather than a typical bar or brewery backdrop, which gives the sessions a distinctly musician-focused feel.

Bluegrass Jam

On second Saturdays from noon to 3:00 PM, Bernunzio hosts an Intermediate+ Bluegrass Jam. The first hour runs at a slower tempo with guided repertoire aimed at intermediate players, while the remaining two hours pick up the pace for intermediate-to-advanced pickers, with an emphasis on soloing, trading breaks and ear training around a core set of traditional bluegrass standards.

Other Programming

Beyond the monthly bluegrass jam, the shop hosts additional acoustic sessions and clinics tied to its vintage-instrument inventory, and its buy-sell-trade counter draws musicians from well beyond Rochester.

For Performers

The jam is a drop-in format with no formal sign-up, but it does assume a baseline of playing ability given the “intermediate-plus” framing — beginners are welcome to observe and learn.

Good to Know

Bernunzio Uptown Music is located at 122 East Ave, Rochester, NY 14604. Free street parking is available, along with additional parking in the East End Garage directly behind the store.