Best Buy Testing Instrument Sales in Chicago

Best Buy’s experimental foray into sales of musical instruments is getting under way this week in Chicago, with a couple of blues legends along for the ride.

The CE retail giant has been making noises on recent earnings calls about expanding its inventory of instruments in some stores, at least beyond the faux-guitars associated with “Guitar Hero” and other games like it. The participating stores will carry guitars, drums, keyboards, recording equipment and other music products from leading brands such as Gibson, Fender, Yamaha, and many more.

According to the Naperville Sun newspaper in suburban Chicago, the instruments will be arriving at two area Best Buys this week- and a pair of musical stalwarts will be there to greet them. Blues legend and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Buddy Guy will perform Sunday at the location in Downer’s Grove, Ill., while noted bluesman Jim Peterik will appear the same day at the Best Buy in Aurora. At both stores, Guy’s signature line of Fender Stratocasters will be available for purchase.