Walked into Guitar Center Pasadena with my brother, our unleashed service animal, and a budget that…read moreclearly needed adult supervision. Things got off to a rocky start when there was some confusion about the dog, but Evan checked with his manager, got it sorted, and we all survived the great leash controversy of 2026. From there, Evan was awesome. Super cool, patient, and actually knew DJ gear because he DJs himself -- which is always better than someone confidently explaining equipment they've only met that morning. By the end, we were joking with him: "You really did everything you could to not sell to us... and somehow we still bought anyway." Funny start, great ending, and Evan helped us leave with a new DJ setup and speakers. Guitar Center almost fumbled the bag, but Evan recovered the sale like a pro. Shoutout Evan.

I get that they're understaffed and busy, but you have to try hard to be as unhelpful as they are…read more One gentleman kept rolling his eyes when I approached to ask a question. I made a purchase of a couple strings and an accessory that required me to take out my inhole sound pickup, so I asked if I could borrow a screwdriver (to literally turn the screws to the left a grand total of two times). He tells me "sorry, we don't usually loan tools out for use," which is totally understandable! So I ask if he can then just help me out and turn the screws himself if I'm not allowed to touch the screwdriver -- he audibly groans and looks at me, then finally turns, practically dragging his feet as he grabs the screwdriver to help me out. I was starting to be pretty stunned by this point. Then, when I was about to leave and putting my purchases in my gig bag outside pocket, the other guitar technician, Mike, starts staring daggers at me across the floor, then tells me to show my receipt to the guy at the door-- he thought I was stealing. After I'd been walking around the store for 2 hours and making multiple purchases. My jaw literally dropped. I don't know what's going on at this store, or if they treat every customer this way, or just me. I would speculate that because I dress quite basically (like a skateboarder, roughed up clothes, maybe?) they assumed I had no money/was poor to justify how they decided to interact with me. No matter who I am or what I might look like, staff should treat EVERY customer the same. I was considering buying a guitar from this store, the Yamaha AC1R specifically that they have in the acoustic guitar room, but now I don't ever want to come back.

Top notch (top shelf) choice of guitars, not another "Made in China" showroom with 100's of crappy…read moreguitars... This is where you need to go to shop for the high end stuff.. As a business they are VERY honest.. I made them an offer on a $15999MSRP PRS Private Stock guitar... of course the offer was above their threshold and they accepted. Later the next day, the same guitar (which I was also tracking on Reverb) was sent to me on Reveb (an automated feature they do when you're watching a guitar sometimes)... for $12799... I was of course a bit upset that I didn't offer them that amount instead.. a $1200 difference. Well, instead of being dicks about it, they said "no problem, since Reverb send the offer, we'll match it" and they refunded $1200 on the purchase. They then packaged it perfectly and set it Priority overnight Fedex to me. That is FIRST CLASS service.

If what you're looking for is to make friends who are also going through mid-life crisis and to…read moregather around in a circle marveling at exotic looking guitars on a wall, this is the place. If you're a musician, forget it. I brought my guitar in for a setup and the service and quality of the work was so bad that it inspired me to go learn guitar setup and repair myself, and I couldn't be happier. So I guess I owe thanks to these guys. Best of luck!

Sierra Madre Music is the ideal place for music lessons. Jessica and her husband are the owners and…read moreare awesome musicians. They have a great staff of instructors that are equally as talented but also know how to teach. What brought me to them was how Jessica quickly responded to my inquires for scheduling lessons for my son. She's friendly, organized and her willingness to help match your child with the right instructor. We appreciate all their efforts!

They've absolutely changed my son's life - he absolutely loves his lessons and has gained self…read moreesteem and confidence that will continue to serve him as he gets older. I love SMM! Highly recommend.

Just brought my headless 8 string guitar in to have new pickups installed and setup for a very low,…read morealternative tuning. The staff were super friendly and helpful. They went above and beyond to get my guitar setup exactly how I wanted it. They're very fairly priced as well. A good friend recommended them to me. I'll be a regular customer for all my guitar needs.

I'm not even sure where to begin with this review. I will try to be as straight forward as…read morepossible. I was working on a semi-build, a Telecaster to be specific. Since it was my first real project ever I decided to have a professional do the finishing touch, a proper set up to make sure the neck I had installed was on the way it needed to be. I decided to take my work to my local guitar shop. I thought it would be a straight forward process, but I was wrong. The worker here had told me that my guitar needed sanding down and even this would probably not work. I was quoted a large amount of money. It was even implied that my guitar might not even be functional despite all this. My review on this place is a separate issue so the last thing I will say about this place is that I took my guitar back heartbroken and not knowing where to go from there. I am lucky enough to work with a lot of great musicians and came to a friend of mine with my issue. He immediately recommended Grayson's Tune Town, told me to ask for Erik specifically. He gave me Erik's information and that same evening I contacted him and explained my situation. The only downside was that Greyson's is about a fifty minute drive for me with no traffic. Taking traffic into consideration it becomes an easy hour and a half. I sent pictures to Erik and he tried to diagnose as best he could without me coming in to the location. We set up a meet and it was on. I drove an hour and a half and to my pleasure this shop is beautiful. The staff here is extremely friendly and accommodating. Erik finally took a look at my guitar in person and said that everything looked perfect. I was cautiously optimistic at first, given what I had been told days prior by the first shop. I left my guitars (I had decided to take another guitar for a set up) and was told it would take about two weeks to complete the work. Two weeks might seem like a lot, but Erik was just coming back from some time off and he was catching up on some orders. He told me it is normally a week turn around. During my waiting period I was in contact with Erik every couple of days to check on any possible issues. He was so incredibly patient with my messaging him and promptly responded each time. I even sometimes felt bad messaging him with questions, but he never once made me feel like I was bothering him. The two weeks were up and him and I set up our final meet. I drove another hour and a half to pick up my guitars. Erik even met me earlier than planned because I had an appointment to make later that day back home. You ever hear the phrase "You get what you pay for"? Well, the level of service I got from Grayson's and Erik went far beyond that. Considering the first shop quoted me so high with little to no promise of any results, but at Grayson's the quote was less than half of the other place and most importantly the guitars came out PERFECT! Especially my build. While paying for the services I even bought a cool tote bag because I wanted to support them even more. Walking out of there I felt like I had just robbed the place and all they did was smile at me lol. To me it was not even about the money in the first place. The level of professionalism and results are all that matter in the end; the price to me comes second to those. Personally I love my guitars. We all save our hard earned money and purchase these instruments that bring us joy, peace, and for some people they even put food on the table. These instruments are important to so many of us and they deserve the best in our eyes. Grayson's and Erik are the definition of these qualities. suddenly the hour and a half drive was miniscule when looking at the big picture. From now on I will gladly spend that time on the road knowing that my instruments will be serviced at Grayson's. Who doesn't like a good road trip anyways? If you are hesitant about this shop, do not be. The standard has been set incredibly high and I'm all about it. One last time: Thank you Grayson's and thank you Erik.

I have bought over 20 bodies from AE in the past without a problem. I have one I purchased last…read moreyear that has defective pickup routing. I have left 5 messages to authorize a return/exchange. They have not returned any called. I sent them a detailed email for a return/exchange. they have not responded. At this point I can only say their customer service sucks. I have been a good customer and expected more.

Let me start by saying if I could leave less than one star I could…read more In July 2022 I received ads from AE saying we can build our own custom Guitar body. I created a guitar and happily placed my order. A few weeks later no guitar. No shipping. Nothing. Then I enquire about where my order is. They said it takes SEVEN MONTHS TO BUILD!! No where in writing was I notified of that when making my purchase. That's when I should have canceled. It's been over a year. Sometimes they respond and say it's coming. No no response. They have my $250 plus dollars and they straight up robbed me. This to me is not a legitimate company. Buyer beware is an understatement. I don't normally write bad reviews but when a company straight up takes my money for goods of services they are responsible to fulfill. I'm not rich. I'm a guitar player. I'm writing this to make other guitar players aware that this company has taken money from a struggling guitar player to buy his dream body and spend more money then ever on a body to have this happen really hurts me on the inside. It's sad to know you can't trust anymore.

I can't say enough good things about Vez Guitar Academy. I've been taking lessons here for a few…read moremonths, and the amount of progress I've made honestly surprised me. The instructor, David, has been both patient and motivating. He never makes me feel rushed, but he also holds me accountable in a way that actually helps me learn. In just a short time, I've gotten to explore songs across different genres and I feel like I'm building real skills. The atmosphere here is warm and welcoming thanks to the whole team. From my very first visit, I was greeted by name, which immediately stood out and made the space feel personal and friendly. Everyone I've interacted with has made an effort to connect, ask about my day, and make scheduling or rescheduling easy. I've also had a couple of my guitars repaired here, and the work has always been done quickly, thoroughly, and at very reasonable prices. I really appreciate how they take the time to explain what was done and walk me through options. I'm so grateful I found this place and will be continuing to go and recommending it to others.

I brought my guitar to Vez Guitar Academy as a total beginner, and the setup made a huge…read moredifference. The guitar became much easier to play. A few months into learning (and a few too many "I swear this is the last one" guitar purchases later), I've come back for more setups. Aries and Elijah are incredibly welcoming and never make beginner questions feel out of place. They also stock a good variety of instruments, amps, and accessories. Before purchasing anything online, it's worth calling or stopping by. Awesome local business!

My first time here and it won't be my last! Loved the intimate space while watching one of my all…read moretime favorite female singers, Jonatha Brooke. The room is normally set up for sales but when a show is on the calendar the staff quickly clears it to set up the chairs for the audience. Since their first impromptu show back in 1968, McCabe's has been hosting the finest in folk, bluegrass, Americana, world music and more. It can accommodate 150-seats and is one of the best listening rooms in the world. The sound engineer was spot at this performance. Most of performers will play one of the guitars for sale here which helps keep this amazing shop going. *Located just off the 405 freeway @Centinela on Pico Blvd *Plenty of street parking (meters) *A few restaurants within walking distance if you want to grab a bite to eat before or after a show. *Guitar lessons available *FYI purchase show tickets online. You will get receive a confirmation email telling you that your name will be on a list at the door (you will not get physical tickets)

Local gem, iconic establishment, and great music. Of course, you may have heard of McCabe's. Maybe…read moreyou've driven by. Once you finally get there (or maybe you already have a deep connection with it already), you'll see how this place is special. I saw a fantastic show here earlier this month. The sound is pristine, the talent abundant. I've also now got tickets for the end of the month, too. But hosting shows for the past 50 years is only part of the story here. Guitars are at the heart of the matter. Lessons, sales, repairs, community. When you see the stage, you'll see the many guitars displayed on the walls. It's a comfortable, expansive vibe with a matter-of-fact quality that you might pick up on.. I can't believe it took me this long to visit McCabe's. It's a thrill to be there, and the music is what will bring you back.

If your into guitars and especially Latin Music instruments this might be the coolest place in the…read morecountry. 4 generations of Luthiers have resulted in amazing instruments. The nicest and most hospitable store I've ever visited. If you're a guitar connoisseur, this is a must!!

Candelas, it was great. Very nice people who provided history of the candelas shop. It's a family…read moreowned business. The guitars a known to best in the world. I will be going back. I highly recommend this place to visit.

I recently visited Irvine Art and Music to select a new GS Mini-e Mahogany, and I couldn't be more…read moregrateful for the assistance from Gabriel. His help was incredibly valuable and made the experience both enjoyable and stress-free. Gabriel was patient and knowledgeable, introducing me to several options and allowing me to hear and understand the subtle differences in each guitar. He didn't rush the process and ensured that every choice was tailored to my desired style and size. The GS Mini-e Mahogany turned out to be the perfect fit for my emotional storytelling music. Thank you, Gabriel, for your excellent service and for making this a memorable experience!

Great customer service and very knowledgeable about their products. Helped me select the best…read moremetronome for my needs.

We are so grateful to have found such an amazing piano teacher Ms. Shay for our daughter. Her…read moreteaching style is patient, encouraging, and incredibly intuitive to the way our daughter learns. She takes the time to understand strengths, challenges, and interests, making each lesson engaging and enjoyable. We've seen tremendous growth not only in piano skills, but also in confidence and love for music. We highly recommend to any parent looking for a supportive and talented piano teacher!

My son has been taking drum lessons here for almost three years now. His current teacher, Lucas is…read moreamazing! My son loves him. He is Very kind, attentive, flexible and an overall great teacher. I highly recommend Monrovia Music Academy.