Stopped by Music Merchant while walking downtown Fort Bragg and was AMAZED! I was drawn in by the…read moredisplays of familiar tabletop games in the window (Warhammer, magic the gathering, dungeons and dragons, etc). I was expecting the store to be all music focused with the normal token representation that you normally see. But NO! They had all sorts of Warhammer! Lots of the new stuff you find at branded stores but also the out of print and hard to find items too! They had a huge selection of DnD models and source books, again including some hard to find copies. Soon I had a handful of items in hand and was walking towards the counter when I saw a Warhammer battle box that I've been looking for that was out of print. I had to have it! Didn't see a price on it and asked the employee the price. He looked it up but it wasn't in the system and we were able to settle on a very reasonable final price. I've never been to a store that had harder to find items and was still able to make a deal! Absolutely amazing! I live out of town but will be sure to visit Music Merchant every time I'm in town to see what new (or out of print) items they have in stock

Worth a visit. guitars, beautiful miniatures, and they host board & card games twice a week :)read more

Got my guitar restrung here a couple years ago, when I got it back my guitar was completely out of…read moretune and not a single string was in the right place so i eventually just ended up watching a couple youtube videos and doing it myself. Seems like a good store other than that.

I am prejudiced because I play in a Duo with Jim. That said, I am there a lot and so I am…read moredefinitely an authority on the store. Jim has an amazing knowledge of ALL things musical! He is a real musician and his love for music and instruments is evident! The store is a threatened species, against corporate homogenization and I recommend that we all patronize it as much as possible! Jim's prices are more than affordable, and his lessons are 100% for the student and cheap. A local treasure!

My experience was completely positive. Excellent repair, care for detail, expertise and very…read morereasonable rate. Ukiah is very lucky to have an experienced guitar repair person with integrity.

I took my Strat into Hobo Guitars to get a setup -- I got that and then some. Mike was not only…read moreextremely knowledgeable about guitars of all shapes and sizes, but he'll also explain to you their inner-workings in great detail if you're curious enough to ask. I feel like I learned more about pickups in 30 minutes of conversation with him than I've been able to gather/understand on my own in the entire 8+ years that I've been playing guitar. He also gave me some pointers for when I'm doing minor repairs on my own at home -- things to look out for with that particular model, etc... And the guitar sounds fantastic. I knew it needed some work; I bought it used, online, and when I plugged it in I knew right away some things weren't right with it. The difference now after having Mike work on it is like night and day, and I attribute a lot of that to his expertise. Aside from his repair business, he builds, modifies and sells guitars as well. I didn't look over the acoustics much but every single one of the electric guitars he had for sale were unique and just plain cool. If you're like me and you get a kick out of custom guitars and their components then you have to check out his selection. (Vintage amps, too!) Disclaimer... This is not Guitar Center. So I wouldn't go in there expecting to see hundreds of overpriced guitars (that are all the same, just with different paint jobs) if I were you. It's more like a local Luthier's think tank, that also provides goods and services.

This is a cool store and needed in Napa. They support local musicians and give a stage for those…read morethat perform.

I like these folks. They are friendly and helpful without being pushy. I poked my nose in there a…read morecouple of months ago and walked out with my new favorite guitar. Since then I visit whenever I'm in town. Plus "Tonewood & Courage" is the best name for a guitar shop ever. Easy five stars.

I have not visited this place in a long time but they were always VERY helpful. Stomp boxes,…read morereplacements for blown speakers, my sweet 12 string I still own and love. I remember Frank being really tied in with the local musician / repair scene. Turned me on to getting my tube Marshall fixed and an intonation issue with another guitar. Class act.

While not a good source for computer software and other super-digital doo-dads, Frank Short Music…read moreis run by one of the nicest guys in the world , and service is excellent. Frank knows his stuff, knows the market, and has many loyal customers. He has a recording studio in case you're interested in getting your talent burned to a CD. The location is very convenient and if Frank doesn't stock it or can't order it (see computer software, above), he'll tell you how to get it.

Is there any other name as synonymous with the craft of learning music as the Dahlgren's? You'd be…read morehard-pressed to find another family who has engrained themselves so much in the music education of students in the Napa Valley. I have had the pleasure of knowing the Dahlgren family for years now, and even worked at R Pals Music way back when I was in high school (one of my first jobs required stringing guitars for Mr. Dahlgren). I am happy to see that, ten years later, their business is still a part of the community and still supplying the eager musicians of tomorrow with the tools necessary to realize their dreams. Beyond all of this, the real draw of R Pals Music, is the mom and pop store attitude the Dahlgren's bring to their business. This is LITERALLY a mom and pop store, the kind of breed that is rare to find these days. To truly understand the appeal, just walk in the store. You'll no doubt be taken by Patricia's warm and welcoming humor or Robert's infectious laugh. You can do business with a music supply store that views you no differently than a collection stub... or your could bring your business to a family that has made a habit out of making their customers part of their own.

Brought my flute & piccolo in for a cleaning. Rob was very friendly and did a great job. Highly…read morerecommend.

Emmett helped me with a fret level and setup of a new Warmoth neck I installed on my custom…read moreJazzmaster. The quality of his work was excellent and the cost was reasonable. He advised me on neck finishing, which I did on my own before I brought it over to him for the final touches. He's a wealth of knowledge and all around great guy!

I've had two guitars worked on and I've got to say he is the best set up and repair luthier I've…read moreever used. His experience and skill shine through without question. You will not be disappointed with the work or the cost absolutely worth it

My child received lessons at Speed of Sound for a year or two. The owner is a great guy, very…read morefriendly and keenly interested in teaching music to the community (also plays at some of the local schools...). The piano teacher we were paired up with was great, my child loved the weekly lessons and the relationship established throughout the course of our patronage of Speed of Sound. We were, unfortunately, quite disappointed with the logistical side of the business. We repeatedly had lessons canceled or changed with as little as an hour or two notice. There were even a number of occasions where we arrived for a lesson to find that our teacher was not available, no replacement had been organized, and as a result the front desk attendant (a student at high school) would sit in on the "lesson" for which we still had to pay full price. We also received a number of emails from the owner notifying us that we were behind on our bills, when in fact the owner hadn't sent us a bill for multiple months (I have never been late on a bill in my life and have an 840 credit score). Towards the end of our time at Speed of Sound, the school transitioned to a timeslot-based system where students would receive a weekly timeslot rather than dedicated teacher. While this system may be helpful with logistical challenges for Speed of Sound, it resulted in a real lack of continuity for my child and many of the lessons were spent familiarizing with new, random teachers and revisiting material that had already been taught. The school also instituted a policy whereby clients were not able to cancel or change lessons due to scheduling conflicts; I can understand this for group lessons, but when you're paying $70 an hour for a private lesson the lack of flexibility and randomized teacher assignment proved too much for us... We ultimately decided to enlist a private teacher outside of Speed of Sound. and have been very happy with the choice.

Excellent experience with the owner. I think the negative reviews are because he is super busy, but…read moreseems to be hiring staff to help.

Top LA session guitarist- Joe Diblasi who played on Pink Floyd's The Wall recorded with Bet Midler…read moreand many others is sending a filming department to do a video shoot of some of my originals In which I'll be performing on guitars Bob Groat did excellent fret jobs etc. on! And I will thereafter continue his excellent repairs and craftsmanship! Thanks again Bob! Toby

So glad I get to do this. Groat is an Honest Man. First of…read moreall. - He can repair any guitar He is busy so Money Talks where emergencies take priority. His Reputation is his Business. I like Groat! He's honest.. And I'm Glad to help folks know about him.

Great staff, very knowledgable and happy to answer all your questions. Amazing selection of…read moreinstruments including some rare finds and deals. Highly recommend!

great setup on my guitar. Very knowledgeable and attention to detail. Will do business againread more