Outstanding experience! Excellent customer service, very knowledgeable, friendly, helpful to sell…read moremy euphonium! Highly recommended!

This neighborhood shop is worthy of even a modicum of customer service…read more The GM must be operating in some mindset of scarcity or tyranny because their crew are all kind, helpful, and upbeat. Unfortunately, none of them hipped me to their absolute no way no how zero returns policy when i made a purchase under duress and need. They kind of had what i needed so in a pinch, I was grateful. When my situation changed, and I would have gladly accepted store credit they said "no way no how!" to my humble request to return or exchange brand new stuff in original packaging. Its no wonder stinkin guitar center prevails in this economy. Someone help out the underdogs so they can maybe run a good business! Shop at your own risk friends. Happy music making no matter what!

If you are shopping for your first guitar, or honestly any guitar, just go to True Tone Music. I…read morewill get into why, but that is basically the whole review in one sentence. I found them online and called ahead to see if they had the guitar I wanted in stock. They did, and whoever answered the phone was so genuinely enthusiastic that I was excited to go make my purchase. When I got there the place was busy, with people in the back trying out guitars and a few staff floating around helping everyone. The thing that struck me right away was that all of them looked like they actually enjoyed being there. The guy who helped me, Louis, was a total rock star. I told him I was after a guitar and wanted to start taking lessons, and he immediately walked me back to meet Shawn, one of the teachers who happened to be in that day. Shawn and I hit it off, and I texted him later that day to set up my first lesson, which is this coming week. I am genuinely excited for it. The guitar I wanted was there, brand new and in flawless condition. Here is the part that really got me. I had read that silk and steel strings can be gentler on your fingers when you are starting out, so I asked about them. Instead of brushing me off, Louis walked me through the real pros and cons, and not once did it feel like he was nudging me away from them to save the shop a little money or labor, which is honestly what I half expected. I ended up deciding against them, and then he handed me a set anyway and told me to take them home, and that if I changed my mind I could come back any time and they would put them on for me free. He let me pick out a handful of picks, threw in a tuner, and even knocked a chunk off the price of the guitar without me asking. I had not even thought to ask, since it was in perfect condition. Then there was the warranty. I asked about it, they did not know off the top of their heads, and at one point something like four of the staff were working to track down an answer for me. Mind you, I had already checked out. I was buying that guitar no matter what the warranty said. They chased the answer down anyway, simply because I had asked. They also threw in a hat, which sounds like a tiny thing but genuinely made me grin. Picking up a new instrument feels like the start of something, and a small gesture like that fit the whole spirit of the place. I walked out already wanting to come back, even though I have no reason to until my lesson. This is the kind of customer service people say does not exist anymore. I am here to tell you it does, and it is alive and well at True Tone Music. I never even planned to buy my first guitar there, and now I cannot picture it having gone any other way. Huge thank you to the entire team, and to Louis & Shawn. You made my first guitar purchase a great memory.

Best music store ever. This place is a gem in Santa Monica, the guys that work there are real…read moremusicians, they know everything there is to know. I've known one of the guys for decades, and let me tell you, if you need guitar advice, there is no one better.

My 14-year-old aspiring drummer son did one of the weeklong summer camps and had the absolute best…read moretime of his life. He loved the teachers, he loved the vibe of the place. He loved the other students, and he really loved learning to play in a band. The staff is kind, cool and quickly responsive to emails and phone calls . My son has signed up for the Sunday performance group this fall. And he had so much fun. I was inspired to sign up for guitar lessons starting next week.

DO NOT ENROLE YOUR CHILDREN HERE!!!!... I'm a music business professional ..... this place is…read morecomplete rip off.... I enrolled my son here in the ensemble group .... it was beyond terrible , hardly any kids showed up .... and when they did , it was like a baby sitting service ..... i asked for the money back for the remaining sessions ..... and essentially they told me to F&#^ off ..... Nice , huh ?

I stop by Adam's Music every once in a while, whenever I have to purchase accessories for my…read morevarious wind and string instruments. Garrett and Sean are both super friendly and more than willing to help me out with whatever I need. They have an impressive assortment of used instruments as well as various accessories. I've bought several used brass instrument mouthpieces from them, for great prices. I highly recommend this store.

Great local music shop that caters to a wide variety of instruments. I came here to pick up slide…read morelubricant for my kid's trombone which they had in stock. We also have trumpet, guitar, and bass players in the family, so I'll definitely be back if I need anything else!

We have been coming here for over a year. One kid does drum another does Piano with Mr. John and…read moreMr. Leonardo. The instructor's here are professionally trained and truly cares about their students. We love the semi annual recitals and they motivate the kids to practice towards it. The place is beautiful and the staff are always friendly and helpful.

My 7 year old daughter has quickly fallen in love with piano thanks to the way Angeles Academy…read moreteaches -- she feels inspired by the lessons, and its collaborative style of education has made it feel accessible and fun. We combine piano and singing, which has been a great way to begin our musical journey. The regular recitals are a wonderful opportunity to practice what we learn, get dressed up, and celebrate progress as well! A big thanks to the teachers and entire staff for their warmth, kindness, and flexibility!

We're very happy we found Tosheff Piano Studio. Our son started with Ilia when he was in 4th grade…read moreand only stopped (for now) because he left for college. Ilia is such a wonderful teacher. Very encouraging, supportive and positive. He really makes it a point to get to know his students. What's even better is that Ilia allows students to learn music that they truly want to play while still learning the needed technical skills that can be used for any kind of music. To top it off, lessons can be done in person or online, and still get the same quality of learning regardless. We have no doubt our son's love for music will continue on throughout his life and we can't thank Ilia enough for that.

Velly has been a wonderful piano teacher for my daughter (9 y.o). We started taking classes around…read morea year ago, and my daughter made outstanding progress. Velly offers her the support and assurance that she can play simple as well as complex compositions. Each week, my daughter eagerly anticipates her lessons. Velly and Ilia are highly professional piano mentors and it is a great pleasure to have them as teachers. I enjoy being present in each class, I feel like it is a new small performance every week that recharges me for a week. Velly is an amazing piano teacher, mentor, and composer. I would strongly recommend taking the first class and seeing how exceptional she is.

GREATEST TEACHER OF ALL TIME!!!! Seriously, whether you're an actor, singer, guitarist - all are in…read moregreat hands with Sam Druckerman. You'd be really hard pressed to find someone who has such an attuned mastery to so many subjects and who can teach them as well as Sam does. Not only does he fine tune his lesson structure based on the unique qualities and passions towards each student, but he also will be your friend which is something that is very rare to find. He has changed my life in so many ways since I started and I can only say my growth has been exponential compared to when I was self taught. I've always had a great passion for music and started out as a measly guitarist years ago. Basically all I had known was the Open Chords and the F Chord. But I always wanted to play like the greats - Stevie Ray Vaughn, Jimi Hendrix, Chuck Berry, Santana, etc. But I had come to standstill at my self teaching journey. And thats when I met Sam around August 2022. And I can only say that not only has my guitar playing improved drastically (I can play some bitchin solos), but he even inspired my passions in singing and acting - talents which I never knew I had. I truly discovered my greatest passion in life - becoming an artist. And Sam's instruction and the community he's created have been incredibly motivating in this journey. If you really want to get the most out of Sam's world class education, I HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMEND that you attend his workshops. This is really where a lot of the growth happens and where you really transform into a performing artist. It also motivates you to not fall behind on your learning since it takes place every week! They are just so much fun and really honestly give a ton of purpose to your life. You will also be engrossed into an amazing community of growing artists. Every one of them is really interesting and worth getting to know. Come join the family! But honestly the most amazing thing about learning under Sam is how your life starts changing outside of music. His warm nature infects you and his whole concept of being "emotionally open" in your performances start bleeding out into real life. You become more confident, more willing to express your feelings, start forming better relationships, etc. You really do transform entirely as a person, which is why I say without a doubt that Sam is a world class instructor. Look no further, your greatest ally is right here!

I never expected to get into acting, let alone have some talent in it. But that's exactly what…read morehappened through Sunpath, and I progressed so much quicker than I anticipated. I started out with singing & guitar lessons, but Sam eventually convinced me to do some acting as he thought it would help my music performances (which it does). Sam is really a multidisciplinary PERFORMANCE teacher, not just a guitar or acting teacher. Through the incredible performance workshops he runs with the amazing Sunpath community, you learn what it takes and how to execute as a legit performer. I truly believe that he can teach you to be a professional-level actor or musician or both. This is a potentially life-changing journey that can improve your life in many ways outside of becoming a bad*** performer.

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)

I want to be fair here, because this is really a story about two very different visits…read more The first time I came in, I worked with Barry, and he was fantastic. I had never bought a guitar in my life and barely knew what questions to ask. He sat down with me, pulled close to ten guitars off the wall, and played every single one so I could actually hear the differences for myself. He never once rushed me or made me feel like a clueless beginner taking up his time (great player btw!) By the time I walked out I had fallen for the shop and found the exact guitar I wanted, a Taylor 114ce. I was so excited that I could not wait to come back the next day to buy it. I had also planned to sign up for lessons there. The next day is why I'm writing this. Barry wasn't in, and the guy working the guitar repair counter helped me instead. He acted like I was a massive inconvenience from the second I walked up. The store was nearly empty at the time, just one woman trying out a guitar in the back and another customer making conversation up front, both of whom were perfectly friendly when I chatted with them for a minute. The guitar I wanted was a floor model with two deep scratches gouged into the front, the kind that do not buff out, plus a pickguard worn down from being played constantly. It was still priced like it was brand new. When I asked if anything could be done about the price, he went to check and came back offering fifty dollars off. I asked if he could come down to seven hundred and he flatly said no, though he said he could throw in strings. All of it came wrapped in the same cold attitude, like I was lucky he was even bothering with me. I decided to leave and went to another shop that had the exact same guitar, brand new and so pristine it clearly had never been played. I did not even think to ask for a discount because it was in perfect condition, but they gave me one anyway and knocked ten percent off without me saying a word. On top of that they set me up with a stand, a tuner, a capo, a handful of picks, strings, and even a hat, and discounted those accessories too. They were thrilled to help the entire time. I bought my first guitar there and booked my first lesson there too, and I walked out feeling exactly the way you should feel buying your first instrument. So if you go to McCabe's and you get Barry, you will understand why this place has the reputation it does. He was the reason I almost became a customer for life. There was also a gentleman there both days who I believe may have been the manager. The second day he gave me a quick hello and then stepped into the back right as I pulled the guitar down to start the process. I have no idea whether he picked up on how that interaction was going, but I really wish he had been out front for it, because a ready and excited first-time buyer walking out empty handed could have been saved. If this somehow gets back to Barry, thank you for helping me find my first guitar.

I have been taking piano lessons here since last August and I love it! Such a great place to learn…read more All the staff are so encouraging, professional, and sweet. I love my teacher, Dylan!!! Susan Lee

I've been taking voice lessons here for the past 2 years and have had such an amazing time! The…read morestaff is so friendly and the instructors are so knowledgeable and helpful.

Gabe is truly a wonderful teacher! He is professional, patient, knowledgeable and kind. As a total…read morebeginner of the bass guitar, he made sure I was forming good playing habits. I felt like I was learning useful/ important theory that didn't feel overwhelming or boring. His classes are really affordable for the quality teaching you get. If I wasn't working and being a mom full-time, I'd totally continue learning from Gabe. All to say, he works well with all ages!

I have taken bass lessons with Gabe for about two years. During that time, he taught me how to play…read morebass, the basics of guitar, and, most importantly, how to think like a musician. The area that helped me the most was music theory and how to play with anyone. Now, I have the tools to analyze any song I play or write and interpret why it may work. I can improve a bass line or be creative with the line in clever ways that I would not have thought about before. It has made me so much more comfortable jamming with anyone. With his lessons, I can get away with playing along to any song. Gabe can sometimes be a bit serious, but his seriousness made me focus much more on any given topic. The pace of the course is up to you, but Gabe will push you forward to help you play things you thought were above your level. Overall, Gabe is incredibly knowledgeable and can teach anything from the simplest concepts or techniques to something more complicated and technical.