I've been dealing with Long & McQuade for over 11 years, mainly with the Kingston, ON store, and…read morehave always been super impressed with their service and professionalism. Unfortunately, my recent experience at the Hunt Club Rd store in Ottawa was the complete opposite. I called ahead about selling a pair of Yorkville EXM Mobile Tower speakers -- only a year old and in great shape. The person on the phone said to bring them in so they could take a look. I drove an hour to get there, only to be ignored for several minutes when I arrived. When someone finally spoke to me, they didn't seem to know what I was talking about. (It's surprising, considering Yorkville is one of the main brands Long & McQuade carries.) After some confusion and checking the computer, I was told, "We already have five of those; we don't want them." That could have easily been said over the phone before I wasted a two-hour round trip. I later called the Hawkesbury store, and even they couldn't understand why the Ottawa location wouldn't take them -- especially since they could easily be used as rentals. If you value your time, avoid the Hunt Club Rd store. I've had nothing but great experiences elsewhere with Long & McQuade, but this location missed the mark completely.

I can't say enough about the wonderful customer service and help I had from Joseph (Joe) Fraser. I…read more originally made the mistake of ordering a Bassbreaker 15 head from Amazon, thinking it was the combo, and was helped by Joe to find a suitable speaker cabinet for it. When i got home, I wasn't able to get sound from the setup. Joe first tried helping me troubleshoot on the phone and when nothing helped he suggested I bring the combo in and we'd be sure to get it working. He was so warm and comforting at a time when I was feeling a bit overwhelmed tbh. Well, it turned out there was a problem with the Bassbreaker I ordered from Amazon so understandably, the best L and McQuade could do was send it in for a repair estimate to see if they could repair it and he suggested I also contact Amazon directly to see if they could offer a free repair just to cover all the bases. Joe was so kind and patient and suggested we look at other amp combos in the meantime. As fate would have it, they had just received a used combo amp and speaker that was a great deal and fit my needs perfectly. It was obvious Joe just wanted to be sure I was happy with no pressure. We ended up exchanging the original cabinet he sold me for the great combo setup. I am 75 and it is so much better for me to deal with the combo vs an amp and separate speaker. I have been playing with the used combo I settled on and it sounds amazing Making it even sweeter was that I was given a refund through the exchange. No upselling. It's caring people like Joe Fraser who just want a happy customer that ends up with the best option for their needs that will keep brick and mortar shops operating :). Thanks Joe from the bottom of my heart. A huge shout out to Terry Calder, the repair guy too, who keeps my prized acoustic well maintained each year. I wouldn't trust anyone else. Great team at Hunt Club. That obviously says something about management at this location too for hiring the right people. Thank you :). Myra Bourne Ottawa

I bought a guitar pickup and the dude did not want to give me the box it cam with it.. Kinda cheap…read moreexperience. considering they sell guitars close to 10k and did not want to spare a box for the pickup.. just put it in a cheap bag.. . i did not go back..

Just checking in from (way) south of the border. I was planning to buy a new Martin from one of a…read morecouple dealers in the US, but contacted Lauzon with a question about the guitar they had listed on Reverb. Dave responded immediately, even though it was after the store had closed, and offered the guitar at a price several hundred dollars cheaper than the least expensive quote form a US dealer. It shipped the next morning, very impressed.

Sherryl is a great teacher. Excellent with kids of all abilities and age levels. Highly…read morerecommended.

Dealing with the folks at Ottawa Pianos has been a very positive experience for me. The piano…read morepurchased (Yamaha GC1) was to be a surprise for my daughter and Lili and Kim were on board for helping to keep it that way. They made sure to advise me of everything I needed to know regarding the piano and even made sure that the movers were advised of the situation. This worked out beautifully as the movers called ahead to make sure the coast was clear (i.e. my daughter was out of the house). They had the piano installed and were gone before she returned so it was a complete shock to her to see the baby grand sitting in her living room. Needless to say, she is overjoyed and so am I. Many thanks to Lili and Kim at Ottawa Pianos and also to the lads at McConville Movers! Mission accomplished!

As an adult learner, returning to piano lessons after many decades, I highly recommend this place…read morefor instruction. I found the Music Director to be professional in presentation, an active listener of my plans and supportive of my hesitancy to return to formal lessons. In order to be paired with 'right' teacher (Harris is fabulous!) I was encouraged to provide a detailed note about myself as a learner, as well as clues about an 'ideal teacher' and goal statement in order to ensure my success with getting started with lessons and remaining engaged. I found the instruction to be encouraging and always flexible - responding to my needs and desires. My experiences with Ottawa Pianos have exceeded expectations.

I went there with a friend to purchase a part for her violin. She played professionally and knew…read morewhat she needed. The owners appeared to have come from a former eastern block country. Lots of signs up telling you what you are not allowed to do. A person who appeared to be security appeared. As well a vehicle parks I the alley behind the store had security. Having been in law I for cement it did go unnoticed. STAY AWAY.

I moved to Ottawa in July of 2015. i am a native Montrealer…read more While investigating fun things to do in Ottawa, I happened upon a link to the School of Rock site. What a fantastic concept! They allow kids to learn and play instruments. But, what attracted me was that they also offered what they boot camps for adults. This allows adults to join ad-hoc bands and learn a number of songs and then play them live at a local Pub. I have raw talent on the drums, but I am by no means an experienced drummer. I have never owned a drum kit. Before attending the School of Rock, I must have sat in front of a drum set perhaps somewhere around 15 times. I called up the School of Rock and told them my situation. I was informed that I only needed to be willing to have fun playing. I was in! To date, I have attended about 5 rehearsals with my band and we are having a blast rehearsing our songs in the category Arena Rock (AC/DC, Heart, Peter Frampton, Bad Company, etc.) I never expected that I would be having so much fun learning music and being part of a band. I recommend the School of Rock to anyone that loves music and feels that they might enjoy playing an instrument. They also give lessons on playing guitar, drums and singing.

Outstanding staff and service for string players at all levels. The go-to place for supplies,…read moreinstruments, and advice, or just to make connections. David Doyle is a very highly skilled violinist and luthier, and his staff are all players with a full understanding of their instruments. The Sound Post is well known and beloved in the Ottawa music community. They treat their customers with friendliness and respect.

The Sound Post was recommended by my child's violin instructor because of his own experience as…read moreboth a teacher and professional. My child was just 4 at the time and they made sure that the violin was the right size and took all precautions during covid. Because of her age and the small size of the instrument (1/10) we went with renting - she is now 6 and isn't big enough to go up in size just yet. At another point we needed to get a new bow because of an unfortunate accident and they were so helpful. While their rental rate is a bit more than some of the other music stores, it is worth it knowing that our daughter will always have the right size as all staff are fully experienced with stringed instruments. They also have cellos, violas, and basses for rent and sale; offer restoration/repair; music stands; music books; and all the other accessories you might need. The nice thing is that they do have the very small sizes, including the 1/32, I believe. Her ensemble instructor has also recommended going to this place. I completely recommend going to The Sound Post, especially if just starting out.