Everything went well it's been in business for years . It's a family business and has been all along, expert guitar technicians get the job done right the first time. I've been shopping there since 1990 read more

Nice variety of instruments and helpful staff that weren't overbearing. Would recommend

My daughter and I had an amazing experience at Kagan and Gaines. We first went to pick out a bow after another shop didn't have what my daughter wanted. When we got there, we were greeted by Joe, the owner of the store. He was extremely friendly and more than willing to help out. All the employees there were considerate and helpful. Highly recommended. The picture is my daughter trying out the bows. My daughter regrets not buying her violin from them and asked if we could return her violin and buy from Kagan and Gaines instead. read more

Kagan and Gaines - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Forest Park, Illinois

Major, Victoria, and Caleb took excellent care of us today! Just under the wire before the shelter-in-place order takes effect, we were able to score a gorgeous acoustic guitar, ukulele, tambourine, and tin whistle!! This is one fabulous music store!!!! We look forward to homeschooling with our fantastic new instruments!! read more

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We went in to purchase a cello for our daughter and the whole experience was great. We were allowed to try out several cellos, in varying price ranges, and were never felt rushed. Our questions were answered, and the staff was very helpful and knowledgeable. We ended leaving as we wanted to visit other stores to compare, and we were not met with any pressure to purchase, on the contrary, we were encouraged to "audition" varies cellos from other stores. We ultimately came back and made our purchase at this store because they offered the best cello at a great price, plus the staff was extremely friendly and knowledgeable. read more

Very nice people at the counter and performing the repairs and tunings. And quality repairs (for cello). Also very convenient to our home so we're glad the shop is there. read more

Everyone at Kagan & Gaines is very helpful and they have a lot of things that a lot of music stores do not have and they're just fantastic to deal with so dealing with them as a Music store is must and they have a lot of things that most music stores do not have read more

Great little music store. Rented a very small violin for one of my kids - beautiful instrument and great price. Grateful to have them in the area! So nice to go to a brick and mortar music store. read more

I first brought my cello to Kagan and Gaines before (my parents and) I owned it. I was treated seriously and respected as the player, even at age 12, and now I wouldn't dream of taking my cello anywhere else. I've inherited my dad's violin, and when I accidentally broke its bridge, there was no question where to take it. I took it to Kagan and Gaines today for help. I had trouble with a loose peg, which led to breaking the violin's bridge (probably because I used the sort of force the cello needs). But when I calmed down, I remembered using a crayon-like substance at school to make pegs stick. That was all Miles needed to find it for me, and I brought a stick home for my cello. (Note to self when violin gets home: It's in the cello's case.) I have been told over the years that the cello is in good shape, and today I know the violin is. Well, of course -- I've learned to care for them from the best. Thank you to my careful, caring, reassuring friends at Kagan and Gaines. Highest possible recommendation. read more

Kagan and Gaines is a shinning pearl of service and musical product selection. I bought my first two double basses at Kagan and Gaines old location on Wabash in downtown Chicago in the early and mid 1970's. I figured if pro musicians from the Chicago Symphony buy their instruments there its good enough for me. The first bass was purchased when I was still in high school. It was a French flat back bass from the 1800's. The second bass, a newer (ca. 1970) German Pullman, was bought when I was attending music college in River Grove, Illinois. The latter bass was once leaned up against a wall in a practice room by a fellow student and subsequently slid and fell down. The neck was unfortunately totally broken off at the base. The good news (and to my pleasant surprise) was that Kagan & Gaines artisans were able to restore the entire instrument back to its original pre accident status. To me this was magic. And they did it all at a reasonable price to boot. Fast forward to the spring of 2009: I purchased a German carved 1957 Ottemar Hausmann bass, at the store's new Forrest Park location, after not playing for over 30 years . In actuality I was simply browsing but Massimo Dolce, the manager (an Italian transplanted professional jazz pianist) was so adebt at sharing the store's large bass inventory with such passion and knowledge that I got inspired to begin another chapter of classical bass playing. Having no money was not an issue as Kagan & Gaines have an excellent long term finance plan in place with reasonable percentages. They even take trade-ins and gave me fair market value on two electric basses I had at home collecting dust. The store, with their plethora of accessories was able to supply my every need inclusive of bow, bag, stand, metronome, method books, sheet music, and music stand. I was even able to buy a hard to find electric standup bass and amplifier to complement my classical ax setup. What I like best about the store is the vast selection from student to professional level of just about any musical instrument one can imagine (violin, cello, guitar, drums, etcetera. Convenient parking directly in front of the store is a real plus. Above all is the service I receive whenever I frequent this one of a kind store that has made me a loyal customer all these years. The staff is kind, knowledgeable and open to discuss pricing and financing options to make owning an instrument a reality for any budget. The owner, Joseph Cali makes one feel at home sharing one's musical dreams and how they can be realized. Cheryl Lynn Tomblin, a local Windy City musician who works the front counter is a real pro when it comes to guitars, violin, vocalist, and Vox related inquiries. The best kept secret at Kagan and Gains is a man you'll probably never meet because of his elf like status. He works in the deepest recesses of the store which is off limits to customers. His name is Milosz Turek, a gifted Polish luthier. He's able to convert one's purchase into a masterpiece. He was able to take my 53 year old instrument and recondition it into something that looked and sounded amazing after various fine tuning adjustments. He listens very attentively to my every need and then goes to work to deliver unsurpassed old-world craftsmanship. Although I now live in the Denver, Colorado metro area I still shop exclusively at Kagan and Gaines (a thousand mile car journey) because of the peace of mind I get whenever I make a substantial music purchase. No matter where you live they will ship on approval the object of your desire. With my latest bass acquisition I received a 2 year warranty because of my out of state status. Locals receive a one year warranty. Kagan and Gaines also do value and insurance appraisals. An interesting note: your instrument retains its perpetual value whereby the store is happy to take your instrument back towards a future upgrade at the same price you paid for it originally. No worries about inflation here. I cannot say enough good things about my experiences with Kagan and Gaines. They have become a part of my extended family. I trust their quality, pricing and workmanship, the perfect trifecta in my mind. Even if you're not in the market for buying a musical instrument I heartily recommend a visit to this western Chicago suburb store for the sheer exposure to a unique experience. Ask for Massimo to give you a private viewing of the string room with its climate controlled (39% relative humidity) and negative ionized air filtered environment, you'll be glad you did. It's a welcome escape from the hustle of every day life stresses into a world of quiet amazement that harmonizes antique instruments with new and used. read more

Kagan and Gaines - Milosz Turek "luthier extrordinaire" - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Forest Park, Illinois

Kagan and Gaines make the best Violin E string in the world, the Westminster Brand, made in USA! Many soloists use the Westminster E string 27.5 gage. I love this string. It is so unique, it gives my violin a velvety tone, great projection and it never whistles. I have not found any E string that can compare with this string, it has a great carrying power over the orchestra. For a moment I was worried that they stop producing this E string a month ago. But when I called them the other day, I was so happy to learn that they are producing this string at full steam! The staff was so helpful and kind. Please visit them. And if you are a violinist, please give Westminster a try, you will never go back to any other brands. read more

Great music store We do violin lessons for my 6 yr old with Eloise she is an excellent teacher The employees are are very knowledgable on instruments from guitar to drums to clarinets I would recommend to anyone read more

Kagan and Gaines - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Forest Park, Illinois

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What a surprisingly delightful experience! We have passed them for many years but it wasn't until he needed to get our nephew nephew some sophisticated electric guitar accessories that we finally went in. Extremely knowledgeable staff, good selection of instruments and accessories, and a number of different families coming in where the musicians ranged from novice is to masters. We will return and highly recommend it to anyone seeking both advice and products. read more

Michael G. I was curious about a specific keyboard recently, and got a quality demo and helpful info regarding additional accessories. A good experience without the pressure. Thanks! read more

No much to say but they're very helpful, kind, and generous. Helped me with everything! The owner is a cool, respectful man! Glad to say I've been coming here for 12 years and counting!! read more

Everyone I've come across is helpful, friendly, and always willing to answer questions. I take lessons here and am renting one of their violins. They've let me try out different instruments and make sure I'm happy with my rental. Will be purchasing my first violin from them in the future! read more

My daughter needed help with her clarinet and I started to look around for places that would provide private lessons. I called and emailed a handful and never got a call or email back. I then remembered Kagan and Gaines and called them. Not only were they courteous but immediately scheduled her. We met Eric her instructor and he was just wonderful to say the least. Not only taught her how to be better with her playing but posture and all involved with good posture and she was delighted. At the end she got GOLD at her competition and we could not have done it without him. She will be back for more lessons in a couple of weeks and we look forward to her continuing her love for music. read more

After seeing so many positive reviews, I'm really sorry that I have to leave a negative one for Kagan and Gaines. I do however feel as though it's warranted because in my opinion, I feel like I gave them the opportunity to correct the issue but they didn't take it. I came to them this past August to rent a Viola for my daughter which was supposed to run me $27.00 per month. I made the first installment on the spot. Future installments were to be automatically deducted from my bank account via the debit card on file. On 10/7 they debited my account $36.00, I just figured this was the October payment, although I was curious as to why it was higher than what was stipulated in my rental agreement with them. They then billed me again on 10/13 for an additional $36.00 which caused my rent check to bounce resulting in my management company charging me a $50 NSF fee as well as late fees being that I could not make up the difference until I was paid again on 10/15. Therefore, I ended up paying a total of $150.00 because of the incorrect billing. In the meantime, a string from the Viola had broke so I decided to take it to them to replace the string. I decided to call ahead to make sure that they would be open. That call was VERY frustrating in the respect that I merely asked how much the string replacement would cost and instead of being given a straight answer- the person I spoke to proceeded to dodge my question and go into a lengthy response as to why strings cost so much. It took a few minutes to be told around $25.00. Okay, fair enough. When I arrived to their shop, and the clerk was arranging for a loaner he made mention that I hadn't made my payment. I said, no actually you billed me on 10/7 also again on 10/13, while I did not elaborate on the financial hardship their double billing caused me, I was caught off guard when the clerk argued with me that they had not billed me as it was not in their system. I then proceeded to pull up my bank statement on my cell phone to provide proof that they had billed for two payments which made me very uncomfortable. The clerk flashed me his computer screen and began to inform me that "he is not a liar" and state that there was no payment made. Never mind the fact that my rental contract is for $27.00 and they are billing me $36.00, I mean he flat out ignored me and chose not even to address the discrepancy. Either way, had it been earlier in the day I might have gone head-to-head with him. They provided me with a rental, and I figured that since I would have to come back anyways I would let it go and bring in a printed statement from my bank to handle it then. Today, I get a notification that my account is in the negative again... Why? Well, I made a payment to ComEd and in the meantime, Kagan debited my account for an additional $36.00! This is so unprofessional and disorganized! I was pretty heated and decided to call to voice my concerns. Here I am thinking that I will be met with empathy and professionalism, but instead the clerk laughed at me! I actually had to ask him if he thought this was funny? Apparently over-billing people and causing their bank account to go into the negative and create a financial hardship for them in a very tight economy is entertaining and worthy of a belly laugh to the people they have working there! Well I guess when you're ripping people off for a living it is. I don't know, I just know the clerk laughed- it's not a lie. He did. It's so rude, and very, very poor customer service. He tells me he'll call back to let me know that he just doesn't know what to tell me. It was an error on the service company that handles their billing. Way to pass the buck! Absolutely no accountability what so ever. He goes on to state that they have refunded me $46.00 and asks if I've got it yet. I let him know those types of credits appear in the bank in 3-4 days so no I didn't, and also I will now again be assessed another NSF. He states he's sorry but doesn't know how this happened. I wish my daughter hadn't fallen in love with her Viola. I hate that despite what they did to me on three separate occasions causing me now almost a $200 hardship that I have to continue to be their customer. It makes me disgusted! read more

Good experience. I recently purchased a violin and received a lot of sound advice on how to purchase a violin. They were very accommodating - allowing me to take the instrument home for over a week. read more

I needed to get a same day copy of a specific instruction book my son's private lesson teacher required for him. After searching on Yelp and making literally a dozen calls, I found one at Quinlan and Fabish in far away Mount Prospect. Having gone there before, I know what a haul it is from Chicago, especially during rush hour. My thirteenth call was to Kagan and Gaines. After they verified they had it, I jumped in my car. It also came out far cheaper than Amazon would have been. Excellent. Plus easy parking in front and close proximity to Portillo's! read more

For renting brass/woodwind instruments via their monopoly with the school districts, they are subpar and dishonest. We should have just purchase a used instrument which would have resulted in us obtaining a superior instrument at, I am not exaggerating, 1/4 the total cost. We just had to call them to stop processing our credit card when we noticed we had been paying an abnormally long time on my daughter's VERY USED, VERY DENTED saxophone (4 years!). While the people who work there were kind and attempted to help, I don't think there is much they can do with the way the business is run. We were "reassured" that, coincidentally, they were just going to call us as well as our payments happened to be completed. Yet they have no records of all the payments that we made, and are asking us to provide payment records going back to 2017 to "prove" how much we have paid in total. Luckily for us, we can easily provide them as they have all been made on the same credit card for years. We are also disputing the amount owed as our daughter's original "nicer" model saxophone broke, was taken in for repairs, and she was given a loaner, student-model, older and dented sax. Her other one was never repaired and instead she's just had this one forever. We were told at the time it would be "worked out." Now they want us to pay the same amount as they were going to charge for the initial instrument to keep this replacement instrument permanently, as they also claim to have NO record that any switch was ever made or that the original saxophone was ever brought in for repairs. Typically, I endeavor to support neighborhood shops, but not when their record keeping is straight out of Mayberry. This is taking a lot of our time and energy to sort out, and we've ultimately laid out over $2300 to own an instrument that I have found at multiple music stores online for around $600 and under. We understand that renting the own is typically more expensive, but this feels like being swindled in every way. Extremely disappointed. My husband has been playing music for over 40 years - he also used to play saxophone - and his mother is a professional classical musician. He is used to dealing with all sorts of music shops and has never had an experience like this one. read more

Really helped me out of a jam tonight, but that's really beside the point. They have a truly amazing selection of guitars and drums. A well educated and trained staff of working professionals. Rentals, setups, variety, really an all in one, one stop shop for any beginning or professional musician. A gem especially for those in or around Oak Park, or those who are simply jaded by the terrible experience with online or mega store shopping. I have been a drummer a d guitar player for over 20 years and would recommend this place to anyone. read more

Back in 1964 - 1966 I worked for Mr. Cali at a store he was a co-owner of called Coda Music, located at the interesction of Milwaukee Avenue and Belmont street in Chicago. We did lots of business with Kagan and Gaines since it was sort of associated with Coda Music. The products handled by Kagan and Gaines were top notch as was the service and any related activities. Most of the professional musicians in the Chicago area had dealilng with Kagan and Gaines. Some 35 years later, I stopped in their store out in Franklin Park, meeting with Joe Caii's son (who was just a baby when I worked at Coda) and bought a Fender DuoSonic guitar from him. I would buy another or any product from Kagan and Gaines and highly recommend the store to anyone and everyone. They have always had great repair and some of the best instructions available. read more

So, I dinged my violin, which was nearly brand new (don't ask how). Scratches, a chip, the whole works. I called up right away to see what they could do, and they fixed it. Fixed actually isn't the right word. They made it look as though nothing ever happened! I don't know how they did it--it's just great. And they did it in two days for a very reasonable price!!! Unbelievable! I'm really, really happy with it! Oh, and the staff is nice, friendly and knowledgeable. And they've got a nice selection of music. I'd definitely recommend them to anyone. read more

So very slow. We came in for a quick exchange and 1.5 hours later, were still waiting. The employees keep telling us one more minute, but they have absolutely zero respect for customers' time. I hate coming here. read more

Love K&G! First stumbled across these guys when my son damaged his viola the night before a concert. The rental place suggested by his school is a good hour a way from us, so someone recommended we try Kagan & Gaines for a one night loaner. As is turned out, my son came up with a different solution for that night, but I was so impressed by their customer service and responsiveness to my needs, that I ended my contract with the other rental outfit and signed on with K&G. Now my daughter rents her cello from them as well. They both take string lessons from Eloise(viola/violin) and her husband Mohannad(cello)right there at the shop (both of whom are world class musicians and wonderful teachers). We've also recommended several of their fellow orchestra players to them who now also rent from K&G. I would be remiss if I didn't mention Joe, the really nice guy who runs the joint! From the moment I walked in, Joe smiled warmly and listened intently, and a year and a half later, he is just as caring as he was on the first day. He spent a good deal of time with me and my daughter in the string room helping her choose which cello was the best fit for her. Trust me, the other school rental operations do NOT take that amount of care when trying to match a kid and an instrument. I really felt like Joe and his staff cared about their customers. In fact, he and the rest of the staff are a big part of why I tell everyone I know about Kagan & Gaines. Top notch customer service, great quality rental instruments, and attitude that says "we are happy to have your business!". Plus, it's very cool and authentic, with musicians of all levels and ages floating through and jam sessions going on in the back rooms. So glad I found these guys :-) read more

After shopping the other large music shop nearby a fellow student recommended Kagan and Gaines. What a difference! Called the day before and told them our price range, arrived on a busy Saturday and within minutes met with Alex. He lead us to the back room filled with all the string instruments. He had pulled about 10 with in our price range, had them all tuned and brought us several bows. He knew his instruments and where they were made, you could tell he loves what he does. He left us to play away and checked in on us often. After about 2 hours we had it down to 2, which he let us take home along with three bows. A week later we returned and after another 2 hours with several new instruments, again took two home for us to check out. Alex never tried to talk us into a more expensive instrument, and I am sure there where many there. We ended up picking an older violin who's sound is improving the more it is being played. I only wish I had found them sooner!! read more

Wish I could give 6 stars. Kagan and Gaines offers superb customer service, a knowledgable staff, quality instruments, and fair prices. This is my first Yelp review ever, and I think that testifies to unbelievable experience I had there! read more