The folks at Finlay + Gage are just fantastic. Helpful, knowledgable and talented, they're exactly…read morewho you'd want to ask for help if you're in the market for any type of musical instrument or services. From rental violins for your budding Suzuki fiddler and a fun variety of ukuleles to gorgeous vintage guitars for daddy and some rockin' amps to plug into, F+G has a wonderfully curated selection of offerings. What I appreciated most was their honesty in evaluating some repairs on an old Fender acoustic dreadnought whose bridge was beginning to separate from the body. After dropping it off for a couple of days, I returned to hear the bad news of how much it would cost to bring back to a proper playable condition and the genuine assessment of how it wasn't quite worth it. Of course, while I was in there, an immaculate used Epiphone SG caught my eye and lingered in my heart until I took the plunge and splurged on my lifelong guitar desire. Therein also lies the danger of stopping in to browse (at least pre-pandemic): You might fall in love with a finely crafted instrument. But then again, that's a risk I'm willing to take!

I waited to write this review as I wanted to spend some time with my guitars after the setup. I've…read morebeen looking for a guitar tech in the Montclair area for awhile (4 or so years.). I've taken chances on other techs in the area and at times received hatchet jobs literally. I noticed Jason had worked for Mandolin Brothers and that immediately gave me hope. I took a couple of guitars in, but was a little nervous about my '71 telecaster with a bigsby. Man I'm excited I found this place. The guitar intonates amazingly and such a quality setup. All the way up the neck. The guitar feels better than it has in a long time. Finally a place you can trust!

I brought Alex my P-bass for a complete set up and pick-up installation. Quality work with good…read morecommunication throughout the process.

great service! Alpha Guitars is my new go to guitar shop! everything was explained to me in detail…read moreand was offered options to meet my goals! best shop. very knowledgeable

I'm not from around Springfield. I live about 30 miles away closer to New York. However. This…read moreguitar center in particular made every inch of the drive worth it. I had just gotten off work. I was tired, sleep deprived, shouldn't have been going to a guitar center but I really needed to satisfy the itch like any guitar enthusiast. Found this Ibanez RG8 in stock in Springfield. I wouldn't normally have done this but I really just felt the need for metal. Anyway, my car overheats on the way there. It's already 8:40 and this place closes at 9. I'm screwed. I buy coolant, give it to the car and get back on the road. Oh no, now my ETA is 9:15 and this guitar is waiting there AND I've already driven 15 miles. Jesus CHRISTMAS. How could this day get worse right? Then Victor picks up the phone. This guy pulls the most MVP clutch move of all time and tells me he's there until 10 and that if I knock on the door he'll let me carry it out. Turns out not only is this the most clutch GC employee on earth but he also knows how to go above and beyond for his workplace and fellow customers like myself. Great guy, great guitar, great night. Do you need people to cater to YOUR needs? This is your guitar center. - Thank you, Victor. This guitar is sick

If any business resembled my own personal Fortress of Solitude, it would be this Guitar Center (or…read moremost Guitar Center locations, to be honest). I mean that in a good way! If I'm in the area, or if I just have a block of free time on my hands, such as when I'm waiting for my kid at a birthday party at a venue on Route 22, I'll often stop by here to check out the new guitars from major brands. The wall of guitars is aesthetically pleasing, and I always find an interesting axe or two to try out into one of their many amps available for testing out. There are even four massive pedal boards, so you can hear what those effects you've been lusting after sound like. And although I hate the idea of publicizing the good deals on used equipment because it might mean I miss out on my next killer find, there's also simply no way I could visit every Guitar Center location to find every bargain. One of my favorites was a three-pickup, black genuine Fender Telecaster, though it was made in China, but that was at a different GC store. My biggest regrets are not getting a pink Squier Mustang for $120 or so and a butterscotch Squier Telecaster for $89 (from their Affinity line, but still). Returns on used gear are super easy, too. I bought a preowned Gibson Les Paul Studio online and picked it up in their East Brunswick store, decided after a week that it wasn't quite for me and brought it back to this Springfield location. The store employee took it back without any issue. Of course, on that visit, I also promptly fell in love with an Epiphone Les Paul, although I held off buying it ... for now!

MW Guitar Repair My…read moreGuitar for Repair (Ibanez GB30 2023) Matthew performed a thorough inspection of the Ibanez and explained in detail the work he would be performing. During our conversation I noted that his passion for Guitars was clearly evident. I felt confident that he would bring more musical life to this instrument. Matthew checked fret wear, the string action (and spacing) , the guitar neck, tonality, guitar bridge and stability, string groove, action, tuners, fret buzz, saddle height, intonation, pick up height, stable tuning and much more, He is meticulous and precise. My instrument now has new Life, Vibrancy and now runs on all Musical Cylinders! It is a pleasure to know Matthew and the positive aura that is felt when you are at MW Guitar Repair. You will walk in with a smile and leave with a bigger smile. Thank You friend. I truly appreciate the intense work you perform. Additonally your work is of Heart and Soul, sincerely.. Respectfully Tom E

Matt brought my guitar and ukelele from "Rustic Grime" to Masterpiece!…read more I brought my 20-year-old Walden Natura D550 and a vintage 1953 ukulele to Matt, and the results are honestly shocking. The '53 uke was in rough shape--old, rustic, and covered in decades of grime. Matt transformed it completely. He finely detailed the body until it was shining like a mantle piece, fixed the tuners, and recommended Nylgut strings that make it sound incredible. It went from a dusty relic to a daily player that I can't put down. For my Walden guitar, Matt performed "wild work." The action was high and the strings were dead, but he used a "cold clamp" technique on the neck and hand-carved a perfect unbleached bone saddle. He even recommended a spectacular cocobolo bridge to match the guitar's aesthetic and tone. Both instruments came back sounding "shockingly fantastic." If you have an instrument that has lost its "soul" or just needs expert engineering to sing again, Matt is the man to see. A true master of his craft and a total professional.

I've purchased two guitars here over the past few years. Both remotely because I live in…read moreCalifornia. Shopped the website then called and had a long discussions with Lou while he did in-hand descriptions of several guitars I considered. I already owned two Peerless brand guitars and know that the high quality to reasonable price ratio for the Korean made guitars is very good. Guitar n' Jazz is probably the highest sales volume dealer of Peerless guitars in the USA. Several other high quality brands also sold. After my purchase via phone call, Lou did a great job in setting up the guitars for maximum playability and putting super premium Thomastik strings on at no higher charge. Shipment time was excellent. Packaging was top notch. Of course Hard shell cases were included. Advice: Always buy a hard shell case when you purchase an instrument remotely that requires handling by Fedex / US Postal service / UPS no matter what the instrument is. I've sadly gotten several instruments over the years from other sellers shipped in double cardboard boxes that were completely destroyed upon arrival. Nobody wants fire place kindling when buying a wooden musical instrument. Even though there are several guitar shops that sell a few vintage jazz instruments within 50 miles of my home, I will always check this shop first when contemplating my next purchase. 5 Stars! Highly recommended.

I purchased a Gibson ES-175 from Guiitars 'n Jazz for a very decent price over the phone without…read morevisiting the shop. Owner Lou is honest, very easy to work with and he wanted to make sure I was happy my choice and with the purchase for all the right reasons. The guitar arrived well-packed an in perfect shape (it was advertised as "excellent" but in my opinion, it was actually closer to mint). There were a couple of issues that I felt should have been taken care of before it was sent out (it happens). Lou agreed and he was quick to make amends. I guess that's why it's a good idea to deal with a serious, long-time, reputable dealer who picks up the phone himself. Not sure what else you could ask for. Many thanks for making the process hassle-free, Lou; I'm seriously digging the guitar : )

Out of biz 9/2024. Very sad…read moreBeen buying gear there since the 80's, always had a great selection and a cool, helpful staff... another victim of the digital world...

Went in to pick up an online order, and all went very smoothly…read more Noticed that it seems like the store has gotten some new merchandise. Instruments were looking really nice. Up front, items were on sale and they were really great value and caught my partner's attention. He told me, if he didn't already have so many guitars and gear already that he's trying to sell off, he'd have been all over it. Sam Ash did not disappoint today. Recommended!

The short of it......my Gibson ES-335 was broken in shipping (brand new collector edition) neck was…read moresnapped. I tried a local guy, he tried fixing it, and it let loose while playing within hours. Someone mentioned Bobby so i brought it there.......took a while to get it back, but when it was fixed it looked fantastic!! I needed to wait a few months before writing review this to make sure it was all ok and it worked out. I am super pleased, it was a perfect job!! Thank you so much, +++++

Bobby has done a lot of work on my acoustic and electric guitars such as setups, pickup…read morereplacements, neck adjustments and more. HIs work is excellent, fairly priced and professional even if, like me, you're not a professional. I highly recommend Bobby and Guitar Repair Services.

Mark is the guy!! Honesty !!!! He is a man of his word. No worries dealing with him.read more

Mark Rakita is as good a sax tech as you will ever be fortunate enough to find. I began playing…read moresaxophone at age 7. I played professionally until 1986, when I entered into full-time health-care practice. Up until then, my trusted sax tech was Fred Kirschner in Irvington. Sadly, Fred passed away during the time I stopped playing and the time I began playing for my own enjoyment around 2015. My vintage Martin Committee alto sat in the basement in its case for 30 years untouched. When I tried to play it, it was a disaster. Leaks galore, sticky keys, clacking sounds. One of my old bandmates told me about USA Horn in Union. I visited Mark and asked a lot of questions while watching him at his workbench adjusting a Selmer Mark VI tenor sax. The man was meticulous. I left my alto with him and said "take care of whatever it needs". He called me about 4 days later and said the horn was ready to be picked up. He told me to try it out before leaving to make sure that I was "happy with it". Happy was an understatement. Mark had completely cleaned, lubricated and regulated the sax. He also replaced several pads that were shot, and sealed all the leaks. My alto never sounded better. I was waiting to get a stiff bill for his services, but instead a very reasonable fee for parts and labor. Since then, Mark has worked on my tenor, baritone, soprano and C-Melody horns, all with expert results. During our interactions, I learned that Mark also played sax professionally, and was trained in instrument repair by my former tech, Fred Kirschner, at his school in NJ. Mark, thank you for all the great service you have provided to me these past 8 years. May you keep up your craft for a long time!