I know negative about guitars. I have a nephew graduating from high school this spring and I…read morewanted to get him something meaningful and useful. He plays bass in one of those School of Rock type places and is passionate about it. I called my sister to see if there was anything he could use and she sent me a blurry photo of some kind of board he uses and told me he needs a carrying case. I went to Bananas at Large because of their reputation for being kind and knowledgeable. Their reputation is well deserved. I was greeted right when I walked in, I decided to look around a bit before asking for help because while I don't know anything about guitars, some of the instruments they had on the wall were works of art and I enjoy looking at art. When I was ready, I found the first employee, showed him the photo and explained the situation. He knew exactly what it was and where to find what I was looking for. He then took the case over to where they had the exact thing in the photo to show me how well it fit and other features of the case. He explained the 14-day return policy if it turned out to be the wrong thing and let me decide what I wanted to do. I wound up purchasing the case. I loved that I was nicely greeted when I walked in but left alone to browse. I loved that I didn't have to hunt down someone to help me when I was ready. I loved the general vibe of the place. I loved that they had what I needed and clearly a ton of things I might need if I ever decide to get into playing. I loved that parking was easy. I loved that they were excited to help someone who had no idea what they were doing in a guitar shop, were in no hurry to get me out of the store and patient enough to answer all my questions. I even loved that they accept Venmo for payments. Great place to go if you don't know anything about guitars but love someone who does.

This place is everything a music store should be. Yes they have great selection, and yes their…read moreprices match anything you can find online (even Reverb, often) but it's their service and relationships they build with you that's special. True stories of what they've done for me even in just the last month: My guitar needed some repairs before a gig, and they fast tracked the service and ordered an uber to bring the guitar to my house! I wanted a tuner pedal that was out of stock basically everywhere in the country, and they took their last one from Santa Rosa and shipped it to San Rafael store for free for me to pick up the next day. Best of all, I was unhappy with my guitar tone and Dan spent nearly 2 hours sitting with me trying different pedals and setups, before settling on showing me some different settings on my own amp, some different plectrums and swapping a pedal I'd bought recently for only a $10 difference! It would have been so easy to have sold me another pedal or 2 that I didn't really need, but the fact he didn't builds complete trust and makes me a customer for life!

Brought an inexpensive alto sax in to see if it needed work. Katia was so helpful. We chatted and…read moreshe did a diagnostic on my sax and found some leaks. Wouldn't take my money. I'd go back here again!!

I called this morning to inquire about finding a cable for my standup bass (to hook up to an amp)…read moreand for some reason, the buy who spoke to me was very impatient and annoyed with me when I asked him a couple questions. I know this is a good store, but it was very off-putting to be spoken to like that.

Love these guys! I've bought two beautiful instruments from them and the experience both times was…read morefantastic. They are very chill, supportive, and helpful. It's a beautiful place to find just the right guitar :) And they have a fantastic selection of ukulele's and baritone ukulele's as well!

Got my guitar restrung here. The service was excellent and fast. They have a wide range of guitars,…read moreincluding less expensive ones. I appreciated that considering where we live.

I have been playing guitar for over a decade and would consider myself an advanced player…read more However, I am always looking to develop my skills, specifically my soloing and improvisational technique. I attended a private lesson with Shambhu and within an hour he had broken down the complexities of soloing in a way that was easy to understand and simple to apply. Shambhu is very professional, yet very friendly and relaxed with his teaching style. He made me feel comfortable as a learner and was very encouraging even when I did make mistakes. Shambhu is a incredible musician himself. I was extremely impressed with both his live improvisation as well as his recorded material. It seems that he has lived an impressive musical resume as he has collaborated with numerous well-known artists. Shambhu commenced the lesson by understanding my skill level as a musician. He asked me what I wanted to learn and jumped right into the lesson after figuring out where my knowledge was and what I wanted to get out of the lesson. Leading by example and charts he had drawn out, I was able to understand the fundamental pieces to soloing that I had been lacking. Shambhu quickly picked up on what was missing in my playing and clarified it to me both verbally and practically on the guitar. This lesson is really going to help me move to the next level of guitar soloing because I better understand the fret board, I have learned how to create different sounds and moods, and I now know different improvisational and rhythmic techniques. I would recommend Shambhu's lessons for any beginner or advanced player who is looking to further develop their musical abilities.

Neil is without question, the best guitar teacher I've ever worked with. He's generous and patient…read moreand a true subject matter expert. He tailored the lesson to my skill level and in two hours gave me more info that I've gotten out of two months of online study. There's no doubt that time spent with Neil will help any sincere musician who wants to improve. Cheap at twice the price!

What can I say about Kit that hasn't already been said.... He's an icon of the SF music instructor…read morescene and can often be found in local bars, cafes, and theaters playing the music he teaches. He's got a great attitude and exuberance and brings to bear a sisyphean patience and resolve when guiding me through the world of the guitar and music theory. Five years now. Thanks Kit!

I have seen Kit play out in local clubs all around San Francisco for years, fast forward to January…read more2020 I scored a studio in a building where he teaches. Recognizing him, I started taking lessons with him and don't have enough great things to say about him. He's a killer guitar player, a great teacher and an incredible resource for any and everything guitar and live music. I cannot recommend him any more highly!!

The sound system here is seriously impressive, and the atmosphere is great when the place is…read morepacked. I ended up looking into AI noise reduction and music/noise removal tools https://noisereducerai.com to clean up the recordings, including Noise Reducer AI. It was useful for reducing some of the unwanted background noise while keeping the main audio more understandable. Overall, a really fun venue if you're there for the music rather than trying to capture perfect recordings on your phone.

I walked in this summer genuinely interested in getting into analog, and left having been told I…read morewasn't the kind of customer this store sells to. The owner didn't ask what I listen to, what I own, or what I was hoping to build. He told me he typically sells to people with the "means" and the "space" for an analog setup, and that he couldn't help me. That was the whole interaction. For context: I already run a KEF LS60 system with two KC62 subwoofers. The KC62 is roughly the size of a shoebox. Neither means nor space was ever the issue, and one question would have told him that. I don't know what he was actually reacting to, and I'll never know. What I do know is that a dealer who sizes up customers on sight instead of asking them anything is bad at the job. Plenty of shops in this city will take your questions seriously. Go to one of those.

My daughter attended weekly lessons with Tyler for about 6 years. Tyler's knowledge , guidance &…read morepatience with a rising teen girl was outstanding. She started at 9yrs old & just turned 14. I felt very comfortable & confident leaving her with him for private lessons. The communication was awesome as well. Lily started with zero background & quickly learned how to read music , play the guitar & eventually got to pick her own songs she wanted to learn. He encouraged her to use her voice as well! I highly recommend Tyler for in person private lessons. We recently moved out of SF , but Tyler will be will missed as she continues her growth in her music endeavors. Thank you SO much Tyler!

Tyler is an amazing guitar teacher! I was a complete beginner when I started taking lessons. He is…read morepatient, kind and a very talented teacher. With his approach I found I made progress quickly and that he worked on songs I was interested in. He never got frustrated if I wasn't able to practice and worked with me to keep making progress even when I got stuck. I can't imagine imagine a better experience.

I own a Greenwood bow and have also taken various french/german bows to John for repair and rehair…read more He knows what he's doing, and his passion for the craft shows. He also plays the violin quite well and can help demonstrate/ compare bows, which I found to be helpful. I highly recommend John if you're looking for a bow upgrade or need some work done on your bows. Visiting his workshop is always an experience in itself, with walls adorn with posters of some violin greats. Always a wonderful experience. Thank you!

I have a fine French bow that has been in a state of disrepair. It needed a new screw, slide,…read moreeyelet, grip, rehair, and a good cleaning. I contacted John after reading his amazing endorsements. He picked up the phone immediately and we got our repair set up for a time within two days. The turnaround time was only a few days and John's workmanship was absolutely first class. The bow looked beautiful and performed perfectly. I am so glad I made the decision to have John do the work! I highly recommend John--he is a real artist right here in SF.