Very unhappy with the service I had when I went into the store to make a purchase. It was the holiday season and the sales person behind the counter was spoke to me like I was ignorant. Hoping that wasn't the owner. I won't be going back. read more

I'm not one to use this forum to review an establishment, but after the service I received yesterday, I have decided that I'm through giving them my business. I recently received a Yamaha Venova plastic saxophone for Christmas this year. It's a beautiful little instrument, and has a sound like a soprano saxophone. However, it comes with a plastic reed. After doing a small amount of research, I read that you could use soprano sax reeds on it. For me, that would be ideal. So, I stopped in Music & Arts to see if they sold any. They did, although the only package cost over forty dollars. When the young man at the counter asked me if I needed assistance, I told him of my predicament, and was wondering if he had a soprano reed behind the counter that I could match the plastic reed to. I felt that I'd like to make sure they were a good fit before I laid down almost fifty dollars on something I couldn't use or return. He says, "Definitely. I'll be right with you, after I finish with this customer I'm checking out." So I step off to the side and wait patiently at the counter for him to free himself up. As I'm waiting, the man who is obviously the manager, removes himself from a "kids these days..." conversation he was having with another customer, comes up from behind me , picks up the box of reeds and proceeds to start ringing them in. I stop him by saying, "Actually, before I purchase, I was wondering if I could match a reed I have with a soprano reed you might have on hand." I then proceed to explain my predicament to him. Mid-explanation this man cuts me off, telling me there's no way he's going to open this box up for me just to check a match. He proceeds to tell me that he does most of his business with students, and they rarely buy soprano reeds, so he can't sell them individually. So I;ll just have to buy the whole box. I tell him I had no intention of him opening the box, I just wasn't sure if they were the same match as my reed. He then cuts me off again, to tell me I need to do more research before coming into his store. I try to tell him, that I was just waiting there because his employee said that he could help me, and it seemed that he might have a reed lying around already that I could match. He dismissively says, "No! No we don't!' I then look over to his employee, who has his eyes looking down at the counter, in no position to counter his bosses statement. Knowing that I'm in no position to receive any satisfaction. I say, "Ok, I'll do more research. I know that you sell them here if I want them," and return the box to the shelf, and walk out the door. I know that it's hard these days for small stores to do good business with online sales being what they are. However, he was so concerned about losing money, and wasting his time, while I was ready to drop Forty-odd dollars right there, if it was a fit. He definitely lost that money, because I refuse to buy it from him now. His attitude was so condescending and dismissive when all I was being was polite. If he was nicer and just said, "I'm sorry we don't have a reed back here to match," I would have understood, but right away he was aggressive and seemingly angered by me. It's people like him that ruin the experience of a small business. read more

Music & Arts took the COVID-19 pandemic as an opportunity to convert the private instructors teaching and working as independent contractors at their MA stores to part time, minimum wage earning employees....the best instructors have all left, leaving Music & Arts scrambling to find the most unqualified, uneducated and unworthy to 'teach' you and your children. Buyer beware! read more

Friendly staff and a great selection of sheet music for all instruments (especially the keyboard, which is what I was most interested in). The sound from the music lessons in the back was distracting, but that's a small inconvenience for the selection. Will definitely be returning for more books! read more

Took my violin in to get restrung today at the Music & Arts Center and decided to leave it just in case it took a while. By the time we got back into Boston, we got a call saying that it was ready for pick-up. They had a very nice selection of guitars displayed on their walls and lots of sheet music, stands, and other accessories throughout the store. Friendly staff and the price for the restringing was perfect. read more

I've been coming here since January for guitar lessons. You see, it has been on my life list for so long and I've finally decided to cross it off. So, anyway, the staff here is very friendly and helpful. My guitar teacher is actually quite accomplished and extremely geared towards helping me learn whatever it is I want to learn. I really appreciate that. The prices are reasonable, as far as guitar lessons go according to my research. The only negative is I occasionally feel like a total schmo when my lesson is sandwiched in between two elementary school aged girls' lessons. I can almost hear them asking their mothers what this big kid is doing here. Yeesh! All in all, a great place and I am learning a lot! read more

I went their to ask a question and the staff was very rude not to mention that I came out with that question unanswered. I know not to go back to that a store. read more

Great Music Store, Music & Arts owned by Guitar Center, purchased by Mitt Romnys Bain Capital Group from Entrepreneur Bill Scotti back in 2006 as the sign reads on the web site, Scotti Piano & Music co, inc., which also was a great neighborhood, full service Music Store. read more

Music & Arts - Co-Founder/COO & Store Manager ofBoston Pets - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Peabody, Massachusetts

Walked into this little gem of a store for a harmonica and walked out with the biggest smile. Shawn was so pleasant and accommodating as requested to hold a violin and bow for the first time in 14-years. His personality made it an experience full of reinsurance and full belly laughter! Thanks for letting the dream live on. read more

The customer service is a TOTAL NIGHTMARE...They are quite uppity and the staff does not make you feel comfortable at all. I was ready to resume my dream of playing the flute again after over 20 years. They steered me towards a flute that was actually a beginner's flute and sold it to me for a large sum considering. I took it down to a store in Boston that only deals in flutes....their answer? Piece of junk....I returned it to the store . ..again it was a snotty experience. I actually felt bad to return it. I would not recommend this store at all. read more

EXTREMELY POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE. If you are a musician stay away! This business is only interested in school rental orders. I stopped by to pick up a few accessories. There was one employee, an older man, who was busy with a parent-child leased instrument sign up. I patiently waited for at least 45 min to purchase my items. I had two small children with me and we were the only customers in the store. When he finally paused to ring me up, he was extremely rude to my 5yr old. We put the items on the counter and left. This business has no interest in serving musicians. Their bread and butter is school rentals. A few years ago, when it was owned by Scotti it was a completely different story. read more

My daughter recently became interested in playing an instrument. The folks at Music & Arts have been super helpful in acquiring the right books and supplies to support her. Luckily, we get lessons through her school, but I am confident that if she continues to play and becomes serious about it, we will be happy coming here for lessons. read more

Horrendous Service! Beware... My son rented an instrument for a couple yrs and decided he was no longer interested in playing. I called the end of Sept for a return number and the instrument left at the school with the music instructor because I was told the rep would go to the school to pick up the instrument. Meanwhile I was billed for 2 additional months rental and had to call several times to resolve this. Now 6 months later I'm getting Collection notice and calls regarding a balance they say I owe. I called to clear this up and was transferred to 4 different people, collections and customer service! Customer service said "oh well, you have to pay cause there's no notation that you called in Sept!. Collections said "we'll have nothing to do with you unless you pay now!". Again transferred 4 times and was refused when I requested to speak to a manager Multiple times! Only a first name is given "Lisa" and she'll call back - I was disconnected and no call back ever. THIS place has the most UNPROFESSIONAL and RUDE employees ever not to mention that me the customer is the one who's wrong and being further wronged by being billed for an instrument that was returned as I was instructed and then to be sent to collections when I was erroneously charged for months!!! DISGUSTING!!! read more

I'm a professional piano instructor and when I walk in the store I want excellent customer service which I do not get. Usually there's three or four guys at the counter (feels like walking into a car dealership--very intimidating) and NONE of them walk to the back to assist me. I only go here if my regular online supplier (who also gives me 25% off) can't get something to me fast enough. read more

I'm a local piano teacher and have been coming to Music & Arts for several years. I have found a warm welcome whenever I've come to the store. The staff is knowledgeable and helpful, and there is a good selection of books and sheet music. If they can't find it in store, they'll get it for you! The teacher discount has been very helpful. All in all, a great resource. read more

So, my son started trumpet this year. We will be moving and I wanted to pay off the balance. Trying to contact music and arts is beyond ridiculous. High call volumes is the reason they give, but I've been trying for nearly three months now... that's not high call volumes, that's incompetency. I called, and waited for ages once ten minutes, for someone to answer the phones... no one ever did. I left voice messages which they promised to return within two working days, they never did. I went onto their website, which the contact us wasnt working for the first month, and left three emails. To this date, the I still haven't manged to pay it off. I'd shudder to think what would happen if I actually had a problem. Customer service is everything and a business will succeed or fail based on it. Music and Arts has a LOT of work to do. read more

As an elementary school band director, I've always found the staff at Music & Arts to be helpful and courteous. My students and their parents feel the same way and I have no hesitation sending them to the store for supplies, rentals and repairs. read more

Just had a fantastic experience at the music and arts in Peabody. Shawn was extremely helpful and helped my wife and I find a digital piano that fit her musical needs! We went in because of an advertised sale on a piano, but he steered us to a piano that was more appropriate for my wife's skills which also happened to be less expensive. (Side note, my wife was a piano and music ed major in college and we found a piano that fit her well.) Great service! read more

Do not ever use this company. We don't have a store near us so I processed everything online and they mailed us the instrument. Set up recurring payments on my credit card and when my son decided he no longer wanted to play saxophone I looked into returning it via mail. Never received invoices or emails and never worried about it because it was a recurring payment. Called the number on the website multiple times, emailed them multiple times even reached out on Facebook. No one ever returned my calls. Meanwhile they are charging me monthly for this instrument. Finally, cancelled the recurring payment and only then did someone get back to me. They wanted my to drive 3 hours to the closest store to return it. Finally they told me to bring it to the school and a representative would get it, which I did. They sent me to collections for the 2 months of non-payment between when I cancelled the payments to when they finally resolved how to return this instrument. Total nightmare. read more