We purchased our very first piano from here at the beginning of the pandemic. We figured that since we'd be staying home more often, why not purchase a real piano!? We made an appointment to come in and Ulysses helped us out. He was friendly, knowledgeable, and helped us through the process. He didn't rush us or pressure us to buy a piano, and he was patient in answering all our questions. We went home that same day to think about which piano we wanted to get and returned a week later to purchase a Yamaha upright piano. Overall, it was a great experience and we now have a beautiful piano! read more

I genuinely thought this place was a movie set. I've lived next door for quite a while and can count on one hand the number of times I've seen this place open. "Appointment only" apparently means seven days a week, all year long. Today I finally saw someone who was very obviously dressed like an employee standing outside. I figured, "Perfect! I'll ask about buying a piano." Instead, I got awkwardly ignored while he waited for his DoorDash pizza. When I asked a simple question, I was told, "I'm not working." Interesting... because if you're wearing the uniform, standing in front of the business, and waiting for lunch, you might consider acknowledging someone who is literally trying to give you thousands of dollars. At this point I'm convinced the rarest instrument in this store isn't the piano--it's customer service. If you're looking to actually buy a piano, I'd recommend taking your money somewhere that has the radical business model of being open and talking to customers. Also, if anyone has successfully entered this establishment, I'd love to hear your story. I'm starting to think it's SF's version of Schrödinger's piano store: it both exists and doesn't exist until someone has an appointment. read more

Music Exchange - There's powdered sugar in these pianos! - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - San Francisco, California

Another five-star review for Music Exchange and Gary in particular! I recently had a wonderful end-to-end experience; Gary was patient and helpful and didn't try to sell me something we didn't need. The entire process was smooth and delightful. I am happy to recommend Music Exchange/Gary and we will certainly reach out to them again for our next purchase. read more

I just finished a conversation with Gary that was MOST HELPFUL! My family is looking for a new home for a vintage Steinway. He laid out the many factors that go into having a 100 year old piano be of value to someone else. He was candid in a way that was most helpful! Thank you! read more

Terrible customer service. I'm scared to even walk by this place. The guy literally harassed me ln the phone! read more

Years ago, I visited a piano store that had something called a Yamaha GranTouch. It was literally the keys and action from a grand piano, connected to what was, at the time, the best synthesizer Yamaha could make. I always wanted to buy something like that when I finally had my own house to put it in. So, after I finally purchased a home, I was delighted to learn that Yamaha has since made something they call the "AvantGrand" which is a much more modern version - high resolution spatial and vibration sampling of a 9 foot concert grand, which a 16 speaker sound system plays back... when you play on the keys which are literally identical to the keys and action on a real grand piano. (Not "weighted keys" - actual grand piano keys and action including hammers and felts.) And lucky for me, there was a rather huge Yamaha showroom close by, Music Exchange on Van Ness, which had all 3 (at the time) models of the AvantGrand available to try. (There is now a 4th one available, the N3X.) Gary, the sales manager, was very knowledgeable about the options (including how to buy player piano tracks, which I very much wanted to do since I also wanted the player piano feature) and transparent about pricing. It was easy to close the deal, which I did during a special sale event. I should say that the first piano they sent me had a rather unusual malfunction within the first couple days and would not make any sound. Rather than try to fix it, Gary had them send me a brand new piano. This was the right thing to do, because I had no interest in trying to service a brand new piano! I'd happily do business with them again. read more

This review is long overdue. Late October of last year, we we're in the market to purchase a silent piano for our daughter. We looked around at a few places and circled back to Music Exchange. Once we decided that we were going to shop at Music Exchange, we called for an appointment. We we're greeted by Gary. Gary introduced himself and gave a tour of all the pianos from baby grand to uprights. Gary explained all the differences that each piano had to offer. Though out this process, Gary was professional and patient! We live in an apartment so , our focus was a silent piano. Gary showed our options for us to choose from. We knew that we wanted a Yamaha upright silent piano. Gary's experience and knowledge was remarkable. Gary shared with us his experience when he went to Japan where the pianos were made. As Gary traveled, he learned so much about pianos that we felt comfortable and confident to purchase our piano that same day. We we're so happy with Gary. To us, Gary went above and beyond to deliver the best customer service. It didn't stop there. He scheduled the piano around our schedule. When the piano arrived, it was handled very carefully and with no issues. The piano was placed exactly where we wanted. Our overall experience with Gary was memorable. Thank you Gary!!! By far, we recommend Music Exchange. Look no further. Sincerely, Marc read more

Music Exchange - Yamaha Silent Piano - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - San Francisco, California

I had a great experience purchasing my first piano at this place. Ann gave me a lot of help during my visit there, and great advice and honest comparison between different models of Yamaha. I initially was thinking about buying a YUS 5, but ended up choosing YUS 5 silent after hearing Ann's advice, and couldn't be happier with that choice! I find the headphone feature very useful since most of my practice happens at night time. Their price was also pretty good compared to other Yamaha dealers in the bay area. The delivery was smooth and I also tried a free tuning session that they gifted me with the purchase. Even after purchase, Ann is still very responsive with all the questions I have. I'm very satisfied with all the services they have been providing so far! read more

We just took delivery of our new piano and couldn't be more pleased with the experience. Gary made the process so easy with his knowledge and no pressure approach. We named her Norene, after a late aunt who was my piano inspiration. Can't wait until she settles in and is ready for her first tuning. (which is gratis with your purchase) Thanks Gary!! Jim & Kevin read more

I recently purchased an NU1X Hybrid piano and my experience has been awesome. I first visited the store a couple of months ago when I was greeted by Ann. She quickly showed me around the showroom and left me alone so I could take my time trying out all the different pianos. I was probably the only customer there for a good 20 minutes and at no point did she come bother me with a sales pitch of any kind, which I immensely appreciate. I already had my eye on the NU1X then, but due to personal circumstances, I did not make the purchase that day. Ann was very understanding of my situation and took note of my contact info to follow up when I was ready. I finally sorted things out a couple of months later, during which I got 2 quick calls from Ann just to check how things were going. I finally went back to the store, had another 15 (undisturbed) minutes play test session to see if I had changed my mind, and closed the deal. This has been a truly amazing experience and I would happily do business with them again! read more

I got my first piano back in 2017, and it was the best experience ever. Ann Wu was very friendly, professional, knowledgeable, and patient. I actually started searching back in summer 2017. Ann encouraged me to go in to play anytime I wanted, because she said I really needed to feel as many pianos as possible before making any decision. So I went in whenever I had time and she was always there for me. Until Fall 2017, I found the ONE. Ann was very helpful to answer all my questions and concerns. She made my purchase and delivery so smooth. Now that not only myself, but my kids are also benefiting from the piano I purchased in 2017. I am very lucky to have met Ann when I purchased my first piano. read more

I got my first Piano from Music Exchange a few weeks ago and the experience was brilliant. I went in as a walk-in, on my way back after work and they were more than accommodating. Jeff explained everything and gave his valuable suggestions and in about an hour I was able to pick the Piano that suited me. The delivery was on time, and the crew unpacked, set things up, and cleaned up all the packaging. Overall, I'd highly recommend visiting Music Exchange in San Francisco if you're interested in getting a Piano. read more

Had a really fantastic experience with Music Exchange. I visited the store when they were having a liquidation sale. I was led through the showroom by Noel, a very nice gentlemen who asked me what I was looking for, showed me the most relevant instruments and patiently explained the differences between them. Everyone I interacted with in the store was pleasant and welcoming. I found the best piano for my (limited) budget and couldn't be happier. The only complaint is for the delivery company: I don't allow shoes in my house and the delivery people didn't have booties with them, which is unusual - most service people carry them on a regular basis. For obvious reasons they can't take their shoes off so I had to clean the floor after they left, which was annoying. read more

I purchased Yamaha Hybrid N2 from Music Exchange with sales Ann. Very happy, Ann is very nice and patient. The price is also competitive, even lower than Costco's Yamaha roadshow. Definitely recommend! read more

Music Exchange - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - San Francisco, California

I bought a piano at Music Exchange, they have a really good service and Gary gave me a good deal.

Great selection, great price, excellent service. Gary provides a fantastic purchase experience.

We had a fantastic experience here while looking for a Yamaha baby grand. Ann was very welcoming and warm. She has showed us all options and was honestly devoted to find us the right piano. We ended up getting a Yamaha GC1 Disklavier and could not be happier about our choice. Ann even gave us a bunch of CDs and free headphones. Finally, the price was within our budget. Highly recommend this place to anyone on the market for a piano! read more

I found Music Exchange via googling and on the phone Ann from the store gave me really helpful tips for a first-time buyer. She was very kind and didn't give me a lot pressure to buy. I did not decide to buy right away but Ann kept us updated about sales events at the store. She invited us in for a rare sales event with the right piano we are looking for. We were able to get to the store and try out every model of the pianos we are interested before deciding. She also invited her knowledgable colleague ("The professor"?) who was able answer our questions with expert level of knowledge. In the end, we walked out of the store very happy with the dream piano we wanted. read more

With the rest of the world competing to see who is the rudest (Twitler, I'm looking at you), Ann Wu was a bright light of kindness and professionalism. She let me wander the store and try out every piano I wanted without interruption, and then, when it was time for me to make my decision, she gave me space to think and even some extra time. I really appreciate the respect and customer service she demonstrated. Ann will set you up with a great piano and a good deal. My new Yamaha B2 sg1 was delivered yesterday by friendly, helpful movers -- and very strong. I traded in my old grand piano for this new upright while moving from one 3rd-floor apartment to another. I love the "silent piano" feature that allows me to play the piano at all hours without driving my neighbors crazy. Thank you to Music Exchange! read more

I've walked past the Music Exchange almost everyday to and from work and school since 2013. I've always thought of stopping by, but never did. Recently I've thought to myself that I should get a piano of my own as I had always relied on the ones at work or school for my compositional and pianistic endeavors. I asked my fiancée if she'd like to make our first real purchase together as a couple and off we went. We were greeted by Ann Wu who helped us navigate all of our options. She was very patient with my questions and helped me make a choice that I am confident and happy with. read more

We purchased a new grand piano in this store last week. The overall experience was very great! The manager Gary is professional and helpful, all the staff are friendly and efficient. Our family is really happy! Many thanks, everyone! read more

Bought a baby grand yamaha during the liquidation sale. Gary was super helpful when I wasn't sure if the piano would fit and gave me a paper sheet that was the different sizes of baby grands to see the fit at home. Even when I wasn't sure if I wanted to purchase, he was patient and answered questions and gave me plenty of time to decide despite the limited time of the liquidation sale. read more

I had a fantastic experience purchasing my grand piano at this place. Gary was super helpful and patient, he knew exactly what I was looking for and helped me find it with the budget I had in mind. Overall this was the smoothest piano shopping experience ever! read more

We recently had a great experience shopping for a pair of digital pianos at Music Exchange on Van Ness Avenue in San Francisco. The salesman, Mike Gillespie, is a consummate professional. He is knowledgeable, courteous and very helpful. Mike showed us several pianos and explained the operating features of each one. We purchased two new Yamaha CLP 725 pianos for our grandchildren. Mike made sure that the delivery of the pianos was accomplished smoothly and that we received all the accessories we ordered. We are very happy with our purchases from Music Exchange. read more

We were looking for a digital piano for our home. This store had exactly the product we wanted at the best price around. Service was excellent and they arranged for delivery. read more

Ann Wu was very helpful and low pressure. I also found the price for my Clavinova CLP-645 from Music Exchange to be competitive with others when I called around and checked online. Delivery was very professionally done. Could not be happier with the piano too! What made the experience ever more delightful was that they also removed my old piano without an additional charge. I had purchased a used Clavinova off Craigslist for $250, it had a couple of sticky keys and my kids never wanted to play it. I couldn't find a place that would accept it as a donation. read more

Just bought a YUS1 from Ann. Very great piano and good service too! Very parent to answer all questions, will come back again!

I purchased a brand new Yamaha Clavinova CLP 635 from Music Exchange and I couldn't be happier with the experience. Due to the quarantine in place, I was unable to go into the store to browse the collection and really get a feel for what I wanted. I did a ton of online research and settled on one of two models. I called Music Exchange and spoke with Gary a few times. He was extremely helpful in describing the differences (models and finishes) and then helping me towards my new piano. He even informed me of a sale which allowed me to purchase the 635 for the same price as the lower model! I would definitely recommend Gary and Music Exchange! read more

Bought a decent baby grand in SF store from Ann. She was very helpful, and gave all answers to my questions! Thank you!!

Recently I embarked on a search for a new piano and visited several Bay Area piano stores as well as private sellers. Gary Egger at Music Exchange in SF was fantastic. He provided copious useful information (substantially furthering my piano education) and had a wonderful range of instruments to show me. He understood that I was early in my process and there was absolutely no pressure, no hovering, no sales hype. Clearly he recognizes that buying a piano is both a substantial financial commitment and a matter of personal taste which can range widely. I'd send anyone considering a piano purchase to Gary in a heartbeat (and I have!) read more

As a new piano enthusiast, I had a lot of questions in terms of what to look for in buying a piano. Gary helped me to clarify all the questions I had and the entire process of buying the piano went really smooth. If you are in San Francisco or Bay Area, this is the go to place for buying a piano. I am really happy with my purchase at music exchange. read more

We had been thinking about getting a piano for a while, and were doubly inspired since we're spending all this time at home during shelter-in-place. I called up Music Exchange for advice about the best Yamaha digital piano and had a great conversation with Gary. He gave thoughtful advice based on our specific situation & space constraints. Once we purchased (after deliberating for a few days), delivery was quick & easy and the delivery drivers wore gloves & masks. Thank you Gary and Music Exchange! read more

What a seamless and totally painless experience! No seriously. Buying a piano has been on my husband's wish list forever and after doing some very diligent research, we had narrowed it down to a few choices to check out in person. Gary was absolutely great to work with from the initial call to setting up delivery of our piano. He was friendly, very informative, answered any and all questions we had, and not once did we ever feel like he was trying to upsell us or add pressure into buying. Also, there happened to be a sale and Gary offered to match any price that would beat his (he wouldn't tell me a price over the phone because he "didn't want to get into a bidding war", which I appreciate). He set up delivery for us and on the day of, delivery went off without a hitch and we were left with a beautiful new piano in our home! Also, not relevant to actually buying a piano, but for a store that's located right on Van Ness (where it's so loud from all the constant cars), it's a pleasant surprise to walk in and have it be so quiet and peaceful inside--I was so surprised at the huge contrast because it was literally like walking into a totally different atmosphere. Highly recommend this place to anyone who's interested in purchasing a piano--it's definitely worth checking out! read more

A few weeks ago, I checked out the SF Opera Sale at the Music Exchange. I had an idea of what I wanted and made an appt with Paul, the manager. The great thing about Paul is that he is knowledgeable about his pianos and I learned a lot from him. However, it felt like I was buying a used car at the end of the year when quotas need to be reached. In fact I recently bought a car and even at the dealership, I didn't get the heavy pressure and upselling that Paul gave. It was as though he'd just gone to a seminar on how to make the customer spend more money. He would not take no for an answer. I mean, it felt like peer pressure with the big bully at the school yard. I walked in wanting a hybrid piano and because of his upselling, I agonized over an acoustic grand that I didn't have room for, but loved. So the last day of the sale, Paul tells me over the phone that the organizers of this sale are lowering the prices of the pianos by however much dollars because they'd rather not have to ship them back to the warehouse. I go in, still undecided and play around on the different pianos and finally decide on one. Now before I continue, I have to preface this with a tidbit: I've visited this Music Exchange more than once and know that if you pay with check, they give you like 2% off your price. So, I asked Paul about it and he guffawed, raised his eyebrows, and chortled quite loudly, saying that he was already 'bending over backwards' to give me this special lower price and I had the nerve to ask him for this discount?!?!?! Wait a minute, the 2% discount was something the store already had and the last day special pricing was already in effect. I wasn't asking them to do something that wasn't already allowed by the store. So, not only did they lose my trust, I was quite offended. Normally I can tolerate a bit of attitude from sales people, but dishonesty? No. I tore up my sales agreement and walked out. read more

I tried to shop here twice. The first time was for their big sale weekend. I happened to be near there and actually had the nerve to try to go inside. They abruptly stopped me at the door and said that I needed an appoinment (there were no customers inside) and then said I couldn't make one. They said the sale would be going through the weekend and I could come back on Sunday without an appoinment. Too bad I was out of town. Anyway, I was stupid enough to go back (after reading up on pianos a bunch) and try again. The salesman (can't remember his name) tried to tell me that "All Yamaha's are made entirely in Japan". I wanted a U1. He was trying to push me into a T121 saying it was the same piano. Didn't sound the same to me. He said they used the same hammers in both. I opened them both us and they are COMPLETELY DIFFERENT! While I was inspecting the T121 I noticed a little metal sign on the back that said, "Made in China"! Are you F@#%ing kindding me? When I pointed that out, he said that they were assembled in China, not made there. Well, you said "entirely made in Japan before" I said. Just a blank stare. I don't think this guy knew what the hell he was talking about. I would accuse him of lying if he seemed smart enough to manage it. Do yourself a favor and buy a used piano on Craig' List like I did. Read some books about buying pianos. They last 100 years if you take care of them. Why pay full price for a new one when you can get a 20 year old piano for less than half? 80 more years means longer than I will be alive to me. How about you? WIth the extra money I was going to spend on the piano, we went on a nice vacation. YAY! read more

My wife and I were in the market for a digital piano, and visited the Music Exchange (Van Ness location) earlier this week. Going in, we had four key criteria -- (1) key action should feel like a real piano, (2) ability to turn up/down the volume or use headphones, (3) relatively low profile, and (4) cost of the piano should not break the bank! Other than the above, we didn't have a good sense as to what to look out for or buy, so we were initially overwhelmed by the assortment of pianos available at the store. Gary (the sales manager) quickly came over to attend to us, however, and was super helpful in navigating through the variety and working with us to find the right piano for our family. We appreciated that (as a former musician) Gary was passionate about music, not just about sales. He was also a treasure trove of information: knowledgeable about the mechanics of the various pianos on display and the history behind their manufacturers. We ended up purchasing a Yamaha NU-1 hybrid piano, and two days later -- voila -- it is in our living room :) What we liked: - wide variety of pianos - *wonderful* buying experience (informative and collaborative, no high-pressure selling) - best price guarantee - fast delivery What we didn't like: - no complaints whatsoever... all buying experiences should be this smooth and positive! read more

The good parts: Alex was very helpful. I knew what I wanted and am a quick decision maker so we got the whole thing figured out in under 45 min., including all the paperwork, etc. I bought a pre-owned, full-sized Yamaha upright with "silent mode." Painless and fun. Also, they had 2 Bosendorfers on the show room floor, and Alex played me some Rachmaninoff and Chopin which was awesome. The bad part: they promised delivery the next morning (Saturday) before noon. Got a call at 10:00 that day saying they'd be there between 2 - 6, which was inconvenient but I rearranged my schedule to make it work. Then they got here and it turns out they couldn't get their truck up my hill. Uh, this is San Francisco... aren't you required to think about hills if you're a moving company? So I had to wait until Monday. :( The second delivery attempt went flawlessly and the movers were very nice, but when you buy a piano (or at least when I do) you want it NOW!!! so you can PLAY!!! read more

The journey started when we decided to buy a Yamaha for our 6 years old as he is taking on piano seriously. We went to all 3 Yamaha dealers in the bayarea (San Jose, Castro Valley, and SF) to compare prices/models and we found the best experience and prices in SF Music Exchange. They have the most number of Yamaha models available on the floor and the prices offered during the holiday sale were impeccable (compared to the other 2 bayarea dealers). The sales manager, Gary, is professional, knowledgeable, and most importantly, customer friendly. He patiently explained to us the pros and cons of the Yamaha U1, U3, the YUS and the transacoustic models. Based on his recommendation, we got the YUS5-TA with the best price offered in the bayarea when the other 2 stores don't even have them in stock so they couldn't show/offer it to us. If we had started with the SF Music Exchange at the beginning, we wouldn't have to waste our time at the other stores. I highly recommend anyone who is looking for a piano to go to SF Music Exchange! read more

They have a fantastic selection of pianos and the store owners are very helpful. You walk in and see an array of gorgeous grand pianos. Towards the back are a bunch of very classy electric pianos. Prices (at the time of this review) vary greatly with the cheaper digital pianos starting at 2k and the expensive grands reaching 80k+. I would recommend this store to anyone looking to get a high quality piano. read more

I played an upright piano growing up, and have been wanting a digital piano for quite sometime, because to get a real piano tuned is costly and takes time. I wanted something that's as close as to a real upright piano, in term of both the sound, keyboards and the look. I did some research before I went to the store, and was going to check out the Yamaha Clavinova. I felt in love with the NU1 at the first sight. This hybrid piano is compact. It looks close enough to a real piano, and the keyboard and sounds are great, and the price was right. Comparably, Clavinova is not close enough to a real upright in terms of sound and feel, and the price is not that much cheaper than the NU1. Jason was my salesman, who's knowledgable and patient. I'm glad that he was not pushy, but I still made the decision within an hour in the store. Besides the wide variety of the selection, Jason's expertise, Music Exchange offers lowest price guarantee, and low interest rate loan also helped me make the decision fast. I made the purchase on 10/10, and had the piano delivered to me on 10/24. They could have delivered it earlier, but I asked them to wait. The moving company was professional and quick. The overall experience is excellent. I would recommend this shop for anyone that's shopping for a piano in the bay area. read more