Genuinely a horrible store to buy anything related to instruments. They tell you something is available over call and tell you when you get there that it was sold out last week . This store is actually pathetic, I genuinely don't understand how this establishment is still here. Waste of time don't come here. read more

Amazing service! Just bought a new guitar from this place, was helped by Chuck. Super cool guy, funny as hell. Thanks Chuck for adjusting my new guitar and installing new strings. I will be definitely coming back for an adjustment on my other telecaster. read more

Lame! This place only sells items for guitars. I came here to get clarinet reeds and the worker/owner?? there had to look through all his drawers to find some. In a dodgey area, you think they may be closed or going out of business upon entering. The man was nice, but if you need any kind of music instrument equipment beyond a guitar you are better off getting it off Amazon. Which is what the man suggested I do because I asked if they had cork wax after he was able to find a stray box of reeds. Limited street parking. read more

MUSIC UNLIMITED in SAN LEANDRO. At Music Unlimited, I bought a Fender Stratocaster electric guitar, a Fender Vibrolux Reverb amplifier, Ernie Ball Strings (super slinky), many guitar picks, guitar straps, coiled electric cords, and a Cry Baby wah-wah pedal. Attached is a photo of me wearing my Fender Stratocaster. Also, at Music Unlimited I took guitar lessons. The teacher was accommodating, and I asked him to teach me the lead guitar part for that rock'n'roll classic, Johnny B. Good . Within a week the teacher taught himself the guitar part, and at my next lesson he taught me how to play Johnny B. Goode. Music Unlimited is essential to the cultural heritage of San Leandro, especially in view of the fact that San Leandro is not exactly known for its museums or for its works of architectural wonder (aside from the 50-foot tall naked lady at the BART station). Regarding "cultural heritage," I am referring to the countless garage bands, and professional musicians, who bought their equipment at Music Unlimited. While in high school, I was a member of a garage band called, "Fellowship of the Ring" also called, "Therapy." We played at the following places, and I used my Fender Strat and Fender Vibrolux Reverb from Music Unlimited in these performances: (1) Rollarena on E. 14th Street (2) Recreation center at Weekes Park in Hayward (3) Chabot Park at the end of Estudillo Ave. (4) Pacific High School in San Leandro (5) James Madison Elementary School near Bonaire Park (6) Snedigar Cottage in San Leandro (7) Burger King on E. 14th Street, during battle of the bands (8) Twice at Southland Mall. The first time, we played Sunshine of Your Love, and the next time, we played Seven and Seven is. (9) At a huge store located on Hegenberger Road. Our band and a few other bands played here on the same afternoon. (10) Alameda High School on Alameda Island. (11) At a company picnic in Hayward. (12) Outside at night, along with a few other bands, on a stage that was set up just west of East 14th Street. read more

Music Unlimited - Photograph of the Fender Stratocaster that I bought at MUSIC UNLIMITED. - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - San Leandro, California

Amazing guitar teacher, bob always has amazing stories to tell! I would say if you need guitar lessons, this is a great option! Prices aren't crazy expensive and a great teacher! read more

I found myself wanting to learn music and got my hands on a banged up old' blue light special (I said it was old) axe.Took it into Music Unlimited and they fixed it up for me and they had it back sooner than expected. (Thanks Cody). They seemed like nice cats and no high pressure sales vultures. read more

We needed to rent a sound system for my Mother's Celebration of Life and a friend referred us to Music Unlimited. Chuck really took care of us & set us up with a great speaker that had bluetooth (for connecting virtual attendees who wanted to speak & for playing music) & a plug in for my Auntie's guitar. We also got the other necessaries: speaker stand, mic, music stand and all the cords we needed. Chuck made it so easy for us, which was much appreciated, and the cost of the rental was very reasonable. The store is a undergoing a renovation, but don't be put off by that. I highly recommended them for your sound rental needs! read more

I had a gig last Saturday and I was short one speaker cable I needed a new strap for my bass and strap locks because my bass kept falling I also needed a tuner and I've never been to the shop before and I really like it it's very old-school and it's got a great selection and really great helpful staff and I even got to practice my Spanish a bit with the guy who help me who is a musician in a Cumbia band and invited me to a show unfortunately I had a show that night also but all in all it reminded me of the old days of these cool music stores in my old hometown in Hartford Connecticut and I'm definitely going back I'm a fan they have a really reasonable price for set up which is basically $75 plus strings so you have a new client read more

I am so disappointed. I was looking for a local business, not a national chain. I and a buddy went to Music Unlimited in San Leandro because he needed a capo and I just tagged along. I'm left-handed and I was surprised that they had more than just one. I saw a Fender acoustic hanging on the wall. nothing exotic but it was a lefty. price 250. not bad. I struck up a deal with Francisco. 250 with the case. I gave him a 100.00 bill and put the rest on the card. I just got my visa statement, and he put the whole 250 on the card. I went back with my statement, and he remembered me but could do nothing. Something about the books in another location, Hell, I never even got a receipt. They lost a customer over a hundred bucks. Hey Francisco, "Dios te ama", but I'm having a hard time letting this one go. I'm still looking for an honest man because I didn't find one at Music Unlimited. read more

These folks were willing to help me replace my internal battery in my old M1 Korg keyboard which I appreciated b/c no one else would. However, after replacing the battery instead of giving me the option of having them reload the sounds they said I could do it and sold me a $50 piece to accomplish that (gave me a break from $80).. I was charged around $200 for the internal battery. When I tried to reload the software it is not compatible with Apple so I ended buying a new computer in part to accomplish this. It is now 4 months later, $1100 later...still no sound on my keyboard....if they had just taken the five minutes to load or to just ASK I would have a keyboard that works... in taking it back to my 3 floor studio I hurt my rhomboids so I am not taking moving it any more... :-( read more

This place is so great I went in to look at some guitars and buy an instrument cable. Their selection is great there was more than I expected they have a great selection of Amps too. On top of that the store owner is really great and helpful with a good attitude I walked out with a sturdy instrument cable and some picks. Great store would recommend. read more

MUSIC UNREASONABLE that's what they should rename themselves cause everything is so expensive here! This place gets smaller and smaller every time i go in there. i remember when i was about 12 years old the store use to cover the whole corner and now its just a small little shop. i know a cause of that... the over priced guitars, amps, speakers, and picks that they sell (or don't sell). If it wasn't for the super nice and helpful people there i wouldn't even go for the $12 pack of not so good guitar strings and $.75 picks. Peace, Love and Sadface read more

This place is absolutely ridiculous with their price gouging. If you want to pay 25-30% more for your instrument - then go here. Otherwise, stay away. I was just in there this afternoon and saw them have a new Epiphone EJ-200 for sale for $665. That's more than $250 over any other store that sells the exact same guitar. There's just no end. Last year they tried to sell me a "used"Taylor 114CE for $1100. The salesman told me if i "paid cash" he'd knock a couple hundred bucks off of it. Oh great! So if I inconvenience myself by paying with just cash, I can get a "used" guitar for the same price as a "new" one. I think not. This place is just terrible. The owner is scum. Stay far, far away. Go anywhere else. read more

I'm giving this place five stars for the GUITAR TEACHER: Gregg Dugger. He is the best music teacher I've ever had -- I started with him on the ukulele, and the lessons were fast-moving and fun. You'll initially sign up for four 30-minute sessions, but you'll soon decide you want to move to one hour so you can cover more and get deeper into some of the works. Gregg is an incredible guitarist -- he has mastered this instrument and teaches a variety of techniques, from classical to jazz to rock to flamenco, along with the beginner basics for people like me who just want to play and sing around the campfire and informally. In addition to guitar, he also teaches mandolin, ukulele and banjo. Once I'd been taking Ukulele for a few months, I decided to also add guitar lessons. Quite frankly, I've learned more about music from Gregg during these few months I've taken lessons than I ever did over years and years taking piano and violin lessons. He explains things clearly, is mellow and doesn't mind repeating things until we have them perfect. He also helped me figure out all the Uke chords for one of my favorite songs (Iz's "Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World"), and is very patient with all of his students. He is laid back, and I really appreciate his flexibility with my always-changing schedule. If I'd known how much fun these lessons would be, I'd have started taking lessons a lot sooner! Gregg is really the best -- I know the store has a couple of other guitar teachers, but be sure to request Gregg when you sign up at the shop. The lesson prices are quite reasonable. Definitely worth it, whether you're a beginner like I was, or you're a seasoned guitar or Uke player and want to hone your technique. I promise you'll learn a lot and really enjoy the experience! The STORE gets three stars. They have a great selection of sheet music for most every instrument, and are happy to special order anything you want that they don't have in stock. You can also bargain on prices for instruments and accessories, and if you're taking lessons at the shop, they'll give you a student discount, which is nice. The reason they don't get five stars is because it always smells smokey, like someone is lighting up in the back office and it isn't well ventilated. More importantly, the lesson rooms are all upstairs and the handrail on the staircase is always loose and feels dangerous. The stairs are steep and the wobbly handrail doesn't help. I have mentioned it a couple of times, but they haven't fixed it. I also think they should put better soundproofing in the lesson rooms -- it is distracting to hear the drum lesson next door when you're working on some tricky chords. They also should open up some windows and provide better ventilation up there -- it feels stuffy, especially on hot days. read more

I DO NOT RECOMMEND MUSIC UNLIMITED AT ALL I had a HORRIBLE experience at Music Unlimited. All they care about is making money. I went in there trying to get my keyboard and when I came to pick it up I was given the choice of paying $275 for a keyboard that "might crap out" or trade it in and buy a new keyboard. He would even throw in a case and the tax. Then his boss came out and overruled him and I could either pay $275 for my keyboard back or buy a new one full price. I had no choice, but to buy the new one. I was so pissed but I took my keyboard home while they put mine back together. When I came to pick up my original keyboard, I also asked for the case they promised to throw in and suddenly they didn't remember offering a case "I said you should probably GET a case. (Which is BS and doesn't sound anything like "I'll throw in a free case). I complained and they tried to sell me more stuff. Always selling. Always swindling and double talking. I DO NOT RECOMMEND MUSIC UNLIMITED AT ALL!!!!! read more

I love Gregg Dugger! He was my first teacher and he is the reason I teach guitar myself. I took lessons from this man 18 years ago and I still talk about him. If this store has him than keep him. Please take lessons from this man he is on the top of his game. Love you Gregg Mike Glendinning student from Ricks all Music:) read more

Wow GREG DUGGER is an awesome (actually any string instrument) teacher! He has a passion for playing that transfers to his students. He teaches creatively. I started in book #1 but I know that others bring in music, and then he teaches that. He also teaches different styles like rock, jazz, folk & classical. My only wish is that I would've found him earlier cause the whole experience has changed my life. Now I want my grandchildren to start taking lessons with him. Over the years, I have bought instruments from the store and they have been knowledgable and attentive each time and have offered me competitive prices. PLAY AN INSTRUMENT, NOURISH YOUR SOUL!!! read more

Francisco is always Ready nice and helpful. He always gives me a nice piece on products. I recommend Music Unlimited truly a group of nice guys. To me that's everything... thanks again. read more

When I brought my guitar in for repair, the technicians were friendly and tried to fix the problem quickly. However I ended up having to leave my guitar there overnight to get fixed; when I came back the day after it still wasn't done. They were supposed to call when it was done, but never did. I had to call to get confirmation that the guitar was fixed. read more

This is a review for Music unlimited, as well as it's drum instructor, Will Woodley. Music unlimited has been my "go to" local shop when I needed parts for my drums ever since I started playing in 2000. The staff is very knowledgable and helpful in helping me find the correct items I need - from drum heads and sticks to recording mics. Shortly after I bought my first drumset, I started taking drum lessons from Will Woodley at music unlimited. I went in not even knowing how to hold the drum sticks properly. Will Woodley taught me from the ground up, providing a rock solid foundation - focusing on rudiments, reading, and writing. Will's mentoring has allowed me to express my own creativity and develop my own personal style and a greater appreciation for music. Will provides well thought out and structured lessons, adapting to individual learning styles (he also taught my sister, and we both learn very differently). He is well organized and makes his expectations clear and concise. He also allowed me to set my own goals, and worked with me to achieve them. I highly recommend Will to all those seeking to learn the drums from the ground up, as well as those looking to brush up on their chops or to gain a different perspective on music. read more

Went in to Music Unlimited to get my right handed guitar switched to a left handed guitar and had really bad customer service, saying my guitar wasn't worth anything and why would you do it?? Really? It may not be a Fender or a Gibson but it has sentimental value to me. They wanted to charge me $250.00 !! Never going back, plus it was dirty. read more

Been goin here for years to rent our kids violins. Now eldest daughter is grown, having her own violin restrung. Local store selling wide variety of musical instruments and equipment for kids, bands - garage and otherwise, professionals, etc. Not a sterile store a bit grungy lol. Stuff go in and out fast. U can try instr. People here know their stuff. read more

Five very solid stars for this Music Unlimited Store. Not one, two or three visits earn the five stars but rather over 10 visits. I started thinking after I left the store after making a major purchase tonight about how happy and totally satisfied I was. And I also thought that every time I ever came here I felt the same way. There are a couple of guys. If you want a guitar of any sort then you will want to see Bob. Bob has been around the music scene for a long time and has been involved with movies. This guy knows guitars as does Chuck. I have bought several pieces of equipment from Chuck. Every time that I buy from him I have felt more than comfortable about the price, the time they spend with you making sure that they thoughtfully landed you on exactly the best value in your price range, and the loyalty I received when he allowed me to trade a horn i bought new a couple of years ago, in for something wonderful! 5 stars Chuck! 5 stars Bob! 5 stars music Unlimited San Leandro CA! read more

I needed a bass string, and I didn't want to drive all the way back to Dublin to Best Buy, so I said, "I'll just go to the place in San Leandro." Now my friend had told me the guy is a complete jerk, and his reviews online are terrible. But I figured, "I'm buying strings! How can I get jerked around here?" It's like going into a 7-11 to buy a candy bar. So I go, and I walk up to where the strings are. I see he didn't have the exact match, so I asked about a few others. First set he shows me is for a 5-string bass. Next one he couldn't answer what gauge they were. Next one was for an acoustic bass. I ask if he carries Rotosound strings. He seemed annoyed and said, "What you see is all we have." So I said, "OK, I'll take this one." I didn't look at the price. They're $21 at Best Buy and Guitar Center. So we walk over to the register and he rings me up and says, "$40.60, please." I said, "What?" And he said, "$40.60." I said to never mind. He goes, "What do you normally pay for them?" I said, "About 20 bucks." He goes, "How about if I give them to you for $25?" And I said, "Well how about $20?" And he shakes his head and goes, "No. If you buy them online, you're gonna pay $6 for shipping anyway." I said, "They're $20 at any Best Buy or Guitar Center." And he said, "Hey - we're a mom and pop here trying to make a buck." I said, "I understand. Thanks anyway," and walked out. You know - you try to patronize local places, and then you see why despite your good intentions, you end up feeding the giant. I understand he's going to try to make a buck, but to charge almost DOUBLE???? Crazy. Basically, an analogy is charging someone $2.50 for a Snickers bar. I should have just taken the $25 deal and not have to go back to Dublin, but I was disgusted. Didn't want to give him a penny at that point. read more

I give 2 stars because they're nice people but their price is UNREASONABLE! I walked in to get my first guitar BECAUSE the place was Local aka right down the street. SO I go in and check out guitars and I see some good ones but the price is too high, i'm looking for a beginner guitar. The guy walks over and tells me I can walk out with some white piece of shit guitar that is scratched and dented to hell for $200. Now i'm thinking that's not that bad but its fucked up (the guitar) my friend then tells me he will take me to the closest Guitar Center and I can get a guitar for WAY cheaper. Long story short I walked out of guitar center a happy man... My recommendation to this store.. CHOP YOUR PRICES DOWN! and Maybe you'll get more business. Other than that goto Music Depot in Hayward or ABC Music in Castro Valley, OR just go to Guitar Center. read more

Horrible Place, wouldn't recommend going here at all. Save yourself time and money and buy online or if you have to get something faster just go to Guitar Center. read more

I cannot believe I even have to give this place 1 star. My daughter bought a flute from there, and something was wrong and we tried to return it a month later. He offered to give us 1/2 credit if we purchased a new over priced one from him. That was the owner, and he was very pushy too- Worse than any used car salesmens reputation. Truthfully, I cannot believe he is even still in business. I play in 3 bands- His bad reputation for business is known throughout the music world. read more

Effin' horrible. The instructors are really cool (and really good), the staff behind the counter are cool enough, but it's just not worth the high priced crap (I've purchased old / used gear pawned off as new) you end up getting. I regularly drive 10 miles + in order to avoid patronizing this establishment. read more

I've been dealing with Rick as well as Music Unlimited off and on for over 25 years. While visiting the last couple of years, I come to find the prices outrageous. Today, I priced a pair of 6V6 tubes for my SilverFace Princeton Reverb. Rick quoted me $70 for the pair. Anyone who does any kind of price comparison know a pair can be purchased for right around $30 plus tax. After hearing Rick's quote, I left the store and thought to myself,,,,,now why do I want to shop at this store? Well I will not anymore and thought I should let others know as well. read more

If you must shop here, find out how much the item retails for from the manufacturer so you know how much lube to bring. Terrible, terrible pricing. I came in here for a simple, $6 part available most anywhere and was charged 4 times that. I felt it was too high and was shocked when I came home and researched how much it should have cost. I won't shop here ever again. read more

Doug Lee and his miscreants deserve no stars from my reviews of how they conduct business, how he treats his staff, and how he prices his equipment. We all know that music MSRP is a suggested retail price, and not what you should pay for gear. This fool thinks that he can mes with people beacuase he is a smaller store. read more

I have been by here maybe four times, as I live in the area, and found it closed during their advertised operating hours. Is it closed forever? Do people actually work and shop here? I'd love to find out. (I've stopped looking here for stuff to buy, as I know when other instrument stores are actually open.) read more

I've read a few bad reviews on this business, so I figured I had better jump in and write a good one about them. It is true - They mark up their prices to an exorbitant amount. However, you can bargain with them very easily if you know what you're doing and have done your research - which you should do anyway before you go looking for an instrument...guitars, drums etc. are pricey and nobody wants to pay for something expensive without knowing the quality of the instrument they have their eyes on. I've bought 3 guitars [electric, acoustic, and classical...one of which was a special order] with these guys, all different salespeople. I have found that if you know your stuff [try going to froogle/musicians friend/samedaymusic for prices on the items you are interested in] they won't rip you off. Keep in mind, it is an independent music store - they don't get the same wholesale prices as a chain store - they need to make money to stay open. That goes for *any* business, not just this place. No businessman in any trade is going to shortchange himself so YOU can get the best deal, that's leg work you need to do on your own. I just walked out of there all of 30 minutes ago with a brand new guitar for a ROCK BOTTOM PRICE because I took the time to check prices and reviews on guitars before going in there to talk to anyone. We all have internet, this is not as inconvenient as some make it out to be. I have also spoken with and bought from the owner on several occasions, including today, and I left feeling like I had been treated well and was satisfied with the purchase I had made. Every salesperson in there is very nice, very helpful, and I have always been greeted very warmly when I come into the store....never left there without a smile on my face. So, the moral of the story is to do your research. It's a great place to buy from, as long as you know what you're looking for. If you're not comfortable negotiating prices with people, then maybe a chain like Guitar Center is better for you. read more

I stumbled upon this store and instantly became a fan. The prices are a bit high but that is to be expected for a Ma and Pa store. The folks there are super nice and they offer a pretty good selection. But best of all they are all very knowledgeable about music and instruments. My shopping experience there is always a lot better then the cold chain stores like Guitar Center, which are like the Walmarts of music stores. I love that they offer music lessons at very good prices. My son is taking guitar lessons there and he really enjoys it. He has a great and patient instructor. read more

So, a few years back I would always pass by music unlimited, and back then I was beginner guitarist teaching myself to play. I decided I wanted guitar lessons and got my mom to sign me up at music unlimited. 80 dollars a month. Pretty pricey. Don't get me wrong, my instructor James is an awesome guy and very knowledgeable. Me getting lessons from him definitely helped me become a better player. But the price was too much. After a while we couldn't afford it anymore. Most staff are nice and knowledgeable, but they try to rip you off with everything you buy! Beware beginners, it's easy for them to suck you into buying cheap instruments for outrageous prices! Many things you can get online for way cheaper. You try to haggle with them and you still end up buying overpriced gear. Waste of money and time. Two stars only because of my teacher James. read more

I love Music Unlimited. Helpful staff, great selection of instruments and sheet music, reasonable prices. Avoid Guitar Center and support an independent, East Bay business. Great place. read more

This review is specifically for the drum instructor Will Woodley. I took lessons from Will for a little less than 2 years back in high school. Unfortunately I had to stop taking lessons because I went off to college. Will is an awesome teacher who is patient, extremely knowledgeable and passionate about drumming. He makes sure to instill in his students the fundamentals of drumming, proper technique (monkey arms!), and reading/writing music. Definitely check him out if you're looking for a quality drum instructor. read more

I found these people to be very helpful and patient with a novice like me. They also offered to reduce their prices from what was ticketed. This is not a chain store, you can get a lot of attention and advice if you need it as I do. I'm happy to pay a little extra for the personal attention. read more

William Woodley~ Drum Instructor If you are looking for a drum instructor, look no further. William Woodley has been instructing my son on the drums for the last three years. He is extremely professional and very approachable. He has high standards and expects the best out of his students. I would highly recommend William Woodley! read more

We've made several purchases over the past few years and had some minor instrument repairs done. On each occasion the staff was friendly and helpful. I recently bought a high quality drum throne at a great price. Travis helped me carry it out to my car. How's that for service? The prices are comparable to what is advertised on the internet. read more