I paid Palen music center $250 dollars for a PLEK. I asked for a plek a setup & a problem with the bridge to be fixed. Danny the Luthier there i guess called & left a message saying No problem me & my associate will have this done in a couple days. I returned there call for two days & never got an answer or a call back. Called the store, Your guitar is here & done. They were doing a pod cast so it was very loud. & by the way they started making people pay for repairs & plek up front. They never offered to take me to another room or plug in to make sure I was happy with my guitar. They were super nice when I came in the first time but when I came to get the guitar they were rude. So when I got home, he did plek it I think but no setup at all. The neck had way to much relief. I took the strings off made sure my neck was level started checking it with my fretrocker 6 out of 24 frets were high. No wonder they make u pay up front. Nothing was done to the bridge either.Danny close enough strikes again. I nick named him that because I spent two days with him at the Palen shop watching him take people's guitars & be doing setups like action, neck relief nut height & being off quite a bit & say closed enough. lol I even saw him do that on one of the pod cast & then say , r u recording? ,Yes, whoops... He is very rough & disrespectful to other people's instruments. Several months ago I talked to Danny close enough on the phone. He was very nice to me & offered to help me with some things I didn't know how to do on my guitars. I had just gone through a heartbreaking divorce. Being able to learn from a real Luthier was a God send. I got to the shop & he scanned me & looked at me like I was a bug that needed squashing & never invited me to came in. I guess we were going to stand in the parking lot. Can we go in??? Yeah ok he finally said. Then he started to make fun of me for have my Jackson in a bag. It's all I've got bro... My emotions are already all over the place & this guy. So my fender needs a nut i just don't know how to cut one right & perfectly as possible not just close enough. Anyway he plek it & then tries to charge me for it. I had hard tailed the bridge so when u loosen the strings the bridge likes to come up on the posts so u have to make sure when u tune it back up that it's in the right place. So I tell him to watch for that. He tunes it up & just hits the bridge with his palm & it pops down. My USA fender stratocaster. He treated my 1990s Grover Jackson the same. None that ever got repaired. This guy had me crying to the point of suicide & mad enough to hurt him badly. Thank God I did not do either one. But I got over my divorce & Danny close enough being an ass. But I wouldn't ever do any business with Palen music center Springfield. Because this is how they treat people. Sincerely Brian Jacobs. Ps The frets were not polished. The nut slots were not cut to the string gauge I wanted. intonation wasn't set It wasn't tuned right. Nothing. Thanks alot Danny close enough! I will tell everyone how bad of a Luthier u r! read more

Palen Music Center Inc - Danny close enough 's old work space & Palen music centers PLEK machine. - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Springfield, Missouri

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I recently purchased an amp head from Palen Music Center. Their website was easy to navigate, and they have a diverse selection of music gear. I received a quick response from Nash after the sale as a thanks and to let me know he'd follow up after the sale (which he did). Item was shipped out immediately and packed up well. Overall, great customer service ! I will look to Palen Music Center next time I need music gear. read more

I didn't check this place out for the longest time thinking they were geared more for musical lessons than an actual instrument dealer. Talk about a huge mistake on my part! I would say this is one of the top places to find gear here in springfield, with a variety of instruments unmatched in most stores I've been in locally. They have guitars for days (more electrics than acoustics but with a great selection of Martins and Taylors) as well as pianos, drums, woodwinds and plenty of accessories. The people working here were honestly friendly, spending their time on the floor cleaning, making sure instruments were tuned properly and answering questions. If I ever disappear unexpectedly for any length of time I would suggest my family check here first to try to find me. read more

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Went here on advice from a ephonium player friend to get slide work done on a trombone, I realize slide work is kinda a black art, however they charged me for repairs and only cleaned the slide no repairs done slide still has a dent and was not aligned, now i have a gig and have to pay again to get the work done elsewhere... at least they didn't make it worse I guess... either actually do the work or don't offer the service!!! read more

I really appreciated how courteous, professional and helpful Mike and Emmett were , especially since I'm just beginning this music experience. Thanks very much! read more

A few weeks ago my friend and I stopped in here to check about getting an item for our Yamaha Keyboard. I have never seen such great service and helpfulness. We were given a tour of the different items with very helpful insight to the pros and cons of each for what we needed. They finally came up with a solution to our problem and we are so grateful for the help. If I was needing or wanting to get anything else this place would be at the top of my list to go to. You can't go wrong checking this place out. They are not only very helpful and encouraging they go above and beyond helping you to choose and get what you need. I was really impressed with the atmosphere as it was not loud and overpowering so you could talk and think while shopping and the fact they didn't mind helping two old ladies who weren't sure what we needed. ~Tricia and Pam read more

Excellent customer service! I had made a larger-scale purchase and had run into some difficulty getting my order completed. Despite the difficulty, they were very patient with me through phone and email communication. Class A store that also carries a wide variety of product! read more

These guys are The Best! Extraordinary customer service and atmosphere. I didn't want to leave the store. read more

I have shopped at a ton of music stores around the country and have never had better service and advice than I have recieved at Palen Music Center. Kyle is hands down the best in the business, but the entire team is absolutely unbeatable. They aren't just there to sell you a product. They help you find a true fit for you. During covid they called to just check up on me and make sure all was well, not to sell things. The Two Rock amp I just picked up is the amp of my dreams and the Tele I picked up from them a few years ago is the best in my arsenal. I can't say enough good things about the staff and their products (also there is a Kauer Super Chief they have I couldn't afford but wow! You have to check it out). Thanks for everything! Dustin read more

Nash was super helpful and responsive. I purchased a used guitar through Reverb / Palen Music Center, only to get an email that it was an old ad and the guitar was already sold. Nash asked if I would want the same model guitar, but new, for the same price. Um, yeah. It seemed too good to be true, but I got my (brand new) PRS Santana and it's everything I could have expected. Outstanding customer service. read more

Palen Music Center Inc - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Springfield, Missouri

We came to shop for a guitar for our granddaughter today. What an awesome experience! Alecia was so kind.knowledgeable and a joy to work with! Ours was not a large purchase, but we were treated like it was. Manager Emmett was just exemplary. He was professional and so willing to help with purchase from another state. We highly recommend them!! read more

A big thanks to Anthony in OKC for getting my instrument in quickly, fixing the problem perfectly, and taking time to visit a minute too!

Frustrating beyond belief dealing with this business. Palin Music agreed to refund my $124.95 for sending me a crushed and unusable keyboard stand provided I removed my original 1 star review Now Bank of America told me today Palen Music is still fighting to be paid for the damaged item that I was told to throw away So I will reissue this 1 star review until this matter is settled It is the merchants responsibility to properly protect and "overbox" an item and secure it with bubble wrap or newspaper. By not properly protecting the item it arrives in unusable condition Palen Music needs to treat new customers better as this was my first experience with this business I will never consider them for any future music items read more

Palen Music Center Inc - Crushed and Mangled Keyboard Stand that I was told to throw away provided that I removed my original bad review. - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Springfield, Missouri

Y'all, please go check out Palen Music Center in Springfield, MO! It is AWESOME!! I recently purchased a new drum set from them, and was SO impressed with the customer service they showed! Super nice people, super helpful with all your music needs! I've been to many different music stores, but Palen tops them all! Also, wanna give a shoutout to Brooke for being so kind and helpful! So, next time y'all are in Springfield, MO, PLEASE go visit Palen Music Center! You won't regret it! read more

Palen Music Center was a real joy! Living in northern MN, It is real difficult to get your hands on high end guitars to check craftsmanship, tone and feel. Most places only carry low to mid range for beginners and intermediate. So, when I was visiting Springfield, I made sure to check out Palen. They had all the upper end quality guitars in stock that was on my list to try! Was considering an electric, but landed on a gorgeous Taylor acoustic that just spoke to me. Marla is a delightful gem! Her knowledge was as impressive as her kindness and patience that made me feel conformable. She was genuine in her interest in making sure I was armed with all the information I needed to make a confident decision. Thanks Marla! Also want to give thanks to the rest of the crew and to Spencer who I originally talked to. Thanks all! read more

In addition to a friendly and pleasant demeanor, Mike Henderson at Palen Music Center was extremely helpful and went above and beyond to fulfill my equipment needs. Will be making future purchases from this company for the excellent customer service alone. read more

Palen Music has always been a Springfield staple when it comes to a musician's needs. The staff is very kind, knowledgeable, and understanding. I have shopped here for at least 20 years, and will continue to do so. THANK YOU ALL! read more

I went in to Palen music in Springfield Mo. to check out what keyboards they might have available in the used. Josh made sure I was able to test out the keyboards. He was there too, not only assist but answer questions. He took time to help me and went out of his way to assist with questions and distinctions between models. As with most keyboardist, I tend to be looking for particular things. I was able to purchase a new keyboard and find exactly what I wanted and had been looking for. I would certainly recommend this place! read more

I love Palen Music. The selection is good... the staff is always helpful... and the instructors are amazing. What a great resource for local musicians! read more

Great experience working with Quinn at Palen Music. Great representative of the company. This is a business that really cares about customer service. I had a problem and Quinn went over the top to take care of it. Thanks!!! read more

Met with Emmit last year sometime looking for a Taylor Koa guitar. He kept in touch throughout the year checking in and sending me potential guitar ideas as they would come thru. We finally found one and am super happy with it. Great salesman. Honest, not pushy, super helpful. Thanks Emmit!!! read more

We had an absolutely amazing experience with Palen Music Center. We have purchased and rented several instruments from Palen and always had the service plan on them. During one of the renewals, there was a glitch and the renewal didnt go through. My son dropped his saxophone and damaged it, and when we brought it in for repair, found out about the glitch and had no coverage. We spoke with The manager, Nate, and he took care of getting the service plan going again correctly, but got the arrangements to get the Saxophone fixed in a very timely manner. Rufus did an amazing job with the repair, and my son said it was better than ehen it came in! Emmitt helped us in the pickup and testing process and did a fantastic job with helping us get the accessories that was needed to continue using the instruments we have! The entire staff is extremely professional and friendly and we highly recommend them for all of you music making needs! Last thing, I want to mention. If I have misspelled anyone's name, I apologize profusely! read more

I went to the Springfield store. I was visiting a very good friend of mine, who lives there in Springfield. We were there on Friday, May 18th, 2012 in the afternoon. He is a gospel musician and when I asked him to take me to a good music store, Palen's was first place he thought of. Now I see why!! When we got there, I was just impressed at the store being open and just fresh with light. I was also greeted by such friendly staff, Kevin was who greeted us. We visited and we played to our heart's content. Kevin was very accommodating as we moved from instrument to instrument. We finally landed on a Roland RD series keyboard and I became VERY impressed. My friend played the V-Drums while I played keys and we gave a mini concert. Please understand that most music stores don't allow you to "shed" and Palen's was the exception. Kevin even joined us on electric guitar, we were playing and enjoying it so much! I was in HEAVEN!!! I just wanted to say Thank you all, for creating an atmosphere for musicians! I am so impressed, that I was just given the go-ahead to purchase the RD-700, and I plan to look at the Palen's online store and order it! Why go to Guitar Center and the REST!! Again, Thanks for being in existence. read more

On an emergency, short notice basis, I needed to rent a decent violin to be played at my mother's funeral. I am in Seattle and tried to make the arrangements by phone. The woman would not take my card number, nor any contact information, but assured me that all would be ready on Saturday afternoon. When my niece arrived from Kansas on Saturday afternoon, no one knew anything about it, and there was no violin in the store. Since the store is closed on Sunday and the funeral was Monday, this did not give a lot of leeway. My niece was distraught. I phoned the store and was treated very cavalierly by the desk man who thought it would make this failure more acceptable by talking about his own mother's funeral. He had no solution to the problem. Two hours later, a violin was found somewhere and this meant another trip to the store by someone who was emotionally distressed and tired from a long drive to Springfield. When the violin was returned, the clerk discovered that it had not even been signed out to the renter. This meant another delay to check it out, so it could be checked in. This instrument was close to a cigar box with rubber bands attached. Fortunately, the woman who played it has a DMA in violin performance from Eastman and can make almost anything sound good. Most appalling was the fact that, although my family was massively inconvenienced by the failures of Palen's employees at every step of the process, they did not offer any apology or discounted price or anything else to make up for their distressing, unprofessional, and uncaring treatment of my family. They get one star instead of none only because they eventually did produce an instrument, although they should have delivered it instead of expecting my niece to make yet another trip to the store. Really poor customer service. read more

As a former band director and current private music instructor, I value the relationship I have had with Palen Music over the last 8 years. There is a reason why band directors trust Palen Music - they handle themselves professionally and with integrity. They always consider what is in the best interests of the schools, band directors, the parents, and most importantly, the students. I can be confident of this statement because the majority of the PMC staff are former band directors who understand the needs and desires that must be met by these groups. Palen Music offers only the highest quality student instruments and step-up instruments at amazing prices. Their band/orchestra repair shop is superior in the area and their lesson program is highly efficient, engaging, and motivating to students. read more

This store is ther best!!! I most often go to it on anyday I am available. I play piano and their pianos are great!

be very careful when ordering from this business. they will quote you one price to get your attention and then when you go to buy the item the will jack up the price. Legally they are supposed to honor their list price, but they won't read more

Went in to get trumpet for daughters music class and they were very helpful and knowledgeable. Fast friendly and the best place in town. Highly recommended read more

I use to be a loyal customer of this music shop I even gave them a very high rating. But after today I will no longer do any more business with them. I did business with this shop for well over five years and have spent well over five thousand in gear over the years. I took one of my acoustic guitars to Pallen to have them put fresh strings on a simple enough job. I'm told there luthier is a little backed up. I tell them no problem I will pick the guitar up in a few days. I came up today pick my guitar up and when I get home I take it out strum a few chords and I can tell immediately that the guitar is fretting out and has string buzz. I'm not happy at all considering I paid damn near forty dollars to have this done. The price of Elixir strings and the price to have them installed. I take the guitar back up to Pallen and explain to one of the guys that the job wasn't done right the guitar is fretting out and there luthier needs to take another look at it . He looks at me like I lost my mind. So I open up my case take the guitar out and hit some chords to show him it is fretting out. He looks at my guitar takes it from me plucks a few strings then looks at me with the same look he just gave me and says '' I will let one of the guitar guys look at it. Well it's pretty obvious from the look this guy gave me and the way he handled my guitar he doesn't know a damn thing about them. He hands my guitar to this guy named Nate. Nate strums it and says ''Your right it is fretting out'' I explain I'm not happy at all. He looks at me and says'' Yea I can see that what do you want me to do''? '' You can leave it here and my luthier will get to it in two days''. Damn he just had it for two days. Wouldn't a experienced luthier made sure the neck was properly adjusted checked to make sure the customers guitar wasn't fretting out before he gave it back to the customer? I would assume so. I tell him I just want my guitar fixed and thats where it took a turn for the worse. Nate says'' Well I just give your money back and we'll call it good'' or You can leave it here for two days'' Hell in the past anytime I had a problem with something they did that needed correcting they took care of it then and there. I didn't have to wait two days. Then Nate says '' Well do you have a gig this weekend''? I explain I do thinking they will take care of the problem quickly like they done in the past and I will leave with my guitar that day. I say yes I do. Nate then gives me this look and says ''There is no need for you to be disrespectful. Disrespectful? I have done over five thousand dollars worth of business in your store and any other time I had a problem it was resolved that day or the next day. Any one would be mad after paying forty dollars and finding it wasn't done right. I ask for my money back which Nate practically threw at me. I took my guitar to Springfield Music and the guy at the counter had the problem fixed in less then four minutes and was a hell of a lot nicer then Nate was. So Pallen you have lost my business for good. read more

Top notch sales staff and a wonderful selection of guitars!

Yesterday was my first time to walk into the Palen Music store, having done business with two of the other major music instrument retailers here in Springfield...and not being very impressed with their "personalities" or their service. Not so at Palen. Kevin Flannery, the salesman was easy to talk to, didn't pressure at all...and I ended up purchasing a new Martin guitar. He took my trade...was fair on numbers, and made the transaction smooth and comfy. Palen Music has just made me a forever customer. I'll do business with them again. read more

My first time into Palen Music and it was awesome... Dillon Dave & Kevin all great guys super nice and took care of me.... anytime I'm in town and need repairs or new toys I will be coming here from now on... thanks guys... read more

I had an awful experience taking percussion lessons here in 2014. The instructor was very disrepectful and I did not want to continue being a student after my first lesson with him. I took lessons from him for a month and he did not facilitate a healthy learning environment. Though the teacher was talented, he was very rude. I give three stars instead of one, because I know not all instructors at Palen are like this. read more

I took my daughter's flute to them to be worked on. When I dropped it off, they acted like it was beneath them to work on it because we did not purchase it through them. I didn't think to much into it, because we all have bad days. The next time I took it down for another repair, they basically belittle the flute brand. That time I didn't just think it was a bad day. I actually told them I wasn't paying $2k just for my daughter to play a flute that she may or may not continue with. I can spend that money on other more important things. They shut their mouths and said they would call when it was finished. They never did, I had to call them. When I picked it up it was almost closing time. When I got home, I learned that they took the cleaning rod and a protective cover from the flute. When I called them about it, they want me to bring the flute back down and not sure when I will get the flute back. I informed them that we would never be back to Palen. They are not the only choice I have. Then they started back peddling. I don't deal well with that. Sorry Palen, but I would not recommend anyone to your store. read more

Don't do it. Don't buy from them. Don't send anything for repair regardless of convenience. Employees are deceptive, dishonest, and fail to take responsibility. Their reps are just as bad. If you don't mind an experience including lack of honest communication, miscommunication, and excuses as to why the job wasn't done right, then Palen will hook you up. Numerous students could tell stories about how their instrument was held hostage by Palen for simple repairs so they could then be loaned something of lower quality with Palen's stamp on it. That is no fluke...it is a calculated and standard business practice for Palen. I guess all is fair in music and business right? I mean, they have a monopoly on band contracts in SWMO so they can be as crooked as they choose to be. I am unsure how or why MO band teachers choose to deal with Palen. Maybe because there is no other choice? Too bad. Who knew doing business with a music store could be like a trip to a used car lot...ZERO stars for this one and please do your research, shop around (just because Palen has a contract with your school doesn't mean you are getting a deal...to the contrary). Find a reputable music teacher you can trust for advice and don't be afraid to negotiate once you find it, even look to companies in the bigger cities who can offer leases. Definitely don't take these people at their word; well unless you actually like being lied to and taken advantage of. read more

I recently purchased a $4,499.00 DW (Drum Workshop) Collector's Series Waterfall Bubinga drum set from Palen Music Center in Springfield MO. But before I did so, I took the time and expense to make the four-hour drive to their store to look at the drums in person, followed by another four-hour drive back home. After I paid for them in full on Reverb, I explicitly informed one of the Palen employees that I was giving them a full week to get the drums ready for shipment to my address in Topeka KS, but at the end of that week, the drums had to be shipped because I needed them in my possession for an important audition. I even told the employee that if they failed to ship the drums by my deadline, I would no longer want them and would seek a full refund. I was assured that that was more than enough time to get them boxed up and ready for shipment; that they would definitely be in transit by the end of the week; and that I would be given a tracking number at that time to monitor the shipment. (These assurances were even put into writing by the Palen employee through Reverb's messaging system.) Needless to say, my week time limit came and went, followed by another three days, and still no tracking number or word from Palen Music Center. Accordingly, I called the store and asked the same employee for the tracking number. After having been given the run around and after having been lied to by him (not to mention having been hung up on), I received a telephone call from another Palen employee, the one who waited on me when I first made the long drive to look at the drums in person. He was also aware of the obligation to ship the drums within the seven day time limit, and he acknowledged it was his responsibility to get it done, but said he'd simply forgotten to do so. Well, that was another lie, because the drums were on prominent display the whole time just beyond the entrance to the store, meaning both employees couldn't avoid seeing them when they entered the facility each day for work. Accordingly, the employees at Palen Music Center wasted a considerable amount of my time and money, and in the end, I was given only the amount I paid for the drums. Before I end this review, I'd also like to point out that when I found out the drums had never been shipped, I told the first employee that I wanted to speak to the owner of the store, but he kept coming up with excuses as to why I couldn't. Then I asked for the owner's phone number, and he refused that request as well. Then, one of the Palen store managers lied extensively to the Better Business Bureau in regard to the circumstances of my complaint, leaving me with the distinct impression that the entire staff are inveterate liars. Bottom line: If you're in the market for musical instruments of any kind, I highly recommend you avoid Palen Music Center, as their business practices and customer service are deplorable. Moreover, because I've never been contacted by the owner after that substantial refund, it may be that he condones such treatment, thus serving as yet another reason you should shop elsewhere. For all the reasons noted above, I give Palen Music Center ZERO stars. read more