Accidentally walked past the entrance while looking for it and an employee came outside to call me…read moreover which I'm very thankful for! I called beforehand and they were very professional. They replaced my guitar strings in no time and now my guitar sounds amazing again. The staff was very nice and the shop was well kept and hospitable.

Love this place! Very knowledgeable and reasonable prices! Very happy with my Epiphone Explorer…read more They have also set up an acoustic-electric bass that I bought secondhand, and it sounds perfect after having been neglected for years.

My Daughter & I popped into the store on a whim on February 21st, 2026. The store looks quite a bit…read moredifferent than when I last saw it 5 years ago. There was a varied selection of instruments, but we spent all of our time this time looking at the electric guitars. We were quickly greeted by their tech, Derrick, and another salesman that made frequent check-ins to see how things were going. Derrick did tell me that their selection of guitars had recently gone up quite a bit. We ended up making an unplanned guitar purchase and we left happy. I saw the old reviews, and I would suggest that people give The Music Shoppe another look because things change, sometimes for the better.

Top notch customer service and great selection at good prices…read more My daughter plays trumpet and has been taking lessons with Chris Moors at the Music Shoppe for a couple years now - it's really paid off and we've seen her develop her skills and perform with confidence in band and in jazz band! Every time we visit the shop for something or need help with her trumpet they have the parts and service that we need - a couple years ago I lost a small important part for the trumpet and when we went to the store to ask for help they went above and beyond and gave us the part we needed for free. We didn't even buy her trumpet there so this was awesome customer service. They carry a complete selection of musical instruments, sheet music, accessories, and offer music lessons for all ages of students. I highly recommend this store!

I called today to ask about get the action on my guitar lowered. Keep in mind that I am a beginner…read moreand know very little about this stuff. The person who answered the phone was far from helpful. He was condescending and rude and ultimately did not answer my questions. Instead, he cackled when I asked clarifying questions and responded with sarcastic answers. I will NOT be taking my business here and did not appreciate the customer service or lack thereof.

I love Corson Music! The staff is always friendly and helpful. I've bought two guitars from this…read morelocation and two from the location in Champaign, my experience has always been great! Their prices are very competetive- matching the big online music retailers. They have a very good variety of instruments and a pretty decent variety of accessories and amps. My only complaint is that they don't have much in the way of sheet music/song books. If you're looking to pick up a guitar or bass I strongly recommend checking out Corson!

Dave is an incredible resource and has a wonderful staff. Would highly recommend if you are in the…read morearea.

I've been a loyal Music Makers customer for several years. I love doing business with the helpful,…read moreknowledgeable staff because they make every visit a pleasure as well as a valuable learning experience. Owner Dave Plunk is truly a man of integrity and kindness. Here's one example: Last year, when I was hit out of the blue by a perfect storm of unforeseen expenditures, I found myself in a "too-much-month-at-the-end-of-the-money" situation. I brought in some equipment to sell and I was prepared to accept pretty much any cash offer. Dave paid me a surprisingly generous sum for the items - far more than I would have received from Guitar Center or a pawn shop - and I was able to make it to my next paycheck without having to sell my plasma to a blood bank. :) I stopped in today just to get picks and strings and, as usual, I ended up developing a torrid crush on one of the new guitars in stock - a Fender California Series Redondo Player acoustic-electric with a flashy metallic lime-colored finish (Fender calls it "Electric Jade") and mahogany neck. It had no price tag so, having recovered from last year's little fiscal crisis, I inquired about the cost. Dave quoted me a very reasonable price but quickly added that if I bought it today, he'd knock a hundred dollars off. "SOLD!" I said. It was just one more in the long list of satisfying experiences I've had at Music Makers. Though I had no doubt whatsoever that I had done quite well on the deal, out of curiosity, I checked to see how much internet retailers are charging for the same guitar. Musiciansfriend.com has a used one for sale, with some minor blemishes, and it's going for $20 more than Dave charged me for a brand new one! I wholeheartedly encourage anyone who is looking for musical instruments, live sound equipment or lessons to go to Music Makers. You'll be glad you did.

I am an adult learner who decided to take ukele lessons. Bill Kirby has been my instructor and he…read morehas been amazing. The half hour lesson flies by! Bill is great at finding music I enjoy playing. I couldn't be happier with my choice to take lessons here at Champaign School of music!

My son has been taking guitar here for, gosh, at least two years. His progress has been great, and…read morejust as importantly, my son likes going to lessons very much. Bob, his teacher, is a mellow and talented guy, happy to follow my son's lead. Consequently, they started out learning different riffs and songs, and gradually Bob got my son to appreciate the importance of scales. So now I also hear him playing scales. It's a real joy to hear him playing his electric guitar even late into the night because it sounds so good.

Never been in the shop and I'm not a musician; however, my grandson wanted a guitar for his…read morebirthday. I entered and was amazed with the amount of stock they carried in what seemed to be such a little store. I told the man, my grandson will be 10 and wants a guitar. I don't want to buy a "toy", but I also don't want to invest a large amount of money until I'm sure he wants to pursue this path. He led me to the perfect guitar for him, and it was reasonably priced. I'm very happy with the purchase and hope my grandson becomes the next Keith Urban! ;)

Owner was nice but the little short fat guy behind the counter was a real jerk. Like little man…read moresyndrome he said crap under his breath but clear enough for me to hear . I went to return to use pedal that I needed in a pinch to play at church and he told me it wasn't Walmart. I won't be back and I'll buy my things from Sweetwater or guitar center or any other place in the world.

Fantastic tiny mall of all the good stuff, helpful and skilled technicians, got my sister's Martin…read moresanded and easier to play. Smooth jazz atmosphere here and friendly, love to poke around though oddly none of the pianos were plugged in. Whoops.

My girlfriend and I were looking for a guitar shop that I could sample different guitars, this…read moreisn't one of those places, however the owner was nice and hospitable.

Newer to the area. Went in there with a slightly old Bass missing the G among other things. Music…read moreheads in there. Super cool, and helped me out for a very reasonable price. Don't roam to to the Wonka World of Many other instruments available and....Anyways, yes recommend.

I went to this shop today with every intention to spend money. I was either going to buy an…read moreelectronic drum set, an acoustic bass, or both. The store had one acoustic bass, which was decent, and several electronic drum kits to choose from. I walked back and fourth from the various rooms for probably an hour to see if anyone would offer assistance. You're probably wondering why I just didn't ask? As I entered the store, there were at least 6 people working and having conversations with other people browsing the store, and the employees who weren't occupied with customer service were greeting families and people who weren't me with a hearty greeting and "how can I help you?" I can't support a business that treats people unequally. You don't like how I looked, and maybe thought I was just a homeless dude looking to beat the cold, or some basement dweller looking to shred stairway to heaven and leave and not buy anything? Edited because I forgot to lower stars. Re-edited because the sales manager Benjamin reached out to me with a very thoughtful message and apologized. I do intend on going back soon, as the selection of wares was actually very nice.

Love this place, they have whatever instrument you need. The store in general has a 20-50% off the…read moreprices are very affordable. They have a really friendly staff working.

They have a large selection of quality instruments and tons of music books for all instruments and…read moregenre. You're guaranteed to walk out of the store with a great deal.

Our son has taken lesson from Sam for three years and loves it! Sam is patient and exacting with…read morehis students. As a non-musician, I was unfamiliar with the process of learning an instrument. Sam expects parents to be active participants in practicing, to take notes at lessons, and help students learn responsibility. In group classes with other musicians, Sam enthusiastically encourages a broad range of abilities and levels. He also models how students should support and interact with each other by giving positive feedback and taking turns. Sam stresses listening to the instrument and to the teacher. As a parent, I am impressed with Sam's efficiency - he always has materials ready to go and starts and ends on time. Our son started cello at age 4 with a free trial lesson with Sam. I recommend that anyone interested in cello in the C-U area try Sam first!

My five year old has been taking cello lessons from Sam for a year. We are very pleased. My son is…read morelearning so much about music and self control and he is so proud of himself. Sam puts a lot of time and skill I to planning his cello program and his students like and respect him.