I came here after renting a clarinet from Quinlan & Fabish because I wanted to get a real mouthpiece and not use the crappy stock mouthpiece that came with the rental. I got here 15 minutes before they closed on a Saturday, but never felt rushed. Bea showed me the new mouthpiece they have but also asked if I was interested in used. (That grosses me out a bit, but I was assured they're sanitzed). I looked through the mouthpiece drawer and actually saw 2 Larry Combs mouthpieces. That's what I played on the entire time I played clarinet as a kid/teen, and what I originally wanted to buy (only to find out they stopped making them years ago, so they're hard to find). I have no idea if I had an LC1 or LC3 back then, but they had both in the shop. I didn't want to try it out that day since I had literally never touched a clarinet in 23 years and didn't want my first time trying it to be where other people could hear me (lol), plus it was closing time. But I came back on Monday and was able to go down to their practice room and try out both mouthpieces, and ended up buying one for $50. Not too shabby. Both the guy (I didn't catch his name) who got me set up in the practice room and Bea (who helped me check out afterward) were super nice. Bea was a gem helping me both times. PM Woodwind also has my old ligature for sale so I may go back to buy one once I decide if I want to actually keep this hobby going long-term. They also have reeds for comparable prices to Amazon, and I'd rather support them than Bezos, so I'll happily come back here once I figure out what strength reed I need these days. read more

PM Woodwind Repair - Nice little practice room setup for testing things out. - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

I've had 3 experiences with this shop. They're highly recommended, but unfortunately they're 0-3 for me. Twice I took my horn in, and I never seemed to get even a fair level of customer service that I felt I should. I certainly am not a professional player which maybe would put me in front of the line, but commitments made were never met. I continually had to call it was one delay after another. I then years later was interested in a used horn they had on their website. $4,500+ horn. I received a quick response to my email interest, but EVERYTHING then has to go through Paul and he's TERRIBLE with any attempt at a timely response. He's ALWAYS going to give me a call TOMORROW. The employees there are careful in what they say, but it's obvious during my conversations with several of them, that they, too, are frustrated with Paul's lack of timely attention. I waited 2 months for answers to simple questions and finally gave up. I don't need to put myself through such unprofessionalism. I checked 3 months after my initial inquiry and it was still for sale. My original questions were simple due diligence questions. I would've easily bought the horn, but I guess they aren't too motivated to sell it. Bottom line? It's Paul's store and he can do whatever he wants, but I don't have to tolerate it. read more

Heard this was the place to go for sax mouthpieces in Chicagoland. The shop doesn't look impressive walking in, but I was happy we went. Staff was very knowledgeable and friendly. Kavi took lots of time with my son taking him through the brands, materials and other options. My son had a practice room to try nearly 20 different tenor jazz mouthpieces (new and used) and found the right one for him. It's worth the drive and I won't waste time at other shops for his future sax gear. read more

PM Woodwind Repair - Wide selection of saxaphone reeds and mouthpieces. - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

Megan, Brandon, and Abe are very nice Folk. They're spontaneous and loving and want to help and it is much appreciated by a novice like me, who doesn't know much about wind instruments. I really appreciate their willingness to explore newer ways of doing music along with newer ways of thinking. Kudos to these young folks. God bless read more

PM Woodwind is one of the TRUE saxophone specialty shops in the world. They are heaven for the vintage horn lover, and they have a wealth of knowledge, not to mention world class instrument repair. I can't recommend them highly enough! read more

Got there before closing. We did not feel pressured to make a purchase. We were given a private room to try-out the instruments. Overall, a great buying experience to upgrade our musical instrument read more

People here at PM Woodwind are very friendly and easy to make an appointment. However, I am not 100% sure with their Saxophone knowledge and the ability to analyze the problem with Saxophone. I brought my Sax there twice. The problem was that when I pressed the octave key, the pitch did not change at all. Paul and the other guy could not find any problem. They said that my Saxophone was fine. By the way, I am not an experience Sax player. Therefore, I need to bring to a repair person. Finally, I decided to figure it out the problem myself. I paid attention that if I press A and the octave key, my sax produced the correct pitch (jumped one octave hire). However, as soon as I press g# and the octave key, my sax did not produce anything different (stay at the low g#). I paid attention that there is only one whole that can make a difference. Right away, I thought that the hole must be filled with something. Therefore, I got a needle and poke that hole, right away, the problem was solved at once. My point, how could an INEXPERIENCE sax player like me could figure out this and people at PM Woodwind could not even figure out the problem? Again the people at PM are the nicest and friendliest people. I am just so concerned with their technical skill in fixing Sax, if they cannot even figure out the simplest problem with my sax. read more

PM Woodwind Repair is awesome. They restored my grandmother's saxophone which was almost 100 years old so I could display it. Hunter was very nice and helpful. They restored the saxophone quickly and for a reasonable price. I am including a before and an after photo. read more

PM Woodwind Repair - After restoration. - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

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Paul and Hunter and the rest of the staff were helpful, informative, passionate and friendly. My son was in the market for a new/used alto sax. For the past month he tried out several horns. Every time we came in, we felt welcomed. They answered every question along the way, made adjustments to different saxes and were all around wonderful! I would recommend PM Woodwind to anyone in the market for a new/used sax and/or woodwind repair. We finally purchased a sax today and my son is thrilled and 100% happy with the purchase. Thanks, Paul, Hunter, and PM Woodwind staff! (Sorry, I didn't catch the names of the other awesome employees that helped us, you are all great!) read more

They are the best! we've been coming here for the past 6 years, and they were always fast and helpful, not to mention their prices can't be beat! thank you! read more

I take my saxophone every time somethings wrong good service and the prices are pretty good not to expensive

Jason did a great job repairing my son's flute. This shop was recommended by my son's flute teacher who was concerned that his flute needed some attention. After the fine work by Jason, I think my son loves his instrument again. It was nice to get quality repair work at a reasonable price that was ready when promised. I think the shop primarily does saxophone work but Jason does a great job with flutes. My son also plays saxophone so we will definitely keep this shop in mind for future saxophone needs. I was particularly impressed with the honesty of the technician. Jason took a look at my son's piccolo to see if it needed any maintenance. My son has just begun to learn the piccolo and it was nice to hear from Jason that the piccolo was in fine shape and didn't need any adjustments. read more

Had my sax serviced here recently. It was long overdue. Everything was as described. Sax plays a tonne easier in the lower registers now (had several leaks!) and the whole repairs cost a fraction of what I anticipated. They also set me up with a dozen mouthpieces to try out when I picked the horn up - and were more than happy to take the time to chat about the different options. Highly recommended. read more

Great selection of used and new professional and student model instruments and saxophone supplies and accessories. I myself bought a used Buffet Festival Bb Clarinet from PM Woodwind a year ago. They are SUPER for repairs. Paul Maslin, the owner is one of the best saxophone repairman in the country. Yes, seriously. And, their clarinet tech, Jason Cates, does wonderfully well on saxophones as well as clarinets. read more

Customer oriented; willing to help but not "hover". PM Woodwind Repair is not pushy. Try out instruments. Take them home for a week or two to try them out. Outstanding! read more

Go here for repairs or other needs! I brought my alto saxophone in to get looked at since I recently started playing again. They took a look at the instrument right away and cleaned up some of the pads that were sticking. The guy at the front desk set me up with some Vandoren ZZ reeds (that sound great!) as well as a new neck-strap and cleaning cloth. I was also told that if they needed to keep the instrument for repairs they'd help with a loaner! Competitors will make you buy a maintenance plan or take out a rental plan! That is putting the customer first and it doesn't get any better. Service was solid and prices were fair. I'll definitely be making the trip out to PM Woodwind for my saxophone needs. read more

Good experience purchasing a 2nd hand clarinet. Donny was helpful and provided assistance. He left us alone so my daughter could try out the various new and used clarinet. But whenever we had questions, he was there. Provided feedback on M13 mouthpieces too. Overall pleasant experience. My daughter, for some reason, thinks their store/shop is so cool -- your neighborhood store vs a chain or big box. read more

We drove over an hour to get our son a Tenor that was a step above his student model. On the phone they were extremely helpful, but the customer service once we arrived was pitiful. I was expecting to find a sales person who was an expert in saxophones and was interested in helping a new customer / musician. We encountered a salesperson who pointed us towards a shelf, pulled out three horns to try, and went back upstairs. When my wife and son tried to ask questions, he was rude and condescending. Although we know very little about woodwinds we played brass instrument through graduate school. I would expect at least a few minutes of customer service when I'm spending over $3K on an instrument that should last through highschool and college. My son said he felt like he went to the 'Walmart' of music stores. I wish we had just gone to a larger Chicago music store. It was a huge mistake to assume that a small shop would provide expertise and advice. Steve S read more

So I guess my recent exposure to quality classical music may explain why I recently decided to start playing the clarinet yet again. Recently, I purchased a Selmer 100 for cheap off of the Internet. Word to the wise- TRY an instrument prior to buying it! Well, the price and desire to play seem to out weight my logic, so after a few short weeks I realized that I was not happy with the Selmer and after some researching, I decided that I wanted to replace it with a entry-level wooden Buffet. While cruising for dealers in the area, I stumbled upon P M from Buffet's main site and decided to see what they had for used models. I called over and spoke to Doug who was very honest and helpful. He explained that they had two used E11s that may fit my playing style and budget. Despite being in Evanston, I figured it was worth the drive and I was correct. They were both nice, but the one I decided upon was very clean and the pads looked great. The moment I picked it up and tried it out, I was sold! Not only did I feel that I got a great value, they also back up their used items with a 6 month warranty as well. This is a sign of a reputable business as is honesty. A day after purchasing my E11, Doug called me to see if I was enjoying the clarinet and also to inform me that I overpaid by $100. Apparently, I miscounted my money when I left and a $100 bill stuck to another when I paid him. Doug fortunately caught it at the end of the night and had the decency to let me know right away. Now THIS is how a business is operated! This alone will keep me coming back for years to come. I can confidently say, that once I am ready to move onto an R13, it WILL come from P M Woodwind. Great job! read more

Walked in off the street to buy my mother a flute as a surprise. What a lovely experience! Victoria was engaging and sincere, and Jason was great about helping finalize our selection as well as preparing it. My mom was so thrilled with her gift, and looks forward to coming back to check out the shop herself. read more

Paul has done a fantastic job repairing my horns in the past, and I just bought a new tenor from PM Woodwinds this week. In the 80's I used to swear by The Saxophone Shop, but now these guys seem to be at the intersection of community and excellence. If you play sax, do check it out. If you need repairs, or lessons, or want to know who's playing out where, this is the place to go. read more

PM Woodwinds was a wonderful shop to purchase a rare saxophone from. Not only did they have the best selection available in the country, their prices were the most reasonable for the horns listed. And service was outstanding. before allowing the horn to leave the show, Paul Maslin went over it himself to make sure everything worked fine and there were no leaks. If you're in the market for that rare Selmer Mark VI or other vintage saxophone, PM Woodwinds is THE place to go. read more

Very helpful and knowledgeable staff. Did a trial of 2 bari sax mouthpieces and fell in love with an RPC. Process was simple and Hunter and Eli were super friendly. Thank you! read more

Paul is the very best saxophone tech, as cool as they come, and honest as the day is long. Do yourself a favor and go to the best because you will be much happier at the end of the day, especially if you are a pro. Tell him Bird sent you! read more

Paul is the BEST! My sax has not played this well since...the last time I brought it to him. After several horrible experiences at other repair shops, I now fly to Chicago from San Francisco just to have him work on my horn. read more

P M woodwinds is fantastic. Call ahead if you are interested in a product as they might not always have it. It's a music store, not an amazon warehouse so they don't have everything under the sun in stock but they will get if for you if you ask. ALSO, important. A lot of smaller shops charge a TON of money for products. Paul's shop has the lowest prices on reeds, mouthpieces in the Chicago land area. Thumbs up! read more

Excellent repair of my daughter's Yamaha clarinet. It was squeaking and Matt, the technician, fixed it on the spot. He adjusted the keys and explained how it was a common problem (and how to prevent it). He also replaced a pad and made a few other minor fixes. The repair was a very reasonable $20, done on the spot. I will definitely return. read more

Brought my Alto Saxophone that I havent played since childhood here. The staff inspected it for 10 minutes and gave me a quote. I am inexperienced with instrument repairs, but relative to the value of the instrument itself the price seemed reasonable. The staff didnt seem like a talkative bunch, but the man that worked near the front of the office answered all of my questions well and was very helpful. the repairs were great, took 2 weeks, and the final price was actually below my quoted price so I was happy. I told them to only repair parts of the instrument that would affect my ability to play, but they removed a few superficial dings and dents free of charge. read more

I brought 2 flutes in. One for minor adjustments and the other to be overhauled. On the 2nd flute, they failed to do the overhaul because he said he did not write down what it was brought in for and forgot what was supposed to be done. Just minor adjustments were done, he said. When I brought the flute in, we discussed the overhaul at length, he took notes (he at least wrote things down) and expressed that it was in rough shape and gave me a quote of ~$350 for the overhaul. So, I'm a bit perplexed. If there was any question about the requested work, they had my cell and could have called as well. I still want my flute overhauled but because of how flakey they were about this, I don't trust that they would do a good job. read more

PM Woodwind is my go-to place for anything saxophone related! Paul is an outstanding repair tech and has been able to help me out QUICKLY in a variety of emergency repair situations (the day before a gig, etc.). Always friendly, on-time, and competitively priced. In my opinion - the only option for woodwind repair in Chicago! read more