We like this school very much , I love that my daughter join the group classes and also has her…read moreprivate lessons. She learned a lot and has experienced so many recitals with trophies and certificates that helped her built her confidence in front of a crowd . My daughter has been there for almost 4 years . The teachers are very patient , kind and accommodating when it comes to our schedules . The Director Zoe is very nice and carries herself professionally . My Daughter now can play piano music and is enjoying picking up instruments and enriching her life with music . Thank you for your business.

My daughter has taken lessons here for several years, starting with piano, and we've had mostly…read moregreat experiences with the teachers. When one teacher wasn't the right fit, the staff was flexible and supportive in helping us make a change. The director and front desk are thoughtful, accommodating, and always focused on what's best for the students. Recently, my daughter switched to cello and absolutely loves it--her teacher, Jasper, is genuine, respectful, and makes learning the cello feel relaxed despite its challenges. Recitals are fun, and we're so happy with the program and its affordability that we plan to enroll our other kids in piano group lessons for music theory. We'll update this review then!

Last year when my daughter started learning violin, I thought, "She's just a beginner. Let's rent…read moreone first." Well... renting was about $30/month, plus insurance, so it came out to around $40/month. Then when we brought it home, we realized it somehow had two A strings on it. They did exchange it for us, but the fingerboard and overall quality still weren't great. Our violin teacher then recommended Classical Strings, and honestly I'm so glad we found them. The owner is super knowledgeable, patient, and took the time to help us choose a beginner violin that actually fit my daughter. We ended up buying a basic violin for around $400-500. (Please don't use the price we paid to negotiate now ... everything costs more these days!) Looking back, buying was actually a much better value than renting. After a year of rental payments, you still don't own anything. With a purchased violin, you're building value from day one. The difference was huge. A better violin is easier to play, sounds better, and makes practicing so much more enjoyable. My daughter became more confident, improved faster, and actually wanted to practice instead of being frustrated. This year we went back for a regular maintenance check, and after trying a higher-level violin, she immediately noticed the difference. She absolutely loved it! The best part is that Classical Strings has a trade-in program, so we were able to trade in her old violin toward a better one. That made upgrading so much more affordable, and now she has a violin that matches her current level. If your child is just starting violin (or any string instrument), or if they're ready for an upgrade, I highly recommend checking them out. The owner never tries to sell you the most expensive instrument. Instead, he recommends what actually fits your child's level, goals, and your budget. He's fluent in both English and Mandarin, which is a huge plus for many families. They also carry violins, violas, cellos, and other string instruments, so they're a great one-stop shop for string families.

It has been almost two years, and this violin continues to grow with me as a player. It produces a…read moredeep, resonant sound with remarkable warmth and character. I look forward to continuing to explore its full potential in the years to come. I highly recommend visiting Master Luthier Wu's shop if you are considering a string instrument. Even if you simply have questions about string instruments, he is incredibly knowledgeable and generous with his expertise.

Went there to fix my sons flute and (I didn't catch his name!) but he looked at it real quick, saw…read morethe problem, played a few notes just to make sure it's working properly, and gave it back to me and said no charge. He said a simple fix like this I can't charge for. First time receiving such kind and honest service at a business. I was taken back and insisted on paying but he refused. Thank you to the person that helped me! That was the kindest service I've ever received. definitely will be coming back.

when my husband found his dad's clarinet that hadn't been played since... 1970?! I thought, "this…read moreis a lost cause." but then I remembered Jim Mettler who used to repair our shop's instruments in Pasadena (decades ago). I googled him & lo and behold not only was he still around but he had his own shop! In San Dimas!! I sent pics of the moldy & crusty clarinet thinking I'd be told to take a hike, nope :) they were like, "no problem! bring it in!" they did a great job & the crew that works there is awesome, just awesome. I highly recommend! :D - a couple before & after pics:

I had a great experience at this guitar repair shop. We've taken my son's guitar to Guitar Center…read moremultiple times and paid out of pocket each time, but the issue kept coming back over and over again. When we brought it here, the gentleman took one look at the guitar and immediately knew exactly what was wrong. He fixed it perfectly and took the time to explain what caused the issue and what my son should do moving forward to prevent it from happening again. He was incredibly friendly, patient, and very knowledgeable. You can tell he genuinely cares about helping his customers. The service was excellent from start to finish. Highly recommend this shop to anyone needing guitar repairs or advice--you'll be in great hands!

Unfortunately I have to rescind my 5 star rating after my last experience with Chris…read more I took a 1979 Flying V to him for a refret. After how well he did my previous job, there was no other choice in my head than Chris to do the job. First, the price was PRETTY hefty. $541. Refret, nut, and setup. Usually a set up is thrown in free of charge when you do a nut and refret but whatever. No big deal. I knew from past experience that the job would be done well and it was worth the money. It wasn't. Not in the slightest. First off, the nut is in the slot uneven. It sits further towards the high e string than it should, and it hangs off the fret board slightly. Meaning there's a gap where you can feel the nut slot on the low e side. Annoying since your finger rests there quite a bit. Second, the refret was NOT good. There were still scratches in the top of the frets you could feel when bending strings, there were very sharp fret ends poking out of the side of the fret board, and the fret board was MANGLED on the sides and top. Third, there WAS A MASSIVE spot of damaged finish on the back of the guitar. Obviously the guitar was resting on a rag or something with some kind of solvent on it, and damaged the paint in a 3x5 spot where the nitro finish was cracking and flaking off. Another small thing was that the guitar was missing a tuner mounting screw. I took photos of the guitar before and it was there. Not sure why it was removed or why it went missing but it was an original Grover imperial screw from the late 70s so it's not easy or possible to replace it. One shiny new screw is not highly visible. I was supremely disappointed in the workmanship. It feels like it was done in about 2 hours as fast as possible with at little care and thought for my instrument as possible. When I got it back, I had to knock the fret ends down myself flush with the neck, and I polished the frets from 1500 to 3000g and polished them to how they should have been for almost $600. The guitar is now currently being refinished, because the back of the guitar was just so disappointing to see that giant spot that was just cracking and peeling more and more every day ruining the beautiful 40+ year natural wear. I wrote him a nicely worded email asking for an explanation but got no response. So this is why this review is finally coming out. I have read that Chris has a tendency to get argumentative with customers who have genuinely bad experiences, so you can trust what I say or not. I think my photos speak for themselves. I have no reason to be dishonest. I've sent plenty of people to Chris's guitar shop over the years, but unfortunately I got some real dirty. Now it's costing me a pretty penny.

Lou did a great job repairing my guitar. He is very knowledgeable with all things guitar repair and…read moreeven amp repair. He was able to get my guitar playing well after replacing a deeply gouged fret. I would highly recommend his services to anyone looking for guitar repair work! It also helps that Lou is a cool guy and easy to communicate with! 5 stars!

Lou is super friendly and easy to work with. We met at a public spot to hand off my nephew's…read moreguitar, which is an entry level Epiphone Les Paul. The guitar has sentimental value, so my brother in law wanted to spend some money sprucing it up. He wanted new pick-ups, while I felt that the guitar needed a really good set up and some fret work. Lou did both. The action is now nice and low with no string buzz. PUPs are a lot closer sounding to my Gibson now. Lou kept me updated and even shared videos throughout the process.

5 Star service from Stevie!…read more My daughter came home from school Monday showing me that a piece of her cork came off. Unfortunately for us, she also had an upcoming band concert Wednesday evening. All of the other local music shops told me it would take 4 days to a week or more to repair. I was happy and relieved when Stevie said he may be able to get it done in time, I just needed to bring it in and get evaluated. Thankfully, he was able to complete the repair in time for the concert and we picked up some cork grease as well. Would definitely bring her clarinet back anytime we need a repair or other service done.

We were recommended Corona music from the school so I had good expectations unfortunately that was…read morenot the case. I went in they quoted me $90 for a cleaning and shine with an estimate of 1-2 week turnaround time. I was called the next day to inform me the instrument was going to need more then expected and it went up to $160 SAME turnaround time. My very inpatient son after a week in a half asked me to call and get an update. I did but they didn't have an update. A little over 2 weeks I called a they say instrument will be in on Friday. I call they say not ready they will me it went on like that for what felt like for ever.

A few months back I purchased an intermediate violin. The price was reduced and I got an amazing…read moredeal on such a beautiful instrument. The owners are great people and the quality of bow/violin is just amazing. The more I play "break it in" the better it's sounding. Give this place a try if you're looking to purchase new instruments!

I had such a great experience at Forte Strings today! The owners are so sweet, and clearly care…read moredeeply about their craft and their business. I've been looking for a place to get my fingerboard taped, and was so relieved when I called and they said that they could help me out! Not only did she help me with this, she also helped me tune my violin and, noticing the bridge was crooked, put it back in place. When I offered to pay, she said it was for free. I was really blown away by this, and insisted on at least buying something. I came home with a ready-to-play violin and a beautiful new rosin! Thank you, Forte Strings, for such a great experience. Really looking forward to my next visit!

We rented out a viola for elementary school music class. We paid a monthly rental fee…read more The viola we received was like new. We were so impressed with the service, the product and the pricing. Dropping off at the end of the school year was easy peasy and all the staff were chatting with us and so friendly. Highly recommend if you're unable to get your hands on an instrument at the school.

I recently visited Irvine Art and Music to select a new GS Mini-e Mahogany, and I couldn't be more…read moregrateful for the assistance from Gabriel. His help was incredibly valuable and made the experience both enjoyable and stress-free. Gabriel was patient and knowledgeable, introducing me to several options and allowing me to hear and understand the subtle differences in each guitar. He didn't rush the process and ensured that every choice was tailored to my desired style and size. The GS Mini-e Mahogany turned out to be the perfect fit for my emotional storytelling music. Thank you, Gabriel, for your excellent service and for making this a memorable experience!