My son brought his guitar in to Riviera music for replacing strings, tuning and overhaul. They were able to fix the wharped wood, replaced strings, tuned it, and the guitar sounded better than ever! Emile, who was helping us today, is a super nice person, very knowledgeable, helpful, and very personable. We couldn't ask for better service and friendliness! 10 stars! read more

Emile, I just read your comment in the review. You don't understand, my review was less about the guitar and really about my experience of you as a person being rude to me both times. Which you did NOT comment about, or apologize for. You may or may not ever acknowledge that I was upset you were rude to me. Bottom line is you were rude, you never acknowledged it, and, I really have nothing more to say to you. Get on with you life and don't bother me again, it's just you continually insulting me. read more

I have been to this store a few times over the last year and just had some work done on my old telecaster. I am very pleased with the repair and the positive vibe that I get from the guys in the shop. I miss Jensen's, and I am happy to see someone stepping up to fill the guitar shop void in Santa Barbara. It's a cool place to check out nice guitars (Taylors, Fenders, and used gear) or just to get some strings. I've been playing guitar since 1975, seen every guitar shop between Tijuana and San Francisco in those many years, and can tell you that, as far as Riviera Music goes, it's all good. read more

I wasn't the customer involved, but I witnessed enough to completely change my opinion of Riviera Music. My friend took her guitar in for service and picked it up without her guitar strap. She was initially told they didn't have it, then later told it had been found and to come back for it. When she returned, she was told they had actually kept it and sold it and couldn't get it back. Instead of taking responsibility and making a real effort to correct the mistake, she was given conflicting explanations and left without a meaningful resolution. What I witnessed afterward was even more disappointing. As we were leaving the shopping center, someone from the second floor of Riviera Music started yelling at my friend about the review she had posted, calling it unkind instead of addressing the issue professionally or accepting responsibility for what had happened. Publicly confronting a customer for leaving an honest review is completely unacceptable and only reinforced the concerns she had already expressed. Every business makes mistakes. The difference is how they respond. Losing a customer's property is bad enough, but the way this situation was handled--from the conflicting stories to publicly yelling at a customer over a negative review--shows a lack of accountability and professionalism. Based on what I personally witnessed, I would not feel comfortable doing business with Riviera Music. read more

Excellent music store and studio. I greatly miss Instrumental Music, Santa Barbara Guitar Bar, and Jensen Music, and it's wonderful to have a locally owned and operated music shop in town again, run by someone who deeply cares about music and our community. There's already a great selection, and the owner has a lot of plans for the future. Some legit local roots to this shop, and I will continue to support it. read more

I want to clear a few things up regarding my review. First of all I am allowed to post a review of my experience and just because I work nearby your shop it doesn't mean I should keep from posting the truth about my experience. Secondly, when I picked up my guitar you repeatedly told me I was wrong about having had left my guitar strap. You gaslit me by telling me it was impossible for my strap to have been left on the guitar because of your store policy and because you never ever do that. When I picked up the guitar you even said "oh nooo we better get the attorneys involved over a missing guitar strap" all because I was telling you that I knew for a fact it stayed with my instrument and explained how special that strap was. I asked you to check with your employee and call me when you found it because I knew I wasn't wrong I didn't say I'd call. You continuously mocked me when I told you you'd kept it. You lied when you told my coworker to tell me you'd found my strap and that I could come upstairs for it. When I asked you why you told my coworker this you said "I did tell her that because I didn't want to tell her the long story" at this point you are the one lying. I have no reason to lie about any of this. I understand this is your business but let's be honest and clear, you did not "lose" my guitar strap. You KEPT it and SOLD it. There's no way you found the strap on Etsy because it was custom hand made by a family friend who is too elderly to sell online and it was $300. And it wasn't purple, it was color matched to my guitar which is not purple. Idk what to say at this point because you are lying about a lot of this and it's frustrating because I trusted you. You yelled at me from the second floor after I left a review and said I was not nice and neighborly all while I'm in CRUTCHES and trying to get into my rides vehicle. I'm a customer and I have every right to leave a review about my experience it has nothing to do with me working near your shop or anything. I had to walk out of your shop because I was getting extremely frustrated with how you were talking to me, extremely condescending and dismissive. I haven't called because instead of listening you become defensive. Even if and when you do make it right you still deserve the 1 star review because this experience has been absolutely horrible and you have the audacity to still somehow deny the fact that you SOLD my guitar strap. You didn't lose it you didn't misplace it, you took my property and SOLD it. I don't feel comfortable going into your shop because you are confrontational, dismissive, and always defensive. Do you not remember how you followed the car as we were taking off so you could continue saying things to me? Do you not remember how you mocked me for being upset? Do you not remember how you denied having kept the strap and gaslit me by telling me you remember me taking it and how you "never ever ever" keep the strap. You now all of a sudden are starting to recall details like the strap was tied in a knot...it wasn't.... The strap was purple...it wasn't. You offered me a cheap $20 strap while laughing about it. Now in your response to the review you are changing your story and attempting to justify all of it and minimize your behavior. Had you been honest from the get go and polite instead of trying to intimidate and gaslight me I would have been more understanding. There's no point in trying to get you to acknowledge how inappropriate you have been throughout all of this. All I can say to anyone reading this review is that I have no reason to lie about anything, everything I've mentioned is the truth. I would not recommend going to this shop, and this recommendation is based on my experience. read more

Riviera Music is a place that makes you feel you're home. Great, talented people who are there to help, not pressure. This ain't Guitar Center folks. This is a place with people who love the art. I'm so glad they're here!! read more

Super friendly and very knowledgeable! Have a ton of instruments and accessories for your guitar needs!

Absolutely an amazing find! Emile is a prince and the instruments, his knowledge and customer service are amazing! I AM so happy I found his shop! What a great resource for players in Santa Barbara! read more

Amazing new store, was literally blown away ! Beautifully designed space, awesome inventory. Built by owner, operated by owner - family business supremely knowledgeable, kind and helpful. Makes me have a little more faith that things are coming back around toward family businesses and easy and accessible professionalism. I went in on my first visit looking to get guitar strings, and got totally inspired by the place and the owner Emile's vibe and expertise, that I walked out with a bunch of gear .. nice work you guys read more

such genuine people and such a cool shop! super knowledgeable and care so much about their customers. places like this are what make santa barbara a gem in the rough. will always have my support! read more

This is a great store for a new instrument or to have a luthier do some work to one you currently own. I went in looking for a particular guitar to test out. Emile had the make and model I was searching for. It had been set up before being put on display and it played beautifully! I purchased it and a gig bag on the spot. I also found a couple others that I'd like purchase at some point. This place is a gem! read more

Great store, wide range of guitars and accessories. They do repair, lessons, have studio space, etc. Emile, the owner, is knowledgeable and friendly. read more

Friendly and knowledgeable owner. Jensen's has big shoes to fill and this place seems like they might just be able to do it. Great stock of items, looking forward to going back soon! read more

Cool shop, very knowledgeable and fun selection of pedals and acoustic guitars + accessories!