Other luthier from another city told me I would have to take the instrument apart, etc. But once I…read moretook it to Mr. Cauer, the problem was solved in under 30 min. Highly recommend.

If you live in LA and need a string instrument, this is the place to come. When our daughter was…read moreready for a 3/4-size cello, her cello teacher recommended that we shop at Robert Cauer because she trusts the people here. Because we had a great experience the first time and because of the trade-in policy, of course we came back when it was time to look for a full-size cello and had another great experience. If you're wondering about the trade-in policy, it is as good as it sounds. I wasn't sure if it was too good to be true, but the people here honor their word. It is incredible in this day and age. Everyone who works here is kind and extremely knowledgeable. Make an appointment ahead of time if you can, and be patient. They are very well known and they do get very busy at times, but they will get to you and give you the attention you need. If you have never shopped for a string instrument and bow before, it is a bit like shopping at Ollivander's for a wand. What works for other people may not work for you. To some extent, the instrument chooses you (I mean, not really, but your playing style may suit some instruments better than others). You tell the staff what you're looking for and give them a price range, and they will put you in a room and give you a selection of instruments to try in your price range. They will not try to upsell you or force you to make a decision before you're ready. They will not tell you the exact price of an instrument unless you ask, and really, as long as you have given them a range you're comfortable with, there's no point in finding out unless you're serious enough to want to take an instrument home. Price does not necessarily correlate to what will work best for you. Be prepared to spend an hour or longer assessing your choices. Kids will do best if they're already fed and watered. Robert Cauer came into our room at one point and advised that we could weed out instruments very quickly by just playing an 8-note scale across 2 strings and deciding what we didn't like before spending any more time evaluating the instruments that passed that cut. After that, we had our daughter play scales across all 4 strings (some instruments sound better in the lower register and some in the upper) and then a few bars of music from some of her pieces. Once you've selected an instrument or instruments that you want to borrow (and you should borrow some to take home and practice on for at least a week to get a better feel for whether they will work for you and have your child's teacher evaluate them as well), then you can ask for a selection of bows to try within a price range (they generally recommend 10-20% of the purchase price of the instrument). Then the process repeats :) It can be exhausting for the kiddos. I think we evaluated 12-15 cellos and maybe 15-20 bows each time we came. When I was growing up, I would guess that I only ever tried out 3 violins at one time, so it was a lot for our daughter. The staff really go out of their way to be helpful, and I mean above and beyond. At one point, one noticed that our tire was flat, and another offered to let us use his air compressor. We had a very long drive home so were incredibly grateful to them for preventing what could have been a very rough experience. This place is 100% worth the drive, but to sweeten the deal you could follow our example and top off your time here with a visit to Ululani's (best shave ice in the world, IMO), which is only an 8-minute drive away ;)

Came here to buy a black folder for choral music after being referred by the Pasadena Conservatory…read more I called in advance to ask if they had any in stock and staff were prompt and professional in picking up to answer my request. Good variety of inventory from what I could see. Found out later my mom buys all her violin + piano sheet music here. It's tucked inside a strip mall off an out-of -the-way portion of Foothill. Would have loved to have seen this store in Old Town, but the current location is very convenient for quick in-and-out errands - and a short distance from the Conservatory. If I need to use something for music practice, I hate to buy online without knowing if it will work for me or not. Brick and mortar music stores like this are essential, and I'm glad Bertrands is so close by!

Very friendly and quick service. As soon as I stepped in to fix my daughter rented instrument, I…read moregot warm welcoming atmosphere and got the job done quickly Thank you all especially Gerard and Iris

Richard, July 24, 2026: Fantastic Musical Instruments in Pasadena, CA is a real "bass shop". Tom…read moreKerr was very gracious to me when I was trying out basses a few years ago, even after I returned a fine bass I had on trial. I ended up buying a Pollmann Bass from another store. However, when I needed a set-up, , cleaning, and sound adjustment, I took my Pollmann to Tom. My bass now sounds better than ever, and he had a solid string recommendation. Also, just this week I bought a Kay Bass, circ, 1940 from Tom, for my bluegrass, gigs. It was reasonably priced and he did some work I requested for a minimal charge, adjustments to the bridge curvature, and a replacement tailpiece cable (I wanted a new Teflon version). I kept the original metal piece since it was part of the original bass. Thanks, Tom, for your expertise and gracious manner with me as a customer who needed some guidance.

What an absolute gem of an instrument shop that I feel so fortunate to have come across. I went in…read morebecause I'm potentially on the market for an upright bass, and I cannot express how glad I am I stopped by here. Not only do they have an incredible selection of beautiful instruments, but owners there are such phenomenal, down-to-earth, compassionate people. Nicky was in the store helping me out, and they spent so much time allowing me to try all the different instruments and talking me through them and answering my questions. The shop also has a rental option as well where 50% of the rent goes towards an instrument of your choice (doesn't have to be the rental). If you're looking for a high quality instrument with amazing service, this is the place to go. Could not recommend them more highly!

Great service. The tuner was very Knowledgeable and provided information in regard to making sure…read morethe piano stays tuned for a long time. This will be our family's go to tuner for now on! Thank you!

I found Danny through Yelp and I made the right decision. I recently bought a used Yamaha U3 and…read moreneeds tuning. It sounds amazing after tuning! Danny was so professional and pointed out everything about my U3. He is truly experienced and the expert in Yamaha pianos. My felt on the piano needs replacement and Danny is able to order the original part from Yahama also when everywhere was out of stock. He is communicative and on time! Highly recommended! A+

Amazing service! Booking a time slot on the website was so easy and straightforward. I was met…read moredownstairs by Daniel who was such a joy to chat with. I brought in my great, great grandfather's fiddle to get assessed for possible refurbishment but I was doubtful due to how it had been kept for years (including a wasps nest, downed sound post, and hung up in a non-ideal climate for any wood instrument to list a few). After speaking to the luthier, he assured me that it would become playable again and for a, very, reasonable price. I can't wait to get the fiddle back and get my personal violin some well needed tlc in the next few weeks. Overall, an incredible experience and definitely recommend!

I get to try out the violin, and I learned how to hold the violin and the bow and finally, I played…read moreit.

My daughter's guitar needed a new string that had ripped, so I brought it in…read more I was thinking I had to leave it for a couple of days. But it was fixed right away. The store has a wide range of musical instruments, everything that you need you'll find. My friend put on a new string in less than 5 minutes. Very fair price and now my daughter can play her guitar.

Staff are very kind and willing to help. I purchased a Ukulele at this shop and was a pretty smooth…read moreprocess. They have a lot of other instruments, tools, and equipment.

Nice selection of new and used quality pianos - let them know your price range. Very nice to work…read morewith. Very good piano instruction as well.

Vez Guitar changed everything! They worked on all my electric guitars but, after I got back my old…read moreWashburn acoustic I bought in 1990 that Vez worked on, my acoustic is the guitar I can't put down. My cheapest guitar is the instrument that most inspired me to play. This place is FN magic!!!!!!

Great knowledgeable and professional staff and prompt excellent service. They took of good care of…read moremy guitar.