I was waiting at the front of the line for approximately 10 minutes without being acknowledged or…read moreoffered assistance. During that time, another family walked in and was immediately greeted by Mike, who asked how he could help them, even though I had been waiting there first. I found this treatment upsetting and felt overlooked and unfairly treated. I was also concerned to find used N95 masks inside the trumpet case of the instrument we rented, particularly because we had been assured that the trumpet had been thoroughly cleaned and disinfected before rental. Finding used items inside the case made me question whether the instrument and case had actually been properly cleaned. Overall, this was a very disappointing experience. Based on what I experienced, I would not recommend or support this business.

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!

The staff is super knowledgeable and patient even on the phone during high times. The process of…read morebuying a violin is easy

Rented instrument for my kid. Insurance was not offered. Instrument broke (which was normal) and…read moreended up having to pay full price. The 2nd rental they asked for more money because they made a mistake in billing. One time they billed me 2x and I had to call to get it reversed. Avoid this place.

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!

Easy to communicate with, text or call. He answers and let me know when he was available to check…read moremy flute. Once I brought it in, he was able to inspect and find the problems fairly quickly. I got it back a week and a half later and it plays better. I haven't maintained it in years but he assured me what I needed to fix to get it paying like new!

Aeolus is such a hidden gem in the neighborhood. My son needed some adjustments on an alto sax we…read moreacquired from a family member during our visit to California, and the owner went above and beyond to help us. He was personable, a true expert, transparent, and walked us through the entire repair process. It's rare to find this level of care and expertise. We will definitely be back for any of our instrument repair needs!

Several months ago I purchased a very rare and sought after early 2000's Tama snare drum that I…read morewanted to have restored / cleaned up. I own a few businesses and didn't have the time or energy to disassemble the whole thing and give myself a crash course on drum restoration so I did some Googling. I came across California Drums and spoke with Dan on the phone. Got a good feel for the shop and I'm familiar with Monrovia so I drove down and dropped the drum off. I ended up spending about an hour chatting with Dan and nerding out on drums and running businesses centered around music. Dan took about 3 months but I picked up the drum yesterday and I'm happy with results. Dan knows his shit and has connections in the drum and percussion industry. Visit and support this shop if you can. Avoid Sweetwater, Musician's Friend, and some of the bigger chains if you want to learn from a professional who cares about these instruments and knows his way around many genres and styles. If you need a custom order, go through California Drums. Thanks!

Great drum shop! Amazing! I held my breath as I entered and had to control an immense urge to…read moredepart with a complete drum set It looked, smelled, and sounded like a percussion environment. Staff were great, and genuinely friendly and customer service oriented.

I recently bought a violin from this store and I love the experience. We told Emily that we like to…read moretry Italian violins and when we arrived at the store, she had already placed all the relevant violins on a tabletop in a private room for us to start testing. The staff were super helpful and knowledgable, and they assisted us in the entire purchase process. The best thing is that they even allowed us to bring the violin home for a week to test and show our teacher. The best thing is that their website had youtube videos of their violin collection that are for sale. So even before we drove to Glendale, we were able to shortlist the instruments that we like to try. That saved us a lot of time. I also had a chance to meet the owner Tom. He is super nice and friendly. I would definitely recommend his store to all my friends.

Overall, my experience was okay, but a few issues prevented it from being a great one…read more First, one of the items I ordered was out of stock. While I appreciated being refunded for it, it was disappointing that it was unavailable. Additionally, another item listed as new was actually an open-floor model. I do want to thank Diane for reaching out to inform me about this and offering a discount, though I ultimately chose to decline that item. The rest of my items were processed quickly and arrived promptly. However, I was disappointed with the packaging quality. An expensive music box intended as a gift was shipped without any bubble wrap or protective securing--it was simply placed loose in the box alongside a music stand bag. Fortunately, it arrived without obvious damage, but better care should be taken when packaging fragile items.

Ryan is the number one cello teacher in this neighborhood. He is a professional and patient…read moreteacher. Anyone who has a passion for cello will be growing his/her passion to a fulfilling cellist in time by Ryan's patience and technique.

A Great cello teacher…read more We feel very lucky to have Ryan as my son's cello teacher. He is not only an acclaimed cellist himself, but also is a very dedicated, caring teacher. He emphasized on the fundamental skills and made sure the students build on solid foundations. My son improved a lot in over one year of time, I really wish my son could have started with him earlier. Besides each student's regular lesson, Ryan also holds the free monthly technique class for all students which work on the various cello techniques, plus he also holds the free bi-monthly studio class (master class) which provides the students an opportunity to play in front of all students. I think this studio class helps students a lot in building their experience and confidence to play in competitions and in the public. Overall I am very happy that my son can have Ryan as his cello teacher, it's not easy to encounter a good cello teacher. I highly recommend Ryan to any one who is looking for a great cello teacher.

My daughter has been attending this academy for two years now, and it has been great to see her…read morelearn such a beautiful skill set that has given her joy and confidence! My daughter has always had stage fright and is extremely shy and to see her successfully perform her first recital is proof of what a wonderful and amazing piano instructor Mr. James is! Mr. James is very energetic and thoughtful, the best piano teacher in the area

I am a past student of Carolyn. She is just simply amazing. A great piano teacher and teaches each…read moreand every student in a specific snd special way. She gets to know her students and makes the piano lessons fun! She is an awesome teacher. Everyone should enroll!!