Review of Martin D35 Guitar, Sweetwater, and Dan's Music Center:…read moreI was a bit apprehensive when I decided to buy my first Martin D35 acoustic guitar online. After reading the posted reviews of the various online guitar stores, I settled on Sweetwater (Fort Wayne, IN). When I called, I got Jesse Duquette. Jesse had previously owned 50 guitars and it was comfortable speaking with him. He answered my questions and opened my eyes to other facts and styles I needed to consider with the guitar. Most important is that Jesse indicated that there is a 2-year warranty on the guitar, and that he and members of the Sweetwater team will be there anytime should I have a concern. When the guitar arrived, I had to wait 24 hours for the package to become acclimated to the temperature and humidity before taking out the guitar. When I finally opened the box, pulled out and tuned the guitar, I was absolutely delighted with the mellifluous sound of the Martin D35. The action was low, which I desired, but I had a vibration when I played the 5th (A) string. Jesse suggested I take the guitar to a luthier who could adjust the truss rod and that Sweetwater would reimburse me for the cost. I took my Martin D35 to Dan's Music Center (Warwick, RI) where I was greeted by Dan Ryder the owner and luthier. Dan was about to have a bite to eat but stopped, so he could assist me. Dan took the time to adjust the truss rod which cleared up the buzzing. Dan charged me nothing to fix the issue for I could tell he understood and respected the quality sound that comes with the Martin D35 guitar. In summary, although I had initial trepidation with the online purchase of my guitar, I was extremely happy with the service I received at Sweetwater (Fort Wayne, IN) and at Dan's Music Center (Warwick, RI) - and would recommend both companies without reservation. I also would highly recommend Jesse Duquette (of Sweetwater) and Dan Ryder - the owner and luthier of Dan's Music Center (Warwick, RI). Finally, thanks to Martin & Co for making my beautiful sounding Martin D35 guitar. Len in RI

This place is the "real deal." Dan is a superlative guitar player in his own right, and does…read morefirst-rate repairs and setups. His prices are excellent and he keeps a stock in the store that combines the expected high-volume (!) items with some lesser known gems. There is a nicely-curated selected of used guitar amps there with some superb treasures for those with a good eye. Dan does a great job listening to what you are looking for, guiding you to the "best fit," even if it is something he doesn't stock or sell -- he has the best interest of the customer in mind. I brought Dan a vintage Fender Jazzmaster (late 1960s) that has great sentimental value for me. One of the pickups had stopped working -- it turned out to be a break in the wire deep in the windings. Instead of doing the quick fix (swapping the pickup out for a new one), he arranged to have Lindy Fralin replace just the windings, keeping it as close to the original "vintage" as possible. Not as profitable for Dan as selling me a new pickup, but it was the right thing to do for the guitar. Like I said, this place is the "real deal"!

School of Rock has been amazing at not only teaching my daughter how to develop and improve her…read morevocals but has given her confidence that no other activity/sport or club has offered her...I couldn't be happier seeing that smile, especially on Tuesdays and Wednesdays after leaving her lesson and band practice!! Kudos to everyone at School of Rock...you truly do "Rock!"

Just started taking drum lessons in the adult program about a month ago. I've been playing guitar…read morelonger than some of these kids have been alive, and let me tell you, some of them would probably kick my butt in a shred-off. A real indictment to the ability and passion of the instructors here. Not to mention some of the kids here are really cool and a great place for other cool kids to make friends and probably start a band and become famous or something. Definitely going to send my kids here one day so I can live vicariously through their talent and fame.

As a musician myself, I can wholeheartedly get behind the RI Philharmonic & Music School…read more First, their Orchestra is incredibly talented, and I highly recommend that local Southern New Englanders take the time to visit our outstanding ensemble of musicians at the Veterans Memorial Auditorium for one of their regular concerts (and their Rush Hour Concerts are a perfect performance for those who would like a less-formal experience.) The Music School is top notch! The facilities are new, educators are some of the finest musicians in the area, and variety of ensembles is diverse. There are lessons available for students ages 0 to 100, ensembles for all ages to perform in, and often free concerts to attend. I adore the community of teachers and staff that make this building a home for music lovers.

If I ever have children they will take lessons here in the instrument of their choice. Hopefully…read morepercussion like me but who knows. RIPhilo has a wonderful set up here for RIPYO AND RIPYWE as well as many other ensembles, along with the Narragansett Bay Symphony Community Orchestra. One of rhode Islands unknown treasures.

We love Johnny! He's an awesome piano teacher who adapts to kids' interest and really sparks their…read moreexcitement in learning all aspects of playing--not just reading music (though that too), but working on rhythm, learning to sing and play and the same time, and having lots of fun in the process! His teaching results in great progress on the piano while also building confidence and letting kids have fun while they learn.

From the owner: Hello! My name is John Mulhern and I am a piano teacher to kids and adults in the Providence, RI…read more I enjoy sharing my knowledge of music and being a positive influence on people's lives. One of my specialties is catering to a students musical interest's. I try to avoid being boring or too strict. Music should be fun and feel good to create! Each year there is an annual recital for all to perform. Style wise I teach, classical, blues, jazz, improvisation, broadway, reggae, funk, classic rock, songwriting, etc...Check out www.youtube.com/lessonswithmrjohn to see and hear what some students are playing.

A mom and pop type place where you can still get a deal…read more They offer guitars, bass, banjos, things I don't know the names of. I was able to walk in and purchase a starter guitar set up and go home happy and ready to learn This store is small enough to care about customer service still! I forgot to mention that they offer lessons. While I was there the owner was instructing a guitar player while an employee taught piano in the back room.

Great prices and a very fine place for music lessons on all instruments. Repairs on all instruments…read moreincluding guitars, woodwind and brass instruments.

I highly recommend Providence Guitar Academy!!! Phil has the…read morerare talent of staying calm and patient while making the learning experience fun. It is obvious that he really enjoys teaching. Jake, 5 years old, looks forward lessons , practicing and showing off what he has learned. Finding the right music teacher is so important and we hit the jackpot with Phil.

Where do I start describing such a wonderful, amazing teacher! First of all, Phil is indeed an…read moreextremely gifted musician in his own right, and has a very deep knowledge of technique and music theory. You can tell that he has a true passion for music and his 10+ years of experience definitely show in much of his sage wisdom that comes across in the lessons. For a total beginner in guitar and music like myself, showing up to this talented fellow as a grown adult with my cheap acoustic and telling him that I just wanted to be able to strum along to Bob Marley or the Beatles could have been intimidating. Instead I felt that Phil was delighted to teach me and he calmly encouraged me at every step from then on. He first made a special effort to understand my background, the types of music I like, the parts of learning music that interest me, and the amount of time I could commit. Then he came up with an individualized, structured plan for me to reach my goals, which also changed as my whims and interests changed as months went on. I began taking one 30-minute lesson each week, which might not seem like much; yet Phil is such a professional that not a minute is wasted, and by the end of each lesson I had tons of exercises to practice and things to think about every day for the 6 days until my next lesson. I felt I made very fast progress under Phil, thanks to his incredible teaching technique. As time went on I was so happy with the lessons that I increased to two 30-minute lessons per week. My progress became even faster and more intense. Phil effortlessly helped me switch between learning chords and guitar technique and the somewhat separate subject matter of reading music and understanding music theory. He helped me play songs while also helping me understand the underlying patterns and connections that many songs are based off of. Had I not unfortunately moved away from Providence, I think Phil would have turned me not only into a good guitar player, but also a well-rounded musician! I would like to be very clear, his lessons are a steal at the price he offers them at. The teaching is first class and Phil is a great human being, and obtaining beautiful abilities like playing the guitar and understanding music might change your life like they did mine.

Came in for strings. What a shop. So many beautiful, high quality guitars. Price for strings was…read morereasonable and I'll be back. Wish they had lessons.

I went in to buy a new Martin acoustic, but the staff's bored snarkiness made me think they learned…read moretheir social skills in high school, and stopped there. The good news is I bought exactly the guitar I was looking for, the bad news (for them) is that I bought it at a different guitar store that had much better service.

Scott is the man! Fixed my 335 back to its glory. Has a full professional studio and everything.read more

Scott is not only a great guitar player himself, but an incredibly gifted teacher. He really takes…read morethe effort to find out how to best help each individual student learn. I came to him as a casual player who wanted to improve my rock/blues playing. He quickly noticed what parts of my playing were holding me back, and showed me how to improve in those areas. Before taking lessons, I had learned a lot from Youtube and some college friends. I still think Youtube is a great tool, but nothing compares to having a good teacher in front of you. He came up with a personalized plan to help me improve my chops, as well as add to my guitar vocabulary. At the same time, he easily adapted by changing the day's lesson if I had something specific in mind. His lessons added much more structure to my practicing that I didn't have beforehand, which helped to improve my playing in many ways. Also, thanks to his lessons, I was confident when I played a short acoustic piece at my sister's wedding this summer. Scott has knowledge of many different aspects of guitar playing, so as I thought of different things I wanted to learn (from finger picking to pinch harmonics to setting up my guitar) he was always able to teach me. He's also a very informed gear-head. So as I was looking for a new electric guitar, and a couple of pedals, he had many good suggestions for me. I had taken lessons from someone else before finding Guitar Strength, and I can definitely say the difference was huge. Scott is clearly passionate about all things guitar, and he really enjoys helping others learn. Also, some of my favorite bands were recommended to me by him. I am in my mid-twenties, but I know Scott has students of all ages. I saw many younger students who had lessons before mine who were clearly enjoying themselves. I would definitely recommend Guitar Strength to anyone who is serious about improving themselves as a guitar (or bass) player, and as a musician in general. Whether you're a complete beginner, or have been playing in a band for years, a good teacher can help bring you to the next level.