Great guitars and awesome assistance. We noticed Bluebond Guitars while dining across the street, and managed to make it over there just before closing. The guy helped us as if he'd just opened for business - kind, not rushed, full of information and chatty. We browsed and my friend bought some strings. This place is so much more than a guitar shop! read more

Bluebond Guitars - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Heaven for guitar aficionados and amateurs alike. I only needed a capo and some picks, but loved checking out all the music equipment. Staff were friendly and helpful. I'd love to come back to take some classes there sometime. read more

Spectacular shop! Wonderful selection, courteous and helpful staff, quality items. I've purchased many guitars from this shop and have never been disappointed. I'll be back. read more

Very cool guitar shop. Staff was friendly and knowledgeable. Wish I lived in the area as it seems like the lessons and local collaborations they put together are amazing. read more

Knowledgeable staff, wonderful teachers at great prices. Teenager has been taking lessons from Mike for a couple of years, and he's great. Their new downtown space on Sansom is really nice (note that current address is Sansom between 15th and 16th) read more

The place the pros visit to get their baby serviced while passing through on tour. Set ups , fret jobs, custom mods.... Great attitude! Turnaround can be slow for certain repairs that require paint on nitro finishes. Well worth the wait. Go in on Monday afternoon and ask for Rich... Always some vintage tube amps for sale. Stop in... check the hours before heading over. read more

I can't recommend this place enough for the rock guitar lover in your life. Buy them some lessons here for Christmas- or maybe a new amp or guitar. They have a terrific band program as well. Really fantastic for all ages read more

Can't recommend these guys enough--they really went above and beyond in connection with a recent guitar repair job that I had them do that turned out to be more involved than expected. The price was also quite reasonable for what was done and the finished product looks terrific. Seemed to have a solid selection of used amps/guitars/basses/etc. as well, though I haven't purchased anything here. Highly recommended! read more

Absolute BEST guitar shop and music school in Philly. Very underrated as it is a small space, but the most competent and talented music teachers can be found here. You'll be taught at a performance level, and will be onstage at an open mic in no time. You can also find some excellent deals on primo guitars, bass, and amps. Forget the big chains, who only want your money. Go directly to this small local business and you'll be very pleased! read more

I have been using Bluebond for several years to repair and setup my guitars. Mark and Rich have consistently done expert work. Recently, I purchased an almost new Larrivee OM that had never been professionally setup. The guitar was beautifully made but the playability of the string action was not the best for me. After the setup by Bluebond, the guitar plays like a gem. Philadelphia is lucky to have Bluebond with its dedication to the music community. Paul B. read more

This is my 2nd rave. I feel like I'm dealing with friends at Bluebond. Allie and staff are musicians and know the deal. This time my Roland AC-33 amp was expertly repaired for a fair price. Allie, Jo---off-site repair staff----y'all da bomb. You won't ever get rid of me... Joel Fass read more

I'm a relatively new arrival in Philadelphia and I was looking for someone who'd be able to set up two guitars of mine. The work I needed to get done wasn't anything too crazy, just changing string gauges and setting the action as low as possible, but... I can admit that I don't have any business messing with a truss rod or anything like that. The overall experience working with Bluebonds was fantastic. I looked up their COVID-19 hours of operation, confirmed that they can do what I'm looking for, brought the instruments in, and got everything back with everything I was hoping for in the expected timeframe. I highly recommend Bluebond to anyone who's looking to get some work done on their guitars. I'll definitely be heading there again whenever I need future setups or repairs. read more

Freaking lifesavers Great setups great store great guitars and service I love em! Saved me many times! read more

In response to Jon's comment that real musicians don't have the money for new instruments: they do if they're good at being musicians. There is, as evidenced by superstars and studio muscians alike, money to be made from banging on drums, guitars, basses, etc. I've even made money from music and I'm not even that good. But I do know I know a lot of real musicians who shop at Bluebond. One can purchase second hand instruments and equipment that were sold or consigned to Bluebond by musicians who either unloaded them to feed their junk habit or because they were moving up the evolutionary chain of guitars. Bluebond also fixes instruments as well, and is one of the better places in the city to do so. Or, if you want rock guitar or bass lessons, you can get them there too. I bought a Peavy hybrid tube and electric amp from Bluebond and sold it a few years later for the same price I bought it for. Not bad. read more

I've never taken lessons here, and I've never had them service my guitar, but they keep taking my money, so it's time to say my few words. They're not jerks. Okay, one of them is, but I don't know his name, and he's a jerk within my tolerable range. One jerk on staff in a store that sells instruments is WAY below quota, which makes this place one of the friendliest gear shops I've ever frequented. I'm still coming to terms with the friendly factor, and it makes me feel funny and slightly uncomfortable, but I'm pretty sure it's a good thing. I've heard people complain about their prices, but it seems like people are complaining about a $10 price difference over their stock versus the pawn shop down the street. While this may be slightly valid, they seem to be ignoring the condition and questionable background involved in pawn shop purchases. I agree with the statement of not knowing who works there. I'm pretty sure it's a sinister ploy, as this leads to you, the shopper, spending more time looking around. This directly leads to you parting with more of your hard-earned monies. In conclusion, mister condescending jerk working there, lighten up and stop talking down to my friends. They're slowly organizing a lynching for you, and I don't know how much longer I can hold them off. You're costing your shop money that's going to Craigslist and eBay instead, which is extremely unwise for an independent business. Plus, it cost you a star, OOOH YES A WHOLE STAR. read more

Bluebond has been great to me in so many ways. Joe at the front is the most welcoming and knowledgeable person, ever. She's saved my bacon so many times just because she knows what she's talking about, and never makes me feel silly for asking a question like "what gauge of strings do you recommend" or something like that. I've gotten lessons from Mike, who in a few short sessions helped advance my knowledge and skills tremendously. One of my favorite and most humbling of lessons, he asked me what song I was listening to these days, and showed me (in the nicest/most respectful way) that I was playing it wrong and to try a different key. Blew my mind. I've also bought gear and supplies from Bluebond without any issues and the prices are fair. I love this place and I'm going to keep coming here. I love supporting local businesses and with the knowledge and experience they have here, it makes it easy to do so. read more

I've been playing guitar for a handful of years but recently decided to take it seriously and decided to check out Blueblond for lessons. For starters the lessons are reasonably priced $24 per 1/2 hr and the schedule is pretty flexible in terms of when they have lessons available. The staff is pretty friendly if you feel like talking but if not they've got no problem with you just sitting down and trying out some gear while you wait. In terms of what you wanna learn they give you what you ask for. Having played and taken some lessons before they didn't start me off with beginner stuff or routine exercises, we jumped right into what "I" wanted to learn, not what "he" wanted to teach. I've had two guitars set up here and both came back sounding 100% better than they did going in. The action and intonation on both were great and the turn around time isn't too bad...especially if you're a student--they can have it back to you by your next lesson. Oh and there's a student discount on set ups bringing them to about $30 give or take which is cheaper than Guitar Center or one of those big places. read more

Had to sell my fathers bass and guitar. They were so friendly and gave me a fair price. To my surprise they even knew his original band way back in the 70's. I felt like it was meant to be and I left his instruments in the right hands. I'm so glad I found this place. read more

Bluebond Guitars - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Took my Les Paul here to get a setup and they did a fantastic job. Cool selection of guitars if you're looking for an instrument as well.

I bought an Ibanez Artist Series acoustic here at a very reasonable price a few months ago. Staff was great and knowledgeable. I love to support the private businesses and this is one I will patronize often. Thanks Blue Bond! read more

I hate doing these types of reviews and I can't say I've done too many. But I dropped off my Martin D-28 in September of 2021, as the bridge had started to separate from the body of the guitar. Long story short, it took them until March of 2022 to complete the repair. The cost was $150. For glueing down the bridge and restringing the guitar. I was not offered even the slightest of discounts. I should've opened the case there but I was in a rush and didn't want to get a parking ticket. When I opened the case, I noticed several things: there was dryed glue on the top part of the body and back/side between the bridge and where the plug for the acoustic pickup is, the rosette/inlay on the top of the body sticks up in one section near where the dryed glue is, and there was a substantial amount of stuff bouncing around inside the body of the guitar. I cleaned most of the glue off but some still remains. I got most of the bits out of the inside. But the noticeable ridge in the inlay will remain. Oh, also, I asked to have coated strings installed...Nope. Standards strings were installed. I should have just bought a bridge and did my best to do the repair myself. I would take the guitar back to have them deal with the inlay and the glue. But I can't go another six months without the guitar and there's not telling what issues the guitar would come back with. Not only will I never have anything to do with Bluebond, I will also tell everyone single musician friend of mine not to deal with them either. read more

I want to like this place, I really do. And it's very hard for me to write this. There are, as of this date, 3 other guitar stores around the South St. area. One of which is great, the other 2, I have no real opinion of. If you need supplies, like sticks, strings, picks, it's pretty much covered at any of these places. So it really just depends on how far you feel like traveling around the area. With Bluebond, there are pros and cons. Pros: They got spare parts, Pickups etc. The selection is ok, and it rotates a bit. The amp and guitar selection is also ok and also rotates from time to time. The staff can be friendly. The repair work can be ok. They do let you play whatever. Cons: All of this stuff is hit or miss. The gear is OK, the parts are ok, the pedals are ok. But not for the prices they ask. Not all of it mind you. Some of it is fairly priced like the Zvex stuff. Used though, forget it. Almost anything you find in there used you can find a better deal on craigslist or other stores. And they won't budge, even if they know you on used prices. Their repair prices are high too. Not as high as some other places though. But I have found their work to be hit or miss, and for what I've paid, I'd like it to last longer than it does. Also, not everything works. I've found that to be the case a few times now, unfortunately after I've put money down. Sometimes the work is good, sometimes it's not. Either way, it's not cheap. The staff can be friendly. This is very true. They are however, friendlier to those who are part of the "school," and if one of them walks in, you become invisible mid sentence. I don't like that. And this is a MAJOR nitpick, but I don't like being told to "be careful" by the one kid with the fro who is there from time to time. I'm a grown man who has spent a lot of money there over the years. It's really insulting. I actually feel bad saying all of this, because it's not like I ever really have a "bad" experience there. But I cannot say that every experience is great either. Especially the last few times I've been there, I've started to notice it more. It's a mom and pop place, and I want to continue to support it, but that's hard to consider doing because while no one has been rude to me, I also feel like I am not valued as a customer either. There is definitely a click there, and I feel like they get the best service, the best deals, and just better treatment. I can't help but feel like this is the kind of place that someone is calling me a name after I leave, like I'm a novelty of some sort. It's an Okay go to if you need supplies on the fly. read more

I've only had repairs and set-ups done, and they've been great, and fast. I may actually buy something the next time i come in, i promise... read more

Bought a 2013 LP Standard just now. Good price and helpful staff. This my second Bluebond Guitar. Will be back when in the area

I came in on a Monday and ordered a pedal--the EHX Stereo Memory Man. They told me they'd get the order out Tuesday morning and maybe the pedal would show up by Friday. A week later I'm calling and they say it was ordered it four days after they said they would. I paid half down on the pedal. I ended up getting it another week later. I could've just bought the pedal on Amazon but I tried to do the right thing and support the nearby small business. $200 may not be a lot to a guitar store but it's a lot to me and I had visited Bluebond twice in one day to make sure I got the right item from them. For god's sake, the pedal has "Hazarai!" Unfortunately they didn't come through until two weeks later. I asked them to throw a $7 cable in to forget about it and instead they took $2.00 off. Two stars is the best I can do here. read more

I've been going to Bluebond for years, and I just can't say enough good things about it. The staff is great. Their prices are more than fair. They do great repairs. But the best part about the place IMHO is the teaching staff. No Mel Bay stuff here. They teach you what you want to know. They also put students together in bands with teachers and hold shows at places like the Troc. They've got little kid bands and geezer bands, too. They teach you how not to suck! Rich, Mike, Joanne, Justin, Gez, John--you guys all rock. Bluebond is the anti-Guitar Center. read more

Remember that scene in Wayne's World, when they're in the music store jamming, and some guy starts playing "Stairway to Heaven," and then the camera pans over to a sign on the wall that says "No Stairway." That's an awesome part. I like that vibe about music stores -- the metalheads and the blues guys and the hippies all rocking out in the store. (They're there to show off of course, not to buy anything. Real musicians don't have money to buy new instruments.) Bluebond doesn't have that vibe. It's just another instrument store, with a small inventory of new and used guitars. Nothing to write home about. I'd take my ax there to get a set up, but I wouldn't go to them for any major operations. read more

After living in Philly for 10 years, I've realized that this place is head and shoulders above all of the other gear stores here. I use them for all of my setups and any guitar surgery that I'm not confident to do myself. On that subject, the reason that this place is so great is that you can tell them how much you know and they'll help you with the rest. Example: I was trying to build a really simple guitar but it was my first and I couldn't understand the schematic. In addition, I couldn't get any advice or parts from other local stores. I told Rich what I was building and the parts I had and he gave me a bunch of stuff that I needed (wiring and other doo-dads) free of charge AND walked me through some of the procedure too. Good people, they do great work and I will continue to go here. read more

bluebond is a small shop, but they're independent and locally owned, so i prefer to go here over the big box stores. ok who am i kidding. they're two blocks from my apartment. if guitar center was two blocks away and i needed strings, i'd go there instead. unless they were both two blocks away, which would be highly unlikely. in which case i'd go to bluebond... ANYWAY. the real reason to go here is for repairs, a tune-up, or simply to have your guitar set up right. unfortunately, everybody knows this already, so they're perpetually backed up and not taking on any major work. so it'd be wise to give them a call before you schlep your guitar on over. read more

First of all, I would say that their customer service is great. The people that work there is very friendly and nice. Definitely not stuck up people. And they are also seasoned musicians themselves, which makes it seem like they are more reliable. I have never purchased anything from Bluebond, but from what I have seen, they seem to sell gear at a good price. Now here is the problem: they take forever to do work on your instruments. I once brought my guitar to bluebond for them to just install pickups... I actually had to wait 2 months. Yes, 2 months. Every time when I call them they would tell me "It will be ready next week.", but weeks after weeks, it was still not ready. I only gave 3 stars because the work was good. However it was just pick-up installation. And after the long wait the price was also very high, so I will definitely consider somewhere else if you want your instrument back quickly. read more

I like this store a lot. The staff is very helpful and their supplies are well-stocked. They always have some interesting gear on the floor and do very good repairs from what I hear. read more

Doesn't have the selection of a big chain, granted, but the staff live and breathe guitars. Great place to get lessons, no matter what your age or skill level. read more

I really like the staff at Bluebond. They are really down to earth and usually playing guitars...so much so that sometimes it is hard to tell who actually is working. Unfortunately, their selection is lacking and the prices are not anything special. I like Bluebond and I dig their vibe, but unless something randomly struck me here, I probably would buy from somewhere else. read more

I was a fan many years ago. Never took any guitars in for servicing but the staff seemed knowledgeable and were helpful. I bought a Japanese-made Fender Jaguar here about 10 years ago. I really like these small shops. I wish there were more of them around. read more

Went in to get a guitar cable. Small shop, doesn't look like much, but it is local and if you need any strings or supplies, they're likely to have it. Worth checking out if you're in the area. read more

I still to this day, although I moved to Central Jersey, have all my custom guitars set up and dressed at Bluebond. reasonable pricing and great workmanship. Would recommend to anyone. read more

I have been taking guitar lessons here for years with Mike Caughlin. He's a great guitar player and a great teacher. Mike teaches students of all ages and abilities, and adjusts his lessons accordingly. If you are just starting out, he's patient. Once you start getting a little more experienced, he continues to challenge you. A shout out as well to Allie, Stephano and Joanna--they keep my guitar sounding its best. Sorry if I missed naming anybody else who works here, but everyone I've met is very nice and professional. read more

i brought my amp here to be repaired and was told that it would cost $200 for the repair and that it would be done in two weeks time. two weeks pass and i get my amp back and when i plug it in, i get sparks and the ominous smell of smoke. i click it off and bring it right back. it's gone for two more weeks and, after four weeks now and one botched show (on account of my missing amp) i go back to get it and am charged the full amount of the repair, with no apology. when i posted my chagrin on their facebook page, i am replied to with this, and i quote: "so you were told it would take two weeks, it was back in two weeks, for whatever reason, the amp crapped out on you, that sucks, but the amp guy made good on it and fixed it again. and you're bitching that our amp guy didn't refund your money? our amp guy drives in once a week to deliver and pick up repairs, so if you miss his day, yes it will sit in the store for a week and then take another week to go out, get repaired and come back. we are a drop spot for our amp guy as a favor to local musicians, in case you haven't noticed, there are no good amp repair places in philly that you can walk to. so you can bitch and complain but that reflects more on you and your short comings than it does on our amp repair man." and so... to clarify, the second amp repair was fine, i just thought it unfair that i had to pay full price when the repair took twice as long as was stated. i guess if this warrants a personal attack on me and my short comings, then so be it. i still paid the full cost of the repair. let the money that i spent at that place of business be the cost paid in order to warn other area musicians looking for amp service. contrary to what they may believe, they are not the only amp game in town. further, would you really want to support an establishment that clearly does not value the satisfaction of their customers? seriously, guys, it's called "customer service". you disgust me and i will tell everyone who will listen to me not only of your shoddy service, but also of your poor attitude towards hardworking, paying customers at every opportunity i get (and, just so you know, my bands are playing a whole bunch of shows in the coming months in philadelphia and beyond...consider these to be pulpits from which the gospel of your poor service shall be preached). well done, bluebond guitars. thanks for the "favors" you supply to area musicians. read more

Reportedly, founder Dale Bluebond was a master luthier. If this is indeed true, his legacy is doing him absolutely no justice. I brought my guitar in here for relatively simple service--swap out the active pickups and put in a passive system. They kept my Telecaster for TWO WEEKS, and when I picked it up I had a few surprises in store. First, they charged me $20 above the quoted price, citing the cause ambiguously as "parts." Second, when I opened the case looking for my old pickups, they weren't there!! Had I not asked, THEY WOULD NOT HAVE GIVEN THEM TO ME!! Third, and most insulting, was that I got the guitar home and it DID NOT WORK. I took it back immediately and watched as the incompetent technician opened the guitar up again and realized that he "forgot" to install the ground wire. From what I understand, installing pickups is a straightforward process--like changing one's own oil, maybe, except with a soldering gun instead of a big bucket to catch runoff black sludge. I entrusted my guitar to someone who I thought would have the know-how to get the job done and was completely let down. AND, please let me say again, it took two weeks!! read more

These guys are serious pros, despite appearances, and I really miss their services since moving from Philly to the Midwest. I once brought in a beat up old Epiphone Emperor Regent . I wanted to get it in shape for jazz, and and they got it sounding like a Gibson L5 for under a $75. Well, almost. They were fast, affordable, and knew how to do much more than mere set-ups and such. I loved that place. I also loved checking out the steady stream of used gems they would have now and then (always in great shape after their tweaking). read more