This story starts off in guitar center. Went in to purchase a $1K+ drum kit. They had it in stock. They would NOT take it off the shelf for me to play. I told them I didn't actually need to play the assembled kit but absolutely needed to hear WTF it sounds like so was only asking to take it off the shelf for me to strike each drum a few times. They refused and told me to go to YouTube to hear it! While it was right TF in front of me. Went to Chuck's, found a similar set but it was $300 more expensive than I wanted to spend. The guy at the drum counter assembled it in the middle of the store drum area and even brought out additional cymbals that they had to get from storage for me to try. Purchased it on the spot. All these terrible reviews on here but... It's either here or Guitar Center so pick your poison. Zero other options in the area. And they have the best guitar tech in Maryland. Have taken 4-5 guitars to him over the years and received perfect service. One bizarre thing- there is no need for 3 security guards. Does this place get jumped all the time? Might as well just hire a cop. read more

I bought an item with Free Shipping. It did not work out and I returned the item, brand new, never used. I paid to send it back. I looked at my band statement and saw over $35 was deducted from the total. I was told that shipping was deducted from my refund. I really do not understand this. The company advertises free shipping...but if you have to return the item, then all of a sudden the shipping is not free? I paid $156 for the item and was penalized another $19 because I returned it. Maybe I am being unreasonable but I think this is not right. Either shipping is free or it isn't. Don't say one thing and then do another. read more

Bought some smoke for my smoked machine and it doesn't work properly. I left messages and emails and didn't even get a call back.

Would not shop here again. We picked up an online order and we were not given a bag or a receipt, even though we asked for one and the worker said we didn't need it because we had the one on our phone. We walked to the next building that had all of the guitar supplies and greeted a security guard at the front, he saw the online order in our hand when we walked in. I made direct eye contact with him. My mother and I walked around and looked for pedals and other guitar accessories. We had started to carry around things we were intending to buy. We headed towards the back of the store with the midi keyboards. The security guard from the front followed us to the back of the store and ordered us to come to the front and make an itemized list of the things in our hands. I told him that we hadn't paid for the items in my hands yet and that we were shopping. It was very confusing to me because he was inhibiting us from shopping. I asked him directly why we were being singled out when the store was full of people. He was very rude and I believe it had something to do with our race as we were the only black people in the store. I was adamant on wanting to know why he was singling us out and he continued to talk in circles. I demanded to know why I needed to come to the front again and he would not give me a reason so I refused to come with him. Another employee saw that this was becoming a situation and diffused the situation. This interaction was very demoralizing and they humiliated my mother and I by accusing us of theft when we had done nothing wrong or suspicious. He yelled at us in front of everyone. I would not come here again and will continue to take my money to the Guitar Center down the street. read more

Chuck levins is the one of best music store in the country. Definitely the best in the dmv . actually a dc institution for decades family run business. I have bought guitars. PA systems amps back in the day and also recently Got a kick ass deal on a custom shop Gibson Flying V .thanks Pete . Great service always any problem they take care of it . wide selection of top brands and good deals. i always go to the store . So far as online I can't really can't say except call them they have more stuff then they list and get a deal . I had a keyboard shipped to Texas for my daughter went fine. . I highly recommend the place . Great place for beginners or professional musicians. They have it all ! read more

I called to get a quote on a cello repair. I let them know the exact location and size of the crack. When I got to the store they gave me a quote that was over $300 what my original quote was and then told me there was nothing they could do about it. read more

the worst. Not a dealer of the pedal i ordered online, pretended they had them. Advertised 'In Stock Now!' on their website, so clicked and bought it. They took my money immediately. Then Nothing. Had to call them days later to ask about it, said they didn't have it in stock (never did) they tried to bait & switch me to some cheap knockoff, i said No, give me a refund, they finally said 'we'll refund' no details and hung up. Still don't have my money back. Got a gig Fri, wasted a half a week with these shysters, they still have my money so i can't buy a tuner. What do the kids say - Buyer beware. read more

Chuck Levin's Washington Music Center - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

I texted the store and described the item I saw and asked for confirmation I had found the same item on their website. The salesperson checked the item on the floor, confirmed it was the same, and offered to set up the sale for me. Great, quick service, and friendly. I wish the salesperson could get credit for the sale. Support local music stores! read more

What sets Chuck Levin's apart from all others is the knowledge, experience, concern for customers, and longevity of its staff. I drive close to two hours to the store when I could easily go to more local retailers. While I have received superior customer service from the drum and guitar departments in the past, I wanted to call out Ed Spence, who leads the keyboard department, from my last visit. Ed provided me with truly superior knowledge and concern for my keyboard purchase needs. He is exceptionally knowledgeable about the products he sells and guided me very carefully through options and helped me select the best product to meet my needs. I'd like to repeat...the knowledge and professionalism of the sales staff is what makes Chuck Levin's stand above all others. Thank you! read more

I've been playing guitar most of my life. For the longest time I was only buying namebrand used guitars. A couple years back, I was at Chuck Levins and I saw this guitar which I really needed to have. I bought it, brand new. Unfortunately, I ran into some issues with the guitar. I brought it back into the store, they immediately switched it out for another one on the rack no questions asked. Since then, I bought two guitars and an amplifier. My amplifier had some issues and again, no questions asked, they switched it out for me. The staff, especially the guitar sales Staff, are some of the most knowledgeable guitar enthusiasts I've ever met. I give these guys 10 thumbs up! LOVE LOVE LOVE ME SOME CHUCK LEVINS!!! read more

Chuck's has been the best music store in the Washington Metro area for as long as I can remember (and I remember going there when they were located downtown). They have the best selection of musical equipment and the best prices you can find in our area. I highly recommend them. read more

You can't return sax mouthpieces. My fault for not reading the fine print. However, you can return mouthpieces when you buy from brassandwinds, Musician's Friend, Sweetwater Music and a host of other shops including the manufacturers Jody Jazz, Ted Klum and Theo Wanne. If you need to try out a mouthpiece, make sure you get it from one of the dealers I listed. Do not buy from this shop!! read more

Having spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in the past (Gov't Contracts, Personal items) I recently attempted to make three separate purchases The first attempt was a no go because a competitor beat the price. The second was an item that was advertised at a certain price. When I attempted to purchased it the price was over 30% higher than advertised. The third attempt was for an instrument that was sent to me in inoperable condition. I had to to take it to a repair shop at my expense before having the ability to try it out. I was assured an immediate refund when I shipped it back based on my word because of the situation. I am now in the process of trying to recoup my funds through the payment method I used. Their response is now -"we'll issue the refund when we get around to processing the return." Any trust in this once magnificent store is lost. As stated in other reviews on this forum-Chuck is likely rolling in his grave." read more

My experience during the purchase of a Martin guitar last week at Chuck Levin's was exceptional from start to finish. Everything came together for me 100% thanks to Levin's commitment to customer service, and their acoustic guitar salesperson, Dana deChaby, who is simply amazing. My communication with Dana began with a phone call to the store, and a conversation about my trade and my purchase options with Dana. Dana was extremely knowledgeable about both the valuation of my trade-in instrument, as well as the comparative features and pricing of the Martin guitar I had in mind. Thanks to our email link, and Dana's responsiveness to my every concern, we were able to complete the deal which gave me the best possible price on my new Martin, and a very fair valuation on my trade. read more

We were really happy today with our experience at a Chuck Levins. We arrived with an appointment for a trombone , we tried several different trombones, were not rushed, picked it, arranged payment and we were done. Lee was awesome. It's a very large and busy store but they seem to do a great job. Very happy 10/10 ! Thank you!!!! read more

I've been there twice this year, and both experiences were positive! Most recently, I visited because it was the only store in the DMV, as far as I know, that had a Cordoba C9 classical guitar in stock. Note that NOT all guitars in stock are on display! I knew it was in stock based on their online inventory. The salesman, who was very knowledgeable about the guitar, retrieved it from "downstairs". He was not pushy at all, and did NOT try to upsell. If you are looking for a guitar, please consider Chuck Levin's before you head to "that other store" (you know which one). I didn't pay much attention to their electric guitars as I hung out mostly in the acoustic room, which is HUGE. I see some negative reviews on Yelp, but those experiences were the opposite of mine. I believe that most customers have a good experience here, and I am confident that you will too should you decide to visit them. Bon shopping! read more

Service, sucked. Service didn't offer help. Felt uncomfortable and also felt like very poor working conditions for staff and it showed in their demeanor. Cash cages and over the top security. Ugh! read more

Buyer Beware of the "Bait and Switch"! They posted a guitar that was supposed to be in stock that they let me pay for($3200)! Then, after I in replied three days later letting me know they already sold that one but would be more then happy to sell me something else. Total BAIT & SWITCH. They have lost a customer for life. Total incompetence! read more

Both my children have rented here for years and one did a rent to own for his Saxophone. We have had nothing but great customer service with routine rentals and with repairs. I always recommend because we've had a great experience! read more

purchased a high priced item online on Thurs Morning - verified purchase same day and verified in stock item - paid extra for shipping. They did not ship the item until the following Wednesday ( 6 days from purchase of in stock item) unacceptable - especially in the face of making an extra elective payment for shipping as I needed the item within 5 days of purchase so I paid more. When I voiced my displeasure, they gave me a 10% coupon.....UG read more

Very nice shop, an institution really. Staff is very professional and want to help you, even if you're a little sister looking for a "Big Muff" for your big brother and don't even know what that is! Everyone was nice to me! read more

Chuck Levin's Washington Music Center - Big Muff - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

This place hands down is the best spot for ordering any type of music gear. I have been buying keyboard equipment from this store for over 30 years. Myles is one of the most skilled sales persons in this department and helped me with my most recent kawai keyboard purchase. He always helps me decide what I really want and need plus accurately gives me his objective opinion. Hence why I will always buy all of my gear from chuck Levin. read more

They have a great selection. However the atmosphere is like a used car lot. It was like walking into a pool of sharks. Imagine Guitar Center only worse. The clerk behind the counter made an insulting remark based upon his opinion of my string choice. I'm a member of the AFM union local in Nashville and I will never go back. I would suggest buying online if you want something from here. read more

Went to Chuck Levins to have my flute fixed. The staff there are very kind and helpful. Service was great. Took 7-10 business days for my flute to be fixed. Repair was done thoroughly and my flute came back all clean and shine looking like new. It came to about $100-$200 dollars for what was done. read more

I had a VERY pleasant experience purchasing my first acoustic drum set with the help of Darren; the store's drum specialist. He was patient, as well as extremely knowledgeable when it came to putting together the entire drum kit from scratch for my desired sound and music style. I've worked in sales for 3+ years so I am very appreciative of extraordinary customer service. It's been quite some time since I've received that level of professional service so I HIGHLY recommend this store to anyone looking for the same treatment during their drum shopping journey. ~Mike read more

Chuck Levin's Washington Music Center - Drum set - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

See all

I decided to start a podcast as another way to keep my brand's content flowing on my YouTube channel, and being a photographer/writer, I was honestly a bit confused about some of the audio gear that the "internet experts" were talking about on YouTube. I started following https://www.instagram.com/podcastoutfitters/ on Instagram, and began commenting on some of their posts. I was shocked to find that they dropped a TON of insight and helpful tips for me... not just general stuff related to podcast production, but specific things related to my personal situation, and the equipment I already had. The person behind the https://www.instagram.com/podcastoutfitters/ Instagram page was named Adam from Chuck Levin's Washington Music Center, and he told me that I could give him a call any time if I had more questions. I actually called him! He gave me all sorts of useful options about different microphones, honest opinions about the different mixers I was looking at, and also different options for microphone stands. I had questions about headphones and microphones and mic stands. Adam suggested a few, and sent me my options with pricing. https://podcastoutfitters.com/ When I placed my order, he even decided to give me a discount on my order! Super thoughtful and nice of him! I couldn't be happier with my experience at Chuck Levin's Washington Music Center, and will certainly refer everyone I can to them in the future! read more

Chuck Levin's Washington Music Center - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

Bought my first guitar here years ago and got a spectacular deal on it. Came back recently and I still received the same amazing service and everything was stocked up for viewing in both the electric and acoustic guitar departments. Love this local place and will be back! read more

MOST IMPRESSIVE INDEPENDENT GUITAR STORE. Chuck Levin's has been around for decades and is well known in the DC/MD/VA area. Bill's Music in Catonsville comes close in regard to selection, but Chuck Levin's is hard to beat when it comes to inventory. Although the store is huge they have so much MORE stock hidden away in their enormous warehouse area. Their showroom is like the tip of an iceberg! Their selection of high end Paul Reed Smith (PRS) guitars is unmatched by any store because Chuck Levin's gets priority treatment from PRS. Paul Reed Smith started his career as a guitar technician at Chuck Levins (a fact they are very proud of) so the relationship with PRS runs deep. They also carry a good selection of Suhr electric guitars, Fender guitars, Taylor acoustic guitars, Martin acoustic guitars, and more. They have a pretty extensive selection of guitar effects pedals also. The staff here is great. They are knowledgeable, friendly, and cut you some good deals. I can tell they want to cultivate long term customer relationships. Just a top rate outfit here you must visit to appreciate first hand. read more

If you buy anything from these guys, get them to write the return policy on the receipt! I asked three different sales guys and got three different answers (for the same item). The receipt actually said NO RETURNS. All depends on the department you visit. Great selection but there are more than a few employees who talk down to you. If you are very knowledgeable, they treat you fine, if you show any sign of being a novice, they are VERY condescending. I know Saxophones so they treat me well in that department. I do not know sound equipment so they are Condescending, don't want to share or recommend anything, just horrible to deal with. However, I did my own research at home before getting to the store so I still bought a wireless transmitter for my speakers. Unfortunately I had a lot of noise/hissing when I used the devise. I tried with all three of my mixers, with two different speakers, and changed cables to the base unit, read the documentation, googled the product and watched the video's. I had the unit auto select the frequency and I also tried manually selecting many frequencies. Nothing changed. I called the department that sold me the device. The first guy who answered the phone was nice but had no clue. I kept hearing him asking his coworker about it but the co-worker kept blowing him off. I finally asked, can I just talk with the lead who knows the device, the nice guy finally convinced him to get the phone and talk to me. He went off on me saying I have used 100's of these and never had a problem. Really, 100's? I could tell this was the same condescending guy who sold me the device. I asked for any suggestions and he had none. I asked did you have the device auto connect or did you manually select the frequency. He avoided the question and just kept saying never had a problem with it. I think my question confused him so I am not convinced he ever use this item. I was within my 7 days so I returned the item. Next day ordered from Sweetwater. They treated me with respect and answered all my questions. read more

Over the last 40 years, I've purchased instruments from Chuck Levins Washington Music Center. Every experience has been good, and each one gets better than the last. Yesterday, I purchased a Nord Stage 4 Compact. I am a musician who is blind, and I honestly believe Nord makes the most blind-friendly line of keyboards on the planet that are stand-alone, not requiring a computer. No touchscreen, and everything is either accessible from a button or knob. The Menus don't rap which is a huge plus. I worked with Myles in keyboards. He knew when to let me explore and didn't hover. He was there to answer questions when needed, a rarity when working with individuals who are blind. Now, back to playing with my new toy. read more

Probably still an okay place to buy instruments but they've lost their touch with acoustic guitar repair. I will be going elsewhere now and no longer recommending them as I have in the past - I have a complex issue with the neck of a guitar so without consulting me they kept my guitar for about a month while merely adjusting the tie rod, putting on a new set of strings, and charged me 98$ for the privilege. This I could have done for 6$ so I figure they owe me 92$ which I also figure I will never see. A bigger deal for me is the loss of a once trusted resource. read more

They sell eurorack modules here. That alone is incredible, it's very hard to find a store that physically stocks eurorack modules and has most of their inventory racked so you can try them out a bit before you buy them. I hope in the slim possibility that other music stores in the general area will follow..:) The rest of the store, from what I've seen, is nice but my review is focused on this niche interest. Their module selection isn't the greatest, but there's some nice stuff here. While the store sells eurorack and that's great you can tell it is not their focus. The employees seem friendly - a couple of them are knowledgeable on the subject of eurorack, which is great. This place would get five stars, but I find the selection to be slim pickings. Hopefully interest will increase to incentivize them stocking a wider variety and more. Out of my 3 trips there, twice I've purchased floor models (at a discount) because they were their last ones. read more

I brought two jazz basses to repair. Drew (I hope I'm spelling it correctly) did an amazing job! He was quick, honest and professional. 1) one repair was to adjust the neck: I typically do it by myself but this time I thought it was no longer possible and the truss rod must be replaced. Instead, he made it, it's just perfect. He could easily replace the rod and charge me higher cost, but he didn't. 2) the other repair was to replace a pickup. He suggested the right pickups pair and the bass sounds great. I typically try to do all maintenance on my instruments by myself, but you can see when experienced hands do it instead. Last but not least, the repair cost was affordable and very honest. Highly recommended. read more

Wow! Friendly staff that really knows their stuff. Their price on a brand new Fender was just as good as the Sweetwater Demo model. They have a ton of stock and are willing to work with you while you find the right instrument. Do yourself a favor and give them a call and a visit before ordering from a big online retailer. Definitely worth the drive if you live in the DMV read more

Chuck Levin's Washington Music Center - Great deal on this Tele - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

I prefer to shop from independent/small businesses, so purchased a pedal from Chuck Levin's instead of Sweetwater or Reverb. NEVER AGAIN. They may be good in person/local, but if you're ordering online, you better think again. The pedal didn't work. They nicely sent me a "free" shipping label for the return. Once they got it, they insisted that the pedal worked fine. They charged me $48 to "reimburse" them for the "free" shipping each way, and would only refund me the difference after that. Looking online at UPS, using a copy of their own shipping label, the shipping would have at most been about $14, and that without their corporate account discount. So I paid 110 online for a pedal, returned it, and got about half my money refunded. NEVER AGAIN. I'll stick with Sweetwater from here on out. read more

Got a very fair deal on a b-stock bass guitar today. Customer service was immediate. I was prepared to buy new D'addario strings I picked out for it...to my surprise, they didn't charge me for them and even offered to set up the bass for free to include the string change. I'll be coming back again. Great experience all the way around. read more

Chuck Levin's Washington Music Center - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Silver Spring, Maryland

I got my first guitar here via mail order (there was a paper sheet with their inventory)...a 1976 Les Paul Standard (tobacco sunburst) for $350 in 1983 (obviously worth considerably more now...not selling). My guitar teacher in Connecticut bought an old Broadcaster as well (prelude to the Tele...). When I moved to DC in the early 90s...this was a regular stop. Just a wonderful independent music shoppe...and obviously in the age of Sam Ash and Guitar Centre a nice relic of Old Washington. I would usually stop here and then head off to El Pollo Rico for pollo ala brasa... kind of hard to find if you are deep into DC or in Virginny...but worth hopping on the Metro (Wheaton) to come here... read more

Went in to get a few items. Person that helped me talked very condescendingly to me. When trying to ask for a specific item I kept being told I don't need that item because there were not familiar with my instrument. Horrible customer experience. read more

My experience was through an online order and I am here to testify to their exceptional customer service. I had a small problem with a piece of gear I was really excited to get, and the staff went above and beyond the call of duty to accommodate me. General manager Adam Levin reach out to me and oversaw my exchange. That kind of personal touch made it clear that they care about their customers. read more

I wanted to try a pedal but they couldn't get it working for a half hour. They set me up close to the front of the store, so I had to turn down the amp significantly to the point where I could barely hear myself because I didn't want to bother the other customers and staff. read more