Have been here twice excellent guitar recommendations. Sat patiently with my in laws as the chose new instruments and the follow up on a repair on the FIL was incredible. I will purchase my next instruments from here for sure. Grateful the kind folks here treated us with care and support. read more

One of the best acoustic ships in the world! Nice and knowledgeable. The selection is stellar. I bought my National Delphi, there, and I'll always stop by when I'm Seattle. read more

Great musical instrument store with a little of everything. They had some good new and used Martins plus some Collings models and other good brands that were fun to try. Nice selection of interesting books and very friendly service. And they have harps?! Classes happen here also. Definitely check them out. read more

I love this store! I've come in for some Irish tin whistles, but I'm always amazed at the string instruments they have. It's an old building with cool architecture. You have to go down stairs to get to the store, so if you can't do stairs, you might be out of luck. The staff are super helpful and kind. All the string players I know loved this place, both bowed and strummed / plucked! read more

Looking for a travel guitar to carry on day trip or overnight travel, always wanted a C.F. Martin, their smaller guitars are somewhat affordable, but wanted something will a little stronger tone than the backpacker or Little Martin, so if this was going to be my Martin, I wanted to try the Junior first before buying it, & Dusty Strings was the only music store within driving distance to have the Martin Junior in stock I was not too keen on the 1 1/2 hour drive plus navigating north bound freeway traffic then thru the bowels of Seattle downtown streets to get to the Fremont district, but after many predictable bad sales experience with local & big box guitar stores, Dusty Strings sounded like the perfect guitar store experience worth exploring. Just stepping into Dusty Strings for the first time was a warm embrace shedding the street survival mode of getting there, walking down a short stairway to an enchanting chime of plucked strings as you open the door into the store & as it shuts behind you, then warm greeting by welcoming staff behind the front counter, and other staff in the next room where walls & walls of stringed instruments hung, just waiting & in tune to be played by any customer, with ample space between stools set apart. I was able to stumble thru a rather embarrassing but quick forray of open & bar chords & runs to make sure the Martin Junior was the right travel guitar for me, but did not feel self conscious or being judged by staff that was very responsive to any questions I had. Although this review is about the store & not about the Martin Junior guitar, I'll have to say I was blown away by the sound & feel of the Junior, and after talking more about it with the sales person & acknowledging I'll take it, they confirmed the quality & materials used, how they inspect & go thru every instrument to insure the condition & performance is perfect including keeping them in tune (so they did have a part in how well the Martin Junior played when I tried it), then went over all of the documentation that came with the guitar & gig bag, including recommended strings installed & to replace with, it was a total & complete buyer's experience. I wish I got there a little earlier to avoid some of the traffic & volume of visitors around the Fremont district, parking was a little confusing for this 1st time visitor, unsure where it was really really legal to park plus not be inconsiderate with the locals that actually lived there & businesses. I ended up just a few blocks round the corner & up a small hill & parking close to the Fremont bridge troll, lol, would have snapped a picture, maybe selfie with my Martin Jr when I walked back to my vehicle, but it was crawling with tourists posing & taking pictures themself. On my way back I did see a decent public parking lot about a half block on the left after passing the music store & turning right at the 1st street, think it would have cost about $7 for several hours if I had time to take in more the area which looked like a very fun place to explore, eat, & shop. I would recommend to anyone that really wants to experience a very positive vibe when trying & buying an acoustic guitar or whatever else they offer, Dusty Strings is the place, & the Fremont district vibe is an added experience. Oh, by the way, according to C.F.Martin's web site, as of November 10th, 2024, they still have a C.F.Martin Junior in stock, if you are interested, if anything the experience of being there is worth the journey, and they do have an excellent variety of other things... read more

This is a very cool store and seems like a holdover from slightly older times in Seattle. You have to go down the stairs and then it feels as if you've been whisked away to a magical musical world. You walk into the holding area after hearing the strum of the guitar from opening the door, where you are greeted by Dusty Strings version of St Peter who warmly welcomes you and assures you that you can play what you wish and then you move beyond the golden gates into the palace of instruments. I believe acoustic guitars are what they have most of, but they also had a fair amount of banjos, they had a selection of electric guitars and basses as well. The relaxed and friendly demeanor of the stuff really stood out to me. I talked to one very approachable man who was extremely friendly and helpful. I didn't walk out with a guitar this time but I'm already planning a trip back because I really liked their selection of acoustics. They had Martin's and Taylors but also value brands that you hear a lot of positive things about like Eastman and Seagull, and honestly, I really loved the feel of one of the Seagull guitars - I had no idea! So if you're looking for guitars, banjos, basses, I highly recommend adding Dusty Strings to your journey! read more

Brought my old 1960s guitar this afternoon with questions about cases and how to care for it and they were so enthusiastic and helpful! Wonderful store and wonderful people. read more

Literally the most helpful, knowledgeable guitar store ever. Don't even freaking THINKKKKK of going to Guitar Center I swear. They are SO KIND, CARING, ATTENTIVE, and helpful. I bought a used guitar off FB marketplace and took it in for it to get diagnosed, and they were SO AMAZING. Thanks to them I can finally play my guitar!! Literally will be supporting them for the rest of my life. read more

Dusty Strings - guitar that they fixed up for me :) - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I stopped by Dusty Strings this morning for a repair and received not only on-the-spot assistance, but a free informational session about guitar storage, the cost of guitar parts, etc. and learned that my guitar is quite the (pretty) piece of s#$! ;-0 As a novice guitar player with little knowledge about such things, it was all greatly appreciated! In addition, this person who helped me recommended the purchase of a different guitar, which he allowed me to try--I was indeed blown away by the contrast--so much so that I seriously considered buying it on the spot! I appreciated his honesty and the fact that he didn't charge for fixing my guitar. I will definitely return to Dusty Strings when I"m ready to purchase another guitar! read more

Quality acoustics instruments and repair. I had my 73 Martin D18 neck reset and added truss rod.

Purchased a Seagull Maritime SWS Dreadnaught from an online retailer with a free multipoint inspection on all new gear (Dusty Strings couldn't get the cutaway version in or I'd have bought it from them). Loved the guitar the moment I opened the case but the action at the nut was a bit high and extremely high further up the neck. I kept putting off the set up due to long wait times at every shop but finally got an appointment for an assessment at Dusty Strings. Since they promised I'd be able to pick my guitar up by the next day and bring it back when my time in the queue came up I took the appointment. On assessment day I met Jacob who listened to my concerns and walked me through his suggestions and let me know my guitar would be ready by the end of the day. Got a call a couple hours later that she was ready and picked her up the next day...the difference is night and day. Jacob was able to get the action down across the guitar and it now plays absolutely perfectly! What was already an amazing guitar is now perfect and I could not be happier. A+ customer service, communication an work. Thank you SO much to Jacob and the rest of the Dusty Strings crew! I will definitely be bringing my other guitars in for service as needed. read more

Great inventory, reasonable prices talented and knowledgeable staff! You'll almost see something you'd like to take home!

I have been a long time fan and patron of Dusty Strings! They have the most wonderful display of guitars, and they have a substantial music library as well as supplies for your stringed instruments. You never know what music you will hear when you walk in. This is a true highlight and jewel of Fremont. read more

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Amazing store and staff! Thank you Steve and Ali! Amazing array of harps, dulcimers, mandolins, ukuleles, Taylor guitars, music and more!! Thank you for the friendly and informative tour!!! read more

Dusty Strings - Made it!!!! - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I'd realized the tuning peg for my first string had broken off since the last use of my guitar. While they don't usually offer the service of repairing one but rather an entire set (if they've the right fit), they were very attentive and gentle with my guitar giving it a shot, and even stayed open a few minutes past closing to assist me. Whilst he repaired my guitar (I didn't catch his name ‍) he showed me his preferred method of re-stringing and offered that it might help with the "buzz" my strings were letting off. Professional, patient, friendly, and wildly affordable as he offered all of this very kind assistance at no cost. I was and am still just wowed by that experience. Thanks, fellas! I'll be sure to stop in again! read more

Really nice people who run a beautiful store. They love music and will give you good recommendations.

Always one of the finest places in Seattle to spend an afternoon playing great, great instruments. I've purchased multiple guitars here over the years and their staff is just great. read more

Knowledgeable and friendly, the staff at Dusty Strings are fantastic. I made an appointment, looking to try out a specific guitar (Taylor 214ce). When I arrived, they set out an array of options for me (the less expensive Taylor 110e and the more expensive Taylor 314ce) for comparison. I absolutely love the guitar I purchased. read more

Visiting Dusty Strings is one of my favorite things to do in Seattle. They have an amazing selection of ukuleles, guitars, banjos, mandolins, harps, and string instruments you've probably never heard of (I had never heard of dulcimers!). They are eager to demonstrate how to use the various instruments, and they encourage customers to try them out. Even just entering the store is delightful, because they have a mechanism set up where a mountain dulcimer is strummed anytime the door opens. In addition to the wide range of quality instruments, they have a large collection of books and learning resources for all the different instrument types. I can also highly recommend their classes, of which there are a wide variety. I took Jason's introductory banjo class, which was extremely fun. On my most recent visit, I came to look at guitars. I was so impressed with their selection, which included the very-recently-updated Martin road series guitars with white pearly inlay. After looking at new guitars, I was looking at their used selection - including a Martin guitar from 1944. A super kind employee came over and encouraged me to play it. It sounded amazing, and I couldn't believe I got to play a guitar from 1944. Afterward, she was even so kind as to offer to take a photo of me with it. It was the highlight of my weekend. read more

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I have never bought a banjo or guitar from these guys; I did buy a penny whistle once. Mostly I have bought a lot of little stuff (strings, picks, etc.). So I am basing my review on their repair work. I have a 1918 Orpheum Irish tenor banjo that my nephew dropped out of the back seat of my truck (an accident for sure, but he did have a few beers in him) and it snapped the wood dowel stick where it is attached to the neck. I literally called all over the country to find someone who would make a new dowel stick for it (yeah, I even called Sound Guitar in Maine). No one could or would take on the project. Finally I took it in to Dusty Strings and the repair guy said, "Sure, I can do that". So, having nothing to lose I gave him a shot. He did an awesome job and even incorporated the old inlayed dowel stick into the repair so I couldn't even tell the difference. The price was way below what I expected to pay. So, they get 5***** for sure. read more

It's a pleasure to walk into a place where every guitar sounds good and staff is there to help rather than sell.

This is hands down the best music store in Seattle! I took my new acoustic guitar to them since it was buzzing. Sam was extremely helpful. He checked the guitar and explained the issues with great detail. They are experts about musical instruments and they love sharing the knowledge. I will be definelty visiting them for purchasing new equipment. read more

Good location, easy to find the entrance and the store inside is clean and bright. Good service for setting up guitars. Staff there are nice and the price is also acceptable. read more

What a very lovely shopping experience. We were wanting to get a ukulele as beginners and I was able to flag down Gary. I'm sure glad I did. He helped us through ukulele 101, taught us some chords, did a comparison of sizes, helped with tuning, and patiently answered our many questions. We walked out with a new ukulele, song book, tuner, and case. He was so knowledgeable and kind. It really was one of the best shopping experiences I've probably ever had. They have all sorts of stringed instruments of all shapes and sizes including many accessories. The place has room after room. It was really busy on a Sunday and all the staff were helpful and friendly. I'd recommend this place to anyone looking for any type of stringed instrument. I did notice you have to go downstairs to get there and didn't see an elevator or an electric chair to go up and down the stairs. read more

Apparently people using wheelchairs don't play stringed instruments. Disappointing. read more

I recently went to Dusty Strings with a precious, handmade guitar made by my husband in the early 1970s. He passed and I wanted to get it repaired so it can be played at his memorial service. The two Jacobs I met with there were exceptional. Jacob P was sensitive and helpful with my request, and Jacob C did a beautiful job on repairing the guitar in time for the service. He did an assessment, explained each step of the repair process, and communicated along the way. Rarely does one see such thoroughness and pride in workmanship as demonstrated by Jacob C. I highly recommend him, if you ever need repair work on your musical instrument. Thank you Jacob C and Jacob P! read more

I had an awesome experience being in the store! The staff was friendly and knowledgeable and they have a great collection of electric guitars although most of their stuff was acoustic instruments. My intention of coming was to try their Collings guitars that looks like an ES-335, but in reality I did try a lot of stuff other than that. The way the staff explained stuffs to me was awesome and made me more curious about more stuff they had. read more

Dusty Strings - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Great guys. They helped us pick out an instrument with no pressure. Patiently answered all our questions. A very good shopping experience.

Had a reset done on my D18 for which I paid $450. The reset did not improve the action on my guitar so I took it to another shop authorized to repair martins. The other shop questioned whether any repair was done at all but did find that a reset was done but was inadequate. The new shop is doing another reset which will be covered by Martin. Brought in a 0028 to Dusty Strings and they didn't do a good job on that either. Don't like the management or their attitude. Sales people are snotty. Not a great selection of guitars. I won't ever go back to this store. read more

Thanks for helping me out with my upcoming move and giving me a used box. Such a life saver

I love dusty strings. Their guitars are always setup to perfection. They also have a great selection of other instruments.

A few years further into my guitar playing Dusty String is still the best store in the Seattle area for acoustic instruments.

Super friendly salespeople, but if you're looking to sell/trade-in an instrument, they're ruthless. They will lowball you, with no flexibility or negotiation. "Take it or leave it," in a Seattle-friendly demeanor. read more

This was my first time in their store. It has a great vibe, and the employees were friendly. I only bought a shirt and a few picks, but I'll be back. read more

Dusty Strings - Electric guitar demo room. A nice way to protect other customers from my vicious riffs - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Dusty Strings was a really neat place. I'm sure if I actually played guitar that I would have been even more impressed, but alas, I can only play the clarinet. My boyfriend, on the other hand, does play guitar (and owns three or four), so he was super impressed by this place and wanted to go back after our first visit. The door has a dulcimer chime that rings out upon entering - very nice touch. The way they have the guitars organized on the wall is so nice - it's a very visually pleasing display and I was instantly drawn to it, even though I couldn't tell you much of anything about guitars. John picked one out that he wanted to play and got right to it. They don't care if you play anything in here and, from what I could tell, they even encourage you to do so. (They have acoustic rooms where you can privately play, if you want.) While John fiddled around on the guitar, I wandered over to the dulcimers. I know I've heard of dulcimers, but I hadn't really seen one and I wasn't sure how they were played. A nice woman asked me if I needed help with anything or if I had any questions and I asked her about how dulcimers worked. She gave me a little mini lesson right there! She showed me how the instrument was played, how notes worked, how dulcimers don't usually have as many notes as other instruments, so some of the half-steps are missing, and other nifty little details. I thought that was super cool of her to give me a little breakdown of the instrument and she answered each one of my questions with ease. Now I have a working knowledge of the dulcimer and that's pretty nifty! John also learned a thing or two about guitars. Well, guitar manufacturers. Did you know that Collings guitars are made in Austin, TX? I didn't! John played a beautiful Collings guitar and received a lot of information about the brand. (I don't know how much he already knew, but I knew nothing, so I thought it was all neat information.) John also played an absolutely gorgeous Taylor guitar - I asked him to play it because I thought it was beautiful. He was impressed with the quality of both instruments and, if we weren't traveling, I'm sure he would have purchased one. Everyone we encountered here was very friendly and knowledgable. For those of you in the area, Dusty Strings also hosts several classes, so you can learn a new instrument or perfect your skill on an old one. There was a class being held when we visited and it was cool to get to listen in. I think that Dusty Strings is a very valuable resource for those who play the instruments they sell and the passion the employees have for each instrument is apparent. Now to check out Collings since it's made in my neck of the woods. read more

Dusty Strings - They have music classes! - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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This place is so charming. Opening/closing the door strums a dulcimer (!!!) so you get a very musical greeting. The staff was super friendly and helpful. One guy gave me a dulcimer mini-lesson. Also, there's just a ton of instruments: guitars, 4-string guitars, ukuleles, harps, kalimbas, etc. read more

I've bought, I've rented, I've gotten repairs, and I've taken a class here. They're just great. We're lucky to have them in Seattle.

Repairs: DS has a quality repair dept., but to save you some time they won't work on an instrument unless you bought it from them. This has been true for a couple years. read more

A music shop with local personality. I've walked by the entry several times in Fremont. I finally walked down the stairs and entered. First off, when you open the door, you are greeted with an overhead strum. You'll understand what I'm saying when you enter for yourself. I love love love the variety. You'll find way more than your typical Guitar Center or music shop. Ukulele selection is wonderful! The guitars, banjos, and harps are wonderful as well. I love the classes and shops available. There's community surrounding this store. The people were very informative while walking around. You can tell they enjoy this place and what they're a part of. I appreciate all the things necessary with owning an instrument. These are things I don't think of. Sure, you can buy an instrument. But what about how you store it, display it, transport it, clean it, renew it, etc. It's all here. And if you don't know what else you may need, just ask. read more

They have a nice selection of instruments. In fact on of the first instrument you hear is when you open the door because it also strums an instrument above. Very unique. Among all the other instruments, I was very surprised to see harps and not just any harp - the high end kind of harps. read more