Cool shop, great selection of gear and super knowledgeable and helpful staff members. Highly…read morerecommend.

Less than one I feel sick to my stomach…read more This is my experience. The ego often makes a shop owner see themselves as vying with the customer rather than serving them. The ego often makes a shop owner see themselves as competing with the customer rather than serving them. In conclusion, when a shop owner's ego becomes the primary motivator, they may "dismiss" the customer to safeguard their self-image and sense of authority. This behavior often contradicts the classic notion that "the customer is always right." Instead, it reflects a pride that purportedly aims to create a comfortable, dignified environment. However, this approach lacks genuine substance, as it is built on flawed assumptions that undermine core principles of customer service.  Upon entering the establishment, I was separated from others and treated in a manner I believe would not occur outside this context. Specifically, I felt infantilized when I was informed that employers had complained about me for asking for deals. The feedback I received was vague and poorly articulated. However, one allegation shared was that I allegedly threw objects at staff members. This situation is unlikely ever to occur, particularly given that I felt my conversation went well. The irony was that, after I paid the full price for the installment, I was reprimanded for inquiring about a discount. This response can be seen as a manifestation of perceived disrespect; when customers do not exhibit the level of deference expected by the business owner, the owner may prioritize personal pride over financial gain. The proprietor of Hank's Music has requested that I refrain from visiting the establishment in the future unless I fully grasp the protocol regarding pricing negotiations for their pre-owned instruments. It is crucial to avoid discussing the possibility of negotiating the listed price, especially in the presence of customers and employees. A shop owner's ego can sometimes lead to reactions that prioritize personal pride over business acumen, particularly when considering the perceived value of instruments, as many musicians receive only a fraction of their instruments' value when trading them in or purchasing them outright. When operating from a place of ego, owners may misinterpret customer feedback or inquiries as personal affronts rather than constructive business interactions. This is ironic, given that I previously sold instruments to their establishment, thereby providing them with the opportunity to profit from those sales. In such scenarios, emotional responses can overshadow the potential benefits of engaging customers in a more transactional, less personal manner. I will not provide justification, engage in debate, defend my choices, or offer explanations regarding my actions. My dissatisfaction with the guitar has reached a point where I regret entering the store and making any purchases. Consequently, I have resolved to withdraw my support for this establishment and will not return in the future. I am sick to my stomach.

Full disclosure- I am not a musician and I don't know anything about drums so I can't comment on…read morethe quality of the selection or the knowledge of the staff in that regard but popped in to get a new pair of concert ear buds before a show. The lovely human working that day was so kind and helpful. As someone who is making an effort to buy things at locally owned places instead of big box retailers, I appreciated that while they did not have a large selection they did have some variation and the $20 pair I bought was much cheaper than what you see online and they worked so well. So if you ever find yourself in Portland for a show and need a pair- Rhythm Traders has you covered.

I can't say enough great things about Rhythm Traders! I was helped by two different employees who…read moreenabled me to close deals on a used cymbal stand and used hardware case. Being a musician and writer, I'm always on a tight budget, so I appreciate their recommendations.

This is a review about the in-store experience, not any transactions or trades…read more We stopped in one September afternoon while we were wandering around the Alberta Arts District and wow - what a selection of guitars. My partner has been playing for nearly 25 years, and really enjoyed getting to try out different instruments. I have less interest in guitars, but even I loved walking around to see every shape and style, plus ukuleles. The shop is pretty huge, you feel like it just keeps going. The store is laid back and gives you a lot of space to try things out. Another customer was there and was chatting up everybody, telling stories about his time in bands and how his guitar teacher was Tom Morello. The store employee was very chill and welcoming, and chatted with us as well.

I had to downsize, which included finding someone to take my old folk guitar, to hopefully benefit…read morea new owner. They paid me $50.

I was pleasantly surprised as I approach the address/location where Allegro Violin and Music is…read morelocated. "Spolier alert" - it's in a residential location! Craig opened the door and gave us his undivided attention for the next 90-120 minutes (I don't remember how long we took to decide on 4 or 5 different violins). But his attention to us and ability to answer most of our questions was very useful & helpful in our eventual decision. There were options and more options...and Craig clearly understood the process of violin purchasing! Patience and plenty of options were available. Definitely will recommend any friend or relatives to visit with Craig & Roxanne for a stringed musical instrument.

I'm a beginner violin player and was at a little bit of a loss about where to rent a violin while…read moreI'm learning. Allegro has better hours than most of the shops in the Portland metro area, so I made an appointment with Craig to see some violins. The shop is right in their house, and while I think they prefer appointments, I believe you could also just stop in. Craig showed me two different violins--entry level and mid level. I went with the mid-level and will be doing a rent to own. His prices are good and the instruments beautiful. He tuned it for me, had me try it out, and gave me some options for buying rosin and the shoulder pad. He also showed me an app, pano, which you can use to tune the violin on your own. Pretty cool. I would highly recommend Allegro and Craig for your string instruments.

Mike has single-handedly kept my guitars in shape for over a decade…read more I wouldn't consider letting anyone else touch them. We've all had our bad experiences with instrument repair, not many things can be so frustrating and demoralizing, which is why I've stuck with Mike and followed him through his many stops. He takes extra care to make sure I'm happy with the work, from explaining what I'll need upfront, to minor tweaks to suit my needs before the guitar leaves the shop. He even helped me figure out a few songs my cement fingers were having trouble with. I am fully confident in recommending Sound Service to you.

I met Mike when he bought a piece of gear off of me and he informed me that he also does tech work…read more I was immediately interested, not only because Mike is a super nice guy, but after having lived in SF for some time, I had become disenchanted with most of the guitar techs in the city. In my experience most charge an arm and a leg for routine work, and don't have much time on their hands to interact with their customers. After doing some inquiry into Mike's reputation (which was stellar) I decided to give him a call about refretting what was probably my most prized guitar. We spoke for almost an hour in person going back and forth about my options and his recommendations. Ultimately, his recommendation is what I decided to go with. I could not be happier with both Mike's work and his advice. My guitar has never played better and his refret job was superb. In addition his prices were fair and reasonable. Mike is a stand-up guy, excellent tech, and I wouldn't hesitate to call him for any work in the future.

I'll start this review by saying I'm really pretty impulsive. I woke up on Sunday to the most…read moregorgeous weather I've seen in weeks and decided that I needed...NEEDED...a wooden flute. My partner plays acoustic bass and to me, it was the most perfect weather for low-key jammin'. So I called four different music stores and no one had wooden flutes, so in simply googling PORTLAND WOODEN FLUTES, Cedar Mountain came up. We didn't call first and just rolled up and they were closed, but had a number on the door. I called and the guy lives above the shop and HE CAME DOWNSTAIRS TO HELP US. I was so freaking thrilled I couldn't even. I bought the most beautiful native flute I've ever heard in real life (which hasn't been many). The guy was super knowledgeable and the shop had SO much amazing stuff in it, I can't wait to upgrade my flute once I exceed a novice ability.

Great space. Patrick is helpful and supportive. I go here with my ceremonial and drumming needsread more

On the recommendation of a friend and true professional musician, I recently had a prize bass…read moreconverted to fretless. Per my request, they used thin maple fake fret fillers, sanded perfectly flat and added a varnish covering. The work was flawless and spectacular. I even went with their recommended flat wound strings. Likewise, I brought them my jazz guitar for repairs, as well. Their work was better than the (not cheap!) guitar came from the factory (the intonation and action were both better.) The work isn't super fast, but with a small shop that is to be expected. Pricing was quite fair. Big thank you to the whole team. I am a very happy customer.

Always appreciate what these guys do for my guitars. I trust them with confidence new or vintage…read morethey are experts.

The best! I brought my old violin in. Hadn't played for decades. The owner told me what needed to…read morebe fixed and why, and also what I didn't need to do. He did a great job, over and above, to set me up for my exciting new journey. The price was reasonable, and I got my fiddle and bow back in a week or so and it sounds great.

I kick myself a bit for not taking my grandfather's violin to Kim Manselle when I acquired it. I…read moretook it to a rather renowned luthier in Portland who sadly did nothing with it for 3, yes 3, years. When I showed it to Kim, he said it would take a month or two to bring it back to playable condition. He did just that for 1/3 of what I would have paid the renowned luthier. Thank you Kim!