One of the best guitar shops in Northern California. Awesome techs and cool selection of used and new instruments.

This store is loaded with some of the best mandolins you will find in the bay area. Northfield, Eastman, and the cheaper Kentucky. They were helpful and let us try out any instrument we wanted, made a nice slow and careful decision on which one to get. I'm not sure about their instrument repair, but there was a couple guys back there doing repairs. The store is well stocked and has some vintage instruments as well. And tons of free picks that say Gryphon. read more

Thank you for all you do for the community! This the type of business I support. Great customer service and super friendly knowledgeable staff. Keep up the great work. read more

I don't know much about my guitar yet, but. I'm trying. These guys are so awesome and patient. Will definitely be back, and, I am a customer for life! read more

I love guitars and have been playing for a long time. It's not the greatest place for beginners due to the skewed selection of high end instruments. However if you are looking for those super nice instruments that a guitar center would lock up, they are everywhere and in way better shape than any guitar center would keep them. The employees are helpful and very friendly. I've bought a couple of guitars there I think though they've let me play dozens of incredible guitars to try out. They also have one of my favorite used sections because it's all great stuff and I often find myself regularly checking their website stock even when I'm out of town. read more

High quality instruments, knowledgable friendly staff. Great repair department.

Great selection of acoustics new and used! The staff trusted me to play some pretty pricey instruments for over an hour on my own and made me feel comfortable even though I'm still a beginner. I really appreciated not getting a 'judgey' vibe and walked out with a great new guitar! Couldn't be happier and excited to keep patronizing them. read more

I've taken three guitars here for work ups. First one was a few years ago--my ES-335 wasn't staying in tune. They replaced the stock bone nut for an unbleached one, and I haven't had any issues since. The second one was a few days ago--J-200 with some bowing and high action problems. A fellow named Alfred ruled out bridge issues, spent a few minutes adjusting the truss rod, and got it back in tip top shape. The other time I brought in my dad's old Hohner from 1972, also to fix some bowing and replace the original 12-string tuning pegs. They politely let me know it was a cheap guitar and would have cost more to repair than to buy a new one. So points for honesty. It's easy to give a guitar shop five stars, but IMO these guys earned it. Excellent service and good experience every time. read more

Wonderful selection for all budgets, friendly and knowledgeable staff. A gem of a shop. You won't be disappointed.

Fixed a major chip on a Taylor fingerboard, if I didn't know where the chip was it was after fixed, wouldn't have been able to find it. Can barely see the repair right above the second fret mark. read more

Gryphon Stringed Instruments - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Palo Alto, California

This is a review for the repair department only. I think the gear department carries some nice curated stuff. i noticed the action on my Taylor 414ce had gone significantly high after over 10 years of stability. I had measured the guitar's action at 12th and 1st and measured the relief. This guitar was in Taylor's factory specs when it played great. taylor told me to have the neck shimmed. talyor's have special necks made for this. It's not something unusual. so i have the measurements from when it played great. I have the factory recommendation. the first time i got to grython the tech plays the guitar for 30 seconds and says it's within specs and doesn't need any work. i think to myself "well, he's the pro. maybe i measured something wrong. i hadn't played it for a while etc. " i drive back to SF (this is 2 hours round trip). measure again. nope. it's well outside of taylor's spec range and a lot more work to play than my other guitar. i return to gython. this time they recognize it needs an adjustment. i tell them the neck needs shimming according to taylor. i tell them to bring it back to factory specs. very specific instructions. what did they do. they adjusted the bridge instead of shimming the neck. they said the factory does not authorize shimming unless the action is way off. factory had a different story. so did the next repair place which did shim the neck. relief was way out of spec range and causing buzzing. all action was the same except low E string at 12th which came down to the top of factory spec range. they were good about follow up. said i could bring it back for more adjustments. but after a total of 4 hours driving i'm calling it quits. They were easy to work with but just didn't seem to listen to what i was asking for. read more

The folks at Gryphon are truly masters of their craft and if you need a repair or appraisal, it's the best place in the bay. The salespeople are also very knowledgeable and are never condescending (no matter the level of your guitar expertise). read more

I'm glad to see Gryphon is open and running in these hard times. I've had two electric guitars set up and both were perfect. The first time I came here a few years ago I was greeted warmly and even given a tour of the shop and back area which I found very inspiring. I've also felt welcome to test guitars and even after having moved away for a long while they still remembered me a bit from the few times I came in before. I can't complain about price considering everything in the Bay area is overpriced, but felt what I've paid here was worth it and I trust they are trying to keep things reasonable. My experience is limited to guitars, but for what it's worth and what they offer I would highly recommend Gryphon! read more

Once again, Gryphon strings was kind enough to refret another of my guitars with stainless steel frets. I watched youtube videos regarding working with stainless steel frets and everyone said it is a major pain in the ass. I appreciate Gryphon not only offering this service but also doing it so well. James helped me out again and presented my options and a few weeks later it was all done. One more thing: I'm really glad Erik F. is back at Gryphon. He was there for a while, left and has now returned. Not only is he a *phenomenal* guitar player, he's truly a first class guy. He asked me if I wanted to try my new frets out before I left and I said sure. We went back to the amp room and he kindly asked the other customers if they would step out for a moment so I could test the guitar. This was a small gesture that meant a lot to me. It's speaks of Gryphon's commitment to ensuring customer satisfaction. Thanks, Erik! Terrific staff. Terrific results. Highly recommended. read more

Gryphon Stringed Instruments - Stainless steel frets. Love it! - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Palo Alto, California

Like this is one of the most epic acoustic guitar stores I've ever seen. I came in here years ago and bought a Kamaka Pineapple. Years later, I came back in and bought a Kamaka Tenor. Why am I buying ukes here? Well I already have a nice acoustic and am on a uke bender. Ok so since then I've had a few little things done. Install a pickup here or a peg there. Their shop is fantastic. I wouldn't trust anyone else with my Kamakas or my Martin. Dudes in the front are also super chill. They leave you alone but if you need help they will help you. I've mostly worked with Paul who was just friendly and chill. Totally the best. read more

My bluegrass snob buddies all make snide comments about Gryphon but they all get their guitars repaired here and at least start (if not finish) here when looking for a new instrument. I think the grumble factor comes from the fact that it annoys them that there is not another choice for the serious musician looking for an acoustic steel stringed guitar in the Bay Area. The repair shop is second to none. There's one bearded guy, Frank I think his name is, who is amazing. My daughter inadvertently put her ass through my relatively new Martin guitar. Frank spent a great deal of time evaluating the corpse and explaining to me, in great detail, the pros and cons of getting it fixed versus walking away from the wreckage. It would have been so easy to work me to find out what I'd be willing to pay to have it fixed and then taking my money for a guitar that would never sound or feel the same. I guarantee you that most places would do just that. As the other reviewers have said, it's not the cheapest. If you're Richard Thompson and don't need any advice or help in selecting an instrument, you can do better elsewhere. If you're the 99.9% of the Bay Area population of young working musicians or Silicon Valley engineers just dying to play those Clapton riffs on a something that will impress your all-to-jaded friends, it's worth the extra dough. read more

My review pertains to the customer service at Gryphon Stringed Instruments. I was looking for a hollow body electric guitar. They showed me a couple of them, then I looked at some other guitars. I accidentally broke a string on a guitar. I felt terrible about it. I immediately brought it to the person at the cashier, apologized and offered to pay for a new set of strings. The guy was clearly annoyed and told me that wasn't necessary, and to "just put it down.". After that, I couldn't get his attention to talk about the hollow body guitars, or anything else for that matter. He was more interested in talking to some patrons he knew, than helping me. After standing at the cashier for about 10 minutes, I finally left. I didn't appreciate being ignored, and it is unlikely I'll ever return. That's not a proper way to treat customers. read more

Horrible customer service, way over priced. I suggest finding another more helpful business. Just look at their filtered reviews for more insight. read more

Alfred did a setup of a guitar for me. He talked to me about what I wanted to have done, listening carefully and provided some great advice. The work was finished early and the result was perfect. Also the cost was less than expected. read more

They set up my new guitar beautifully. Yeah, the bay is expensive- the store is lovely and so is the staff. They are guitarist's guitarists, in my opinion. read more

Love this place, they fixed up my dad's 1970 Martin guitar which was a wreck. Replaced the pick guard and the trimming as well as polished it up a little. My dad's guitar means a lot to me and they brought it back to life. read more

Alex restrung my Martin guitar today. What a very gentlemen! Incredibly awesome service.

INCREDIBLE customer service! I came to them with a guitar repair emergency (we had an upcoming holiday performance and a damaged pegboard/strings on our main guitar), and, even though they had made sure to let me know that they couldn't make any promises about a quick turnaround time because of the busy holiday season, they actually were able to repair the guitar even sooner than they tentatively planned for. In addition to this, every single person that I interacted with at the shop, either in-person or over the phone, was so incredibly friendly and completely professional. They really know their stuff! I had no issues, whatsoever, with any part of the process--from bringing the guitar in to assess the damage to paying for it and picking it up. On that note, the quality of their repair work is INCREDIBLE. Before beginning work on the guitar, they let me know that, because of the extent of the damage done to the guitar, the damage would still be somewhat noticeable, even after fixing it. However, upon picking up the guitar, there was hardly a trace left behind--the appearance of the damage was minimized so much that I'm positive no one would notice it unless specifically pointed out. All in all, I am extremely happy with their service! I will absolutely be coming back here for all of my guitar repair needs (and for some of their many, lovely guitars!) in the future! read more

I also want to say "Thank You" for standing up for what is right. No matter who the President or Republican or Democrat I think your Company will always do the right thing. Please excuse the Pun but you Guys frigging Rock!! May you all gather nothing but good Karma and Vibes. Be well, MidNightSIN read more

I received excellent service from Erik in my quest for a F5 mandolin. He was super friendly, and very knowledgeable. He offered me a quiet place to play the mandolins, and he didnt rush me as I tried them out. He even offered to play them for me so that I could hear them from the listeners side. I really appreciated his input, his patience, and his flexibility in working out the purchase details. I also appreciated the store manager (Matt), and the repair staff for working on another instrument for me while I waited. Thanks guys!! I will definitely be doing more business with these gents. Very highly recommended. read more

For being a fairly-frequent buyer and seller of higher-end guitars, I was surprised that I had not stopped by the famous Gryphon that much in my years living in the Bay Area. Not only was I pleased by the high-end inventory of brands like Collings, Santa Cruz, and Rick Turner, I was also happy to see that Matt now works here! He is an excellent resource who has helped me a ton over the years at another store, and now he will be my go-to for acquisitions that come through Gryphon. Matt never feels like a salesperson, just an old friend who plays and records himself and knows his stuff. He'll show you whatever you want to see, and even something you might not have reached for yourself. I just got strings and a shirt this time, but the amazing and rare Abernethy they currently have is really tempting me! read more

These guys redefine customer service. Paul is super friendly every time I go there. The first time I went in as the action in my guitar was high. Someone fixed it for me, for free and while I was waiting, someone else walked me through all the guitars I had. Today I went in to buy a new guitar and instead of just selling me one, Paul went to great lengths to explain why nothing was wrong with my current guitar. Customer service does not get better than that. read more

I came here to lower the action on my acoustic guitar. Friendly staff and they do good work. The job was completed in a few days.

First, unlike some of the negative reviewers here, I have actually shopped here. They've done a great job repairing a couple of our instruments, including a guitar that belonged to my wife's late mother that had incalculable value for our family. We've also had a kid take lessons from them, and their staff are highly expert. They are a great community resource and institution. read more

Best shop in the Bay Area. High end to low end guitars and everything in between. Amazing and friendly staff who will take the time. Paul actually gave me a tour and introduced me to his entire staff. Could have spent hours playing their amazing inventory. Will be back. read more

Gryphon Stringed Instruments - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Palo Alto, California

I love love this place. Richard and Matt are awesome dudes and really know their trade. If you are looking for some high end guitars or general guitar repair and service. This is the place in Palo Alto and on the entire peninsula! Five stars for ever for this place!! Five stars for ever for this place!! read more

This is what every business should be -- fantastic products that come from a passion for them, great service that comes from a genuine love of supporting customers, wonderful and unwavering fostering of community over decades. Whether I have been there to buy a few guitar picks, as cheap a guitar as I could get (I have a guitar I got there for less than $300 that sounds unbelievable for that price range), or a nice one, they have taken me just as seriously and helped just as much. I have so many great experiences over the years taking workshops, hearing great players noodling on some instrument they are trying, shooting the breeze with Frank who is one of the best instrument repair people in the world (and just as kind). The knowledge of the staff is unparalleled. The last thing we got there was a case for a slightly nonstandard-sized instrument, and more than one person, including Richard the owner, helped make sure I found exactly what I needed to protect my instrument within my budget. They never try to upsell, they treat you like they would a friend or a member of the family. I feel like anything I write could not do this place justice. I give it five stars because there is no logarithmic scale. read more

The best musical instrument store for stringed instruments in the Bay Area bar none. Extreamly knowledgeable staff, nice people, a great experience for musicians and wanna be musicians alike. You will be able to try out many instruments by various makers ranching from less expensive (no cheap crappy instruments) to expensive instruments. Nobody is going to press you to buy. Instead they will share their knowledge if you solicit it. The repair shop is also a jewel. The antithesis of the Guitar Center experience . read more

I've shopped at Gryphon Guitars and have really enjoyed coming here. There is always something cool to see. I've attended Taylor Roadshow events at their shop. I plan to go back. I have a used guitar that I would like them to adjust the bridge to change the action. read more

I brought an inexpensive guitar in to Gryphon to get it set it up to make it easier to play. I expected to have to leave the guitar there for several days at least and wasn't sure if the price was going to be worth it. I was pleasantly surprised when friendly guitar tech Alfred Aguiniga, after inspecting the guitar for about a minute, said it just needed a small truss rod adjustment and that he would do it right away, for free. He was finished ten minutes later and the guitar feels much better now. Thanks Alfred! read more

On Saturday February 17 I needed to have my son's 1/2 Kremona Classical Guitar restrung. His teacher at the California Conservatory of Music had suggested that we use Hannabach Guitar strings for a classical guitar. I had to order them online since Gryphon doesn't carry them which was no big deal. I came in about an hour before my son's group class was to take place in Santa Clara. The technician in the back asked if we could wait 15-20 mins. I explained that we were in a rush and he smiled and said no problem. He restrung the guitar immediately and my son enjoyed trying out some of the classical guitars in the store while we waited. I will say that I want to learn how to do this myself because they charged $20 to restring which, the way rents in Palo Alto are, I can't really blame them for. It wasn't clear to me if they'd charge to restring if I had bought the strings from Gryphon. read more

Incredibly inviting and professional staff. We purchased a gorgeous Taylor 12 String and were extremely happy with the entire process. The staff went above and beyond to accommodate our needs. Thank you to Michael, Tom, and Matt! We will definitely be recommending this store to other guitar players and look forward to our next visit! read more

Gryphon Stringed Instruments - Taylor 12 String! - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Palo Alto, California

They are experts in guitar and ukulele repair. 10 years ago I have my vintage Martin guitar restored. We recently received a Martin ukulele as a gift. They checked it out and said it was in good shape and nothing was needed to be done. Thanks read more

I have been visiting Gryphon for many years and they are everything a musical instrument shop could hope to be. I drive 45 minutes just to support them when I need anything. They treat everyone at every level of musical ability as a valued customer and even as a friend. Their repair shop is second to none and is led by Frank Ford, a world class repairman and a hell of a nice guy. Go to Gryphon for any musical need and you will be treated right. read more

Gryphon is a great shop for the professional player, high quality amplifiers, the rooms sound nice, amazing string selection, every guitar is set up to play as well as it can, and Amazing Consignment Instruments! I found a D'Angelico II New Yorker at a great price there, it plays like a dream and the staff seems to care about instruments going to a good home. I just read through some reviews and I can see what some of the naysayers are saying, the place is expensive, some of the salesmen are a touch salty. but they care about their product and unlike many other shops that sell acoustic instruments, they are not primarily in the business of selling you your first crappy guitar. They want to sell you your first GOOD guitar, if you want to save money and buy a budget guitar, that's fine, go somewhere else. People complain about the prices, but you may not realize that all their instruments get time on the bench beyond what gets done at the factory. I don't have a lot of money myself, but I care about quality, and I don't mind scrimping and saving to get something that goes the distance. This place is great, I will be returning as soon as I can for an AER compact 60 to go with the New Yorker! read more