We go in here all the time when we go to shop at Trader Joe's and the customer service representatives here seem very nice and they're always welcoming to to my kids and they seem genuinely passionate about music. They always have shows you weekend evenings and is a store where they bring community members together ideally like how music is the center of the store and not just selling things. read more

Came in Black Friday weekend to shop for a digital piano. The first staff who helped me knew nothing about piano nor the differentiators of the more mainstream models. The funny part was when I asked him about certain models, he google searched and read the content back to me. Hmmm... could have done that myself with more efficiency but giving him credit for the effort. The second staff had no interest to serve me obviously, sharing little information on the differences of the models while hoping to land a sale with such hasty service. No thank you. If your intention is to come in for more information on the products that you see online, then spare yourself a trip. read more

Great service - a quick and friendly for getting my guitar strings replaced as I waited in 15 mins. A dedicated section for guitars to explore and variety of accessories to choose! read more

Excellent selection, fantastic service... I plan to come back over and over and over again! It's a musician's haven.

This Guitar Center is really nice and BIG. They have all your musician and audio needs. They have a cool DJ room with speakers, you can try out the turntables. They have a drum room where you can play the drums. Also feel free to pick up a guitar, if you can play, of course. What makes this spot really cool is they offer music lessons for people of all ages. My kid takes drumming lessons here and the teachers are really nice. Well done, Guitar Center. read more

Guitar Center - Party time! - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - San Mateo, California

(Michael Bublé voiceover) The vibe is THE place to get audio equipment! Chad rocks! Went above and beyond to help me set up for karaoke night! Thanks, Chad! It was an epic night of unbridled out of tune fun! We even sang 'Set Things Right' by 'you ME & luigi'. Woohoo! read more

Some of the inventory are damaged and they try to sell them as new and hope the customer doesn't notice. The customer service is sub par at best. They only deal in volume and the attention to detail and quality suffers. read more

I've been to quite a few Guitar Centers, but the San Mateo location really stands out in the best way. The staff here are super friendly, knowledgeable, and--best of all--not pushy. I came in looking for a new electric guitar and ended up spending over an hour just trying different models with zero pressure. The guy at the counter (wish I caught his name) actually took the time to walk me through different pickup types and amp pairings, which was awesome. The store itself is clean and organized, and even though there were a few customers jamming in the corner (as always), the vibe stayed relaxed. They also had a solid selection of used guitars , in great shape. read more

I stopped going in there as the customer service was terrible. I am not sure if they're on commission or not but if they are, they definitely don't deserve it. This is why people buy online and return in your store. I am specifically talking about the guitar section. Went in there to test out a couple of guitars and amps, older gentleman with long hair wasn't nice. Another gentlemen (scruffy hair and beard) helping me out with the guitars never asked how I was doing. I was left alone with questions and no one ever approached me. You guys need to change your attitude. We come to the store looking for experts. Looking for help. Learning an instrument is hard enough as it is and now adding all these different types gear to list doesn't make it easier. Be the friendly experts we expect when we go there. read more

We scheduled a trial vocal lesson for 5pm last Saturday, email confirmation received; All of a sudden, an email came 'confirmed: you lesson has been rescheduled', which, without consulting us, switched our appointment to this Saturday at 2pm instead. Luckily we are available hence we went. Guess what, the front desk told us we've been cancelled. I wouldn't trust this place for any lessons, total time waster! read more

Friendly staff, the instructor for drums was a young guy and I liked his energy. I had to stop my lessons due to some unfortunate personal reasons but overall my experience was good for a month. read more

Had an awesome experience at Guitar Center San Mateo. I'd been getting the runaround at two other locations trying to pick up an online order, and was pretty fed up then I received a call from a man named "Will" saying that he'll take care of me and also reassured me that I won't be disappointed. When I finally arrived, I was greeted by Will, Chad and John. They were all super friendly, easy to talk to, and actually helped me out without any hassle. They all teamed up to see what was wrong with my order , and they showed me what real customer service is supposed to look like. After around 10 mins, I was finally able to pick up my order with no problems. Really appreciate the help -- this is the Guitar Center I'll be going to from now on. read more

I'm in the store right now, asking about the return policy. The customer service guy was starting to answer my question, then mid sentence stops, saying "oh I'm supposed to be on my break" and leaves me standing there shocked without being helped. read more

Have to compliment the guys at San Mateo Guitar Center. They are always friendly and helpful. Special kudos to luthier Aadth for his recent assistance for fixing the flaws on the used "great condition" acoustic that wasn't quite "great". And for Mario for always trying to make the many transactions work the past few years, no matter how many times I change my mind. My "go-to" place for my music journey. Check them out. read more

Customer service workers training at this location need training. Went ready to buy and ask to see a speaker. I wanted to see the product but it was up in the shelf and needed to bring it down and no offer to bring it down. Salesperson told me he did not want to bring it down . I need to see to the inputs outputs of the speaker. Went ahead and purchased at Sweetwater far superior customer service. I also have been criticized by sales people when I ask for consumer products. Hey there is a huge podcast market and that's why some pro-audio companies are making products for this market: I get it I also do pro audio and understand consumer products, but don't need be lectured by the salesperson. read more

I didn't make a major purchase, but went in to buy headphones for my electronic drums. I had 3-4 specific models in mind. The salesman said he didn't recommend 1 of the ones I had researched, and brought me the other 3 headphones to try and then left me alone with an electronic drum kit. I spent 30 minutes going back and forth and chose the one I wanted. Salesman was very friendly and professional. A little later I went back to the store to return an online purchase I had made and they took care of it efficiently and again were friendly. read more

Can I just give a shout out to the most supreme kind and excellent service of- customer service manager; Will. I'm currently playing a musical and needed a few items and Will made it more than a breeze for me to come and get in+ out and I also admire the beauty and cleanliness of the drum department! Not forgotten; the phone courtesy of Miguel, Thank you! read more

Super cool, chill laid back vibe with very experienced musicians and sales people, not at all pushy and eager to help, a wealth of information. A little known factoid about this place is that it offers music instruction (my husband signed up guitar lessons from a dude so chill and cool, it's impossible to describe). The guys here know their business and if you're coming in for a guitar or just picks as we did, because my husband keeps forgetting where he keeps his, no matter the size of our purchase, the folks here are helpful and awesome. In the past, my husband bought a guitar from them and once again, the people helped from A to Z. The interior is a musician's paradise, a colorful bounty of instruments, beautifully displayed from walls tops to beneath. The prices are waaay reasonable. Parking is on the street and plentiful in that it's not downtown San Mateo, but a bit off the track. read more

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I have been looking for music song books all over the place and I haven't been able to find them much anywhere. You'd think a book store would have it but they really don't have any sheet music just music history and theory. Guitar Center has a nice collection of songbooks with tons of varying artists. I had a very specific book in mind to give to my son to get him started on his favorite band, blink-182 and I really don't want to buy from Amazon. Luckily this place has such a wide variety of music that even this very specific best hits songbook I was looking for, was in fact amongst the shelves. On my way out I was having issues with my credit card and the store associate was very patient and kind. He made sure to work with me while I figured out the glitch. Luckily I got it working but he was just such a pleasure to work with I knew I had to leave a review for his professionalism alone. They have a huge lot because it's at hillsdale shopping center and even though these stores get very busy you can still find somewhere to park. They seemed to have a nice variety of guitars, both acoustic and electric, as well as new and used. The only thing I can't help but notice is no one stocks lefty guitars hardly, if at all. However, I know how rare it is to see lefties in any store so I won't be docking them a star for this slight shortcoming. Im very happy this Guitar Center is here and in such a convenient and easy to access location. I'm sure I'll be back. read more

Guitar Center - blink-182: Greatest Hits songbook - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - San Mateo, California

Haven't touched my guitar in a couple of years cuz you know life. Took my guitar in to get in dialed in and more! Got my guitar looking and sounding brand new! Best Guitar center in the bay! read more

went in to get some gear and "Will" helped me out. He super helpful, very resourceful, efficient and extremely friendly. I actually want to come back and spend more money just to give this dude more business. What a solid dude. give him a raise read more

This place needs to do some firing not training. Rudeness galore. The pleasure of music is tainted by the employees. Almost spent two grand a couple of days back but didn't because of a rude employee. Thank God I spent less elsewhere for the same stuff. read more

Shoutout to Patty, for great customer service!! I called in to check on a Taylor Guitar Barstool after going to 2 other stores that showed inventory online. The 2 other stores didn't even bother looking, just said that had never seen them before... Called the Dublin store, Patty picked up and also mentioned she hadn't seen this particular item. The biggest difference here, she put me on hold and actually went to look for it. After about 10 minutes, she came back to the phone and not only told me she had found 2 of them, she also told me about a few other cool stools they had in stock!! Unfortunately the guy a the register told me she was on lunch when I got there, hopefully if there is any commission, she should be the one to get it since she was the hero here!! Dublin is about 10 minutes further for me than San Mateo, but based on this experience I will be doing more of my purchases at this location. read more

Guitar Center - Taylor Guitar Stool, looks amazing! - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - San Mateo, California

I believe his name was will but he went above and beyond helping my find xlr cables. And answering all my technical questions. His friendly demeanor and knowledge of products really helped me. read more

Worst customer service with rude employee's that don't want to help you. They stand around talking. I tried to get the sale price of a guitar but they said I couldn't as I had to order it. Went to SF and they have great customer service and I ordered my guitar at the sale price. I've purchased several guitar's 10 from SM but won't ever shop there again. It's worth the drive to SF even tho I live 5 mins from there. read more

So I decided to give them a call and see what they may recommend. My first call went well. He said call back closer to Black Friday once sales are out. I called Wednesday before Thanksgiving and the person I talked with wasn't very helpful. I am calling because of COVID and don't want to visit store and he kept suggesting to stop in the store and we have lessons in the store and we have many choices in the store. I also asked about the contactless pickup options. He said yes we have that, and more about coming into the store. I ended up just ordering online and paying for shipping. I look forward to visiting once that's an option, but until then I appreciate those who make these easier. I did get some good suggestions and recommendations for my 9 year old interested in learning to play the drums, hence the 4/5 stars. I look forward to zoom lessons and more. read more

Excellent customer service! I bought an acoustic guitar from Mario yesterday and he was a huge help. I'm a beginner so can't play well enough to hear the true sound and nuances of each guitar, so Mario graciously played the ones I was interested in. He took the time to explain the differences of each guitar, but didn't try to oversell me on anything. Thanks so much! read more

Guitar Center - My new Taylor 214ce! - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - San Mateo, California

Went to exchange an item at this location and was being helped by the manager (probably late 20's to early 30's with a beard). Sadly, he was trying to quickly rush us and kept sighing, saying "to be honest, I'd rather be doing other things than this" and other unnecessary side comments. He ended up loading the funds to a gift card without explaining our options. However, we called the Santa Clara location and they were happy to help us. I was very surprised by his attitude and poor customer service as a manager since all the other people I've talked to on the phone, both at Santa Clara and San Mateo, were super nice and helpful. read more

Big thanks to Curtis for helping me track down an 11-year-old receipt from a store in another state when I needed it for a warranty repair on my guitar. He took the time to do this even when he knew I wasn't there to spend money and the store was very busy. Great customer care at this location! read more

They have a nice selection but they don't have enough salespeople to help customers. I've been there a couple of times, wanted to buy some stuff but ended up leaving. read more

My daughter was extremely frustrated and lost while trying to fix her guitar this morning. We tried YouTube videos but still couldn't get it and so she picked up the phone and called the Guitar Center to ask if they could help. They explained she could just show up and they would fix her guitar (I think it was $30 to string and tune - so reasonable!). Regretting that I didn't ask the name of the man that helped us at the repair shop because I'd like to give him a shout out! He not only fixed and tuned her guitar, he also showed her some tricks and ways he recommends replacing strings and tuning. She got a great mini-lesson and we sure appreciate that! Thank you, we will be back. read more

I had a pretty bad experience at this store. I was greeted by an employee who asked if I needed help and I said I wanted a new guitar and that I had been playing for about 25 years. The employee asked what my price range was and then lead me into the guitar room and said try whichever ones you want to within your reach and then he left. There were many guitars that were locked up and not accessible. I tried at least 2 (more than$1000) that had loose strings and were not playable or tuned. When I went to the cash register area to inquire about it, there were 4 employees just standing there and talking and one of them said that "they don't come out of the box ready to play" and offered no solution. While I was demoing a few guitars two other customers came into the room and started playing badly and singing at the top of their lungs, very badly, making it impossible for me to hear the guitars I was testing. There were only two other customers in the whole store during my visit and at least 5 total employees, just standing around. I bought a $1500 guitar, but the service was absolutely atrocious. read more

On April 4th I went to Guitar Center looking to buy more equipment. I was asking question's and the customer service was very rude. I am a novice when comes to playing guitar and buying equipment. The rep was trying sell me a brand new amp without the box and instruction book. The rep was so rude and a jerk. I let him know that I'm a disabled veteran and don't like you treating me from the I walked in. The gentleman doesn't need in be customer service he cannot be helpful and friendly. I have been coming to this location for almost nine years and this first that rep has been a jerk to me. read more

The workers here are always friendly and willing to help. The few times we've been here to buy things or pick up online orders, it has been a little difficult to flag down a worker that isn't occupied with another customer (glad they are busy!) so I'd bucket in sometime just in case no one is free to help you. My biggest gripe is that the online inventory is often incorrect. I would recommend calling in for a stock check and not relying on what the website says is in stock if you're looking for something specific that might be only available in limited quantities. We've definitely wasted a few trips to the store before we realized the website isn't reliable. read more

Came in to check out a guitar I wanted, liked it, they didn't have any new ones in stock so they said to buy one online if I wanted a new one. So I did, bought a brand "new" guitar online at guitarcenter.com and received the same used floor model I tried out a few days before in San Mateo store. !!! Beware, Guitar Center will claim to sell you a guitar in "new" condition - they even write it on the email receipt, but if they don't have "new" ones in their distribution center, they will try to pass a Scuffed up floor model as "new"! Thats not right. Oh, and the packing was terrible to boot. Returning & I'll never buy a guitar here again. C'mon, Guitar Center. read more

Guitar Center - Yay! My new guitar! - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Shout out to Will, the customer service manager who went above and beyond to help me with my return yesterday afternoon. The first guy, I think his name was Chad, who helped me a week ago made me feel like I was rushed and judged. Since the item was not clearly introduced and explained to us, we ended up returning the item after a week and exchanging it for a different instrument. So if you plan on going at this location to purchase instruments, I suggest you look for Will, he is the best guy in the store. read more

I recently came by this location two days in a row. The first day, an associate named Stuart helped me pick up my Roland Juno DS88 which came in a few days early. He also gave me some tips about possibly getting gear even quicker by calling in to the store. Very friendly and knowledgeable, and helped me into my vehicle with my gear. The second day, I was helped by Miguel who helped me pick out some studio monitors. He demoed the ones I went there with the intention of buying, but I ended up getting a pair of Kali monitors which sound WAY better for what I wanted them for. He also explained Kali's backstory, which gave me a lot of confidence in the newer brand. Excellent customer service from beginning to end! read more

I was shopping for a digital keyboard for a professional festival orchestra. It is to be used for celesta and harpsichord parts. On the floor were the usual suspects: GC's in-house brand as well as a couple of reputable makers. When I inquired about another reputable brand, I was told it's in the back. When I asked to see/try it, I was told it's for people who know what they want. I guess if I knew what I wanted, I'd just order it online, and save the hassle of going to a brick and mortar store. Online stores aren't the cause of the decline of retail market. read more

Good selection of guitars, friendly yet not-hovering staff. At checkout, I did get a hard sell on a warranty and when I politely declined, the sales guy was a jerk. But then again, he forgot to charge me for one of my items, so perhaps we'll call it even! read more

For Chad, the worst Guitar Center employee ever. Came in to return an item. No one was at the register and couldn't find an employee for a while until a tall cranky white man asked me if I needed help. I let him know I wanted to return an item and asked how long I had it for. I pulled up my email receipt and he informed me that it was past the deadline by a couple days. I informed him that I was told that the return policy at Guitar Center was 45 days and he went on and on about how some items were only 14 days. I wasn't aware as I never ever shopped here before. He was very rude and just stared at me w his dead soulless eyes. He proceeded to tell me to "read the return policy on the door on the way out" and I told him that no one is standing at the front of the door to read their policies. The policy isn't even on the receipt, you have to deep dive and find it on their website. In big bold letters the website says 45 days. He was very hostile mentioning that he "sold me the item and I've been working here for years and I would've told you the policy" when I told him time and time again that he didn't. I asked is there anything I can do, I was even willing to settle for a gift card. After like 20 mins of arguing, he finally budged and said he would give me a gift card and "I wont do anything about it if you lose it". Not sure what made him think I was just going to magically lose it but sure. He gave me my refund and he mumbled to his coworker "im not even going to deal with it". Probably the worst experience ive ever had anywhere. Rudest soulless skeleton ive ever met. Thank you Chad for the worst customer service known to man. read more