Guitronics

We purchased our very first piano from here at the beginning of the pandemic. We figured that…read moresince we'd be staying home more often, why not purchase a real piano!? We made an appointment to come in and Ulysses helped us out. He was friendly, knowledgeable, and helped us through the process. He didn't rush us or pressure us to buy a piano, and he was patient in answering all our questions. We went home that same day to think about which piano we wanted to get and returned a week later to purchase a Yamaha upright piano. Overall, it was a great experience and we now have a beautiful piano!

Update: Gary responded to this review... and then deleted his response a day later…read more After reading it, I actually understand and respect the appointment-only business model. If customers want a private showroom experience, that's completely reasonable. Plenty of luxury businesses operate that way. The problem was never the appointment policy. The problem was how a potential customer was treated. I live next door and have been curious about this store for a long time. I finally saw you at the business and thought I'd ask about purchasing a piano. Instead of a simple, "We're appointment-only, but here's my card--I'd be happy to schedule you," I was dismissed while you waited for your DoorDash order. As someone who works in marketing and customer experience, this felt like a textbook example of turning a warm lead into a lost customer. Your original response then spent paragraphs explaining why I shouldn't have expected service, but not one sentence expressing regret that a genuinely interested buyer walked away with a bad experience. That said, I'm adjusting this to a 2-star rating because I did see some effort to acknowledge my post, even if it ultimately fell short. Businesses don't earn loyal customers by proving they're technically correct. They earn them by making people feel welcome. A 30-second conversation could have turned me into a customer. Instead, it turned me into someone who will be buying a piano elsewhere. If you already have an appointment, I'm sure the experience may be perfectly fine. But if you're hoping to stop in, ask a question, or get a feel for the place before committing, don't expect much hospitality. That's ultimately why I'm leaving this review--not because the business is appointment-only, but because customer service begins long before the appointment ever does.

Nothing wrong with appointment-only. Everything wrong with making a potential customer in front of you feel unwelcome.

Music Exchange is Yamaha's Overall Dealer of the Year.

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This is my beautiful Yamaha Clavinova

Guitar Center

3.1(434 reviews)

1.3 mi•Pacific Heights

Quick and easy stop for me today at the guitar Center on Van Ness in San Francisco …read more Just came to return a cable. It was an extra after an event last week. Brought the cable in with the receipt. In this case the cable had been purchased from the Hillsdale store. But I was in the area so I thought I'd return it to the San Francisco store. I stand for super helpful. Return was quick and easy. Well, guitar may not have the lowest prices they are super convenient. And their staff has been helpful in every case that I went in there. The guitar Center on Venice. It's no different. Give them a shot for your needs.

My son is taking vocals at the Dublin location. His instructor Alejandro is so amazing with him. We…read morelove going every week!!!

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Speaker setup!

Guitar Solo

4.1(89 reviews)

1.1 mi•Mission Bay

Love these guys! I've bought two beautiful instruments from them and the experience both times was…read morefantastic. They are very chill, supportive, and helpful. It's a beautiful place to find just the right guitar :) And they have a fantastic selection of ukulele's and baritone ukulele's as well!

Got my guitar restrung here. The service was excellent and fast. They have a wide range of guitars,…read moreincluding less expensive ones. I appreciated that considering where we live.

Tuning machines

Kazoos, egg shakers, string winders, picks, & more

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Lots of guitars in all pricce ranges

SF Guitarworks

4.7(280 reviews)

0.7 mi•Mission

Be prepared for a wait -- guy working behind the counter deserves a raise , I was there offhandedly…read morebecause my old flatmate left a ukulele when he moved out, which I decided to restring and learn to play from zero ukulele experience Arrived to the shop on Potrero Hill promptly at my 11:30am appt to 3 others outside and then more came ( lots of professional people with fancy pants Fender guitars , and I was there with my pineapple red ukulele ) , an hour later got my ukulele in and told to collect at 2:30 pm. Which was great to offer same day service , I appreciated that. Went back at 2:30pm and greeted by another 3-4 folk waiting with Fender guitars- when it was my turn to collect my ukulele after 3pm , the guy had already been inundated by guitars , he rushed to get mine restringed in 4 minutes, was very patient and attentive but was quite rushed understandably ---- 5 stars for the solo guy working who deserves to have at least 1-2 other people work, he was confident, professional and a total sound guy ......, but all I'm saying is be prepared for a wait on a Saturday !! Also , had no idea so many people have guitar issues --- it was a constant stream of people showing up with very fancy guitars , who knew , what an experience.

Be prepared for a wait -- guy working behind the counter deserves a raise , I was there…read moreoffhandedly because my old flatmate left a ukulele when he moved out, which I decided to restring and learn to play from zero ukulele experience Arrived to the shop on Potrero Hill promptly at my 11:30am appt to 3 others outside and then more came ( lots of professional people with fancy pants Fender guitars , and I was there with my pineapple red ukulele ) , an hour later got my ukulele in and told to collect at 2:30 pm. Which was great to offer same day service , I appreciated that. Went back at 2:30pm and greeted by another 3-4 folk waiting with Fender guitars- when it was my turn to collect my ukulele after 3pm , the guy had already been inundated by guitars , he rushed to get mine restringed in 4 minutes, was very patient and attentive but was quite rushed understandably ---- 5 stars for the solo guy working who deserves to have at least 1-2 other people work, he was confident, professional and a total sound guy ......, but all I'm saying is be prepared for a wait on a Saturday !! Also , had no idea so many people have guitar issues --- it was a constant stream of people showing up with very fancy guitars , who knew , what an experience.

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Pineapple red ukelele

Amabile School of Music

4.3(35 reviews)

4.4 mi•Parkside

Locally owned & operated

15 years in business

My daughter has been a piano student and we have been very happy with the teachers and the overall…read moreservice. We had some disagreements with the school about scheduling and they hung in with us and we worked it out. It's nice that there's a person (in our case, Cheri) at the other end of every email who is quick to respond to our concerns, flexible and has partnered well with us on solving problems.

We have tried the younger child / group music class as well as the private lessons. The teachers…read morehave impressive music and teaching credentials and our kids making great progress. I appreciate they have multiple lessons going on all at the same time in different rooms so I can bring all my kids in for lessons at their different skill levels. They host regular recitals in beautiful venues for the kids to showcase their talents. Overall I've been really happy with this music studio.

Happy Lunar New Year!

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Our guitar student in action!

Sunset Music

4.6(66 reviews)

3.9 mi•Outer Sunset

They have sheet Music from entry to intermediate level for different instruments, including pops,…read morejazz and classical music. They also have instrument supplies. Everything is well-organized. Super friendly stuff, too!!

Sweet store..Jerry Thomas ran the store and then Evelyn M runs this store..and I asked to work here…read more20 years ago haha..I am a music teacher that would a good use of time and then I moved to Japan too..hahahahaah so I got some sheet music like Burt Bacharach, Evita(Andrew Lloyd Webber), and I also picked I left my heart in San Francisco because I left my Heart in Joe DiMaggio haha I got another metronome because it's missing and it belongs to the family and the guy who could figure out how to use it tick tock tick tock tick tock metronomes are fascinating..from Germany hahah There are ukeleles and guitar..and gifts stickers and shakers..old-fashioned store ..because it's my job too Yelp Back to the Future edition

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Exploring Music

4.6(90 reviews)

3.1 mi•Inner Richmond

Super cute music store! They have way more than what you think. I went in on a whim to see if they…read morehad harmonicas, and they had three different types to choose from! I didn't even know there were that many options, but the employee was very knowledgeable, helpful, and nice! Will be back once I've mastered the C-scale harmonica

Overdue review. Started my daughter at their yamaha group with Ms Nicole, and shes fantastic, just…read moreenough firmness and still fun. My daughter completed 2 recitals. Now she is in drums with Henry, another ever so patient instructor, he is also teaching my other daughter who was only 5yrs old when she started.

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Community Music Center

4.1(47 reviews)

1.2 mi•Mission

I will be honest: the idea of taking piano lessons for the first time as an adult was both an…read moreexhilarating and frightening prospect. Luckily for me, one of my good friends recommended that I check out the Community Music Center, and overall, I had an excellent experience! My instructor was Erick Peralta, and he covered both music theory and piano technique with patience and great skill. I thought that he paced the classes well, and the only reason I stopped working with him is due to leaving the Bay Area. I also appreciated how he integrated and referenced modern pop music while also making sure I learned piano standards. Finding practice piano rooms can be a challenge during peak instruction periods, but more often than not, I could find an open piano to practice right before my early afternoon classes. There were also some minor communication snafus when I tried to register for classes, but generally, staff at the center were welcoming and friendly.

We've been involved with CMC during various phases in our family. My kids took lessons here but…read moreare not aspiring musicians and one quit after middle school and the other way earlier that that. It's expensive to pay for piano lessons if your child is really not interested and we could've used that money towards kinetic activities which was more in line with what they preferred. Not all the teachers were patient with the kids and our youngest had a bad attitude and went through 3 teachers. The first instructor was a brilliant musician but was curt and impatient with him most of the time. The second instructor, another brilliant musician, asked us not to bring him back on a couple of visits. The 3rd instructor was the most patient with him but it really wasn't his cup of tea and we finally agreed there was no purpose served to keep trying to enlighten him. I have been taking adult choir lessons 4.5 years now with a CMC instructor, Ms. Wilmurt, who is just fabulous and everyone in our group classes adore and love her. She also teaches a young children's choir and the kids love her too. No instructor wants a student who is unmotivated, lacks commitment and is uncooperative. So judge carefully if you think your child or yourself are suited to take music classes. It is a big commitment but well worth the time and effort if you're truly engaged and open-minded to learn music.

Professional musicians provide one-on-one instruction in your home.

Jazz Ensemble with Charlie Gurke

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Summer music camps at CMC

Union Music Company

4.4(42 reviews)

0.5 mi•Hayes Valley

Brought an inexpensive alto sax in to see if it needed work. Katia was so helpful. We chatted and…read moreshe did a diagnostic on my sax and found some leaks. Wouldn't take my money. I'd go back here again!!

I called this morning to inquire about finding a cable for my standup bass (to hook up to an amp)…read moreand for some reason, the buy who spoke to me was very impatient and annoyed with me when I asked him a couple questions. I know this is a good store, but it was very off-putting to be spoken to like that.

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Inspire Music Center

4.4(55 reviews)

4.2 mi•Parkside

We've been with Inspire Music for many years. I'm kind of glad our previous music school didn't…read morework out! We came here for voice lesson with Victor. He's very good with kids both strict and patience! He will make recommendations for our kids to do certain things for the best interest of them. Very honest, friendly and humble guy! We love him! Also, the front desk people are very friendly with families. Easy to do registration over the phone or making payments. They are good about reminding parents of what, when is due! This music center teaches and rent instruments to students of all ages. Victor also leads a choir group named Hip Kids. It has been around for sometime. Some kids we meet has been in the program since they were little until they graduated from middle school! Lot of great kids in the program. I'm happy that my kids are meeting good friends!

Wow! I'm thankful that Inspire Music exists and is here in the city. I was looking for a place to…read moreincrease my vocal skills and produce my own music. I found both of these here. If you are looking for a place to learn musicianship by those who do it then make inspire your choice. Thank you Victor and team!

Hip Kids

Friends and families came to show support

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Inspire Music's Summer Sing camp for 7th-9th graders.

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7 reviews that are not currently recommended

The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.

Nathan L.

18 years ago

Hal knows his handwired tube circuits. Give him an old Fender and he'll know exactly what to do with it -- that stuff is his bread and butter. I've never had mods done or needed a channel switching, circuit boarded, triple recto gain modeling monster repaired, so I can't comment on that. Not sure how expensive he is. Maybe a bit on the pricey side. . . he'll do a diagnostic for 50 bucks. I paid like 302.00 for a three prong cord installation, electrolytic cap job and full tune-up ( and maybe a Tung-Sol 12ax7) for a BF Fender. Not bad, I guess. If you need new output tubes and biasing, by the tubes yourself (after consulting him), because he'll sell em to you for 5 or 10 bucks more than you can find online. Regarding customer service, I've never had a problem. Hal has been friendly, willing to answer questions betraying my ineptitude, and communicative during the repair process. A major job took him roughly a week and a half. Tube job, a day. Pretty close to what he quoted me. Overall Hal is great. I'm a repeat customer. read more

Jim C.

15 years ago

Hal is the ultimate source of tube amp knowledge and repair shop.in SF. You can rely on Hal to give you an HONESTevaluation and FAIRdeal, which is rare these days. Old school. I've been taking my Fender and Marshall amps there for decades and will not go elsewhere.Hal can set your tube bias to your preference (that is to say, how hot do want the amp?) and solder loose connections as he explains why. the amp needs this, or modify (cough) to your specifications. Don't bother bringing any transistor stuff cause Hal is a tube amp SPECIALIST. read more

Paul H.

14 years ago

Very very good shop. I went in with my broken 1980 Fender Super Reverb, the power switch and tubes were replaced and matched. The amp has now been well and playing for 2 years. Thank you. read more

Aaron G.

16 years ago

Does very good work... Very busy but is very good at what he does and will solve the problem and is very clear about what the problem is and what to do. read more

Donald C.

13 years ago

This guy is first rate all the way. Totally trustworthy and knows what he's doing.

Simon T.

14 years ago

Hal works on my stuff and then my stuff works. Great guy and great work. Go here.

Eastbay C.

15 years ago

will only work on stuff he likes.

Guitronics - musicalinstrumentsandteachers - Updated October 2026

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It's about time I write a review for Forrests!…read more After years of buying sub-par student oboe reeds from the neighborhood music store I started buying professionally made reeds. For a few years I was ordering online from a conservatory musician who had great reeds but was unreliable with delivery dates -- the last straw was a missed delivery before an important gig. So I drove out to Forrests to see if they could help. I've been going to Forrests since for the last 3 years and EVERYone at Forrests is so knowledgeable and so helpful! Justin usually helps me and he definitely goes above-and-beyond to adjust my reeds and make sure I'm taking care of. But, really, EVERYONE here has been so great to me and it's such a joy to go in! My husband is a classical guitarist and he loves going with me because, even though they are mostly a double-reed shop, it's a great little music shop with a community of musicians and it's always a fantastic experience! Thanks, Forrests!

Very poor customer service experience as a first time customer!…read more I was told to buy a specific reed that I guess only this store sells. I am not local to this store so I reached out to them via email because I had questions regarding the item. Unfortunately, even after patiently waiting for a week I never got any response! If they are so busy and/or don't care about the emails then why they even have that option available to the customers? I called them during their business hours and finally had a luck on the second time. Phone was picked up by what sounded like an old, Caucasian, male. It also sounded like he was the owner and/or manager. From the beginning this person was not welcoming! He was rude, unfriendly and unprofessional for no reasons! Clearly I felt like he doesn't care about the customers or getting any new businesses. Even if I was asking dumb questions because I am new, does it mean he can be sarcastic, frustrated, and shows attitude? I really didn't want to give them any business after my phone interaction, but since I had to get a specific reed and had no other options available, I just reluctantly continued with the transactions. I also noticed that they charge heavy shipping fees and don't have any free shipping option regardless of the purchase amount like other competitors provides. I really wish I don't have to deal with them again. If I do, I hope this male have learned what a customer service is and how it should be provided.

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•$$$$

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If your guitar has issues, and you need it sorted out sharpish, John is the man to see.read more

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