I have never met anyone like Mr. Jordan -- he is truly a gem . Not only is he incredibly knowledgeable about music and instruments, but he is also a gifted artist and a genuinely kind human being who treats everyone with respect and integrity. He is someone you can completely trust. His shop is fascinating, but what truly makes it magical is the passion he pours into his work. Whether he's crafting instruments, carefully helping you choose the perfect one, repairing a beloved piece, or patiently answering a thousand questions from an 8-year-old, his dedication and love for music shine through. Places like this are rare. We came to pick up a violin for my daughter, and thanks to this wonderful experience, she continues to love playing. A poor instrument can discourage a child from learning, but a good instrument can inspire confidence and a lifelong passion for music. I feel so grateful for the opportunity to support his business, and I truly hope more musicians will visit to see his amazing work and show their support. Don't order your instrument from Amazon -- go see Mr. Jordan first. You won't regret it! read more

I went to see John for to get some new strings for my banjo. While I was there he was also able to replace one of the tuner buttons that had cracked. Very nice guy and good experience! read more

I bought this Telecaster in Japan last year and managed to promptly damage the finish. My big concern was catching an edge of the cracked finish and causing more damage. I came across Jordan Music on Yelp and gave John a call. He explained how he would work the damage with Superglue in layers and go from there. It wasn't a sales pitch, it was like he was running the process through his mind, recollecting how he would do it. John works out of his garage, so don't be put off if you're expecting a showroom. I was a little worried when I left the guitar with him but that went away when I picked up the finished work. I could not be happier with the results! The price was very reasonable AND he adjusted the pick ups on my Stratocaster while I waited. read more

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John is one of the most knowledgeable and skilled luthiers I know of. I had a crack in my bass finish where I could feel the edge of the finish coming up off the body. I mentioned it to John as an aesthetic issue. John explained that stress produced by the strings forcing the base of the neck down on the area in question was what caused the crack, which was actually on the top laminate wood and could continue to cause further damage to my instrument. There's more to this issue than I can go into here. Suffice it to say, I was alarmed, educated and extremely grateful that John could diagnose and correct the issue. This bass is one of a kind and I absolutely depend on it, especially when on the road, out in the middle of nowhere, gigging and traveling every day. John ensures I keep working with an instrument that I can rely on thanks to his excellent skills in producing a reliable and quality end product. John Jordan is the man. read more

John Jordan did a fabulous job of making my Les Paul studio play and sound the best it has ever sounded since I bought it in 2000. Let me watching while he worked on it. Great guy and is amazing at what he does. He makes custom instruments also. If you want a great job on your instruments at a reasonable price call John. read more

John Jordan is the most knowledgeable savvy luthier dude of violins and electric violins. His electric violins are amazing!!!!! If you can dream it- he can make it! We are so lucky to have this guy in the Bay Area! read more

John does fantastic work at a reasonable price and very quickly. I recently had him replace pickups and perform setups on three of my guitars. They now play better than they did when they were brand new. I highly recommend him for any of your guitar needs. read more

I cannot speak highly enough of John and his Guitar Tech services. After a long bout of 'Strat-itis,' (and myself both: 1. Not being crazy, and 2. Having seen nearly every Luthier in the Bay); I landed in John's shop by virtue of a recommendation from a top Bay Bass dude! Careful, you might learn something hangin around. I was discouraged with the state of disrepair of several instruments, but I hung in there and found John. He is an indelible part of the Bay Area music community and I stand very much in appreciation for his skill as now I can get back to playing instead of worrying about sick guitars! Bottom line: Great skill, affordability, and a true legend of passionate stringed instrument crafting and repair. read more

I needed a guitar technician... And this guy is over qualified (which should always be a compliment). Changed pickups and did a setup in no time and kept the wiring very neat. I'm planning to go to Jordan for any and all guitar issues in the future. Very honest and takes pride in their work. Also the violins are exceptional. read more

John Jordan does fantastic work and is extremely reasonable on price. For basic guitar setups and restringing he typically does the work while you wait and gives a great description of what he is doing and can tell you lots of information about your instrument. Refretting and other more time consuming work typically requires you to leave your instrument a few days. I have been going to John for years now with various guitars and my wife had him do some work on her violin. He is definitely the best person around to work on your stringed instrument! read more

Just needed a truss rod adjustment, he did it fast and right. Seemed very competent and his shop looked like he could handle anything.

As a multi-instrumentalist, it's really fantastic to have a shop that I can bring all my violins, mandolins, basses, and guitars to. His prices are always reasonable, he'll do a quick repair on the spot, his setups and electronic installations are top notch, and he's always open to discussing possibilities for whatever you're trying to do. Can't recommend John highly enough. read more

So I'm not normally big on writing reviews that read like advertising copy but I can't help myself on this one. I just got back from Concord after going out to meet John and talk about what kind of instrument would best suit me and I'm more excited then I've ever been before about an instrument. Seriously. John Jordan is a master craftsman in the best possible sense of the words. He's been building and selling custom electric Violins, Violas, Cello's and stand-up bass's in Concord for over 30 years out of his garage and his instruments have found their way into the hands of musicians all over the world. There are a dozen or so authorized dealers around the country selling Jordan Electric violins, but if you want something special your best bet is to make the trip out to Concord and talk to the man himself. John also stocks a wide selection of traditional acoustic instruments and bows. Now when I say "out of his Garage" I mean that literally, Jordan Electric Violins is based out of his garage workshop in a residential neighborhood. He builds the instruments by hand and is best known for his 5, 6, and 7 string violins. He said the biggest he's ever done is a 9-string violin, but most people opt for 4-6 strings. Now there are a lot of amazing things about John's work but for me the standouts include: 1: He uses FSC certified (read: sustainably harvested) wood for all his instruments and hand selects the wood himself individually paying careful attention to the grain, density, and other characteristics of the wood. 2: the fact that the spacing between strings is the same as on a traditional 4-string instead of being cramped like many violins with additional strings He's able to do this because he builds the fingerboards by hand, custom for each instrument. By contrast, Yamaha and other big corporate manufacturer's use a chopped-down Viola fingerboard that creates a pinch at the top. It's more cost effective for them but the result is a less playable instrument. This is one area where working with a local craftsman really pays off. 3: Instead of using wooden pegs he uses geared tuners, similar to what you might use on an electric guitar but sized specifically for violin. Those tuners are all set on the shoulder-end of the instrument which brings the weight in closer and reduces neck and shoulder fatigue. 4. The instruments *feel right* and he can work with you to make sure you walk away with something that is ergonomically built and tuned specifically to the you. 5: His violins are gorgeous. That's important. 6. John is a really exceptionally nice guy and a pleasure to talk to and work with. And that's important when you're getting a custom instrument made. If you play Violin, Viola, Cello, or standup Bass and you have any interest at all in an electric instrument give John a call and come out to his workshop. It will be time well spent, I promise. read more

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I discovered John on Yelp when I needed my son's guitar tuning peg replaced. We stopped by same day and he was able to replace it within 20 mins. He asked if I cared about functionality and aesthetics and I picked functionality so he used a compatible tuning peg that was readily available. It was a quick fix. He was a pleasure to work with and very reasonably priced. I highly recommend him! read more

John was extremely helpful and thorough. He appraised an instrument for me, and thoroughly explained everything and gave me comparables on the market. He was also an amazing resource for finding local teachers. Thanks so much for the fantastic service, quick turnaround, and honest dialogue. read more

John is amazing. I have never bought one of his electric instruments (although i hope to someday!), but have purchased several bows and a violin from him and have had him do numerous repairs over the years. John treats every customer with respect and always gives you his full attention, whether you are making an expensive purchase or a relatively cheap one. This is what I really enjoy most about John. I have never experienced ANY pressure to buy or to "upgrade" to something out of my price range. I have always had a rather small budget to work with, but I have never been treated poorly because of that (which I can't say for some other shops). John also does excellent repair work. After many years of schlepping my violin back and forth every day to college, it had gotten a few chips on the lower bout. John repaired these and matched the new varnish perfectly with the existing finish. Also, at one point I broke an expensive bow in an unusual way and I was devastated, believing it could never be fixed. John came through that time too, not only restoring the bow so that there was no difference in balance or tone, but also reinforcing the break with carbon fiber to ensure that it would never break again. I don't recommend going ANYWHERE else for repair work., John is the best and will never overcharge you, and you will always receive top-notch work as well as service. read more

John is a stand up guy (and I'm not talking about the bass he plays). Always a pleasure to spend time with, is honest, and knows his stuff. I bought one of his electrics and sometimes have him work on my acoustics. It's nice to be able to sit with a luthier while they work on your instrument, and explain things, and they don't wince when I test the instrument out with my bad playing (ok, maybe he doesn't have to be honest about all things in order to be considered honest). ;-) I tried several electrics from other makers, tested them altogether, and his electric had them beat cold, in sound and play-ability. Not sure what magic he works on the fingerboard, but something is happening there. read more

EXCELLENT quality and attention to detail. Everything passes John's eye and approval. I love it. I used to go to John years ago for guitar work, then I was told he was backing off guitar work and focusing on Violins. So, I stopped. I then (20 years later) was researching pick ups for my Taylor acoustic and the recommended John as an authorized dealer. I called... and got right on it, welcoming my request. So happy he is doing guitar work. Electric guitars are one thing, but acoustic work is another. One needs to respect the build, structure, tone, and over-all finish. John has amazing detail with all. read more

After trying different guitar techs here and there for years, John Jordan is the only stop I'll make from now on. This man is knowledgeable, straightforward, and good guy. He's happy to explain in detail what is happening with your instrument, which for me is key because I want to understand these things and learn what I can. He is known for his violin work, but he's great with guitars, and basses I imagine as well, cause that's his instrument of choice. I cant say it enough, give him a call. read more

Jordan is the best! I have had John work on several of my instruments over the course of several years, and he's always attentive and he really knows what he's doing! read more

This guy is awesome!! His shop is modest in his garage. He is an excellent craftsman. Took my daughter subpar violin that she received as a gift for Christmas to have set up at another store in Concord. Went to a concert and was borrowed by an advance student and found out it was poorly set up. Took it to John and he fixed and adjusted it to sound and play a 100% better than what it ever was. I learned a valuable lesson....buy quality even for your kids nothing from China. It had a Pinging sound when played and only go to John for your string instruments. He's been in the business for over 30 years. He really loves what he does and it shows in his work. Reasonably priced too. read more

I 'accidentally' discovered john's violins a few years ago when researching electrics on the electricviolinshop. I was intrigued by the 7 string, and much, much preferred the aesthetics of his design over the alternative that was available. I bought his 7 string koa wood model, and since that time I simply put aside my other solid body electric (a high end model) because in addition to the additional strings, this violin is more comfortable, and sounds better to my ears. I got to talking with John via email because I had seen mention of a 9 string model, and sure enough he makes these, though they are special orders only. I received mine today, and it is simply magnificent. There is an efficiency to the design - no frills, very comfortable, and they look great. And I wondered why his violins sound better to my ears to another barbera violin that I've tried, and apparently (I didn't know this about solid body violins) - the wood can make a difference in the sound. And indeed my 9 string sounds different than my 7 string....John makes instruments for people who are serious. I'm not a great violinist, but I'm serious about using it in my music, and his instruments are just incredible. read more