Shad & Scott are the best. I really appreciate all the help and guidance through everything…read more Definitely the best experience I've had purchasing a guitar 11/10!

These guys are the best, and I mean the best. They made me this unbelievable deal on a Suhr PT 15…read moreIR amp head and matching cabinet. Completely blew any any competition at Guitar Center of even Sweetwater. This is hands-down the best guitar shop in Southern California. Customer Service here is second to none.

I walked into this music store on a Tuesday and they truly have EVERYTHING. Anything you need to…read morebuy for creating music, they have it. If you need repairs done, they can do it. If you want lessons in singing or learning any instrument, they teach it. Seriously, come here! The store employee was a friendly woman, too. Very knowledgeable.

Glad I went here. I had a clarinet serviced for a regular tune-up and it took less than a week…read more This was so fast compared to other places that estimated 2 weeks to 2 months! A list of all the work was provided upon pick up and it was very reasonable priced.

It has been years since I've gone to Guitar Center. All I can say is that there is a noticeable…read moreimprovement all across the board. Much larger selection of higher quality instruments than they used to have, guitars and amps were accessible, staff was knowledgeable and courteous, and pricing was excellent.

I normally don't write reviews, but my recent experience with the Guitar Center San Marcos Lessons…read moreDepartment needs to be shared, especially for parents considering lessons for their children. My son has been taking guitar lessons here for months and absolutely loves his instructor, Tristan. Unfortunately, the issue isn't with the instructors, it's with the front-end communication and customer service. After two of my credit cards were compromised, a number of auto-renew subscriptions needed updating. At no point, phone, text, or in person--did anyone from Guitar Center notify me of a declined payment, despite the Lessons Lead repeatedly claiming they "called" and "spoke to me in person." I checked my call history. The last call I received from Guitar Center was October 16, and it was simply Tristan confirming my son was running two minutes late. That's it. No billing conversation. No declined-card conversation. No warning. Nothing. Beyond that, my son (a minor) was physically in the store for his lessons throughout November. If someone had truly spoken to me "in person," as claimed, I would (1) remember it and (2) logically update my payment method on the spot. That's basic common sense. But no one--neither Lily nor Greg, the two people supposedly escalating the issue--ever approached us. In fact, I couldn't identify them if I tried, because no one ever actually spoke to us. The most upsetting part? My son was left sitting alone, waiting, because his lessons were suddenly canceled without any communication. No one told him. No one told me. That is not acceptable treatment of a child. When I reached out for clarification, I received a generic, copy-and-paste email insisting they had reached out "multiple times." They hadn't. And when I pointed this out, with dates and call records, the response doubled down instead of acknowledging the missteps. I pride myself on honesty and integrity, especially when it comes to my children. Being told that things happened that objectively did not happen is frustrating, dismissive, and frankly unprofessional. To be absolutely clear: No calls were made. No in-person conversations occurred. No texts were sent. And my child should never have been left unattended because of an internal communication breakdown. The instructors are great,but the lesson administration needs serious improvement. Parents deserve transparent communication, accountability, and accuracy, especially when the wellbeing and experience of a child are involved. I hope management takes this feedback to heart so other families don't have the same experience. My son loved his lessons and his instructor, but the customer service side made what should have been an easy fix both stressful and disappointing.

I usually setup my basses myself and do a pretty good job, however, I could never get my Warwick…read moreCustom Shop Streamer bass setup to my satisfaction. After looking at reviews of several shops that do setups, I settled on James Hood. The experience was great. As soon as I had an initial conversation at their shop, I felt confident they knew what they were doing. The turn-around was quick, the cost is very competitive and the setup is perfection. They will be my go-to for any of my bass repairs/setups. Check 'em out-you won't be disappointed.

This was my first time using the shop, and I was really looking forward to it, especially after…read morehearing so many positive reviews. I brought in my Taylor K24ce, and I also left my Taylor GS Mini that day for a neck reset. At drop-off, the front desk tech assured me the low E buzz on the K24ce would be addressed and handled as part of the standard setup. Both guitars stayed with them for nearly two weeks. I called a few times since I wasn't getting updates, and eventually was told both were ready for pickup. After driving 30 miles, I tested them in the shop. The GS Mini was done well--I could see an improvement in the neck, and I appreciated that. But when I took out my K24ce, it wasn't tuned or wiped down properly. After I tuned it, the exact same low E buzz was still there. How could that go unnoticed, I wondered--had the guitar been played after it was tuned, they would have then noticed the buzz and should have informed me by email, rather than having me come all the way down. I mentioned it to the owner, and he took the guitar to the back for about 10 minutes. When he returned, he told me that if I wanted to leave it, I'd need to pay another $90 for a deeper inspection, since it might be a more technical issue. The tech who reassured me at drop-off was right there but didn't say a word. It was close to the end of working hours, so I figured James would just have me leave it at no cost. When he didn't, I didn't feel comfortable leaving it again. I really expected a more thorough check right then or at least a suggestion to leave it at no cost. After all, I 100% mentioned the buzz to the tech at drop-off. In the end, my K24ce is my primary instrument--it's the one I rely on most--while the GS Mini is just a backup. I ended up paying close to $400 for both the setup and the neck reset. The GS Mini was done well, but the whole experience left me feeling like I spent $400 just to fix a $600 GS Mini, while my main guitar's issue was never resolved. Considering all the time, effort, cost, and travel, I really expected a full assessment and clearer communication before it was marked complete. I've attached a video so you can hear the buzz yourself.

I love this place!…read more Everyone is so friendly and very helpful! The workers are so caring and kind when it comes to their staff and customers. It's always so fun to go in and to be there and even more fun to play music! The staff are so patient with us and very good at communicating. They are very supportive and also encouraging!

My 8 year old daughter has been taking piano here for almost a year…read more The space is so beautiful and Mr. Kevin is so patient with her and with a focus on basics like major and minor scales, she is developing a good musical foundation. Oh! And they have the best couches to wait on!

Bob is a talented professional, He was quickly in tuned in…read moreto my skill level and left me with plenty of new material to practice. Total five star teacher.

I'm not the quickest learner and I explained that to bob and he said don't worry about…read more I can play rhythm ok but my solos were horrible, I learned more after two lessons with bob then 15 yrs trying to figure solos out that why I play rhythm. But now i can play the whole neck when it comes to solos. So now I take a lesson every week

Eric is awesome. Replaced a malfunctioning tube socket, thoroughly went over the amp, recommended a…read morefew tube replacements and got my amp back to sounding great. And turned the repair around FAST so I have it for a gig. Highly recommended!!!!

Great service, one day turnaround, at a fair price on my bass rig repair…read more I will be back! Thanks again, Mike D.

I have been visiting this establishment for decades. Jim is friendly and knowledgeable. They will…read morealways treat you right.

I had to stand a minute or two before they acknowledged me, but once the did they were super…read morehelpful. I knew what I wanted and they made some interesting alternative suggestions that I may pickup later.

i've only been playing guitar a couple of years and I was looking for a place to buy some pics as I…read moream new in California originally from Massachusetts. The woman in charge there I think her name was Shannon was very hospitable and friendly. The place looked really hot decor was great with rock gods all over over the walls, but it's primarily a place to go and rehearse live so when I get back to playing I plan to go back plus I'm getting the band back together again looks good to me

Mark runs a very respectable business here! Staff is excellent and rehearsal spaces top notch! If…read moreMidway Rising closes this unit it will be a huge loss to the musical community! Mark played at our son's wedding last July and he is the BEST!

I've had a flute for about 40 years. This is my Baby. I've taken it to other places in the area to…read morehave it fixed and they did my Baby wrong. :-). I brought it to the San Diego Music Studio and spoke with both Brian and David. Not only did they fix it under their estimate, but I haven't heard my Baby sing so beautifully in the last 40 years thank you so much

Wow- what a great experience for a first time middle school band mom!…read more The friendly employee (I wish I remembered her name!) made the processes quick and painless! We were given all the information needed to rent a trombone, necessary books and cleaning equipment. Their 'rent with an option to buy' is a great deal if your kiddo is set on an instrument for a few years. 5 stars! Mom approved!