Easy to communicate with, text or call. He answers and let me know when he was available to check…read moremy flute. Once I brought it in, he was able to inspect and find the problems fairly quickly. I got it back a week and a half later and it plays better. I haven't maintained it in years but he assured me what I needed to fix to get it paying like new!

Aeolus is such a hidden gem in the neighborhood. My son needed some adjustments on an alto sax we…read moreacquired from a family member during our visit to California, and the owner went above and beyond to help us. He was personable, a true expert, transparent, and walked us through the entire repair process. It's rare to find this level of care and expertise. We will definitely be back for any of our instrument repair needs!

I was waiting at the front of the line for approximately 10 minutes without being acknowledged or…read moreoffered assistance. During that time, another family walked in and was immediately greeted by Mike, who asked how he could help them, even though I had been waiting there first. I found this treatment upsetting and felt overlooked and unfairly treated. I was also concerned to find used N95 masks inside the trumpet case of the instrument we rented, particularly because we had been assured that the trumpet had been thoroughly cleaned and disinfected before rental. Finding used items inside the case made me question whether the instrument and case had actually been properly cleaned. Overall, this was a very disappointing experience. Based on what I experienced, I would not recommend or support this business.

Came here to buy a black folder for choral music after being referred by the Pasadena Conservatory…read more I called in advance to ask if they had any in stock and staff were prompt and professional in picking up to answer my request. Good variety of inventory from what I could see. Found out later my mom buys all her violin + piano sheet music here. It's tucked inside a strip mall off an out-of -the-way portion of Foothill. Would have loved to have seen this store in Old Town, but the current location is very convenient for quick in-and-out errands - and a short distance from the Conservatory. If I need to use something for music practice, I hate to buy online without knowing if it will work for me or not. Brick and mortar music stores like this are essential, and I'm glad Bertrands is so close by!

Richard, July 24, 2026: Fantastic Musical Instruments in Pasadena, CA is a real "bass shop". Tom…read moreKerr was very gracious to me when I was trying out basses a few years ago, even after I returned a fine bass I had on trial. I ended up buying a Pollmann Bass from another store. However, when I needed a set-up, , cleaning, and sound adjustment, I took my Pollmann to Tom. My bass now sounds better than ever, and he had a solid string recommendation. Also, just this week I bought a Kay Bass, circ, 1940 from Tom, for my bluegrass, gigs. It was reasonably priced and he did some work I requested for a minimal charge, adjustments to the bridge curvature, and a replacement tailpiece cable (I wanted a new Teflon version). I kept the original metal piece since it was part of the original bass. Thanks, Tom, for your expertise and gracious manner with me as a customer who needed some guidance.

What an absolute gem of an instrument shop that I feel so fortunate to have come across. I went in…read morebecause I'm potentially on the market for an upright bass, and I cannot express how glad I am I stopped by here. Not only do they have an incredible selection of beautiful instruments, but owners there are such phenomenal, down-to-earth, compassionate people. Nicky was in the store helping me out, and they spent so much time allowing me to try all the different instruments and talking me through them and answering my questions. The shop also has a rental option as well where 50% of the rent goes towards an instrument of your choice (doesn't have to be the rental). If you're looking for a high quality instrument with amazing service, this is the place to go. Could not recommend them more highly!

If you're considering to buy a high quality violin, you definitely should consider coming to this…read moreshop. Mario (the owner) will not only offer you violins that respect your budget, but he will also take the time to make sure that you are completely happy with your instrument before making the purchase. Surrounded by warehouses and other small businesses, Alpha Strings is like this hole-in-the-wall violin shop that you go to in order to get all your musical equipment at competitive prices be it a new violin or just a Dampit humidifier. In addition to offering a great selection of instruments - from student violins, to Ming-Jiang Zhu and Wojciech Topa violins - Mario also brings a large sense of sincerity when working with you. Advertising himself as a violinist first and businessperson second, he strongly encourages you to not only trial his violins but also violins outside of his shop. In this regard, he is more than happy to give his recommendation on a violin that best fits your need - perhaps even if the violin is not from his shop. It is definitely a pleasure working with Mario as he brings in so much honesty and authenticity into the discussion; you can tell that he ultimately wants you to succeed in your musical goals. You don't have to take my word for it though; get in contact with him should you need a new violin and see for yourself that there really are honest businesspeople out there (or in this case, inside a small suite filled with violins). As for me, I came home with a Ming Jiang Zhu violin along with a Codabow bow and a Gewa case. During my trial week and even after making the purchase, Mario would reach out and ask how I'm feeling about the violin/bow; now THAT'S customer service. P.S. As of March 2021, Alpha Strings is allowing people to visit via appointment only due to COVID-19. Definitely e-mail/text before coming in person!

I'm a beginner violinist who had improved enough that my rental violin was not inspiring me to…read morepractice as much as I wanted. No matter how smoothly I played, it sounded dull. I decided I wanted to invest in a better violin that could last me a lifetime or at least would hold its value should I ever decide on a different violin. I found Alpha Strings online when I was looking at the Ming Jiang Zhu's. The website seemed a bit sparse and the sale price seemed to be too good to be true, so I hesitated for a couple of days. But then I saw a YouTube video where his friend demoed the MJZ G909's. Playing them through my good speakers, I immediately fell in love with one of the violins. So I e-mailed him without high hopes given the quarantine had shut everything down. But he got back to me within an hour and we chatted on the phone. He gave me all the details about the exact violin I was interested in, and patiently answered all of my questions. At the end of the conversation, I was very satisfied with what I was purchasing (investing). He shipped it immediately the same day and I received the violin in 2 days up in the Pacific NW. The violin was well packed and protected in bubble wrap around all the most sensitive places. He said it would come in a dart box so I was expecting just a wooden box, but surprisingly it actually came a simple, but quite usable nylon violin case. It also came with a certificate of authenticity. All in all, it was exactly how Mario described. Okay the website needs a little polishing, but I'll take fair pricing and great customer service over slick marketing. There's a certain online retailer named after a South American rainforest that sells MJZ violins through some seller that Google does not recognize. I'm not going to trust an unidentifiable seller to ship a fragile expensive item like this. All in all, Alpha Strings is a great business, and Mario provides excellent service. Gem of a business and I hope he picks up more visibility online. PS. On top of running an honest business, Mario also apparently runs/organizes a non-profit called Violins Not Violence that gets youngsters involved with learning to play the violin by occasionally giving them one! This alone tells you a lot about Mario's character. If you're in the market for a violin, check out Alpha Strings. You won't be disappointed!

I have never reviewed any location I've been to, but I literally created a yelp account just to…read moregive this location 5 stars. They had such quick and helpful responses to any question I emailed them and made my experience of purchasing my first guzheng very pleasant. The location itself was filled with beautifully designed guzhengs and had such a nice atmosphere to it. The two people that helped me in person wasted no time to start assembling and tuning my guzheng while answering every question I could throw at them. I would definitely reccomend this beautifully quaint store to anybody 10/10

Love this shop! Was looking to start learning the Guqin and Guzheng and found both here. They…read morehave some great quality instruments and the owner is very knowledgeable about them and is a great musician as well. I called to make an appointment and they let me hang around and play different models until I found the right ones for me which I really appreciate. Highly recommend if you're looking to get into learning some traditional Chinese instruments!

My daughter's guitar needed a new string that had ripped, so I brought it in…read more I was thinking I had to leave it for a couple of days. But it was fixed right away. The store has a wide range of musical instruments, everything that you need you'll find. My friend put on a new string in less than 5 minutes. Very fair price and now my daughter can play her guitar.

Staff are very kind and willing to help. I purchased a Ukulele at this shop and was a pretty smooth…read moreprocess. They have a lot of other instruments, tools, and equipment.

Several months ago I purchased a very rare and sought after early 2000's Tama snare drum that I…read morewanted to have restored / cleaned up. I own a few businesses and didn't have the time or energy to disassemble the whole thing and give myself a crash course on drum restoration so I did some Googling. I came across California Drums and spoke with Dan on the phone. Got a good feel for the shop and I'm familiar with Monrovia so I drove down and dropped the drum off. I ended up spending about an hour chatting with Dan and nerding out on drums and running businesses centered around music. Dan took about 3 months but I picked up the drum yesterday and I'm happy with results. Dan knows his shit and has connections in the drum and percussion industry. Visit and support this shop if you can. Avoid Sweetwater, Musician's Friend, and some of the bigger chains if you want to learn from a professional who cares about these instruments and knows his way around many genres and styles. If you need a custom order, go through California Drums. Thanks!

Great drum shop! Amazing! I held my breath as I entered and had to control an immense urge to…read moredepart with a complete drum set It looked, smelled, and sounded like a percussion environment. Staff were great, and genuinely friendly and customer service oriented.

Asana has been my 4-year-old daughter's very first piano teacher, and we couldn't be happier…read more Thanks to her warm, friendly, and patient guidance, my daughter looked forward to her lesson every single week. She tailors the pace to the child's learning style, and we've seen incredible progress over the past year. She is also wonderful at communicating with parents and always supportive of any questions or concerns. Highly recommended!