My finance inherited her Father's Guild guitar for me to play. I had some trouble playing barre chords on it and I noticed the action was quite high. I had put on custom light strings and still wasn't happy with it's action. I decided to take it to Russell and see what he thought. He took one look at it and noticed that it possibly hadn't been setup before. He saved my newly (night before) installed strings and wow it plays amazingly now. I tried it out and he said "You should hear it from here" so I handed him the guitar and he played some Travis picking and yeah it sounds amazing. Barre chords are coming along better and the guitar feels more comfortable without the struggle. For the record I've bought a couple guitars from him and will continue to add to my collection via Moonlight Music. The work was quick and I had it back in no time. read more

I trust Russell to always do a great job on my guitars. His setup and new strings on my Guild starfire 2 bass were excellent. I love Russels shop here in Encinitas read more

Great service. Excellent string instrument set up; especially my bass guitars. Fair prices. Friendly. Classic shop.

I have been depending on Moonlight Music for 40 years and have always been very happy with Russell's shop

The Moonlight Music is the best guitar store in Encinitas and Russell is a very kind man.

If you are a digital music person, this is not the store for you. Old amps, used guitars and a funky Leucadia-esque vibe?, that they have in spades. Meh. read more

Wait. Why does every guitar in this store play really well? Even the Fender 6 string import starter acoustic sounded huge in open D. With low action and absolutely no buzz. 4 sticks (Zep) sounded amazing. This guy sets up Joe Walsh's guitars. No wonder. And in 15 min he taught me more about differences in guitar necks than I knew from 20 yrs of playing and lots of trips to godaddy and GC. Tomorrow I'm bringing my 82 Les Paul, GL strat, Ovation and Alvarez for setups. He said he'll do em all in a day. I can't wait. I had to repeat myself a few times. It's not attitude. I think he may be hard of hearing. (I'm an MD. I notice these things.) Super nice guy. Loves talking about music. Highly recommend. Just wish he had a wider range of used vintage guitars. read more

I have known Russell and his family for many many years and he is a man of integrity. I enjoy talking with him as he has the experience and to get that 1 on 1 service you deserve, this is the place to go for your music needs. John Smith read more

The first time I shopped here I paid full price for a practice amp. I came back the next day to return it still brand new in the box and was charged a 25% restocking fee. The second and last time I shopped here for some smaller accessories I was charged over the vender list price. Moonlight Music, although open 24 years has been a real disappointing experience for me. Besides paying over list price the salesmen each time were very rude and unpleasant. Although my choice was to shop at Moonlight Music I felt ripped off and taken advantage of especially since the items I purchased were marked up over the list price. As for me I won't ever return. read more

Ditto the other reviewers who called out the rude salespeople, old boys' club vibe, and old dudes sitting around leering and making them feel very uncomfortable. So hard to find a decent guitar shop. The owner is a total creep, very condescending, and doesn't have a very good rep among local musicians (eg, botched repairs, unnecessary upselling, ripoffs with trade-ins.) I went in to pick up strings, and when they didn't have any of the options I needed (they have a very limited selection) walked out with a set that cost twice as much as anywhere else. I didn't realize it until I looked at the receipt afterward, but the guy (the owner) was so rude (ignoring questions, curt responses, condescending tone, very sarcastic) that I didn't want to go back to exchange them. Also I think it's super sketchy that they refuse to do background checks on their instructors who work with kids. It's industry standard to do background checks on anyone who works with children and minors, and I think it's sketchy that they made excuses not to. Altogether, I'd highly recommend going elsewhere. read more

Moonlight has really become a friendly and helpful place to shop and get advice. Years ago they were grumpy, but something changed: they actually seem to like customers now. So try them again if you gave up on them like I did. Much better than Guitar Center. read more

Not sure how this shop isn't repping a 5-star yelp page! I've been going to Moonlight Music for years and never bring my guitar to anyone else. Russel, the owner and usually the man behind the counter (or playing his guitar just outside the shop), is extremely knowledgeable and always takes care of me when I come in. He's gone a bit deaf over the years so sometimes he can't hear, but once you get his attention there's no other shop you'll want to go to! He also is friends with some pretty cool musicians around town, so if you're lucky you might get to meet some talented musicians who come in to hang out and jam with Russel. Thanks for everything Moonlight Music! You're an Encinitas staple and an awesome shop! read more

Condescending staff. Came in here with a smile and some curiosity, left wondering what was wrong with these people.

Fix my guitar, did a nice job and showed me some things I should also buy to keep it tuned.

Music Lesson/Instruction/School portion of Moonlight Music does not do background checks on their instructors, so that raises a red flag for me considering they work with children. And the instructor I spoke with didn't feel comfortable getting a background check (my child's homeschool program requires a background check to be on their vendor list). Anyone in a teaching position should go through a background check. However, we are happy with the instrument we purchased there . Prices are on the high side but worth it, given they are around the corner from us. read more

GREAT FOLKS, FAMILY BIZ, FAMOUS ALL UP IN BEREKLEY & SAN MATEO, SAN RAFRAEL, FRISCO, EVERYBODY SAYS GOOD THINGS ABOUT "REMOON" & GREAT "MOONIE" GUITARS!! I BOUGHT SEVERAL, ANTI-VINT-AGED MANDO-LYNS, SEE-GYURRRLS, and HARMERMONERICERS, STRINGS, but THEN FOLKS are """"GOOD"""" NAIGHBOURS""""" johnnyjazz.blogspot.com read more

I was skeptical going to Moonlight Music after some of the negative reviews. My daughter wanted an electric guitar for her birthday, and I needed to buy it from a store that could also do the setup. Purchasing online was not an option. Moonlight is the closest music store to us, so I called them to see if they carried the guitar. They did not, but they were happy to order it. I went in and paid for the guitar (it was the same price as anywhere else). It came in a few days later and they set it up. I went in and picked it up. They asked if I needed a case, amp, etc, but they were not pushy about it all. Just good business. Overall, Moonlight Music's prices were fair and competitive, and they were quite professional and easy to deal with. I'll definitely go there again for any guitar needs. read more

We were camping at san elijo and my daughters guitar string broke, yelped help me find this little gem of a music store. Lots of cool vintage instruments and accessories! Great service, they even gave us directions to our next stop. I could only dream of having a music store like this in my town! read more

When you walk into Moonlight Music, it's like walking into Champion Vinyl from High Fidelity. This is a place where they know about music, live it, breathe it, teach it and sell it. I haven't bought a guitar or bass from them, but they helped me with pedals, tuners, and two of my amps. They know what they are talking about, that's why I go there. It is refreshing to walk in there especially after recently being in a Guitar Center. read more

I really dig the feel of this guitar shop and the selection is incredible. It's much more intimate and personal than a big box retailer like a guitar center. Not only is it full of beautiful, unique guitars but the location is wonderful. The customer service is great, I found the owners son John to be extremely helpful. The pricing was fair and I love supporting a local, family owned business. I was able to get a guitar lesson for a fabulous price and I look forward to receiving more lessons in the future. read more

I've been going here for years. I've bought guitars, amps, cabinets, effects, pickups, god knows how many cables, strings... My beloved Echo-Plex came from Moonlight Music. It's always the first place I go for guitar stuff. Knowledgeable and without the wanker BS you get with guitar center. If you go in with specific questions about things, you will always get straight answers from these guys. Support your local music stores! read more

Took my guitar there to get set up properly, got it back with no improvement in terms of fret buzz and high string action. Took it back so he could fix it and still fret buzz, but in different location and the action still is high, like he didn't even adjust it. $73 down the toilet. Do NOT pay this guy to set up your guitar. He should not be doing guitar repair. read more

We love Moonlight Music! The people that work there are so friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. The guitar teachers are awesome!! Such professionals. We took a guitar in for repair and you can fully trust they know what they are doing. Highly recommend!! read more

I bought a guitar here for my dad not too long ago and I love this place. I didn't need anything too fancy as my dad has only begun to take lessons and is just doing it for fun, and they didn't try to upsell me or take me out of my comfort zone. Friendly staff that helped me with a smile. I always appreciate a family run business and Moonlight Music is a great spot in Encinitas. Thanks for your help guys, see you next time! read more

I live in Encinitas and have done business at Moonlight Music forever. Russ knows a lot about guitars and if he can't help you nobody can. I've seen him breathe life into instruments that have been thrashed. He is a no nonsense guy making a honest living. The rest of the family works there are they are friendly and polite. Every community needs a Moonlight Music. Check it out you will not be sorry read more

As an freelance musician about the only thing to this day I still won't DIY is repairs and adjustments on my instruments. This place will help you out. The owner is honest and super helpful. read more

Can't say enough good things about Moonlight Music. Locally owned and run by great people, people involved in the local community (business and music). Teachers are great! Band Camp, the absolute bomb. Great service, selection and price. A music store with a non-corporate feel and attitude. A real community shop! Want personalized service, try Moonlight Music. Two thumbs up (or, to put it in yelp terms, 5 stars) read more

Was looking for music store and guitar teacher when I was fortunate enough to find both at Moonlight Music. What a great team that operates this business. They are knowledgeable, helpful and have Howard, my new Acoustic guitar teacher on staff. Highly recommend this family owned and operated music store. Steve Brooks read more

Like what Chris R. said, the store does have a vintage shop feel, and they do carry a lot of vintage gear. But that is where the good stops. Almost every piece of equipment that people I know have bought from Moonlight Music has been broken in some way. The owner claims to be a knowledgeable and ensures that everything is ok. However, I personally have had multiple times when I have had to bring my own purchases from the store back in. The owner has a well-established reputation of being a crook who overprices and cheats people out of their money. Don't buy anything from this store unless you want a very expensive headache. read more

Awesome job on the setup. Wonderful family run business. Happy to see the shop again. If you want to find the best go here. This is my first review. Speaks volumes to how much a local shop is not to be missed. Second setup in twenty years. Both times great experience. Check out the battle axe guitar. Cheers! read more

This place is okay, everything is overpriced and the customer service could be better, but there are some interesting things for sale there

I did not enjoy my experience at Moonlight Music. I came in looking for a single D string. I break Ds and Gs constantly and have never visited a shop that doesnt sell single strings. The guy working sidestepped my request for a string and told me my guitar looks like it plays poorly and that he could fix it for me. I have been playing this guitar for 6 years and I love how it plays. I declined the upsell and asked him again for a single D string. He pulled a box out from behind the counter and started shuffling through strings, quickly informing me that he doesn't have any D strings. He then told me that my guitar needs all new strings and he would sell me a pack. I strongly prefer the sound of old strings and despise the bright sound of an all new set of strings. But it didn't seem like he cared about my preferences, he was interested in making a larger sale. I declined his second attempt at upselling me something i didn't ask for and left disappointed. I'd prefer to shop local but it looks like i'll be heading to guitar center for my strings. read more