Honestly, I can't believe places like this still exist. In this economy...?…read more Knowledgeable, prompt and affordable. A beautifully kept shop space. I brought my silver flute in for a tune up and walked out with it playing better for less money than I imagined. All my blessings to the folks that make this shop what it is.

Brought in my bari sax to be repaired - several tone holes were damaged when my student knocked my…read morehorn over. Shawn and I inspected the horn together and he assured me he could fix it but he sounded a little reticent. I called the next day to make sure he was up to the job - he said he was. We talked about a tool which would make the job easier but the repair was not contingent on that. A week goes by and Shawn calls me to say he can't repair my horn. Apparently he felt he needed this tool after all. Ok, I'm not dinging him for not being able to fix it. I am dinging him for not recognizing his limitations and being honest about what he can and can't do. And it would have saved me an additional trip, gas, bridge fare and my time.

We were referred to Lark in the morning by another music shop. We had an old autoharp we needed…read moretuned and possibly repaired. Thorn the manager put us in touch with Steve. We brought the autoharp and a guitar in for repair. Steve examined both carefully. He explained what he discovered and what work he would do. He was friendly and very informative. We left the autoharp and guitar with him to repair. The price he quoted us seemed reasonable and fair.

Excelente store!! So many instruments from different parts of the world. A true gem! From a tres…read morecubano - to native flutes and world percussion.

Quick communication. Fixed my bass on the spot, cleaned it up a bit! Works good as new!…read more Thanks for saving karaoke night!

Guitar came back playing much better and fret dents completely gone. High E string didn't sound…read moreright though, had sitar like sound I was surprised they didn't hear on the final inspection. It was too far a drive to bring it back but a little research told me the bridge point was probably a little flat and that I could file a sharper point on it and it might fix it. It did fix it. I brought another guitar in as well and they fixed everything wrong and even found a couple additional things which they fixed at no additional charge.

Wonderful service! The staff was nice and helpful, my violin has now lasted a few years and is…read moreholding up wonderful, worth the price.

Bought two violins here and had a great experience both times. Customer service was excellent, and…read moreall the staff were very friendly and helpful. Really appreciated the welcoming atmosphere and support throughout the process. They gave us plenty of time to test the violins and even offered to let us take multiple instruments home for comparison and testing, which made the experience much more comfortable and thoughtful.

I recently acquired a violin that had slightly unusual string spacing. I took violin lessons as a…read morechild and am trying to re-introduce myself to the instrument. I brought my instrument to Peter for evaluation and he suggested re-spacing the strings and filing the bridge a bit. He completed this work and installed the new strings I had bought for the instrument by the following day. In addition to setting up my violin, he gave me a couple tips on how to evaluate the quality of a bow. Prior to leaving with my instrument, Peter told me about the San Francisco Scottish Fiddler's group when I told him about my interest in fiddling.

I've been meaning to write this review for about 6 months now, after the apartment complex I lived…read morein burned down and my violin had some related water (thankfully not fire) damage. I've always felt kind of uncomfortable in music stores specializing violins - I'm a mostly self taught folk musician whose instrument isn't worth tens of thousands (ok, barely a thousand at all), and I've gotten some serious attitude/snobbery from those places. However, going to Peter was the best experience I could have hoped for. He was super nice, wonderful at explaining what he was doing, and I instantly knew my instrument was in great hands. It's clear that he loves what he does, and he's really damn good at it. I couldn't recommend him more highly!

Phoenix's Voice and Drum class was fun and challenging. Over summer and into fall this year, I took…read moretwo -10 week class series, back to back, and really enjoyed them. Although it was the same class repeated, she offered enough variation and creativity to inspire a continuum of engagement and learning. Phoenix is truly talented as a musician and facilitator who knows how to create a safe space in which students are able to let down their guard and get into the flow of drum circle magic.

Amber will truly help you "Free Your Voice"! I've taken their Free Your Voice classes in various…read moreforms, both in-person twice as single-class experiences in the last two years and recently as an online, 8-week class over Zoom. Every time, Amber has brought amazing creativity to the content and a genuine ability to help participants develop both as singers and human beings. The classes are always a safe space to push one's own boundaries and learn new superpowers you didn't know you had! I would highly recommend Amber's class especially to anyone who wants to develop their voice and become more confident, but as well to anyone who wants to just explore new sides of themselves and do something very fun, cathartic and liberating.

Saxology/SaxCraft is a great addition to the Berkeley music scene. It's a small world, always nice…read moreto see a familiar face. The shop is cool, lots of Sax material and useful knowledge to further your career as a saxologist. It was nice to meet Prof. Eric Drake himself on weekdays and get to know the one in the store. Of course check out the mouthpieces, there's a YouTube review online if you need back up. Stay involved!

Overpriced overhaul with sticky pads and a loose fitting neck that didn't fit the body. I actually…read moreended up taking this to another repairman after the overhaul to get it repaired yet again after multiple follow up visits that failed to address the problems.

Daniel is the real deal, a craftsman. He repaired the foam surrounds on a pair of Boston Acoustics…read moreHD7 speakers which I have had for over 30 years. He did it in less than 24 hrs! His price was very good. He is a real find! Garth Webber

The best in the Business. Daniel repaired my vintage speaker quickly and professionaly and showed…read moreme exactly what i was hoping for. Will be taking all of my speaker work to Audivex from now on! A Great Value!

Amazing knowledge and attention to detail on the many guitars hes worked on for me! All of them…read morehave great setups, improved things like the pots, fretwork, restrings, new batteries in the preamps etc are all standard.

Got a new guitar that needs a setup? (Let's face it, they all pretty much do, these days!). Or an…read moreolder one that needs some work? Or any other customization you might want or need? Bob's your guy! He's extremely knowledgeable, meticulous about his work and care of your guitar, and a really professional person to work with. I took a new Strat to him to get it dialed in, and he did a wonderful job for a very reasonable price. Turnaround was quick, too--and it was finished before the date he promised, even. Very glad to have such a skilled luthier nearby, and I highly recommend him!

Breakthrough Moments From the Very First Lessons…read more I can't recommend Danielle LoPresti enough as a singing teacher. She is amazing--supportive, patient, and incredibly kind. Almost immediately after I started taking lessons with her, she helped me break through obstacles that I had struggled with my whole life. What I appreciate most is her holistic approach to singing. For me, it's about expression, not perfection, and Danielle truly understands that. She creates a safe environment where I never feel judged or rushed, which makes it much easier to explore my voice and grow with confidence. Another thing that makes her classes special is the community she has built among her students. She organizes opportunities for us to meet and perform, which is incredibly valuable. Watching and learning from others is inspiring, and it also reminds us that many of us share the same challenges--stage fright, nervousness, and sometimes the pressure of perfectionism. If you're looking for a supportive teacher who truly helps you grow as a singer and as a performer, Danielle is fantastic.

After 6 months of working with Danielle I feel confident in saying she is a one-of-a-kind…read moreoutstanding teacher and singing coach. I seldom give 5 star reviews but she goes well above and beyond what I expected, and beyond what I actually experienced with another well-regarded singing teacher. Danielle can teach you all of the right techniques, of course, and she can lead you through breath exercises, lip trills, practicing songs, and all the rest, while giving you kind, helpful feedback and tips along the way. And even though you can get a lot of that these days on YouTube, naturally it's extra helpful with a real person. But where she *really* shines for me is in her emotional support and insight (after all vocalization and performance are very emotional things for most people!), and her ability and eagerness to tailor her approach to each student. And you *can't* get that on YouTube, that's for sure! She is wonderfully accommodating, kind, considerate, genuine, supportive, and helpful, and I don't think I'd be making the progress I have been with any other teacher. She also works hard to help interested students build up to and practice public performance by creating safe peer spaces to get behind the mic in front of a group of strangers, perhaps for the first time. There is community building here too, and even public performance as a part of the journey, for students who want to do that. But it's nice that you don't have to have professional ambitions to really benefit from working with her. If you're already a professional and just want refinement and support to become or maintain your best, she's definitely a great person to give you that with her decades of professional performance herself. But I most especially recommend her for people who are less confident and need that extra support to really come into their own with their singing. She's the best partner you could have on that journey! And it feels so good to get more comfortable with using your voice to its fullest as one of the most powerful ways we all have to express ourselves.