Seth is a great repairman, and did an expert job setting up my Taylor dreadnought. He went above and beyond in terms of the repair, and my Taylor's never sounded better! I would recommend Pentatonic to anyone in the North Brooklyn area looking for repair work/set-ups done on their instruments. read more

I'll admit that I have a soft spot for Pentatonic Guitars on Franklin Street. I brought my boyfriend to Pentatonic when we started dating. Because he's a musician and plays guitar, I thought he would appreciate the shop. And he did. It turned out to be a successful date. However, my Yelp rating now is not totally colored by sentimentality. Pentatonic Guitars is a cool little spot on Franklin that adds to the character of the neighborhood. It's a small space packed full of unique guitars and instruments. It's not set up like Guitar Center/Sam Ash - or even Main Street Drag - to get you to buy, buy, BUY! You don't get that salesperson peer pressure. There's relaxed vibe, so you can ask questions and not feel like you're a mark. They know their stuff. If you are into guitar bodies, pickups, frets, etc., this is a good place for you! read more

I dropped off two amps in 2019 for repair. After a few months, I get word that one of my amps is fixed. The amp's main issue was not resolved and the owner Seth kindly explained how dumb I was for bringing the amp in. Instead of calling to tell me that the amp couldn't be fixed, he decided to lecture me on the difference between tube amps and solid state amps. They lost the second amp I brought in. It's literally been over a year since I dropped it off. Seth said he would order me another one. That was two weeks ago. No amp, no deposit, not even an admission of guilt or like any semblance of personal responsibility. This is crazy. read more

My beloved early 60's Les Paul has broken at the neck a few times over the years and the most recent repair by Pentatonic was by far the best. It's never sounded better or been more in tune. I've used pentatonic a number of times now for both major repairs and set ups. Always quality work. Seth, the owner, always has the customer and the instruments best interest in mind. He works with a number of talented craftsmen and always knows the right person for the job. read more

This place is awesome. Within minutes of eyeballing my guitar Seth was able to diagnose the issues - he was even able to predict fret buzz without playing it! He was very knowledgeable, took the time to explain to me the issues, and was so kind in giving me advice. I really love stores like this and will definitely go back in the future for any music needs. read more

Terrible attitude, awful service, and inventory. I've personally had a few bad experiences. From sloppy repair work that I had to pay again for a reputable shop to redo elsewhere. To just awful service and lousy burn out attitude. Never going back here! Owner was super rude, and condescending towards our female bandmate when she went in about a keyboard as well. read more

WOW! Just got my busted Guild electric guitar brought back from the grave by Domingos over at Pentatonic. Neck was broken, electronics were barely there, frets needed to be re-done and he did it all fast and it didn't cost me my rent! This place has personality and the prices are great. 6 stars if I could! Also saw some nice amps and analog synth stuff in there for WAY less than ebay. Recommended. read more

Go to this awesome guitar shop!!! After years of hopping around different shops throughout the city, i am so overjoyed to have found my guitar GUY who I know I can always rely on with anything from a simple set up to a whacky creative mod. I brought a project guitar to them after main drag legit scoffed in my face and they took it on without a problem. Couldn't recommend these guys more. read more

Pentatonic is fantastic. I wish they were in Austin so they could be my home base. I rented a bass and a practice amp for the weekend. Reasonable prices, good equipment, nice selection to choose from. Super-nice folks; sometimes I dread going into music stores. Like most women, I'm used to condescension, or I run up against that Guitar Center ignore the woman/hit on the woman dichotomy. These guys let me explain what I needed, showed me some stuff, let me select some equipment and sent me out the door. If you're a dude, that doesn't sound like much, but it's actually a huge deal read more

This place is a godsend to have within walking distance of my apartment. Though this review is mostly for the amp repair service provided by Cono Fusco. Finding the right amp tech in any city is extremely hard, and was one of the things I dreaded looking for when making the move from Los Angeles to New York. I brought in an amp I had a hard time selling second hand, and decided to make the best of keeping it. Seth (owner of Pentatonic) hooked me up with their amp tech Cono and said he was very much open to modification suggestions. Cono was super helpful and essentially revoiced an amp exactly how I wanted. 2 hours of work later and an afterthought of an amp becomes one of my favorites. A very fortunate find as the majority of amp techs either underbias or overbias the tubes and just don't seem to understand tone. Cono fully understands tone and what you are going for. Not even a second thought of who takes care of my amps from now on. Seth was also very helpful when I brought in a P bass missing a pickup screw. Main Drag said "we don't sell parts," meaning essentially you have to pay bench time to buy 1 damn screw. Seth found a screw, put it in and charged me $1. Hows that for a bench fee? read more

These guys are great. Seth and Domingos really know their shit, and it's obvious that they love what they do. They're always willing to take the time to chat with you and talk shop, even if you're a noob and don't know the difference between a nut and a bridge. The quality of the stuff they build is top-notch, and the prices are always reasonable. 90% of the time I purchase a bunch of items, they knock a few bucks off without even asking. Overall, a great place to hang out and learn about the craft. Not the least bit pretentious, and a definite jackpot of unique guitars and items. Great to check out even if you're not looking to buy anything. read more

Pentatonic is a real independent music store! one of the few left in NY. This store is a hidden gem, the problem i see with all the 1star reviews is the same I see everywhere, people just want to complaint for complaint, most of the people giving 1 stars only have bad reviews on their profiles, check it out yourself. Pentatonic Guitars is not a place to jam all day, is not a museum, is not a gallery, not an instagram posting location, this is a music store with vintage guitars and other instruments, go there and get what you need, ask the right questions, come prepared and support your local business! Love this place I had been a regular since they opened all the staff are nice and have knowledge in music. read more

Great little shop tucked away on Franklin. St. I've had a guitar and and amp repaired here, and sold a guitar on consignment. The guys working here are chill and honest--they don't hover over you trying to make a sale or push unnecessary repairs. They'll also talk self-repair tips with you before you bring something in. The guitar and bass selection here is small, but very unique and very reasonably priced. They also keep a rotating stock of other interesting intruments--banjos, mandolins, synths/keys, ukes, and toy instruments. read more

Absolutely terrible guitar shop. They don't have the interview to backup their arrogance and attitude. Walked in, wasn't even acknowledged. The old fart they have working there was such a dim witted rude man. I picked up a crappy $309 guitar to play and he stares me down, tells me this isn't the place for that. WTH. Stay away. These people don't want your business and you shouldn't wanna give it to them read more

Awesome small, local guitar shop in BK. Keep this place open, it brings good vibes to Greenpoint! read more

I recommend knowing your shit before you go in there. It's just easier to communicate your needs and not seem like a doofus. They were awesome and helpful, had what I needed, offered other alternatives, but in the end sold me exactly what I was hoping for when I went in, both price-wise AND product-wise. They have some unique instruments and some swag. I will be going back for all my music needs. :) read more

I'm a Greenpointer and a musician, and as much as I keep giving Pentatonic the benefit of the doubt, they've consistently disappointed me. They sold me a guitar with a shoddy fret replacement job -- my fault for even buying it, obviously -- but tried to pass it off as a fully refurbed instrument. I bought a pedal there that I assume was used or refurbed (again, poorly) -- it's had switching problems since I owned it. I dropped off a different guitar for repairs and included a note that I wanted a certain set of strings on the guitar, which I put in the instrument's gig bag. When I picked it up, they'd ignored my note, put a different set of strings on, and charged me for them. Oh, and they never called me to tell me the service was done, even though they repeatedly told me they did when I was in the shop -- I eventually had to show them on my phone I never received a voicemail. Lastly, I had an amp repaired there to the tune of $100. At practice last week, it abruptly stopped making any sounds and looks like both tubes have burned out -- I don't know if they were incorrectly matched or whatever, but I'm not giving them a second chance at it. Customer service runs the predictable "We're the only guitar shop off this train stop" gamut from indifference to outright crankiness. Skip the bullshit and go to Main Drag or 30th Street for guitar work or Blackie Pagano for amp repair. read more

A very cool little neighborhood guitar shop with plenty of vintage and obscure guitars, amps, effects, & keyboards to check out. Not to mention CDs, books, & records. The guys behind the counter are very cool, unassuming, and helpful - definitely not the hipster-types you'd expect. But the guitar repair guy in the back, Domingos, is in a class of his own. This guy is a master. If you need any work done, from set-ups to repairs to fretwork - go see him. He's top-notch all the way. Incredibly nice & helpful, with no agenda whatsoever. Guitarists - give this guy your business. His work is as good as I've ever seen. read more

Not sure what everyone is raving about...but this is the most pretentious music store ive evr been to...couple of dudes, nah couple I losers...they actually yelled something nasty out the door as me and my girlfriend left...I had gone in there thinking I mite drop some loot too...just to give u an idea I've spent 6gs in the last month...if I could give it less than one star I would...mandolin bros store is a shop for the pros...think there's something for everyone at pentatonic? Then u haven't ever been to a music store for musicians. Don't waste ur time here...go to a real shop read more

This is definitely a welcome addition the neighborhood. They are well stocked considering it is a small store. They have a nice selection of guitars, amps, keyboards, etc... The prices are all very reasonable. Best of all the staff is nice and helpful so you don't deal with the agressive sales people like you get at the largers stores. read more

Few guitar shops offer unique and affordable instruments like this store. Something for everyone. They have an amazing guitar and amp repair service that's pretty hard to beat from my experience. They even do instrument and PA rentals quite cheaply. I love the custom shop affects pedals that truly help set your sound apart from the rest. Great prices, honest dudes. They have custom fuzz/effects pedals, John Frommel etc.. and guitars, amps from around the world. It's worth the trek to Brooklyn and I never go to Brooklyn for anything. read more

This place is really great and I'm so happy it's in my neighborhood. Small, personable guitar shop with something new to look at every time I go in. I've brought in a few of my bass guitars to be repaired, and the prices were very reasonable. The service was amazing (waaaaay better than going to a larger, chain store), and Seth has been super informative. The guys have kept me updated via phone, text, or email on the state of my guitar and it felt reassuring to know my instrument was in good hands. one specific interaction that stays with me- Tony went above and beyond trying to help expedite one of my repairs so that I could take my guitar on vacation with me. He stayed in contact throughout the day, and made it happen. I continue to recommend this shop to friends. read more

Over the years I've always come here first, and in a pinch they will have most of what I need fast. I even had my Martin acoustic suffer a mysterious accident in my rehearsal space and it was expertly repaired here at a fair price, and it sounds great to this day. I know the place is small and may not have a large selection of everything, but I think I buy what I need about 75% of the time I drop in. I tend to ask for out of the ordinary items as well, some of which even Guitar Center doesn't stock, so that is saying a lot. I remember when there wasn't a music store around the corner from me, ever, and I greatly welcome this store to the neighborhood. read more

Pentatonic's selection is eclectic--if one's looking for a new Fender Telecaster, Guitar Center might be a better bet, but for an off-the-beaten-path guitar with scads of character, this place is great. Case in point--the red-and-black Korean humbuckers on my hollowbody are excellent and cost me about half of what new Seymour Duncans would--and they're screamers, too! Their repair and set-ups are quite reasonably priced, and I've never had any reason for complaint. read more

The shop is like a wonderful home awesome guitars and outstanding owner Mr. himself Seth. You must come and see for yourself but more importantly if you need a guitar or any Supply or service you can get it here. read more

I've been a professional musician for 22 of the 25 years I've lived in Williamsburg. Tried all the guitar shops. I liked this place. They have my kind of guitars here. But they seem to have lost their way. Lazy workmanship and and a "how is that my problem?" attitude aren't helping. Too bad. read more

These Cats are Great ----many many great used guitars and amps-and everything else -plus a finally a great Amp repair person and World Class Guitar repair Man------------ read more

The owner has a very lousy attitude. My amp never got fixed properly & they still charged me. If you want some tacos or burritos you may wanna shop there. read more

bought an awesome guitar for my hubby's b-day here and he says it's the best guitar he's ever had (he's had quite a lot!) :)

I just called Pentatonic and got a professional, knowledgeable, pleasant, and patient person on the phone who helped me for a good 15 minutes with my questions about starter banjos. I'm an experienced musician, but I'm not a banjo player, and based on Seth's explanations and recommendations, I am now much better equipped to make a choice and purchase. I am looking forward to supporting this local business and getting my first banjo at the same time! read more

7 MONTHS! That is how long these dimwits had my '59 Guild archtop in their shop, and DIDN'T EVEN FINISH THE JOB. On September 14th, 2011 i took my guitar to Pentatonic for a refret and partial headstock repair (a previous repair done elsewhere had started to come loose after 15 years). After a couple of failed attempts and waiting around for close to one hour Domingos, the luthier, finally showed up and we talked the job over. The staff was nice enough but at this point i was already being made to feel as if i should be grateful they were willing to take my cash. The quote was pretty high for what it was ($500.00), but i had enough of Main Drag at this point and the reviews on this site made feel confident i was going to get some real quality work. I was informed that it would be at least 3 WEEKS before they could give me back my beloved guitar which i have owned for over 20 years. Three weeks elapse, i call the shop. Serious sickness in the family had prevented the luthier from starting on my instrument, and it might be ANOTHER THREE TO FOUR WEEKS before i could have it back. Being that i had gone through something similar recently in my own family and have a back-up guitar, i was sympathetic and agreed to wait. Not wanting to be an inconvenience (forget i was going to pay a boatload of money for the repair), i gave them TWO MONTHS and called again, since they never did. Apologies were made, the job hadn't been started yet. I wasn't upset yet at this point but told them i was going to stop by and get my guitar back, to which they agreed. The following weekend, i come by with my claim check and not only the luthier wasn't there, but NEITHER WAS MY GUITAR. I began to feel nervous. Not at any point was i informed they would be taking my guitar out of the premises, and it was gone for over three months now. I couldn't get it back! After waiting around the shop for a good while, i finally managed to get Domingos on his cell phone and at this point he informed me that he was halfway through the fret job and that somehow my guitar had ended up in Harlem. Basically, it was being held hostage at this point. Family sickness was yet again used as an excuse but by now i couldn't help to think about Richie in the East Village who goes through daily hemodialysis and still delivers his services ahead of schedule on a regular basis. Being that at this point i seemingly had no choice, i just waited for their call, which again never came. Finally, on March 2012, i call them for the umpteenth time and luckly get the luthier on the line. Astonishingly, he tells me that he can't remember what he was supposed to do with my guitar, which proves that he was lying when he said he had already started the job. I tell him to just finish the frets and he said it'd be done in two weeks. Two weeks go by, i come into the shop and immediately Domingos starts to apologize, at which point i was done talking to this sleazebag and demanded my guitar back. He said that he couldn't remember what kind of frets i wanted (forget i had told him only two weeks before) and had lost the invoice so he couldn't call me to ask. I get my guitar back on April 14th, SEVEN MONTHS TO THE DAY i dropped it off, with no frets, glue dropped all over my Guild's finely checked 53-year old finish and as an added kick in the nuts, THE INVOICE INSIDE THE CASE COMPARTMENT. STAY AWAY FROM THIS PLACE! read more

I really like this place and agree with all of the above said so far save some weirdo who got vibe from them. No pressure, nice to novices, fixed my third hand Gibson Melody maker and she plays like buttah. I bought a custom pedal from them too and they have a lot of nice guitars for reasonable prices not to mention banjos, mandolins, guitar basses, etc. Every time I go they're very nice. read more