Luis provided fair estimates for our guitars, indicating that one did not truly need work. His…read morecareful attention to my guitar were spot-on, making it more comfortable to play, and better at holding the tuning. A meticulous, responsive professional.

Just left Luis's shop after having two ukes repaired - one midrange with the bridge peeling off,…read morethe other a very expensive custom instrument that had developed an awful buzz. He fixed the latter in about 5 minutes for $20 - best $20 I've ever spent. For the former, he gave me an overview of the issue, what he needed to do, and how much it might cost. He finished the job a few days later and charged me the lowest end of his estimate - he could've charged more, but apparently the repair was smooth and easy. It's good to know you're dealing with an honest man. I'll definitely be going back to him for any future repairs!

I have played violin for nearly 50 years. My violin is a very close second to my children. This is…read morea shop where you can entrust your beloved instrument. I brought my violin following a catastrophic fracture. Not only was he gentle and understanding, his recommendations produced a fulsome resonance I haven't heard for years. This is a violinist's violin technician.

ZZ is the best!! I…read morebrought in a violin to his workshop a few weeks ago that I'd played over two decades ago that had several issues that required the right luthier's TLC. I was hoping ZZ could repair it for my Mom, as her birthday was coming up soon, and I was hoping to gift my violin to her. She has always wanted to learn how to play it, but never had the chance until recently after she retired. As a child of working class parents in a small town, her parents simply couldn't afford the materials and lessons for her to follow her passion. ZZ did a phenomenal job examining the violin and walking me through the various options for repairs and what they would cost. In addition to his true professionalism and extensive knowledge, he is also delightfully down-to-earth and lovely to work with. I continue to be impressed with his craftsmanship, and am eternally grateful to have found him on my search for local luthiers! He has completely transformed my violin into a beautiful looking and sounding instrument that I know my Mom will treasure for years to come. Cannot recommend him highly enough for those needing expert violin repairs and advice!

Have to support these small music shops. Victor Litz has a lot to offer from types of instruments,…read moreelectronics, lessons, used gear, you name it. I was especially impressed with their selection of ukuleles. Never have I seen so many in MD in one place! Definitely more than what Guitar center offers. They have an acoustic room in the back to try their acoustic/classical guitars. I had the chance to buy one of their used guitars at an amazing price. I appreciate the staff working with me on the price and even holding the instrument for a day when they could have easily sold it to next customer. Shows that they care about customer satisfaction more than just making a sale. I was able to spend a good amount of time trying out the instrument and they also helped tweak the intonation before I decided to take it home with me. The only few downsides I could see was some of the staff were not particularly knowledgeable about certain guitar models that they were selling, but much better than say Guitar Center. The humidification in the acoustic room basically only controlled by a residential type humidifier, so not very precise. Compared to other small guitar shops in the DMV, I don't think I would feel comfortable getting my guitar worked on here just based on the level of expertise I surmounted from the conversations I had. But a good place to buy gear nonetheless if you know what you are looking for. Parking is just a little challenging since it is in the middle of old town Gaithersburg. But in the past I have come on the weekends and there is some parking across the street at the museum.

I used to be a fairly loyal customer but cannot continue to patronize a store that does not…read moreappreciate and respect ALL of their customers. There are many better options in the area such as Chuck Levins and Bill's Music that are more welcoming and frankly have a much larger selection of instruments. EDIT - Tony, you know exactly what you did. You thought you were being funny but ended up insulting a group of people that you may disagree with, but are still some of your customers or potential customers. I do not feel comfortable doing business with companies that do not treat all of their customers with the same level of respect. I respect your right to have your opinions, but we all have choices.

Amazing vocal coach. I started as an absolute beginner and I am amazed at what my voice has becomeread more

Lindsey has worked with my now 28 year old son for the last 11 years and all I can say is that she…read moreis a miracle worker!!! While he was quite musical in a number of areas, he would often sing some of the notes of a song "a little sharp and curiously 'nasal'." With asperations of auditioning for musical theater productions, these were serious issues to be rectified. It is beyond my comprehension how Lindsey was able to train Ari's ear to sing completely "on pitch" and alleviate the less than musically attractive nasal tone. Eleven years later, my son has his own band and is highly regarded by his bandmates for the wonderful quality of his voice, as lead singer. And what about the nasal tone? I am no longer aware of it, in spite of his spring allergies!!! Lindsey is an incredibly perceptive and "person-centered" voice teacher. She takes the time to get to know her students and is sensitive to whether they're having a good or a bad day, as their current mood affects their singing. As an awarded, professional opera singer, Lindsey has all the tools, experience and compassion to help a voice student of any age, to meet his, her or their musical goals!

Head bow guy for some of the premier shops in the country. Seriously knows his stuff, if you're in…read morethe DMV this is the only shop I would trust my bow work with.

From the owner: Crull Bows, LLC specializes in the fine craft of bow making and care for the violin family. With…read moreexpert attention to detail and a passion for preserving musical excellence, we offer professional re-hairing, repair, restoration, and bow making services. Whether you’re a student, professional musician, or collector, Crull Bows is committed to ensuring your bow performs at its best—responsive, balanced, and beautiful. Trust your bow to a maker who understands its voice.

Thanks! Brought my dusty old Spanish student guitar in for new strings, and to be generally…read morechecked out. Recommendations were right on point. Easy communication. Lucky to have a speciality shop right here in Fairfax!

Great selection of classical and flamenco guitars, some electric guitars too,the owner is…read moreknowledgeable and fair with his prices, highly recommended this place!

Ellen Paul did an excellent re-hair of my name-brand violin bow. She was recommended to me by a…read moreprofessional cellist in the DC area. On the phone, Ellen was careful to explain her Covid-19 protocol. When we met the next day outside her home shop, she examined my bow for any repairs needed to the stick, frog, pad, winding and tip and gave me her fee in advance. Her fees are fair and in-line with other bow-repair professionals in the metropolitan area. The completed job, ready the next morning, was beautiful. The new hair was thick and even. The stick had been polished and the tension screw oiled. Already primed with a dusting of rosin, my bow only needed a few good strokes of cake rosin to pull a beautiful sound from my violin. I will definitely return and will recommend Ellen Paul to my violinist friends.

Eric was professional and provided quality service to my Baldwin, which is used to teach students…read more he was able to clean out the action and find the lost pencil that was causing an incessant clicking on the return. he's tuned my piano twice already and will be tuning it for years to come. great rates and great service.

From the owner: Piano Tuning and Repair in the Washington D.C. and Baltimore Areas…read more Book entirely online