My husband is a professional musician in the Des Moines, IA metro area and has tried all the DSM…read moremusic stores for his supplies and service needs. He continuously comes back to Uptempo because they have the best service and selection he has ever found in the midwest. The staff is very knowledgeable and friendly, and they go the extra mile even if they might not be making a lot of money on a transaction. They hire only musicians who are an integral part of the local live music scene. We feel like they are genuinely in business to serve the working musician as well as youngsters just getting their feet wet in music. Selection: They have a wide variety of instruments to choose from: Electric and Acoustic Guitars, Basses, Ukuleles, Mandolins, Banjos, Baja Quintos & Sextos as well as other fretted instruments, Drums, Percussion, Keyboards, Microphones and other professional P.A. Gear & Accessories, Band Instruments including Trumpets, Trombones, Saxophones, Clarinets, Flutes and all other major wind instruments, Orchestral instruments such as Violins, violas, cellos, etc., etc., etc. And they have a huge supply of accessories, strings and repair and replacement parts always in stock. They have a band instrument rent-to-own program that is second to none and their rates are considerably lower than anyone else in the area. They take the time to custom fit instruments to kids just starting out in grade school as well as offering advice and suggestions to students for upgrading their instruments as they progress through the years. From what I've seen they have a huge volume of repeat customers, because of their friendly service and great prices. Price: Most things that we have purchased or price checked are very competitive with the huge online suppliers. After all, if we can get something the same day for the same price as ordering from the online dealer and waiting for it to arrive, why wouldn't we want to support a local business? That only makes sense. Plus, when an issue comes up with an item, would you rather take it to the local business and have it dealt with right away or go through the hassle of boxing it up and waiting for a replacement to arrive? Service: We have taken instruments in and had them adjusted or serviced on the spot. And what they couldn't do in shop was promptly sent to a repair shop that gets things back in record time. Their guitar setup man is second to none in the business and very knowledgeable about all fretted instruments, newer and vintage. All in all, my husband and I recommend Uptempo as a shining example of what a music store should be. Great prices, service and always a friendly smile when you visit. A huge two thumbs up for Uptempo!

The staff at Uptempo was very helpful. I was looking to rent an oboe. They had several to chose…read morefrom. One of their staff also teaches oboe. I have also been there to buy items to clean my flute. I will definitely go there again.

We have been a customer with Rieman Music for a number of years as our kids explored being members…read moreof their school band. Most recently, the staff at the Urbandale store helped us clean and repair our Yamaha Clavinova. They were friendly, fair in pricing and gave unexpectedly speedy service. Ron and his staff explained the process and were upfront with timing and pricing. He even made sure that we got our unit delivered back to Ames. We have had similar good experiences with the Ames location. We will definitely return to Rieman Music and would recommend to the store to others.

Both of my girls take piano / vocal here with Dorothy Hecht. My eldest quickly lost interest right…read moreout of the chute, however, Dorothy's willingness to focus in on a song choice that my daughter had to work on for her school's winter program really pulled her back in and kept her interested. Both girls love her and I like that she has shown us flexibility with a nice, sunny attitude. The staff at Rieman are always kind, patient and helpful, even when my kids are acting like they're suuuuuuuper four and six. That goes a long way with me!

I needed to come in very last minute for an emergency seam glue on my viola. Kory was incredibly…read morekind and professional and had the work done the same day. A true lifesaver - the shop, and everyone working there, are truly wonderful people. They did the repair work perfectly and I am forever grateful to them. Thank you Kory, Michael, and the whole Becker team. I'll definitely be referring colleagues to you when you're in the area! - Brian Hong Violist, Aizuri Quartet Faculty, Bard Conservatory

Top notch cello rental. We've rented my sons cellos here for the last two…read moreyears. They have had every size we've needed and the cellos we're renting are beautiful in tone & appearance.

This is where my music career began. Paul Wilson is the most knowledgeable guitarist I've ever…read moremet. Great gear, great people!

Amazing experience. Lovely staff and owners that got em a great deal on my first acoustic guitar…read more Go here for any and ALL guitar purchases or lessons!

I have had 3 guitar necks fixed here and the guys are just awesome! Really know what they are doing…read moreand make my guitars sing! The price is always right and if I ever have some extra money laying around I want to buy one of the custom guitars that they build. The guitars they create are called BILT GUITARS http://www.biltguitars.com/ You may have seen them on tv played by such guys as Nels Cline of WILCO! Last time I was in the shop, they let me mess with one a bit and my mind was pretty blown! One of those dream purchases! But if your like me and still loving your old guitars but maybe need a new neck or some frets replaced this should be your go to spot in central Iowa. Great guys, great knowledge, and great prices! They will get you rocking again!

After a few thousand hours of playing, my 6-string Modulus bass guitar had developed a fret buzz…read morethat was impossible to get rid of, no matter how unplayably high I set my action. Instrument came back good as new; plays great. Thanks!

I haven't played guitar in decades. But after watching Stranger Things, I began to feel the itch…read more I am so happy to find myself in this store. I explained that I am feeling the itch to get back into playing guitar after not playing for a long time. I mentioned that I am a old metal-head. I found my first super-strat! Charvel San Dimas pro-mod. This guitar is awesome! I was really shy about trying it out at first. But they boosted my confidence and very encouraging. And closed doors and left me alone. 30 minutes later I am walking with my dream guitar. This is going to be my go to spot, looking forward to my next guitar adventure there.

Worst music store for miles. Stop on by and see what I mean. Let the graciousness of the host show…read moreyou how rude they are

My son has been taking both piano and guitar with Scott. Scott has a really chill vibe and has…read moreexperience as a performing musician (drummer from Des Moines-based band, Envy Corp). I've been really impressed with not only the skill my son has developed on both instruments but the variety of genres he has been exposed to. Recitals are optional but give the students the experience of playing solo and with playing with a group of musicians in a band.

I don't think the business holds their instructors to any sort of standard. The billing policies…read moreare predatory, there is little communication with the instructors and students get handwritten notes instead of printed easy to read material... which is important to young kids.

I have this old, rickety synth that needed cleaning. Noisy controls, a broken key…read more His prices were reasonable, he did take a long time to get it fixed, but since so many of us are not gigging at the moment, we're all getting gear fixed. When we did get it back, it was immaculate. He replaced several parts of the switching, since they had gone bad over the years. He put a couple of new toppers on a couple of the sliders. Superb work.

If you're reading this review you are more then likely a musician. And I 'll bet you have a…read moreroom/corner/garage in your house with 5 amps, two incomplete drum kits, and old bass with a warped neck, and 5 guitars, maybe even a tambourine or two. Well I tried to sell on of those amps and found out the compressor has stopped working. NO sell and now I need to get it fixed. I've always known about this place but haven't needed their services so I stopped in. Glad I did Jeff really seems to know what he is doing and I have complete faith my Lab Series L5 will come back in proper working order. Plus he's just super nice and fun to talk too. More on the return of my amp.