This story starts off in guitar center. Went in to purchase a $1K+ drum kit. They had it in stock…read more They would NOT take it off the shelf for me to play. I told them I didn't actually need to play the assembled kit but absolutely needed to hear WTF it sounds like so was only asking to take it off the shelf for me to strike each drum a few times. They refused and told me to go to YouTube to hear it! While it was right TF in front of me. Went to Chuck's, found a similar set but it was $300 more expensive than I wanted to spend. The guy at the drum counter assembled it in the middle of the store drum area and even brought out additional cymbals that they had to get from storage for me to try. Purchased it on the spot. All these terrible reviews on here but... It's either here or Guitar Center so pick your poison. Zero other options in the area. And they have the best guitar tech in Maryland. Have taken 4-5 guitars to him over the years and received perfect service. One bizarre thing- there is no need for 3 security guards. Does this place get jumped all the time? Might as well just hire a cop.

I bought an item with Free Shipping. It did not work out and I returned the item, brand new, never…read moreused. I paid to send it back. I looked at my band statement and saw over $35 was deducted from the total. I was told that shipping was deducted from my refund. I really do not understand this. The company advertises free shipping...but if you have to return the item, then all of a sudden the shipping is not free? I paid $156 for the item and was penalized another $19 because I returned it. Maybe I am being unreasonable but I think this is not right. Either shipping is free or it isn't. Don't say one thing and then do another.

Marianne is a wonderful piano teacher! She meets you where you are at in terms of music theory and…read morepiano skills and helps you create manageable goals for practicing and improving.

I found Marianne through Yelp and am so pleased to now have my (slightly) neglected piano now in…read moreher care. With regular tunings by Marianne, my lucky piano will no longer suffer from neglect. Marianne worked assiduously for two hours on my piano, and tuned it twice, in fact. (It had been so long since the last tuning that, alas, that was necessary.) I trust Marianne to know what's best for a piano so readily agreed to another visit in three (instead of the customary six or 12) months because she knows these instruments well. In addition to being punctual, diligent, and very reasonable, she is a friendly soul with whom you can discuss music, dogs, and probably a lot more.

I'm pressed for time, full review later, but this studio hits the sweet spot of relaxed cool and…read moreseriousness-of-purpose. My son has thrived under the supervision of his instructor of three years and is motivated to practice on his own to prepare for his 30 minute lessons. GIGS is a pearl of artistic vitality.

Though I loved the old Guitar Shop on Connecticut, this new location is just as convenient for me…read more I have owned a bass for five years.... FINALLY started taking lessons a few months ago with John, and I'm loving it! It's so much fun, and John is an excellent teacher. He teaches to my learning style, he's patient and thorough, and consistent with his reminders of how I should be playing (finger placement, posture, and all). Though his style may seem scattered at first, he really does a great job of building off of what we learned from the previous week while keeping it interesting. If you're like me and thinking that you'll eventually get around to taking lessons, DO IT NOW! (Before they realize that they're not charging enough!)

From the owner: Lessons offered on guitar (blues/jazz/rock/classical), bass (electric or string bass,) banjo and…read moremandolin to all levels of students from beginner to advanced, using a patient approach designed for relaxed, comprehensive, fun lessons tailored to each student. Formally at The Guitar Shop in DC for 6+ years, teaching theory, improvisation and repertoire building, supplying aspiring musicians with the necessary tools and materials to be successful. We specialize in showing students how to learn from and play their favorite recordings.

what ever happened to neighborhood guitar shops?…read more nothing really, they're still there. you just started going to mars and chuck levin's superstores as soon as you were old enough to drive. wandering the aisles of shiny guitars with glossy five-figure price tags and salesmen working for commission slowly degraded your music store experience to only a fragment of a step above buying new socks at walmart. but that neighborhood guitar shop is still there, even though you stopped going. and that crusty old dude who convinced you to drop your lawn-mowing money on a beat up fender, told you the secret about how it will always sound better than that shiny factory-fresh one at the superstore, and gave you your first few lessons, pretenting to believe you when you said you practiced your arpeggios; well, he's still there too. chances are you're not going to find exactly what you came in looking for, but shops like this are the only place you'll get what you really need, even some kid looking at what you asked for and says "ugh, you don't want one of those, here, try this, it's cheaper and i like it better..."

I just purchased a guitar from Jerry's Music and I'm in California. Jerry really knows his stuff…read more He has a music degree in guitar. He really knows all types of guitars. His prices are much more competitive than the Big Box music stores and the service is much better. Honestly, I'm going to refer my West Coast friends to Jerry's.

I've been a customer since the early seventies. They have good people and fair prices. I manage to…read morefind some sale prices. The repair shop is great. Good people. I go there first when I need something. Highly recomended Over Guitar Center.

On my boycott list. I posted last year about my experiences with this merchant, and one of the…read moremanagers called me with the goal of having me remove my negative review, which I did. In hindsight I never should have done so. If I have a bad experience with a merchant or believe I have been treated unfairly or as if they don't need my business, the place goes on my boycott list and I don't go back. There aren't many merchants that have a complete monopoly on a particular market, and musical instruments are available from a million places besides this one. My first bad experience with this place was when I bought a used amp for close to $300.00. It worked for about fifteen minutes, and although it was bad enough that the store manager at the time (I have no idea if he's still there or not since I've never been back) refused to compensate me in any way. What was worse was his disrespectful, condescending way of speaking to me. I would have been glad to discuss it in the parking lot out back as I'm always interested in seeing whether or not a weenie has the cojones to speak to my face like this pathetic excuse for a manager did over the phone. But weenie boy wasn't about to do that. In any event this representative of this establishment refused to help me in any way. We've got your money, you've got an amp that doesn't work, screw you. So I vowed never to go back. I haven't. However, last year when I went to the Experience Hendrix show at Strathmore, I entered a contest to win a "Fender Stratocaster Electric Guitar" that was sponsored by 9:30 Club and Washington Music Center. Lo and behold, I won the guitar. Great, huh? I picked the guitar up at the show, and took it to the car without opening the box or checking it out, because I had front row seats for this concert and didn't want to miss any of it. It was awesome by the way. Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Johnny Lang, Eric Gales, Buddy Guy, Billy Cox, Dweezil Zappa, Brad Whitford, and others. The box the guitar was in was sealed and reads Fender Standard Strat HHS on the label that is attached. When I got home in the wee hours and opened the box I was quite disappointed to discover that the Fender Stratocaster I had won was actually a Squier Strat. No one advertises or calls a Squier Strat a Fender Strat. There's a huge difference. You don't see Squiers on Ebay or anywhere else misrepresented as Fender Strats. I'm quite sure Gibson doesn't have contests to give away a Gibson Les Paul, and then when you open the box you find an Epiphone. Same freaking thing. So I posted a negative review here on Yelp. When a manager of Washington Music Center left a message on my voice mail, I called back thinking he was going to make things right, do the right thing and take back the Squier and give me a Fender guitar. No such luck. All he wanted was for me to remove my negative review. He blamed the whole thing on 9:30 Club. "They don't know anything about guitars." I guess that's why they contacted you: So you could advise them on what kind of guitar to offer as a grand prize on an Experience Hendrix tour. A white FENDER Strat would have been the proper choice. So I'm re-posting a negative review, and standing by it. Anytime Washington Music Center wants me to remove it, they can trade a real Fender for the lesser copy I was given. BTW, the guitar I won still has the sleeve over the strings, etc. It's sitting on a guitar stand next to my two Fender Strats, my Gibson acoustic, and my Paul Reed Smith guitars. I've never played a note on it. I figured I'd sell it on Ebay, but just haven't gotten around to it. Obviously Washington Music Center doesn't need my business, and they're doing fine without me. I'm posting because I boycott places that don't do business the way I think is right. Guitar Center, Victor Litz, and Music and Arts Center are all in the area. I bought two guitars last year, a few pedals, and plenty of accessories. None from Washington Music Center. They've seen the last of my money. I boycott them. I encourage you to do the same.

Music and arts in Rockville has been wonderful for our children with kind experts teaching my son…read morepercussion, and drums and my daughter viola for the last year! My daughter will soon start voice lessons here as well! I recommend music and arts unequivocally !!

Now 1/12/25 and I haven't been in this store since the Summer. After MULTIPLE erroneous collection…read morecalls which have supposedly been resolved like magic I now owe another $15 for which they have no explanation as to why and their incompetent collections department is calling me to collect. I urge you again to stay away from this company.

Excellent repair of my son's acoustic guitar. You can't even tell it was broken. Very reasonable…read morerates. I highly recommend Me. Stancil.

They did a great job of setting up my Fender bass, which was in desperate need of adjustment.read more

Great service from across the country. They were very helpful with my purchase of an autoharp and…read moreshipping it out to California. They answered all my questions and were very friendly. I just wish I could be there in person to browse what else they have in stock!

Lovely people, lovely instruments. The best place for folk/traditional instruments and musicians in…read moreDC. If you go in, just talk to the guys. They know so much, and love to talk. I guarantee you'll learn something. Also a great place to run into other musicians. They're fair and honest consigners.