I was VERY impressed with my visit to Centaur Guitar! Selection is HUGE (much larger than one…read morewould expect when looking at it from the outside), the staff is EXTREMELY knowledgeable, helpful, and friendly, and prices are LOW. They carry a huge variety of electric guitars, acoustic guitars, amplifiers, and accessories. They also offer setup and repair services. They sell both new and used items. Their used items were unanimously in extremely great condition, and did not appear to be used. A few things to note if you visit: *There is a small, private parking lot *The entrance on the building that is on the same side of the gate as the parking lot is not actually for Centaur Guitar, it is for an amplifier repair service that shares the building. *The entrance for Centaur Guitar is on the street side of the building, past the parking lot gate. *To enter, one must ring the doorbell, and an employee will open the door to let you in *There are no centaurs available for sale

What a great place! I start my guitar class tonight and I completely spaced on procuring a guitar…read moreuntil today. I forgot the name of the kind person who helped me. They took the time to go over several guitars with me so that I walked out with something that was usable, nice sounding and not intimidating. I can't wait to use my new guitar tonight.

Fantastic. My boys started with Colin when they were 5 and 7 on piano. One changed to guitar, and…read morelater they focused on their indie band that Hi-Note organizes and teaches. As teens, they now work with Steve, Clay, and Colin I can't thank them enough. These men fostered my boys' passion for music and honestly acted as super cool young male role models for my kids as they grew up. Hi-Note's rates are so low compared to other music teachers. It's clear that what they want to build is a PDX music nursery for kid musicians.

Colin and Steve are phenomenal instructors! Both have such passion for teaching and engaging their…read morestudents. I highly recommend Hi-Note Music!

The customer service wasn't so great and the main guy "helping" me had a stuck-up attitude and…read morewasn't very respectful to me or my needs. They seem to have a decent selection of brass and woodwind instruments as well, but lack basic or a variety of accessories for them.

We have been going to this shop for many years. The staff are enthusiastic about helping people…read morefind instruments that they love and they are incredibly helpful. We had an issue with one of the instruments we purchased (user error? manufacturing?) and they replaced it to make sure we were satisfied. While you can't expect that every time there's an issue it speaks to their desire to offer great service and to support their customer base. Plus their selection of beautiful instruments seems unmatched in the Portland area.

This is a review about the in-store experience, not any transactions or trades…read more We stopped in one September afternoon while we were wandering around the Alberta Arts District and wow - what a selection of guitars. My partner has been playing for nearly 25 years, and really enjoyed getting to try out different instruments. I have less interest in guitars, but even I loved walking around to see every shape and style, plus ukuleles. The shop is pretty huge, you feel like it just keeps going. The store is laid back and gives you a lot of space to try things out. Another customer was there and was chatting up everybody, telling stories about his time in bands and how his guitar teacher was Tom Morello. The store employee was very chill and welcoming, and chatted with us as well.

I had to downsize, which included finding someone to take my old folk guitar, to hopefully benefit…read morea new owner. They paid me $50.

I've had a half dozen guitars rewired and set up by Sam and Roy at Portland Fret Works - Teles,…read more335s, Martins. I'll be bringing in a Taylor this week. There are no better guitar techs in Portland. I'll be a customer for life. - Mike Rodrigues, Portland

I brought in a couple of guitars, one for a setup and pickup swap and one for a SS refret. Very…read morehappy with how both turned out! My 80's Charvel plays better than I could've hoped for. I can't recommend PFW enough, I definitely got my moneys worth

A local Vietnamese music store, it's been in this location for a long time. I like the service…read morestaff, they are very friendly.

Patient, and knowledgeable, Jonathan brings a lot of experience to the lessons. And he's in a…read morereally cool band. I was looking for a serious and experienced teacher working in an all-original alternative rock band, and I found that with Jonathan. Looking back, I'm struck by how much we've covered in a relatively short time. He can help you with composing, band and sound know-how, and has a gift at making you feel great after the smallest amount of improvement. He's also a whiz at math: just ask him about factorials! ;) If you're looking for guitar lessons, give him a call. You can't go wrong.

From the owner: If you're new to the guitar you'll start off by learning the key fundamentals and techniques of…read moreguitar and music through the songs of your favorite artists. For the advanced players who are tired of mindlessly riffing away in box patterns and feel locked down to one area of the fretboard, he'll give you the keys that will unlock the mystery behind modes, arpeggios, and chord structures. Jonathan will take your knowledge of theory to the next level through many compelling exercises and challenging examples that can be applied to any real life playing situation.

I've been taking classes for a few weeks working on technical aspects of my finger-picking, music…read moretheory, as well as just having fun sharing music. Highly recommended.

From the owner: Come chat with me about how you can become a master lead guitarist! In our lessons, you will learn:…read more(1) The right way to visualize so that you stop getting lost on the fretboard! (2) How to evoke emotion with your guitar by playing with expressiveness and feeling. (3) How to make your guitar solos ‘sing’ and sound like a professional guitar player. (4) A framework for understanding the guitar fretboard that will apply to all of your licks and scales. If you'd like to learn more about how I can help you achieve this, then message me at (971) 258-0223 and I will reach out to you. I look forward to speaking with you.