I've never been to this place but a worker with long blonde hair, beanie, with i think black earrings helped me when i couldn't find an establishment within their area. Even drove me up to the location. A complete life saver and convinced me to go to Russo's for any purchases concerning my bass guitars because of how nice the workers are. read more

I finally went to this location to acquaint myself with the store and I was impressed. The staff is friendly and knowledgable and I actually went there today for the free D'Addario XS coated strings. They strung up my Danelectro 63 with these and I'm quite happy with them. they put my old strings into a recycling program called 'Play back'. Gwynne and Mike were the ones who attended me and let me just say that I have shopped at stores all over CA, NV, NY, PA and NJ. This store is one of the best. I'll be back to give them business. read more

Russo Music Hamilton - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Hamilton, New Jersey

Russo Music's Steve Young is a master flute repair artisan. I recently brought two flutes for his repair and he did an outstanding job. Their prices are extremely fair and I will not go anywhere else. read more

Great selection of guitar effects pedals! They carry lots of boutique brands as well as the traditional Boss, MXR, and electroharmonix lineups. This store is a committed dealer of Fender and Taylor guitars and represents most of their lineups except the highest end custom shop guitars. They did have a custom shop Les Paul hanging in a case however. Zach Miller was a terrific, friendly, and accommodating sales guy. He let me try out multiple effects pedals at once. And he gave me a discount when I expressed interest in three pedals I found. Definitely looking forward to purchasing more pedals from Zach next time I pass through the area. read more

Made an appointment here because I was shopping around for my first electric. I was struck between the affinity telecaster and Stratocaster. Erik and Matt helped me and gave me the time I needed to make the choice. I chose the tele, and after getting some adjustments done at Russo's I couldn't be happier with it. They were also very generous with including strings and a few freebies under purchasing the guitar. I definitely recommend Russo's and you won't be disappointed. You can tell everyone there cares about music and it's refreshing. I'll definitely be going to them in the future. read more

Russo Music Hamilton - Squire Affinity Telecaster - Arctic White - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Hamilton, New Jersey

They have been in business since 1960! They had the best price on a used guitar I was looking for. I hate buying a guitar online and when you get it, its unplayable. I felt confident when they told me that every guitar they get is inspected and set up before its up for sale. I heard the techs running through the tech scale in the background while on the phone. I bought it on a Saturday; they boxed it up on a Saturday and I had the guitar in my possession in Oklahoma City on Wednesday from Hamilton, NJ. It was packed really well and the guitar was spotless because of Covid-19. after I tuned it up a little and played it, the setup was perfect as well as the intonation. They had obviously done some work on the guitar because fretwork like this is uncommon. Lastly, I got free shipping. 1) Best price 2) No work from a Luthier was needed. 3) I was able to play it the moment it was unboxed 4) They actually exceeded my expectations. read more

Russo Music Hamilton - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Hamilton, New Jersey

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We drove all the way from northern Virginia for a drum set we found online. They were kind enough to put it on hold for us. When we arrived everyone working was so helpful. They had a student show that was about to begin and still made sure we were pleased with the drums. It was so nice to see them so involved in their community. Later that month we received a postcard from them. What a great personal touch. I would absolutely recommend this place. read more

I haven't even gotten in the door of this place and I am already disgusted and looking to go elsewhere. I have some string buzzing and probably need a new saddle on my acoustic guitar. However you can't just walk in and drop it off, explain what needs to be repaired and get it done. NO! You must fill out an online request for repair form and submit it via the internet. Explain your requested repair, explain why you think it could be under warranty. Provide make, model, model number and serial number. When you do drop your guitar off your guitar is then quarantined for three days because of covid. I think Dr. Fauci brought his accordian for a repair and told Russo Music to beware of germs. If you want to be sure your guitar is not dinged or scratched you have to upload a series of pictures of the guitar as if you are performing an autopsy! Otherwise you can waive it and agree to not hold Russo liable if they ding your guitar. That's why they do that. Sneaky way to waive liability. They also require deposits for the work, but if the estimate is greater than the value of the guitar you must pay it all upfront. They also mentioned a bench deposit which is to insure you return for your guitar in 30 days. I have gotten home and auto loans that were easier than this red tape. Hey Russo Music, too many hoops for a small guitar repair probably $50 to $100. Not worth the trouble. Reading all your disclaimers and caveats and requirements I get the feeling that you don't want to be taken advantage by any customer in any way. The French have an expression that says " a man only looks behind the door if he's stood there himself". read more

The staff at Russo is extremely helpful. They have an excellent selection and their inventory always looks new and fresh. They even have more locally made brands like DiPinto guitars, which are awesome. It's definitely worth checking out and their sales manager really knows his stuff. I would recommend going here before going to any large chain music store. They're independently owned and provide way better customer service than the larger places. read more

Russo's is one of the few remaining independent music stores that continues to carry top-notch gear and offers top-notch service. I have made several guitar and bass related purchases here and I was never disappointed. Their bass selection is second to none. My one "bad" experience involved their service department. I had brought my bass in to have a new bridge installed. During the installation, a lamp fell on my bass causing a chip/dent the size of a quarter on the front of the bass. How did they make it up to me? They installed the bridge on a brand new version of the same bass for FREE and shipped out to me for FREE since I was away at school. I did not get to keep the older bass, but it was still a great gesture. I would still go back there. read more

My son attends Russo's for drum lessons. The store is very clean compared to other music studios in my area. They have a large selections of instruments and the prices are comparable to what I see listed on the internet. I purchased a guitar and accessories for my sons drum kit. They worked on the prices for me. read more

Russo Music Hamilton - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Hamilton, New Jersey

We won't go anywhere else. Stay away from the chains. A relationship with a local music store is critical for musicians. The free workshops have been really useful. No sales pressure ever. And the staff are all pros. They are more interested in helping people than pushing the latest high margin items. read more

Very pleased with Russo Music. The purchasing process was smooth - very responsive via online chat as well as phone. The guitar arrived in excellent shape and on time. Updates regarding the shipping/delivery were very helpful. I will come back to Russo for future music equipment needs. read more

Excellent service, no musician egos to deal with, honest advice, quality guitar work, no pressure environment. No comparison to big box music stores. If you want to buy an instrument, or have one serviced, this is the only place to go in the area. Don't waste your time elsewhere. My Les Paul plays better now than it did when I first got it. Thanks!!! read more

Shopped here for years Extremely knowledgeable and low key group of pro salespeople that you will ever meet to help you make the right decision I've bought a total of 6 guitars and basses from them in the past year to rebuild my collection My wife wanted to learn how to play drums and they fixed me right up with a great kit and lessons for her. BEST techs in the tr state area you won't find better out there They know how to set up an instrument properly All the product on their wall is setup so it's not like going into one of the big boxes where the guitars are just unpacked and thrown on the wall Excellent used product also I got a killer 79 strat and 91 335 here read more

The management staff at Russo is so rude don't ever try to call and get info from the higher ups there you'll just get an attitude and turned away! Family business my butt! Not professional at all. I feel bad for their employees! read more

This place is really awesome only problem is that they mainly have all of there guitars locked on stands which i get for more expensive guitars but i wish i could have at least played a fender strat without having to ask anybody to help read more

Russo: Great to work with! Most of my dealings with Russo Music have been through e-mail, and it has been many, many e-mails, all due to my indecision about a purchase. A few phone calls sprinkled in there, too! Steve DiMaggio was absolutely fabulous, answered all my many questions with patience, and quickly, too. He gave me a very nice deal when I purchased some drums and related equipment. I'd buy from them again in a heartbeat! Update (11/02/13): I've continued my purchasing relationship with Russo since my initial review, and all I can say is that the service remains stellar. Quick responses to (minor) issues (not their fault), great prices, and just good stuff all around. I will continue to buy all of my drum/percussion related equipment from Russo, and certainly will consider buying other musical equipment things from them as the need arises. I can't recommend them highly enough! Update (08/30/14): A further update. My review rating remains the same, outstanding! I recently moved, and the store still had my old address on file. The purchase of a new snare drum stand was inadvertently shipped to the old address. When I checked, Russo immediately sent another stand, without waiting for confirmation that the mis-shipped stand was present. Another small issue with a damaged drum head (in transit) was resolved with 2 day shipping of a new item. the customer derive simply cannot be beaten, and the prices remain the best I know of for any drum/percussion stuff. Talk to Steve DIMaggio! Update (07/02/15): A third update. I just received my brand new Drum Workshop Collectors Drum kit via FedEx. Steve DiMaggio had taken my order back in February, 2015. He gave me a truly outstanding price on this custom order kit. The kit is perfect! In addition, I had ordered a large number of drum heads and other accessories which also arrived in perfect shape, also priced better than any other dealer, either local or online. I will continue to buy all my 'drum stuff' from Russo and Steve. Also, Andy Ewaskiewicz, in the shipping department, has been a great contact, and has addressed all my questions and any (minor) issues immediately. Kudos to Steve and Andy. Thanks, guys! read more

My daughter was thrilled with HER new used violin. Her music teacher thought it was a great deal. Who would know better!! I still balked at the price tag. But who can put a dollar sign on your child's pride when she hits that E string and it sounds PERFECT. Parents if you're worried about the cost. I am here to tell you It's totally worth it. Carnegie Hall here we come!!! LOL read more

Great shop, great prices, great gear, and great staff. Home run experience in there today. I'm on tour and needed some work done on my guitar. Matt hooked it up and I'm back up and running. Very knowledgeable and easy to communicate with. I've been to a lot of music shops and this one ranks high on the list. read more

Had a great experience with them. Knowledgeable staff and have a great selection that you won't find in chain store.

Their knowledge of instrument may be good, but the process is horrendous. Website quite unhelpful. Call the sales staff, all we get is standard lines without any understanding of what we are asking. Because of the tie-up wit the school, we as parents have no choice but to put up with this rude and insolent behavior. read more

Always friendly and helpful in the store and they also have special days where manufacturers come to the store. Matt the guitar tech always has time to talk to you about guitars and go over any type of repair that might be necessary. Jeff in sales is never pushy, but always ready to help out. I just bought three Martin Guitars from him. He gave me a great price that destroyed GC's price. He then had Matt check out the guitars before I left with them. You owe it to yourself to go there before you make any purchase. They give great advice, without being pushy or having the I am rockstar attitude that I get in other stores or even worse yet, you never get ignored there. Great place for beginners as well as experienced musicians. read more

I dismantled an amplifier and had trouble soldering a potentiometor and damaged the tracers. The techs at Russo's didn't even blink at me bringing in only the circuit board and rebuilt the signal flow soldering the pot.. charging only half hour of labor and ready after two days. Now try that at Guitar Center,..lol read more

I dropped my Instrument off to be put up on consignment.....what a mistake!!! They promised me that my item would be advertised online for maximum exposure in about 72 hours and now we are at two weeks later.....and it's still NOT online. When I asked "why hasn't this been done yet" their response was "the tech was away"....what a joke! read more

Russo's technical department did a great job restoring an old Peavy bass that was in my parent's basement for about 20 years. It sound better today than it ever has. read more

I recently worked with Brendan Cullen buying a high-end guitar amplifier. The store had a cool vibe, and Brendan was very patient and knowledgeable about the manufacturer. We exchanged several emails to make arrangements to demo the amp, and the communication was great. I got an excellent price and had a great time visiting the store. This is my second amp purchased from Brendan and would definitely come back for another. Thanks. read more

Don't go to guitar center. This shop is where it's at. Excellent selection of both "normal" and boutique guitars, amps and pedals. They have a shop in Hamilton NJ and one in Asbury Park and both are up to the same standard. Very friendly helpful staff that are musicians themselves so they're in touch with your needs and not just trying to "sell". read more

I live almost three hours away but Russo was totally worth the trip. They have an awesome stock of guitars and accessories and their staff is very friendly and helpful. Of particular note was Jim who was my sales associate. He was very attentive, had a friendly demeanor and made my time at the store very pleasant, especially after my long drive. I would absolutely shop here again. At the time of writing Russo is the only store I was able to find in the tri-state area that has stock of Teenage Engineering Op1 synthesizers so if you're like me and looking for a unit to get your hands and don't want to wait the two months until they're back in store everywhere else then give Russo in Hamilton a call! read more

I recently went to Russo's in search of an upgrade in a digital piano. I met with Jim G. who gave me excellent advice and assistance with my purchase. I am now the proud owner of a new Yamaha 155, and the package he put together was spectacular. Great products, great price, great and lnowlegable staff !! Highly recommend this store for all your musical needs. read more

Needed to update my son's orchestra instrument. Manager Chris in Hamilton was great to work with. Very helpful, accommodating and informative. Will definitely use Russo's for my second child's music needs. Highly recommend this place, even though there is a Music & Arts very close to my home. read more

great help with buying a new guitar, a little expensive but worth it. Matched with the internet pricing I got.

I went to Russo music in Hamilton after checking online for a 5 star authorized Gibson dealer. I was in the market for an acoustic guitar, specifically a J-45 standard. Russo in Hamilton told me they could have their other store, Russo Music in Asbury Park, NJ, send their J-45 over. I was glad that I'd have a choice between a couple guitars. I went to check out the guitars and they brought them in and let me sit in the room and compare the 2 guitars. After a little while I picked one out of the 2 and purchased it. After having the guitar for a few months I'm having some buyers remorse. The J-45 standard that I bought has cosmetic flaws in the fit & finish that I feel are unacceptable. I never thought I'd find these flaws on an acoustic guitar from a "5 star authorized Gibson dealer". The price I paid was over $2,000. The staff was nice but at the end of the day I'm not satisfied with the purchase. read more

Worst expierence in my entire life! I tried to preorder a Gibson limmited ed from Chris P. I had to constantly call him when I saw that other stores were shipping and ask where is mine. He complained that Gibson is half a$$ed and not returning his calls. I called Gibson and they knew nothing of the order. I confronted Chris with this and again Gibson are idiots and it is all their fault. I also needed work on a 3/4 bass and Chris said the luthier was in. I am on disability with major back issues. I packed up the bass in it's gig bag, no easy feat and drove 40 minutes to Russo. Upon arival I was told the tech was not in this day... Again Chris has excuses for everything. Guitar Center had 6 models in stock I was looking for so I asked for my preorder money back. Chris returned with a check... I gave 2000 dollars 2 months ago and still am getting run around by this a-hole. He was angry and put his hands on me 3 times until I pushed him off to have 5 thugs push me out. Manager did noting. read more

wow, Great shop !! great staff and amazing gear... you must stop in and see their selection...