Ted Gasper always help me find what I'm looking for and zero tax is icing on the cake! read more

Sound Pure - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Buyers take caution... First the positive - Sound Pure has a great selection of guitars and other musical instruments. Their staff are great and their shipping speeds are almost instant. Now the negative - Should you receive an instrument that requires a return, the nightmare begins. I purchased a $3500 Collings guitar. When I requested information on the condition of the guitar, I was told "It's perfect. I hate perfect but it's perfect" - The guitar arrived and it was less than perfect. Dings, dents and scratches all over the guitar. The bridge was also replaced. I requested a return label for a full refund. The label arrived the next morning and the guitar was shipped back to them, arriving back to the store 24 hours later. I was told that they cannot refund credit card transactions (first red flag) and needed to send me a check. 2 weeks went by with no sign of a refund. I was then told a check was cut and I would be receiving it overnight. Another week went by with no sign of the refund. I sent a message stating that I would be filing a dispute if the tracking number was not provided. I never received the tracking, so a dispute was filed. Magically, the check was sent out 48 hours after the dispute was filed. Check arrived and to my surprise, the refund amount was $250 less than the purchase price. Though the guitar did not arrive as described, Sound Pure found it appropriate to hold back $250. Buyers beware - I have purchased over $20,000 in guitars from this store. I have requested assistance with solving this issue, but have not received a response. Please be aware that if you are not pleased with your order, this will most likely happen to you also. Huge disappointment. Feel free to reach out should you have any questions or would like any additional information. read more

I made my second online purchase of an acoustic guitar. I worked with Jesse @ Sound Pure. He's very helpful. I'd recommend working with him. read more

Shame on sound pure... I returned this guitar ( exact guitar) to sound pure over a week ago.. they've not refunded my card ... I've called 5 times about my refund and gotten a sorry excuse every time about why the money has not been refunded yet... always pushed off to another employee that isn't working that day but call back the next , or the owners home air conditioner isn't working so he's at home.. blah blah .. that's why you've not been refunded yet... Meanwhile They've had plenty of time to relist the guitar I technically still own .. yes this is a photo of the guitar they've not paid me for , up on the website for sale ...soo I guess I'm filing a police report next ... I've called you guys 5 times and nothing Refund my card in full... read more

Sound Pure - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Sound Pure would benefit more experienced staff. Unfortunately I never felt comfortable with them. read more

Ted Gasper is a class act, and he is who I reach out to when I need professional audio gear. He is super-responsive, polite, fair, and thorough in his follow-ups. He comes highly recommended to do business with. Sound Pure is a wonderful company! read more

great! Zak great too great services ce fast shipping always on top of at a soundpure

Started talking to a salesman on a Wednesday and on Thursday gave my salesman my credit card info to purchase a new Boucher. I received a confirmation email that same day showing my purchase. when I called and Texted and left a message on Friday no response till late in the day the following Monday. This was a text informing me that since I hadn't put down a deposit that my guitar was sold over the weekend. Wait what!! I paid on Thursday or at least I did everything in my power to do so! Question was it a total dropped the ball by my salesman or did someone else come along who they preferred to sell to after selling to me? This was my first and last experience with sound pure and would rate my experience a negative stars!! Run the other way!!! read more

I tried to order a drum set. The site said shipping was free. My cart says the total cost is $113.51 LESS than what they actually try to charge me at check out. Where did this $113.51 come from? I call to sort out the problem with the price and choose general inquiries on the phone tree. The employee says I'm the guitar guy, you need to talk to the drum guy." So I wait for the drum guy to call me back and explain it all again. The drum guy says "I'm just the drum guy, I don't know about that." I ask if there's someone else I can talk to. Nope. Then he tells me he needs to see if it's actually in stock. The website says "In Stock! Ships immediately after order processed!" It's not in stock. They called Ludwig and Ludwig doesn't have any more. But the website will let you buy what they don't have and it will charge you an extra $113.51 that nobody can explain. The prices look good, but the staff can't help, the merchandise doesn't exist, and the website is fraudulent. Zero trust = zero purchases. read more

Awesome experience dealing with Barrett and crew! Trade exchange process went very smoothly. Would recommend.

Bought an import made in South Korea Dean Michael Schenker Custom Flames Flying V from these guys. I was honestly skeptical as 9 times out of 10 when I buy a used guitar, it needs work to get it to play good i.e a fret level. Not the case here at all. I changed the strings to my preferred gauge, tweaked the truss rod to accommodate and lowered the action to where I like it. Honest to god, it plays and sounds as good as the USA Dean limited edition Michael Schenker V that I owned. The only thing that makes it obvious that it's an import is the pearloid block inlays. I spoke with Jack on the phone when I ordered it. He went the extra mile to make sure everything went well. Ordered it on Monday and received it on Wednesday. It was also packed very well. read more

Sound Pure - The guitar I bought from Sound Pure. - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

The instrument repair person, several years took my Martin 35 to repair the broken top. I was unable to pay for repairs and could not afford for awhile. When I could pay I sent hime $1000 of the $1400 charge. I have never heard from him or Sound Pure, my guitar is worth around $5000. read more

After reading about the store, I really wanted to visit it. Once I was finally able to find it, no parking was available. The store does not have its own parking lot. There is a commercial building being erected across the street and all of the parking spaces on the street itself were filled with workmen's pickup trucks! I drove around the block to see if there might be spaces on Foster Street, but there were none. There is a building next door to Sound Pure with parking spaces, but it is a city/County building and the slots are reserved. Obviously, this parking problem is not the owner's doing per se, and I'm sure it is caused him to lose business. read more

Tried to inquire about ordering a Nash guitar. They wanted to sell me one in stock. As soon as I asked about how to order the one I wanted, radio silence and nothing since. Apparently they don't need business. All good. read more

Great service and sales support. Jack was very helpful during the process and the guitar (R8 les paul) was in great shape for used. Recommended. read more

I've had nothing but a great experience purchasing from Sound Pure. I've been calling on the same sales tech since my first purchase with him about 5 years ago. He is super knowledgeable and happy to give advice even if it doesn't lead to a sale. The fact that I've never once felt pressured into a sale or even towards a higher-priced item is reassuring and in fact, he's often recommended more budget friendly solutions when I ask for pro-audio advice. They've always gone out of their way to help me out as a customer such as arranging shipment dates around my crazy work schedule and matching competitor prices. I see that some reviewers remark about that their sales floor in their physical building isn't publicly open, but when I lived the same town I found that they'll let you in if you ring the bell. I think they limit access from the street because their floor has mostly high-end guitars that they prefer to keep in top-notch shape as well as because SP seems to focus business towards online retail. I understand the frustration, but the work around for locals is also pretty easy. read more

I ordered a custom bass through them. I was told 10 months. 13 months later, no bass. I wrote to cancel the order and was told I would receive my deposit back. Months later, no deposit. Communication is excessively poor. read more

As a new customer to SoundPure, I was delighted with my purchases, but moreover, Ted Gasper was a joy to work with. I appreciated his straightforward honesty and timely responses to questions. Fantastic customer service! read more

This place is a must visit for any guitar nerd....they have a really nice selection of acoustic wonder from the usual suspects (Martin, Collings, Santa Cruz, Boucher), and more, and don't mind at all handing you one to take for a drive drive. I got to play a Santa Cruz Tony Rice Professional model that sounded like the "Vienna Boys Choir" of acoustic guitars, but alas, out of my budget, but a guy can dream...Zak & Barrett were kind, courteous, patient, and incredibly knowledgeable, and educated me on the various wood/bracing possibilities. In the end, I wound up picking up a flawless Martin HD Elliot Easton Custom (basically an HD18!) that plays like a million bucks, and smiled all 50 miles back home. You will not regret checking this place out, but I warn you, leave the checkbook in the car because it is a true musical candy store..... read more

Sound Pure - Martin HD Elliot Easton Custom....aptly named "Ellie Mae" - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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My Carr Rambler arrived on time, very well packed and in perfect condition. i'd Like to give a million stars to this store My sales rep Trystan was great. He stayed in contact with me from the day i ordered to a nice follow up after it was delivered. he's a real pro to work with. This store will be my first stop the next time i need any gear. Dominic Garden City NY read more

I have bought a couple of high end acoustic guitars from Sound Pure and have found the staff and store to be positive and professional in all things related to my primary area of interest being acoustic guitars. I recommend Sound Pure without hesitation and they have a great staff of professionals who exhibit good customer service. read more

Zak @ SoundPure helped me receive a magnificent Santa Cruz OM Custom. He was patient & offered great advice & amazing listening skills for me to obtain my *10 not 5-star guitar exactly imagined & delivered with white glove service. Thank you Zak & SoundPure & I've already ordered my 2nd SCGC guitar from SoundPure, how's that for confidence!!! -Rob read more

Sound Pure - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

If you want a nice selection of reasonably priced guitars go to Guitar Center, if you like to wheel/deal/haggle check out Craigslist or your local pawnshop. However, if you are in the market for a premium guitar then this is the place. Zak was very knowledgeable and the service is impeccable. You can drop 40k here on a Benedetto but I walked out with a used Eastman Jazz Elite 16 for $1150 and I couldn't be happier. FYI this guitar absolutely crushed the more expensive DeAngelico I played at Guitar Center. read more

Sound Pure - Used 2015 Eastman Jazz Elite 16 - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

DONT - Consign a guitar with these guys .... Period. They won't communicate the charges they withold from you -- and the "Luthier" -- is a cottage Industry. read more

used to be a good shop but they've gone Uber boutique. I live locally and you need an appointment, sometimes days out, to check out their gear. I wanted to check out a pedal and trade one in I bought from them a year ago. it has never left my house but they were unwilling to work with me. it's too bad, they do have some good folks their and great gear, they have become hard to do business with. read more

Had the chance to stop in at Sound Pure when I was playing a show down the street. Had been a fan of their website for a while so I was excited to see it in person. The staff were extremely friendly and left me alone just enough to check out the amp I was there to see. Ended up finding a great deal on a used Milkman Amp which I had been interested in for some time. Highly recommend this place if you like nice guitars and friendly service. read more

My husband and I dropped in while traveling through NC, not realizing that retail hours are only on Saturday, and the shop is by appt only during the week. We went ahead and buzzed the front door and were greeted by Shawn, who welcomed us in. He was very patient, helpful and knowledgeable as my husband tried out two of the many boutique amps available. (Little Walter, Carr) They also had a great selection of boutique guitar builders. (Suhr, Nash) While we didn't make a purchase this time, we enjoyed meeting Shawn and talking shop. We'll definitely keep them in mind when we're ready to make our next purchase. We recommend checking out their website for gear demo videos, which is what brought us there in the first place. read more

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Wonderful selection of top musical equipment, great service, and really knowledgable staff. This is a no BS zone. Thanks, Anthony!!!!

Zak has always been honest and reliable with all my purchases. And, he's helped me part with equipment that I no longer have use for - that opens the door for more great buying experiences! Ron D,Sr read more

Sound Pure is a very special place for upscale guitars and amplifiers. Yet, I was truly impressed with Eddie B. He was very generous with time and shared the intricate details of setting up the EQ for two amps I tried. He is the guy that does the You Tube videos for instrument demos at the store. I thought there was something very special about this place that started with people. Hey, the guitars and amps are great, too. I would tell anyone I know that if you're in Durham, NC, you need to check this place out. I would call in advance to setup an appointment. I would have no problem buying anything online from this place. It seems very legit. read more

I saw a Sound Pure video on YouTube on how to pack a drum set for shipping. In the video, they offer a $50 kit that is supposed to be everything you need for packing drums (boxes, bubble wrap, drum key, tape, etc). When the kit arrived, I opened it to find two boxes and some wrap - no instructions, no drum key, no tape - nothing to justify the $50 price tag. When I called to ask where the rest of the kit was, they argued with me telling me that they weren't responsible "to source those other items". They refused to help and now I'm stuck with a $50 loss and still have to go find a drum key from somewhere else. What a scam. read more

Sound Pure - Drum shipping kit is just two boxes, bubble wrap & butcher paper. There is no drum key, tape or instructions. - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

I live 5,000 miles from Soundpure and have bought two expensive guitars from them based only on their recommendations. I have been completely satisfied both times. They represented the instruments very accurately and the prices were attractive and well in line with the instrument quality. These people are serious professionals who evidently take pride in their reputation. I don't believe they will sell an instrument that doesn't meet high standards. It is a pleasure to deal with straightforward people who know what they are doing and genuinely want you to get the right instrument for your needs. read more

Called before I came and said I wanted to buy a Tom Anderson guitar, so the understanding was mutual that I would be spending 3k. Arrived an hour before close and the first thing out of the salesmans mouth was, "I have a gig at four so I have to leave early." I also included when I called to verify that the shop is open that I was driving from over three hours away just to come to the shop. One of the biggest problems I had was that the shop clearly had high end stuff and I asked to play a higher gain amp and the guy said he had nothing like that but I saw vigneron amps, sunr amps, even a few Mesa boogie amps. I will just give the shop the benefit of the doubt that he just clearly had no interest in helping me. Lastly I have never been to a shop that has all the inventory in the back of the store and you just have to know what they have before going in. I came in to specifically look at two guitars but was not satisfied with the service. It threw the vibe off and therefor I bought nothing and left. I later looked and saw they had a GG spec guitar which I would have bought on the spot if I had known it was there. I wore my Aristocrats shirt with Guthrie on the front and was not told about this guitar. It's all good though I had some really good BBQ afterwards. read more

I purchase a lot of pro audio gear and was recently tuned on to SoundPure because of their stock in a particular item. When I called, Ted was very knowledgeable, patient and friendly. He made sure the item was shipped out same day and gave me a decent price. The item arrived as expect and functions great. I went on to make another purchase a week or so later. Got a a great deal and Ted once again made sure everything was shipped out quick and followed up with tracking same day. Pleasure doing business with Soundpure and look forward to many more purchases in the future. Highly recommended read more

I was very glad this shop has a quite knowledgeable drum guy. He actually spoke with me over the phone 1 or two times . He gave me a lot of time and answered a lot of my questions in regards to helping me choose a kit. However, I hadn't spoke with him in a few months. My company is based down in Durham. So I traveled to Durham for work training and the first day I got in - I found that the shop was 15 minute walk from my hotel. I got excited to check out the drum shop. I walked downtown and got up to the shop and went to open the door when I saw it was locked. The open sign was up but it wasn't actually open. I called the shop and said hey are you appointment only or something? He said yes. I said oh because im here and I just wanted to check out somethings . He said what type of things. I said well just some snare drums and maybe and before I could continue to explain that I just wanted to browse multiple gear - he said oh yeah the drum guy isn't in. I just hung up. It was so frustrating. I walked back to the hotel going the long route and I got reminded that yes this is a slightly rough area. There are some bums around and I wouldn't call it the prettiest area . Maybe they had problems before with bums or something. I've seen those at Guitar Center or the guys that just want to jam for hours and never buy anything. I mean I may or may not buy something but I did have a great feeling about the shop from the drummer guy that makes the YouTube videos. He spoke with me before. I didn't know I would finally get to check the shop out in person because my job training put me in a hotel only so close. Yet I actually could T because I didn't know about the appointment situation. It may be understandable to some but it seems a bit silly. Maybe they make enough money online that they don't need to be open anymore to public. I know music equipment is harder to find nowadays. Stock is harder to get and so maybe they know the demand is still there online. Either way it gave me a bad feeling about the shop. I was considering buying a whole new cymbal set there or snare drum. Oh well they will make money from someone else. read more

I have generally very positive experiences with everyone at Sound Pure, but this review is mostly of Rob Sharer, their luthier. There's a chance Rob is a wizard, because he seems to perform magic when it comes to a guitar's playability. Both guitars I've taken to him in the past two years for setup, fretboard planing, etc. are the easiest playing guitars I've had the pleasure of making music with, bar none. Talking with him in depth about the approach he takes to improve the playability and overall tonal characteristics of the instruments he's entrusted with, his years of playing and honing his craft are unmistakable. In the past two years, my financial investment in my guitars has increased. This alone has netted gains in overall tone quality/complexity and clarity that compel me to play more out of a desire to hear the instrument speak. For me, Rob's painstaking work has made my connection to my instruments stronger. Tone is only half of the equation - the ease with which I can produce and manipulate that tone to transmute emotion, energy, feeling into sound is the other half, and arguably the more important half at any budget. Since receiving my second guitar back, putting it down has proved very problematic. So long as Sound Pure is in business and Rob is employed there, I will take every guitar I purchase to him for setup and recommend his outstanding work to anyone who plays seriously. read more

My husband and I stopped by this afternoon to look at a guitar and was told that we could not enter the store without an appointment (even though the store hours on the door said they take walk-ins until 4pm and it was well before that time). We are from out of town and were just visiting Durham for a few days. We have been to Sound Pure before (and purchased a $5,000 guitar in the past six months) and haven't had to make an appointment. This was very disappointing because I was hoping to surprise my husband with another guitar! We are going to find another guitar shop. read more

Okay, a guitar shop you have to make an appointment to go into......why? Because you carry high end guitars ? So does every other guitar shop. I was on my way to the shop to buy some strings for my guitar and to look around for my next purchase which I've saved up alot of money for , and boom I saw they carried suhr guitars. I was very excited and ready to throw down a couple grand.......and both doors were locked. I stood out side trying to figure out what was happening, maybe I was at the wrong entrance ? So I walked around trying multiple locked doors and the salesmen on the inside saw me and couldn't inform the confused man obviously interested at going in that you need an appointment. RUDE! I will gladly drive out of my way to find a shop that lets people in , or atleast confronts them to let them know how they opperate. read more

I love shopping and buying from Sound Pure. They have an incredible inventory of great guitars at a wide range of prices. Eddie and all the guys at Sound Pure are awesome, friendly and know there stuff. Over the years I've played many guitars there and have never been handed a guitar that was out of tune. Doesn't sound like much, but it's a big deal. I just got home from there today, and I can't wait to visit there again. 5+ stars! read more

Zak at Soundpure.com has given me a positive customer experience in every way. His knowledge of the product, almost immediate response to my inquires, and follow through have left nothing wanting. They are in North Carolina and I am in the Orlando Florida area, so at first I was a little concerned with what might happen if I did not like the product I received, sight unseen. Their return policy removes that risk for me. Although I would have to adsorb the return shipping, all I have to do is send it back if unsatisfied for any reason, no questions asked. I purchased my first guitar from them about a week ago - an Eastman AC422ce. The sound was so good that my wife suggested I buy another Eastman Guitar for investment. Imagine that! Who am I to argue? So I followed up with the purchase of an Eastman E40D-SB and I have to say, I could not be happier. As an owner of a 2017 Martin D42 and a 2018 Taylor 814ce DLX, the tone from these Eastman guitars is as good or better. A slightly different voice from the other two but in a good way. WOW! Thumping bass, ringing trebles and the kind of sustain I have come to expect from high end guitars. I highly recommend Zak and his company to you! read more