I haven't been in every "guitar shop" in Raleigh. I would…read morevisit other shops but I don't have a reason for it. I met Harry Tueting the year he opened Harry's Guitars on Glenwood Avenue near downtown Raleigh. I bought strings and played new guitars I could not buy- no steady job. Still I had a clunker to bang on. I took lessons from Steve Howell in the early years. I met Terry Dineen when he began some years later. He was just a kid but he knew a lot more about guitars than I did. I'd played since I was 12, on cheap guitars, but I played. Thanks to the things I learned through visiting this business, I've developed into a modestly decent player. I've met musicians of every skill level in a place where I feel welcome. I've listened to people crank the amps and play for HOURS. No one ever objected. I know and understand the value of a good guitar. I've bought -and returned- guitars from Harry's. Nobody complained. I read the bad reviews given herein and I am STUNNED. Perhaps the reviewers are (1) upset because they did something out of ignorance and can't get over it or (2) have an ax to grind because they weren't regarded as royalty or (3) are simply mean spirited. I cannot in any way associate anyone I know, or have known, at Harry's Guitars with the ugliness I read in those "reviews". Not under Harry's watch. Not under Scott and Mike's watch. Not in the real world.

Easily the nicest guitar store in NC. Mike and his crew are all top notch. I recently purchased 2…read moreguitars (both were left handed and ordered directly from Martin) and I have seldom received such great customer service. My primary contact was Mike but everyone associated with the store is exemplary. The guitars are some of the nicest made but the staff at Harry's are top notch as well. A very pleasant buying experience. Thank you Mike!

This is one of the best violin shops I've been to. Shay is extremely fair and very talented at…read morehelping people pick out a violin that's right for them at their price point. He also restores old violins and does a fantastic job. My daughter bought one of his restored violins and the sound was incredible, so much better than a violin that she already had. She used it to play in the Enloe orchestra and got complimented on it. I also bought my Coda bow from Shay and the price was very fair. I would definitely go back to him... and probably will be soon to get my bow rehaired.

The sincerity of this small business is refreshing. It's located facing the Main Street of…read moredowntown Pittsboro so you can park anywhere and walk to it in a very short time frame. My son is 11 and joining orchestra for the first time. He was fitted properly for a violin and I felt confident in their hands. Some info: Rental: $25 a month and no contract. Debited or credited automatically each month. It came with violin, bow, chin rest, shoulder rest and a case. Not to mention ALL repairs are covered and tuning. The $25 also includes accidental break insurance. Value: 70% of each monthly fee is stored as credit on your account towards a brand new violin. They said it takes approximately 2 years worth to get one! By that time, my son will be able to know if he is committed to the violin and can get his very own. How awesome

Top notch repair services with very fair prices and speedy turnaround. Mike was incredibly kind and…read morecommunicative during the entire process and was able to get my tuba looking and playing like new!

From the owner: We are a brass musical instrument repair business. We also offer new and used french horn sales. By…read moreappointment only please.

Gavin is an amazing guitar technician. I highly recommend him and all the amazing staff at music go…read moreround. They are friendly and professional!

Pricing on used instruments is in the expected range. Quality new and used music gear at…read morereasonable prices from my experience. I've had zero issues with the guitars and pedals I've purchased here. Everything works as it should and is in mint or near mint condition. Trading in gear was like going to a pawn shop. I was MUCH better off selling my old gear on my own and getting hundreds more for it. They do have some NEW guitars, but not many.

I honestly can't say enough positive things about Tim at Apex Guitar Rescue. I brought my…read moredaughter's guitar in with a dead pickup and a switch that seemed wired backwards, and told him I knew very little about guitars. With me watching, he opened up the electronics, with a small amount of space due to a PCB board making things tight. He tried moving things around and tried different things but nothing was happening. Then he noticed the switch itself was loose and pulled it out of the guitar and it started working. "I know what it is. The paint on the inside is actually conductive and when this thing got turned, it shorted against the inside. That's also why it seems like it is wired to the wrong side - the switch has turned a full 180." He aligned it back, tightened it up, and everything plays great with both pickups and the switch now aligns with where it should be depending on which pickup is active. Basically everything works great. Tim talked a bit about how the electrical connections can be sensitive, and quickly went over a bunch of other parts of the guitar and aligned, tightened, so many different parts explaining what he was doing along the way. I feel like I walked out with a new guitar, and yet he charged a really modest fee! Before bringing it to Tim, I went to another local shop. One he realized I was not interested in his (more expensive) services other than just fixing the pickup, he was dismissive about almost everything on the guitar and said it probably plays horrible without ever playing a note or even plugging a jack into it, and suggested I buy a new guitar for my daughter. Contrast that experience with Apex Guitar Rescue, where Tim was so honest, skilled, and respectful of my time and money, and even said our guitar is great. I can't imagine bringing my guitar anywhere else. (BTW, the big G has tons more reviews of Apex Guitar Rescue.)

I took my Gretsch Jet into Tim's place and was so pleased with his work!…read more giant immaculate workshop, amazing workmanship jeez, i was impressed The damn thing worked and played better than it has ever in the past ty Tim, you are the best! Michael

I'd been in contact with Michael Hannah, looking for a particular piano in my price range. He…read moredidn't have the one I wanted, but a few days later, he put me in touch with someone who did have such a piano. It was an extremely generous, thoughtful, and selfless act that made me a dedicated future customer.

We purchased a Kawai piano from Maus. The experience was excellent! Zack was knowledgeable, but…read moredidn't use pressure sales tactics -- just answered our questions. We made a couple trips to Maus and also looked at a competitor store. In the end, we opted for the Kawai at Maus. Maus was very flexible with delivery dates, payment method, and even threw in a small upgrade to a component. The piano was delivered out of the box out of tune (apparently this is unusual), so Maus provided an additional in-home tuning at no cost. Maus has a friendly, family business feel to it. It's not a dazzling showroom, but the product and people are a great reason to go there.

You don't buy a piano every day, but you might buy more than one in a lifetime. I've just bought my…read morefourth piano. And apparently, contrary to popular belief, it turns out that it's the fourth, not the third time, that's the charm! I say this because I'm coming from the absolutely best all-around experience I've had, and that includes all three steps of shopping for a piano, finally choosing a piano, and getting through the delivery of a piano. Haidi, one of the head salespersons at Hopper Piano and Organ in Raleigh, was a delight to work with. Piano shopping for me, and I'm not a professional musician - just someone with enough training to enjoy working on a new piece periodically - is like choosing a car: it has to feel right, it has to sound right, it has to look right (I know this is an odd analogy, but it works). So, I have to see what all the available models out there feel and sound and look like. It's a long, narrowing down process. It takes time and patience to get it right. Lots of trips to the piano stores. Haidi was patience personified. She was always glad to see me walk in, and this held true even after I'd purchased the piano and, while waiting for my delivery date to hit, would show up just to play around with my new piano. Haidi is a fount of information and experience, both on brand history and manufacturing details. She'll play each piano for you so you can walk around the room and take in the sound. Sales pressure was totally absent. Matching me with the best fit was my job alone and Haidi always gave me the time and space to do just that. I recommend her highly. I also have to recommend their professional movers, led by Miguel, who has twenty years of experience in the business, and his on-the-spot assistant movers, Robert and Andrew. As I said, this is my fourth piano buying experience and these guys had moving equipment aides I've never seen before but, in future, would now insist any piano moving company must have. In addition, they laid reems of carpet pad on the stairs to protect both them and the piano. The piano was wrapped in multiple CLEAN moving blankets. They took the time to position the piano exactly where I wanted it, put the piano bench together for me and got it ALL right. I think they move other things, as well. Ask Haidi, she'll know. Chuck Coleman

From the owner: Hopper Piano and Organ Company offers sales and service for pianos and organs throughout 60…read morecounties in North Carolina. The Family of Steinway Designed Pianos includes the handcrafted Steinway and Sons Piano of LIC, New York as well as their Boston and Essex Pianos. Hundreds of churches have placed their trust in us through the purchase of an Allen Organ or custom designed pipe combination organ. Allen is the largest builder of church organs in the US and is proudly built in Macungie, PA. If you are an individual, church, College, University or other organization we are here to serve you.

mint condition vintage fender reverb units. The work was excellent and the communication the same…read more I have several more hand wired vintage amplifiers, which will be visiting the shop in the near future.

From the owner: Vintage tube guitar amp service and repair in the Triangle, NC, for Durham, Raleigh, Chapel Hill,…read morePittsboro, Cary, Apex, Graham, Burlington, Hillsborough, Greensboro, Sanford, Siler City, Ashboro and nationally and internationally via secure and insured shipping. Servicing Fender, Gibson, Marshall, Vox, Ampeg, Orange, Magnatone, Selmer, HiWatt, Park, Standel, Traynor, Garnet, Guild, Supro, Gretsch, National, Airline, Masco, Danelectro, Silvertone, Harmony, Lectrolab, Sound Projects, Premier Multivox, Sano, Kay, Sound City, Univox and boutique tube amps including Dumble, Trainwreck, Kendrick, Carr Amps, Swart, Dr Z, Victoria and others.

We purchased an antique piano from the 1860s and needed it tuned. We reached out to multiple places…read moreand got a swift and professional reply from Chris. His business is a one man show and we are all about supporting local! Chris was exceptionally knowledgeable and I enjoyed chatting with him as he worked. The piano sounds great and he even replaced our broken knobs and rubber stops! Prices are very reasonable and I will be recommending him to friends and family for his outstanding work!

He was great at tuning my piano and really knows his stuff. I look forward to working with him in…read morethe future for piano tuning.