Fantastic music store. Variety of instruments. Clean and well taken care of. Highly recommend going to the back of store to visit Mike Mace the guitar technician. He's a wizard with repairs. read more

This long-time music store has been a valued resource for musicians in the Chico area. Staff is both friendly and very knowledgeable. Guitar repair pro Mike Mace has performed several guitar repairs and adjustments over the years for me and is meticulous in his work. He is extremely knowledgeable and skilled in his craft. He is also a Taylor guitar certified technician. read more

I don't like to review places and be that guy but my experience here was not the greatest. I brought in a brand new Jaguar to have them set it up, with my own D'Addario NYXL 12-60 strings. I knew from the factory these guitars are not set up the greatest, so I brought it in. I did my research on what the jaguar needed to be successful and I asked them to do just that and I was very upfront about being willing to pay what it would take. What I wanted done: Shim the neck by .5 as this helps the string have more tension on the saddle and strings are notorious for slipping off of the jaguar saddle, secure the floating bridge, fix the tremolo systems "click" at the tongue and groove, file out the nut accordingly to fit my larger gauge strings I brought with me, and your basic truss adjustment, action and intonation. The employee helping me said no problem give us a week exactly. Even had a decent conversation about how I wanted to set this guitar up to play heavier drop tuning and open tuning but still allowing the ease and fun of a shorter scale guitar. Great. I come back a week later, they hadn't even touched the guitar, the employees working at the time didn't even know it was there. Give us another week. Okay no problem as I work close by. I come in, and I'm laughed at by the same employee who said give us a week...then give another....as he said "we have a queue dude we will get to it when we feel like it". A week later I get a text that it's finished. Three weeks now after dropping it off. Blue painters tape to secure the bridge, my strings that I had brought with me went "missing", so no string replacement, nut sanding to hold the new strings, and so no proper set up how I had asked with the new strings, and no shim put in. They did fix the click in the tremolo and set the action/intonation of the stock strings . The employees there did not seem to give a crap about the guitar, nor how they misplaced my strings. Didn't even offer to replace them. "We just won't charge you for the string replacement" right, because it didn't happen? They even tested the string gauge in front of me trying to pass it off like they did it and sure enough, 9's, stock strings. Even after all that, I asked them to order me a case. They said great no problem. Of course you'll take the money. No call or follow up on the case at all. I'm a really easy going guy, i gave them all the time they needed and was respectful to the busyness of the store, even after being laughed at to my face by an employee, but man am I disappointed in the service I received. I really don't understand how to just misplaced a customers strings when I even slide the new pack between the pick ups and the strings existing. I chose this place because of all the reviews I had read about Bruce being extremely versed in professional set ups. I don't know if he was the one who worked on my guitar though. I wish I had a better experience from all the good things I've heard. Unfortunately not. read more

I was in Oroville on Sunday wanting to get my acoustic guitar setup and the music shop there was closed so i looked up nearby places and Music Connection was open in Chico so I gave them a ring. Ian answered the phone and told me that I can bring it by and he would do it while I wait, WOW! That's service! I also asked for an estimate before I made the drive and he was happy to give me one! Setups start at $35 and go up depending on if you need extra parts or strings and things like that. Upon arrival to Music Connection I was greeted and taken to Ian who immediately went to work on my guitar. He was happy to let me watch while he worked and I asked questions throughout the setup out of curiosity because I am a newer guitar player, which he was happy to answer. I'd say the whole thing took about 30-45 minutes and I cannot believe I never got the guitar setup before because I have had it for years but now it feels amazing! I can actually stay motivated to play instead of my hands getting tired from the action being so damn high! It is like a whole new guitar! Sounds and feels amazing! Thanks Ian, and Music Connection! I will be returning and also recommending you to anyone who asks! Side note, the location has changed so double check the address before you go! read more

Bruce is a great owner and gives you competitive pricing and great service. I'd always prefer to do business with him over the big online stores. read more

Love this music store. The staff and owner were so helpful. I bought a. Epiphone by Gibson Dove Guitar. I love it. They also set up and changed strings on my other mandolins, ukuleles and guitars. I love these guys. read more

I went to Music Connection in Chico to have a relatively simple repair done on my guitar, and talked with Bruce, the tech guy and one of the owners. He said he could do it in about a week. Three weeks later he finally called to say the repair was done and I could pick up the guitar. When I arrived, Bruce wasn't there and the work wasn't finished on the guitar. Naturally I was not happy that Bruce had lied to me and wasted my time. A female employee told me he could deliver the guitar on his next trip to Redding in a few days. When he showed up, he handed me the guitar and very angrily told me to never come back to Music Connection. I asked him, "Why? Because you screwed up?" but he didn't answer and drove away. The requested work still hadn't been done. Avoid Music Connection and that arrogant, incompetent, dishonest little a**hole Bruce. read more

I went here for the first time, and they are now my new go-to spot. I was shopping for a new microphone. The man who helped me was knowledgeable and friendly. Through conversation, he suggested I buy a new cord instead of a new mic. He was right! The store made less money on that sale, but made a new loyal customer. Will recommend and return. Thanks for the great experience. read more

Excellent customer service! Dan is extremely helpful . My son's violin kept getting completely out of tune so he spent 20 minutes teaching us how to properly tune it. Vianna is also an incredible piano teacher. We feel very blessed to have this store in town. read more

We went there twice with cash in hand looking for a guitar..couldn't get the clerk to even say hello..just ignored us completely..we were the only customers in the place..mind you we drive a new Cadillac and dont look like bums lol....just bad customer service.. read more

Got a guitar repaired here and some upgrades done at the same time. Everyone was kind and helpful and the work done is great. It's been several months and everything is still perfect. Won't hesitate to take my instruments here in the future. Great place and a TON of guitars there! Love it. read more

I recently took a new guitar in to get set up - an American jazz master, tuned down to a truly stupid tuning. Bruce treated it with the utmost care, and when I came in to pick up, I couldn't believe how reasonable the price was. I've never had a guitar play this well. Love this place, love the vibe. Support local businesses! read more

Great store and kid friendly! The owners are super sweet and the employees are all friendly. They are on top of keeping things safe with masks and sanitizing during this pandemic all while helping people with rentals, music lessons, commissions, buying products etc read more

My entire family takes music lessons at Music Connection. We found them when we first moved to Chico as we needed a violin repaired. Ashley answered the phone when I called and hooked us up with Bruce and Sally. Since then The Music Connection has helped us buy, sell, repair and even donate instruments to other families. They have introduced us to great teachers and other musicians. We've gotten so many musical opportunities just buy being part of The Music Connection. Also, it's totally amazing to stop buy and watch Bruce or Nathan working on the Luthier Bench. They set up new instruments and make them glorious, but the coolest think is to see how they bring life into some of the unusual antique instruments that musicians bring in for repair. read more

I had occasion to be glad we still have a locally owned music store here in Chico. I ordered a pricey amplifier - here, rather than online - and lo and behold, when I took it home and hooked it up, it had a faulty input jack. I brought it the store and they took care of it quickly, persuading the manufacturer to simply swap in a new one rather than make me wait for a repair and shipments. Under two weeks, including the long July 4th holidays. Everything with Music Connection is personal, community-oriented, friendly and patient (including with me, as I was kind of freaking out that it would take weeks and weeks to be able to gig again). They deserve to be everyone's first stop when looking for equipment, repairs, and lessons. read more

BEST MUSIC STORE IN CHICO. My wife and I teach music lessons and Bruce and Sally have supplied our every need; amps, guitars, books, picks, repairs, you name it - all with excellent service and great prices to boot. They even have a student referral system that has been very crucial to our clientele. Check out The Music Connection in Chico for ALL your music needs! read more

I've been to this music store a couple of times and they have always been extremely friendly. I called the other day to see if they do amp repair but they could not do what I needed with some of my equipment. They actually referred me to somebody that they recommended that did Amp repair. I called that person and he took care of my needs to fix my equipment. I highly recommend music connection for whatever you may need and if they don't have it they'll find it for you or recommend someone else. High quality and integrity read more

Great deals on different musical equipment new and used! I was blow away! Thanks music connection! read more

The Music Connection - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Chico, California

Dear Reader, Music Connection is my favorite music store. Excellent large selection. I have acquired 5 great used instruments from the Music Connection at very reasonable prices. I also bought the amplifier of my dreams and payed $350 for a used $1300 amp.I am so happy. The Music Connection has a deep knowledge of music and instruments. You will enjoy the comfortable family atmosphere. Excellent teachers are available for many instruments at very reasonable rates. Some instruments are available to rent. We are very fortunate to be able to shop at the Music Connection. Gordon S. read more

The Music Connection is truly awesome. The entire crew is as helpful as can be. They will help you find the RIGHT product, not the most expensive product. They always show me comparable, less expensive products. Casey (Drum Guru) even helped me research products that they don't even carry. Thanks! When I walk in I am treated with courtesy, not sales pitches. This is an all inclusive music shop. I go in here just to hang out and geek out. Thanks for being here!!! Oh yea, they will price match Guitar Center... : ) read more

Love this store -- they are super nice, patient, informative and easy going to boot. We had been renting 3 instruments and the prices seemed reasonable. Well with the rental fee it can be used toward the purchase of any instrument. So yesterday we bought my son an electric guitar and they were extremely helpful in that process. Then my other two kiddles had been wanting to play clarinet and sax so we are renting those now and returned the other instruments. Just met the wife who is also the owner and she was helpful and super nice. A family business that you will want to continue to support read more

Owner keeps asking me to take this review down... Someone tell me why would i do that? They threw away my extremely expensive sub! Now they want me to remove my review?!!! great business guys, just great! How about maybe accepting that you made a mistake, and replacing my sub? That will show me that you turned around your business, and I will gladly let people know about that. read more

I went in today to buy a ts808. I've known I wanted one for some time and I figured I'd rather purchase it through a local music shop rather than buying online. I went in and was allowed to demo the pedal for about 15 minutes. After that, I was awkwardly and condescendingly asked to stop because people were taking lessons. It's not that I was asked to stop that bothered me, but it was just the way the employee went about asking me. I let it go and went and ahead and decided to buy the pedal anyways. I hoped to trade a couple pedals towards the ts808. This process took nearly 2 hours given that barely anyone wanted to give me any attention. Much to my current regret, I decided to purchase the pedal from the store. Kind of wish I hadn't. I have no problem with their inventory or prices, but the way most of their employees treat you like garbage is rather bothersome. I don't mean to make unfair comparisons, but I've NEVER been treated like this at Herreids. I decided to change it up today, but I can't say I'll choose Music Connection over Herreids in the future. What a shame. read more

As an avid musician, this place is one of my favorite stores in all of Chico. I've been a regular here since 2009 and have taken violin, guitar, and voice lessons here. They've got a nice array of teaching studios, as well as an overwhelmingly enormous selection of sheet music. The staff are very friendly and knowledgeable as well. Their instrument selection leaves quite a bit of room for improvement though. They're really heavy on guitars, basses, amps, drums, and electric pianos, which isn't surprising, and they have a somewhat decent selection of violins, but as far as other instruments go, the selection is threadbare. The guitar lineup could also use some improvement as well. They've been here for several years yet they still don't carry the behemoth Gibson, Taylor, and Martin, which is pretty disappointing. As far as repairs go, I've only had one repair job done here, and it was a good experience. I took my Les Paul in to get the potentiometers replaced, and it was done in a timely manner and with great customer service. Overall I would definitely recommend this place to any musician. Also, I'm looking forward to the opening of their new Redding location and I'm definitely gonna go check it out! read more

Bruce is awesome! I'm a beginner guitar player and needed some repairs done. He is so patient in finding the right parts at a reasonable price. He took the time to show me how to restring my guitar and his expertise certainly shows. I wouldn't go anywhere else! Love this place!! read more

I think they do a very good job here. It's my favorite general music store in Chico. The employees have always been cool and nice when I've come in. They've got a good amount of things to try out. I haven't gotten anything expensive there yet, so don't know how their prices are, but my cousin took piano there, and the teacher he has there was super nice. I know the teachers aren't the employees of Music Connection, but it just seems like they surround themselves with respectful and nice people. read more

In an age where the "mom & pop" music shop had all but disappeared Bruce and Sally have risen above it all and built the best music store around. Just shows how far hard work and great customer service can go. They're the best! read more

This is an amazing local, family owned music store. They have a huge selection of everything including woodwinds, good quality used accordions and plenty of consignment instruments as well. I always look forward to going in here and I absolutely love the owners who are often upfront. The PR at this store is remarkable. read more

Very fair prices, bonkers consistent customer service, and a wealth of good information and support for the local arts community.

great store, wish there where more like it.

Small world. I recently found myself at a dinner at the house of a friend's friend. Guess who it was: that same guy I had referred to check out the instrument I mentioned in my original review. He bought one that day too. We talked about how great Music Connection customer service is. Bravo. read more

My experience at Music Connection has been great. The staff was very helpful and the price was just right. Not to mention I put my amp on consignment and they did a great job of selling it in a timely fashion, and for the money I wanted. Excellent music store! read more

I've had multiple guitars (including custom made acoustics) repaired and setup here with great service. Selection could be better with a few higher-end products, but they do have limited floor space. I really like that you can still find family-owned music stores in Chico! The owners are great people who love music and support the community. read more

I live close to downtown and ever since the first time I went to the Music Connection I go out of my way to get to this store. It's a family business and obviously a labor of love; kids and grups taking lessons, in and out, nice atmosphere. I know that music store staff in general has a rep for being douchey but I've never got that, not one bit, at this store. SUPER DOUBLE PLUS: Guitar repair and maintenance by a very knowledgeable fellow, who was kind enough to answer my questions and let me look on as the magic was made on my sad guitar. I walked out of there feeling like i had just attended a short but powerful repair workshop. EVEN MORE EXTRA BONUS POINTS: Donated consistently for the silent auction at the org i work for. I love that MC is community-minded, committed, and engaged! And re: the general douchyness, that might go both ways. "DIDO," if you will. Again, I've never even caught a whiff of it here, but music without ego is a rare and powerful thing, so I'd rather practice being full of curious wonder rather than spurting my knowledge out onto everyone's face. TO RECAP: Music Connection=Awesome, and my favorite!! read more

The Music Connection is a great place to shop for musical gear and to get lessons, and Bruce does a great job doing instrument repairs. He is the only person I allow to set up my guitars. They have a great selection of sheet music also. Great music store! read more

I recently purchased a digital recorder and condenser microphones from the Music Connection. The owners are extremely friendly and knowledgeable. They gladly researched which microphones were best suited for my needs, and spent over three hours patiently explaining how to use the recorder (I am a neophyte in the audio recording world), and coached me through a simulated recording session. Based on my experience, I can wholeheartedly recommend doing business with the Music Connection. read more

The Music Connection has always been my favorite place to go for instruments, supplies, repairs, or even just a place to take the kids. They're always been more than helpful over the years. I've had custom work and repairs done to some instruments and they've always done quality work every time. Five stars plus more. read more

Just picked up a guitar for my daughter today. Great service, they set the guitar up for me while I waited, and the price was fair. Nice shop ! read more