I had some hairline cracks between the bridge pins of my acoustic guitar and I was somewhat conflicted on whom to have it repaired. I do recall seeing someone bring their Gibson Les Paul with a snapped headstock, there for repair years ago. While this may be a known weakness of the Gibson neck, these guys do expert work and have a great reputation. The Luther was Anne. First of all, I was elated that they are inclusive. Not only was she totally up front about the repair, but she did an amazing job, such that it looks like it never happened. Fair prices. Realistic estimates for both cost and time to repair. Highly recommend. read more

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I was seriously interested in purchasing a Custom Shop guitar from The Twelfth Fret worth around $3,000, but unfortunately, the customer service experience was extremely disappointing. I initially contacted them through their website requesting additional photos of the guitar but never received a response. I eventually called and spoke with Mike, explained that I was ready to purchase but wanted to see some additional photos first, and provided my email address. He said they never received an inquiry from me. Rather than simply taking my information and helping me with the request while I was already on the phone, Mike directed me back to the website to submit another inquiry or send another email. He came across as completely disinterested in assisting me or earning my business. I've purchased guitars and gear from Guitar Center, Sweetwater, Musician's Friend, and many other shops, and I'm accustomed to salespeople being happy to answer questions and provide additional photos--especially when someone is seriously considering a $3,000 instrument. Unfortunately, this was one of the most disappointing customer service experiences I've had with a guitar store. After reading some of the other reviews regarding customer service, my experience seems consistent with those concerns. read more

I sold a uke. Excellent service I have always found the service very professional and personal the staff is quite knowledgeable and mos helpful. read more

I had an instrument that wasn't particularly valuable in terms of $ but it holds great sentimental value for me as it was the first instrument I ever learned to play. It had been damaged because of a previously poor fix (before my wife bought it for me) and I took it to the 12th Fret repair shop hoping they could repair it. I thought it was beyond repair, I was heartbroken. Nope! The professional repair dept not only fixed it, they fixed it and readjusted the bridge and now it sounds even better! I'm so happy and now they have a client for life. It's service with a smile that gets me every time. Thank you. read more

I took my guitar to 12th Fret for a bridge repair after my original retailer couldn't fix it. While the bridge was repaired, the Fishman pickup was reinstalled incorrectly, causing it to overheat dangerously. Despite initially checking the pickup and it was working and charging me $4.50 for a 9-volt battery out of a drawer and not necessarily new, (he smiled merrily when he entered the $4.50 onto my invoice) and obviously failed to ensure its proper functioning upon reinstallation. The bridge repair cost me nearly $384(9-volt battery, new strings with set-up, and bridge repair) and now the pickup is unusable. I regret taking it there as it was a waste of time, money, and trust. Never going to go to the 12 Fret and all thumbs factory again. I sent an email thanking the individual for the repairs and it is now retracted. Someone who's name begins with A did this apparently. read more

The Twelfth Fret is the best guitar repair shop n another America. They have done an amazing job on all the guitars I brought in and it's truly a work of art how amazing these luthiers are. read more

I spent the morning going to music stores and the twelfth fret was actually recommend by another music store as the place to go for anything with strings. My partner just bought a mandolin and the repair guy checked it out, gave a fair estimate of what it would cost to condition it, and tuned it and did some minor work for free! This was way above and beyond customer service. Recommended. read more

Appraised repaired and sold a beloved and valuable Mandolin for us. I found the process comfortable, efficient and the people great to deal with. 5 star from us! read more

A trust worth store for all your guitar needs, they have been a staple in my road up the fret board :). I have yet to buy a guitar as I like second hand relics, but have been my go to for slides strings capos and Maintenance supplies read more

This is a great place to go if you're interested in people not listening to you and talking to you like you're an idiot. Nice stock though. F- for customer service. read more

I'm a fan because the instruments are top-notch and a few employees delivered the service I needed, but only after I proactively asked for help. If you need a great instrument and already know what you want, this is a great spot. The blank and disinterested stares from a few employees was laughable - dare I say "dead weigh"! The service, in general, sucks unless you're a known musician. read more

If you play guitar, go here. Less wanker type customers than L&M or Steve's. read more

Tons of electric eye candy. Maybe 30% of the inventory is acoustic, but then again it's a pretty good sized inventory. A couple mandolins and banjos, and that's about it if you don't play guitar or bass. I walked the entire store, slowly, twice and wasn't once asked if I needed any help. On one hand I'm good with that as I just wanted to fiddle with the guitars without being interrupted, but on the other a little customer service would have been appreciated. Of the two, I preferred Capsule Music on Queen Street. read more

Bought an acoustic guitar for my wife's birthday as a surprise. The staff helped out a lot when showing me a selection of models that fit her hand and body size. When she opened it she wanted to exchange it for another model with a better looking top. The staff was excellent in the exchange process. Great shop run by guitar enthusiasts. read more

I made the mistake of driving down to the 12th fret on Dec 28, 2021 from Barrie. When I got there the store was "open" but the door was locked. One of many tiny signs on the window said curbside pickup only. And by appointment only. When someone came to the door I asked him why people can bump into each other at Costco and Walmart but of course he didn't have a reply for that. And then I asked him why I was on their website for over an hour looking at all their guitars and amps and didnt see any reference at all to the store now being essentially closed. Oh but of course he said "its everywhere on their site" NOT. Anyhow another employee brought out the $2800 1982 "The Strat" I was interested in. However the pale yellow colour looked much worse in person than the picture on the listing. But I had also brought down my 1996 50th Anniversary USA Strat is in perfect condition and asked them what they would give me for it as a trade. 10 minutes later the same employee who wasnt really able to answer questions told me that according to Reverb.com the average price of my guitar over the past year was $1,300 so they offer me $900. And I asked him what planet they live on with USA strats listed for over $2500 and many over the $3000 Of course again no coherent answer. I understand the idea of profit but gouging and rip off is entirely a different matter. I hope no musician is so hard up that they have to sell their guitar to those clowns. Anyone who follows strat prices knows that if they had bought mine for $900 it would be on their website the next day for $2500. 12th FRET....THE ULTIMATE RIP OFF read more

Took a custom vintage LP with a faulty jack for an easy repair. Watched him do the repair and struggle, while aggressively slamming the guitar on the work bench. When I got the guitar back and take it home, all of the knobs were cracked and fell off. Vintage knobs. Called to let them know and the attitude was cavalier. I would not take any instrument to be repaired here. Maybe in the past attention to detail was a thing but after this incident, beware. read more

I recently brought in a crappy solid top yamaha dreadnaught that I've been abusing for many years. It had what I thought was string buzz. They diagnosed the problem and fixed it on the spot. No charge. That's sweet. I've also bought strings, pedals and the odd guitar here over the years. I've always been very happy with the service and the people. Also, I like how they maintain the storefront. In addition to being a great guitar store, they are a great neighbour as well. read more

Bought a guitar case online Monday - expected to receive it Wed or Thurs - did not arrive. (I've paid in full including $50 for shipping - all the way to Hamilton . . . an hours drive?) Emailed them to see if there was a problem, 24 hours later still no reply. Really disappointed at the lack of customer service. I don't expect perfection, I know covid has complicated some things but I don't expect to be ignored - not feeling valued or respected. Would encourage Hamilton musicians to stick with local shops, Mountain Music of Long & Mcquade. read more

Ordered a guitar from here and had it shipped all the way to Vancouver a month or so ago and not only did it arrive in perfect condition, but they really went above and beyond with all the extras they threw in (a spare set of strings, a brand new strap, and a set of straplocks). The fact that it was a luxury guitar that costed over $1000 naturally had me a bit nervous with the shipping and whatnot, but everything from the ordering, updates on shipment status, and communication with the store was flawless, which definitely helped put my mind at ease. When I first took the guitar out of the case, I was surprized how well it played. Later, I found out that it was given a setup by one of the skilled technicians at the store before being shipped out, which explained everything (and saved me $50 or so for a setup locally). Do hope to someday visit the store in person if I'm ever in Toronto! read more

Crooks! I bought a used National Resosonic for $3000 only five months ago. Barely played it, maintained it in a room that was consistent in both temperature and humidity. Only to find out at my local guitar store (tried selling it at Long and Mcquade) that the neck was twisted. A twisted neck on a guitar should not occur in 5 months if you've been taking care of it. They refuse to take responsibility and told me that they cannot do anything about a warranty. So I'm stuck with a broken guitar, $3000 in the hole. Never shopping here again. I'll be telling all my friends about my bad experience here. read more

Had great experiences at this shop. Friendly staff, awesome selection of gear, and the store is setup nicely. One thing that really stands out about this place is their repairs. They have an awesome facility with very knowledgeable guitar techs. Brought in one of my guitars which was having some serious buzzing issues, one of the techs took a look and adjusted truss rod and action free of charge. Also went over the frets and gave me a quote if I wanted a few of the high ones to be more levelled. You can really tell their staff are dedicated, enjoy what they do, and will do everything to make sure you leave the shop satisfied. I'd say the only negative thing about this shop is their repair turn around time can be a month or longer. I can see why because they get so many guitars every day, but it's still a long time to wait, especially for something simple like a typical setup. read more

I buy stuff here (strings, picks, mags) 'cause it's convenient, but I never feel comfortable. The sales guys (don't think I've ever seen a female employee) always seem aloof and disinterested (even when I was looking for a new guitar, which I ended up getting at Long & McQuade). read more

I am torn about this place. They are one of two Collings dealers in Canada, and I have never walked into a place and seen a wall of Collings acoustics before. This store has the nicest selection of acoustic guitars in Toronto, if you are looking for a top notch, high end instrument... Actually aside from Dream guitars and a few other twelth-fret-like shops throughout the states, this is aone of the best shops in North America. They carry hand made guitars from Grit Laskin (they get one every year), Tony Karol, Linda Manzer (when they come in used)... Basically, I can say they have the best stock in town and they know their stuff and never buy or sell junk. Whatever you buy here will be a top tier instrument. Also good to note that they have a ton of electric guitars but I don't know anything about them so I will leave them out of this review. They have vintage Les Pauls lining the back wall behind the counter and they look beautiful. I reason I am torn about it is that the service is usually bad. I don't know if they just don't want to help or talk with me, if it's a guys-guy kind of shop, or if they think that I can't afford to shop there, but they are not helpful when I ask for assistance or want to buy something there. About a year ago, I was looking to buy a new or used 000 or OM guitar with a pickup, and my budget was $1000-$1500. They showed my a Larrivee L-03 with a pickup and when I didn't like it, the guy said 'that's all we have in your price range' and walked away. No offering to show me something for a couple hundred dollars more, no suggestions of where I should look or what other options are available, no offer to put a pickup in my existing OM guitar... It was just a cold experience that left a bad taste in my mouth. I ended up buying a Martin 000-16 at Ring music instead, and was extremely happy with John's service and time spent with me chatting about what the right instrument would be. Second example, I went there to get some humidifiers, and I specifically wanted the Oasis in-guitar humidifiers. There were a few guys behind the counter not busy with other customers but no one offered to help me. I had to say 'excuse me' and then they were bothered that they had to go downstairs and get them, then he told me I didn't even need them at this time of year (I am aware, thanks, go get them.) Then I had a good experience a few weeks ago - I went to get wall hangers and the guy (a different guy than I have seen before) was really nice, took the time to pick out the lighter-coloured woods for me, and was generally really great. All in all, I would still rather go to Ring music, which is much less pretentious, but definitely carries a lower end product (they have the full line of Normans which start at around 300$). Twelth Fret is the only place to shop in Toronto if you're looking to drop serious cash on a guitar. And if they see 5 grand in you I'm sure they will be more than willing to come out from around the counter. I will shop here again in the future when I am shopping for a guitar that is worth more than my car, but it will not be in the near future :) read more

Store: Always nice Vintage pieces moving through, consignment shop so things usually sell for top buck, not the place to go if looking for a bargain. Staff are friendly but don't harass & annoy with the hard sell. Parking not offered, I've always found Street Parking on Danforth reasonably close. Repair Shop: Excellent work by skilled craftsmen who offer sound advice free before they start work. Expensive but every time I've had an instrument set up at one of the big stores, it's break out the tools as soon as I get home & spend an hour making it right, with the 12th, it's always perfect the first time, every time. read more

Knowledgable, but D-bags. I have been playing at a professional level longer than most of the employees have been alive, but they still act like disinterested pigs. They have the best product in the city and the young guy with the eyebrow piercing is awesome and very knowledgable, but he disappeared on me! In was in the store around closing time (5pm) on a Saturday shopping for a new (expensive) amp to pair with my custom shop Gibson ES-335. I was told they were closing in 10 mins and escorted out the door. I went directly to Long & McQuade and bought a $1000 amp! They had better service, lower prices and better hours!!! All the reviews say the same thing. Terrible business people and they need to learn about service to be successful !! read more

Decent store with nice vintage and new selection at globally set prices, No bargains here. Shop opens at noon and if you're there at 12:02 the jobsworth inside will see you trying the locked door and turn his head away until it's time for him to get off his bum and unlock. Strange customer service these days in Toronto. read more

I grew up dreaming I would one day live near a killer guitar shop. Now I do. If the Gibson's here don't make your mouth water, you are no guitarist :) Great local spot that many local celebs get their gear at. read more

Always my first stop when I go out to music stores. Great atmosphere and pleasant staff. These guys know guitars and will help find the perfect fit. It's fun to even just try out of the beautiful instruments they have in store. If you are a veteran guitar player or a beginner, this is THE place to go for anything guitar. Highly recommended. read more

Prepare your visit well in advance - the only day that they open before noon is Saturday. That includes the week of Christmas. Once inside, they have everything that you need and great service. Check out the White Falcons! Individual rooms for trying out the instruments. Great acoustics. Prices are what they are. You need to know whether the price on your desired item is appropriate. If they don't have it, then you don't need it. You might get a better deal if you pay using debit as opposed to credit. read more

Traveled up from Houston to try out a new Ramirez guitar. Grant opened up early so that I could try out guitars without too much noise. It is a great facility with so many guitars. The staff are very knowledgeable and helpful and made adjustments on the selected guitar as I waited. Great service and I now a have a great new 1A set up just for me. Thanks read more

This place has a decent selection but for classical guitars, which were what I was looking for, they only carried Alhambra and a few Ramirez. The services were less than impressive. They seemed reluctant to serve us - could it be because they weren't judging like we couldn't afford their guitars or something ? At any rate, they couldn't talk to us knowledgeably about their guitars nor of the warranty. read more

Nice little pro shop for guitar players. Pretty distinctive selection of medium to high-end acoustic OM and Dreadnaughts and the like, new and previously loved. Online inventory describes incoming items pretty well, including condition. These guys have a good eye for vintage and honestly assess the state and potential of pieces they turn over here (this is a thing with vintage, if you want to consider say a re-fret or a neck reset on an original piece selling at a decent cost, or if it's a non-original piece describing any modification is important.) It's good if you already know a little about what you're looking for, and this seems to be the literate market TF largely serves. But you can usually coax some support out of the right staff member. I've bought mostly accessories here, and had some guitar repairs done that were top notch. I feel compelled to stop in while going by there and just check what's come in. read more

STUNNING selection of acoustics and high-end electrics, and a small but usually primo selection of guitar amps. I have bought 2 used instruments in there and helped a friend buy a new guitar; I was quite pleased with the service. Also I had them refret my beloved Gretsch 6120 with stainless frets, and they did an awesome job in the service department. read more

I have to divide the review between the Repair Shop guys (upstairs) and the store staff (downstairs) because the experience is often worlds apart in the ten or so years I have visited. First the good - the Repair guys, while not cheap or fast in turnaround due to their workload, have been unfailingly helpful -- and as another reviewer has mentioned, they have often corrected small stuff on the spot at no charge. Usually turnaround time is around two weeks. I have had several electrics and acoustics worked on there and have never felt rushed, and the calibre of the work has always been top notch. And even more impressive, the good interaction and service experience at the Repair shop has held true over time and regardless of which of the Service shop guys has been on the intake desk or done the work. So for me, five stars for the Repair Shop. The not so good - it is puzzling that a shop with such a great selection of guitars should have a sales staff (downstairs) that manages to leave a bad impression so often. As another reviewer noted, you can stand waiting at the desk for service for a while before someone deigns to acknowledge and serve you. Also to that female reviewer, it's not because you are a woman, cause I am a guy and can tell you that they are equally bad at serving guys. If it happened rarely, that would be one thing, but its happened, to quote David Wiffen, "more often than not". So the downstairs store gets one star for the guitar selection, and that's it. read more

Just got a bass back from having a bridge upgraded, the neck shimmed, and the electronics serviced. Absolutely perfect work, plays like a dream, and sounds better than ever. Not only that, they were ahead of schedule on the projected timeline. They do top notch work, and the pricing is reflective of the quality of work that's performed. Highly recommend to anyone. If you want it done quicker there are always other options but I can guarantee from my experience that you won't come close to the quality of their team. read more

I have to bring a friend in to serve me at the Twelfth Fret. I'm shocked how well they can ignore, belittle and patronize their patrons. Their repair department is always friendly and at your service. But between their website and their staff this business must be running on some elite clientel that we surfs never see nor hear. Having said that, I always begrudgingly end up getting my guitars there as they have a solid selection and great consignment peices. But in general most the staff are wankers. I know of one exception. One. Finally, if you do bring your guitars in for consignment, prepare yourself to have to call them weekly to check on its status. If it sells, they don't tell you. Furthermore, prepare yourself to be annoyed as you call weekly and the staff make sure you know how perturbed they are that you've interupted them ignoring other customers. read more

Terrible Experience Tried to buy a Dynarette guitar cushion from their website. Site wouldn't work because it kept saying the billing address was wrong for my card (it wasn't and I use this card online all the time). Called a few times before getting through to someone. Placed the order over the phone - great I thought... Waited almost a week and a half... no Dynarette... I called 4 times yesterday during business hours. Got no answer so I left a message. 24 hours later I get a call... and this is the answer: "uhhh yeah we're sorry but your card needed authorization from the bank and we forgot to follow up with you, can I have your card number again?". I told them I would get it somewhere else and said goodbye. 15 minutes later he called back and this time at least offered me free shipping for the screw-up. (only after I said I'd buy it somewhere else). I was able to find the exact same cushion, with 2 day expedited shipping from Amazon.com for even CHEAPER than buying it from the 12th fret with free shipping. Sorry guys, I'm not trying to be a dick here but... I even looked at the Amazon price before I purchased from you guys at first but I thought I'd rather order from a reputable shop such as the twelfth fret as at least I knew where it would be coming from. I hope a manager reads this because now a days, high-end/hard to get products don't mean squat if your service sucks... read more

Thank God I have the discipline to leave my Visa buried deep in my pocket when ever I pop in. A stunning array of guitars ( although as I Bass player I'd like to see more of a selection there), music and accessories. Add the fact that they've got their own custom workshop & you have one of the coolest music stores in the city. read more

located in east bumblefuck i mean seriously who goes to scarborough anymore? they don't have any guitars to begin with or anything interesting but that's besides the point. i am writing this with respect to the luthier shop and repairs right? EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE in terms of minor fret repairs outrageous. these guys are either very selective about what they do or they can't do it it says on their website they do touch ups.. but the reality is that they don't. they wasted my time on one occasion. or if they can do a repair they give you a bullshit price so that you just go away. FUCK YOU 12th fret!! read more

They make you feel good after you spend more than what you were planning to spend. A good place to hang out and earn credit card travel points. I am told every guitar is in tune, unlike everywhere else in Toronto. It doubles as a daycare center if you have errands to run in the area. read more