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    WildCat Guitars

    4.9 (32 reviews)
    Closed 10:00 am - 7:00 pm

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    Front entrance.
    John O.

    I dropped in while exploring guitar shops in the area. I was immediately greeted and given a small tour. The shop has only been open a few months. The guitars are mostly custom shop and vintage. They have a couple of alcoves set up for people to try out the guitars, which the invited me to do. They mentioned there will be small events at the venue, and they have a stage set up at the back of the shop. Overall, it had a nice open layout with a bit of the rustic feel to the walls and furniture. When I was there, someone had called ahead for a Taylor 316e Baritone-8, which had just been announced at NAMM 2020, and they were able to get ahold of it where other shops had not. The staff was open and friendly and very knowledgeable about their business. I've already recommended this place to my friends.

    Fender Guitars
    Simon T.

    Hidden gem of a guitar shop located in North San Diego County. Great selection of high end guitars at fair prices. Knowledgeable and friendly staff, always happy to help you out. They do great setups too! I can't say enough great things about Wildcat Guitars. Support your local guitar shop! I highly recommend them!

    Gibson J-45
    Aaron K.

    WildCat guitars definitely earned my business. Excellent stock of beautiful guitars, no hovering like the bigger shops, and just a mellow crew that wants to provide you with excellent service and an amazing product coupled with a great buying experience. Buying my new J45 was the best guitar purchasing experience that I have ever had. I will be back!!!

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    13 days ago

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    2 years ago

    The nicest most professional people around. Quality shop. Refinish, repair, setup, you name it. The inventory is just awesome.

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    2 years ago

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    6 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    6 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Absolutely the best for your guitar needs! Highly knowledgeable in the music industry!!! Looking for a new ax WildCats is the kitties meow!

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    6 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    5 years ago

    Truly a world class outfit, wouldn't go anywhere else after finding this shop, best of the best!!

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    4 years ago

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    5 years ago

    Service is top notch, guitars are well taken care of and they offer a free set-up when you purchase one.

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    Review Highlights - WildCat Guitars

    Doug was a absolute pleasure to work with and extremely helpful in assisting me in finding my PRS CU 24!

    Mentioned in 7 reviews

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    Guitar Center

    Guitar Center

    (265 reviews)

    $$

    It has been years since I've gone to Guitar Center. All I can say is that there is a noticeable…read moreimprovement all across the board. Much larger selection of higher quality instruments than they used to have, guitars and amps were accessible, staff was knowledgeable and courteous, and pricing was excellent.

    I normally don't write reviews, but my recent experience with the Guitar Center San Marcos Lessons…read moreDepartment needs to be shared, especially for parents considering lessons for their children. My son has been taking guitar lessons here for months and absolutely loves his instructor, Tristan. Unfortunately, the issue isn't with the instructors, it's with the front-end communication and customer service. After two of my credit cards were compromised, a number of auto-renew subscriptions needed updating. At no point, phone, text, or in person--did anyone from Guitar Center notify me of a declined payment, despite the Lessons Lead repeatedly claiming they "called" and "spoke to me in person." I checked my call history. The last call I received from Guitar Center was October 16, and it was simply Tristan confirming my son was running two minutes late. That's it. No billing conversation. No declined-card conversation. No warning. Nothing. Beyond that, my son (a minor) was physically in the store for his lessons throughout November. If someone had truly spoken to me "in person," as claimed, I would (1) remember it and (2) logically update my payment method on the spot. That's basic common sense. But no one--neither Lily nor Greg, the two people supposedly escalating the issue--ever approached us. In fact, I couldn't identify them if I tried, because no one ever actually spoke to us. The most upsetting part? My son was left sitting alone, waiting, because his lessons were suddenly canceled without any communication. No one told him. No one told me. That is not acceptable treatment of a child. When I reached out for clarification, I received a generic, copy-and-paste email insisting they had reached out "multiple times." They hadn't. And when I pointed this out, with dates and call records, the response doubled down instead of acknowledging the missteps. I pride myself on honesty and integrity, especially when it comes to my children. Being told that things happened that objectively did not happen is frustrating, dismissive, and frankly unprofessional. To be absolutely clear: No calls were made. No in-person conversations occurred. No texts were sent. And my child should never have been left unattended because of an internal communication breakdown. The instructors are great,but the lesson administration needs serious improvement. Parents deserve transparent communication, accountability, and accuracy, especially when the wellbeing and experience of a child are involved. I hope management takes this feedback to heart so other families don't have the same experience. My son loved his lessons and his instructor, but the customer service side made what should have been an easy fix both stressful and disappointing.

    James Hood Guitar Repair - Happy customer after restoration on his old arch top guitar completely refinished.

    James Hood Guitar Repair

    (136 reviews)

    $$

    I usually setup my basses myself and do a pretty good job, however, I could never get my Warwick…read moreCustom Shop Streamer bass setup to my satisfaction. After looking at reviews of several shops that do setups, I settled on James Hood. The experience was great. As soon as I had an initial conversation at their shop, I felt confident they knew what they were doing. The turn-around was quick, the cost is very competitive and the setup is perfection. They will be my go-to for any of my bass repairs/setups. Check 'em out-you won't be disappointed.

    This was my first time using the shop, and I was really looking forward to it, especially after…read morehearing so many positive reviews. I brought in my Taylor K24ce, and I also left my Taylor GS Mini that day for a neck reset. At drop-off, the front desk tech assured me the low E buzz on the K24ce would be addressed and handled as part of the standard setup. Both guitars stayed with them for nearly two weeks. I called a few times since I wasn't getting updates, and eventually was told both were ready for pickup. After driving 30 miles, I tested them in the shop. The GS Mini was done well--I could see an improvement in the neck, and I appreciated that. But when I took out my K24ce, it wasn't tuned or wiped down properly. After I tuned it, the exact same low E buzz was still there. How could that go unnoticed, I wondered--had the guitar been played after it was tuned, they would have then noticed the buzz and should have informed me by email, rather than having me come all the way down. I mentioned it to the owner, and he took the guitar to the back for about 10 minutes. When he returned, he told me that if I wanted to leave it, I'd need to pay another $90 for a deeper inspection, since it might be a more technical issue. The tech who reassured me at drop-off was right there but didn't say a word. It was close to the end of working hours, so I figured James would just have me leave it at no cost. When he didn't, I didn't feel comfortable leaving it again. I really expected a more thorough check right then or at least a suggestion to leave it at no cost. After all, I 100% mentioned the buzz to the tech at drop-off. In the end, my K24ce is my primary instrument--it's the one I rely on most--while the GS Mini is just a backup. I ended up paying close to $400 for both the setup and the neck reset. The GS Mini was done well, but the whole experience left me feeling like I spent $400 just to fix a $600 GS Mini, while my main guitar's issue was never resolved. Considering all the time, effort, cost, and travel, I really expected a full assessment and clearer communication before it was marked complete. I've attached a video so you can hear the buzz yourself.

    Kiesel Guitars - Kiesel Osiris 8 string multiscale guitar with a two color crackle finish

    Kiesel Guitars

    (42 reviews)

    So Kiesel Guitars? I wanted to buy a Kiesel for a few years…read more It was never a quality issue from a build or sound standpoint. It was just the amount of time. It's custom. Custom stuff, done well, takes time. I'm just impatient. Finally pulled the trigger. I deferred to Jason's expertise on the build. I've had the thing for a few hours and couldn't be more pleased. My eyes actually popped out of my head. When I finally glued them back in. It was so much better than I expected. A Zeus acoustic six string. Beautifully figured maple and mahogany. It's done with a blue fade into natural wood tones. Some people might think it's a little conservative, but the finish is so nice that it really pops. Wow, it's artwork. Thanks, Jason! By the way when you plug it in. It's just as you have read. Very quiet, perfect for practicing in a confined space. As soon as you plug it in it sounds like you're much more substantial instrument. Kudos Guys. Absolutely zero buyers remorse. Gotta go play. ;-).

    I always enjoy calling in and placing orders with Flock and Chris, great guys! I really recommend…read moregetting some ideas going on the builder before calling to help streamline the process. If you don't feel like waiting for a custom build, check out their in-stock page. Also tune in for the weekly Wednesday 3pm PST live on their social media channels to grab a Deal of the Live, that was my first experience with Kiesel. The photo I attached was my first 8 string and first multiscale guitar ever and they did an amazing job on it!

    WildCat Guitars - guitarstores - Updated May 2026

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