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.

You got my money, but you've lost my business…read more (paraphrased) Me: I'm looking for a Yamaha P-45. Guitar Center guy (eyes lighting up like he just spotted a commission): Sure thing. (Shows me the P-45, then immediately pivots to upsell.) If you're looking for hammer action that feels like a real piano, you'll want this next model up. Me: How much is that one? Him: $699. Me: That's out of my budget and I thought the P-45 was hammer action? Him: No, it's weighted, not hammer action. You need this one for that. Me: ...Okay. I'm going to stick with the P-45. Purchase complete. Me, later at home, checking Yamaha's official site: Graded Hammer Standard (GHS) Action. So. Either he didn't know what he was talking about... or he did and thought I didn't. Either way: 1. You got the sale. 2. You won't get another.

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.

Never again. I…read morebrought in two guitars for simple setups Eight weeks later, still didn't have them back. Completely unacceptable. The most frustrating part was the lack of communication. I repeatedly had to call and chase them down just to get a status update. At no point did they proactively contact me to explain the delays. If your shop can't handle the workload, stop taking in new jobs. Keeping customers waiting for two months for a basic setup while providing little to no communication is simply bad business. To make matters worse, after waiting two-months, one of the guitars wasn't setup at all. It had severe fret buzz, and it was worse than before I took it in. Ugh. Never again. This place is atrocious.

I walked into this music store on a Tuesday and they truly have EVERYTHING. Anything you need to…read morebuy for creating music, they have it. If you need repairs done, they can do it. If you want lessons in singing or learning any instrument, they teach it. Seriously, come here! The store employee was a friendly woman, too. Very knowledgeable.

Glad I went here. I had a clarinet serviced for a regular tune-up and it took less than a week…read more This was so fast compared to other places that estimated 2 weeks to 2 months! A list of all the work was provided upon pick up and it was very reasonable priced.

I have owned a lot of bass guitars. From a 70s Carvin Icon 4p, from the master luthier, Lowell…read moreKiesel, to MIG Warwick, MIJ Fender Boxer, etc... After NAMM, I purchased a Kiesel Modern Jazz Bass, thinking it would be the bookend to my collection. I was so wrong, the Kiesel Modern Jazz Bass is, to me, the finest instrument I have owned. I bought mine, https://www.kieselguitars.com/in-stock/157709, because it was beautiful and I thought it would make a fine show piece to my collection. Now, I can't put it down, my other guitars sit lonely at night, wondering what happened to me. I had thought the workmanship from Abluthier was the epitome, I was wrong. To quote my buddy, if I owned that bass, I would burn every other instrument I owned. It is a masterpiece and a testament to the legacy that the family continues. Flock spent an amazing amount of time walking me through the process and making sure I was happy with my purchase before I even paid for the instrument. Thank you Flock, Thank you Kiesel. You have my loyalty to the brand now, and that does not come easily as I am an engineer by education and profession and I am hard to please. I will need another 5 string and I will be looking to you for that next great bass - thinking an A2, but the modern jazz is something special.

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. ;-).

Wow- what a great experience for a first time middle school band mom!…read more The friendly employee (I wish I remembered her name!) made the processes quick and painless! We were given all the information needed to rent a trombone, necessary books and cleaning equipment. Their 'rent with an option to buy' is a great deal if your kiddo is set on an instrument for a few years. 5 stars! Mom approved!

I've had a flute for about 40 years. This is my Baby. I've taken it to other places in the area to…read morehave it fixed and they did my Baby wrong. :-). I brought it to the San Diego Music Studio and spoke with both Brian and David. Not only did they fix it under their estimate, but I haven't heard my Baby sing so beautifully in the last 40 years thank you so much

I believe I spoke to the owner today. I was looking for drop-in lessons to help my kid keep up with…read morepractice while on vacation. She closed for holiday but still called me back and spoke so kindly. We're only visiting till Monday for Memorial Days otherwise we would have loved to learn with her. Great impression.

My daughter has been seeing Mrs. Dyana for a little over a year now. She has helped her grow and…read morecome out of her shell. Mrs. Dyana has given the art and love of music to my daughter. We are so happy we reached out to Vista Music when we did and are so proud of the milestones that have been achieved. Thank you @Mrs. Dyana

Can't say enough good things about Eric and the work he does. Not only was he incredibly thorough…read moreand precise on the technical help I came to him for, but he is a warm hearted person who made the entire process as seamless and straightforward as possible. It took minimal time through conversation to find Eric as an honest working person who is truly passionate about his craft. I'm lucky to have found his contact and will gladly return with any more projects that I need to tackle in the future. Your equipment will be in good hands if you're considering him!

Eric is awesome. Replaced a malfunctioning tube socket, thoroughly went over the amp, recommended a…read morefew tube replacements and got my amp back to sounding great. And turned the repair around FAST so I have it for a gig. Highly recommended!!!!

Peter Oberg is a superb luthier with many years experience building fine classical guitars. I…read morerecently took my Cordoba Koa guitar to Peter for some work. He crafted a new saddle and bridge out of bone, and added several fret markers. His workmanship was top notch! "Peter works in a one-man shop in [San Marcos], California, building guitars one or two at a time from materials culled over a period of many years. He is an active member of the Guild of American Luthiers and the Guitar Foundation of America, and has exhibited his instruments at the annual GFA convention, the Healdsburg Guitar Festival, and the La Guitarra Festival in San Luis Obispo, California. His accomplished woodworking skills and keen sense of musicality, tone color, and acoustical properties have created a growing demand for his guitars in the United States, Canada, and in Europe."