Gainesville – Top 20 places for music shops20 recommended music shops in Gainesville

Definitely found some records that I wasn’t expecting to find And I love them

This guy is great aaaand has a wonderful selection of vinyl that updates regularly.

Awesome store, awesome owner.

Had a nice selection of records. Also their covid plan of action is great, taking temperatures at the door with sanitizer and giving gloves out. Didnt have what I was looking for unfortunately. Definitely a chill/safe spot to dig.

Overpriced but some very good stuff

Great selection of records

meat was too dry and salty i did not like
my burger here and the wait staff was incredibly rude do not go here

90% of the records are sealed reissues and or brand new records at the same price you can buy them from the labels or Amazon. There was a very small used section but a lot of those records were just used reissues. They had some fun vintage posters for sale however that were $1 each.

Very low price for quality records. Wouldn’t recommend.

Brandon, the store manager went beyond the call of duty solving a customer relations issue. He’s my man. Thanks again Brandon and staff.

Today was Francis’ last day at Guitar Center Gainesville after five years. Francis was one of the good guys, always helpful, knowledgeable, and a pleasure to work with. You will be missed. All the best.

Aw, so you want to Rock-n-Roll. Swing on by and pick up a Guitar and let’s Start Jamming.

Good collection, expensive

Employees know their stuff

Called to see if they carried my brand and gauge of strings. He checked stock and had one pack of them left and offered to pull them from inventory and put them by the register till I got there which I thought was pretty cool. When I got there to purchase staff was friendly and helpful

Checkout takes too long. Even if you are first in line.

0 for customer service!! They slack off and let you do their job! They will not assits you if you look like you dont have money.. i got my guitar in the other shop, dont mind driving for hour, just buy online not in their website because its a hell waste of time too… sweetwater and amazon is way much better!

Rude. We went in and one employee at the counter was talking with an older couple about musicians they knew in common. We walked every aisle of the store looking for what we needed and the employee never even said hello or I’ll be with you shortly, etc. A 2nd employee came from back after looking for something for a phone customer and started talking on the phone, also never acknowledging our existence, even when walking past us. I even then brought an item up to the counter and waited to check out. But the employee on the phone thought we were too invisible to even say I’ll be with you in a moment and the other employee at the counter was too busy still socializing about common people in their circles. So we put it back and left.
They lost a sale today and any they could have had in the future from me.
Basic customer service to merely let a customer know you intend to get to them at some point since they’re clearly needing help is lacking.

One of the best records stores in the entirety of Florida! Well worth a detour or stop if you’re going down I-75! Great selection, great prices, cool environment!

Great taste in music and great merch

Great selection and had some very unique items I was surprised by. The employee working there was knowledgeable of the selection and chatted about the local scene. Would love to return next time I’m in town.

Place is extremely clean and shop owner enjoys trivia about vinyls. Only issue is some legendary vinyls can cost 100+

Great selection of jazz, you can tell the shop is run by record people, but no listening station ‍♀️bummer

Good choices and variety. Definitely would go back.

Great, stiff, cheap drinks. Seriously you can’t beat the price. It’s never crowded either. Don’t come expecting a fancy bar, that’s not what you come here for. There is smoking inside so don’t come if that would bother you.

Its my CHEERS!!!!

Good place to stop by and enjoy a drink at night.

Must be at least 33 to enter.

Very well decorated bar.. Lol. U will see when ur there…

Solid spot. You can smoke inside so be warned, you’re gonna walk out smelling a bit like an ashtray.

The bar tender kicked me out for talking to a homeless regular about his voting rights. Then I went outside to the Opera House apt bldg and sat in a that was rigged for homeless people to not sit and I fell on the ground. A young man and I tossed that chair into the trash. I am now sitting at Harry’s thank Goodness

the bartender KEVIN is a horrible person. likes to calling UBER drivers stupid and other words i cant write.

I am giving this place one star for one reason… Otherwise it would be a 4 star… The African American bartender threw out my drink 15 minutes before close right as they were calling last call… Don’t know his name so the description is given so the owner can make corrective action. Please educate your bartenders on how to properly conduct business

Absolutely amazing experience! We walked in at 5:45 when the store closes at 6pm and the staff was so welcoming. They did a fitting for our daughter and provided us with so much information. They were patient, informative and just all around awesome!! Truly the way a business should be ran!! Thanks for an awesome experience!!

Excellent service. Excellent customer rapoire. Had a 12 string guitar repaired perfectly . Purchased a guitar there,got home and realized the I didn’t get the gig bag. They called the next day to tell me to pickup my gig bag. Honesty rules!

Great bunch of guys. Will use their services again.

I had an extremely frustrating experience with this shop. They did have a nice selection of Martins at reasonable prices and seemed like a decent shop otherwise.

I rented a trumpet for my fifth grader in a rush to get the task done. If you’re taking the time to read reviews, take the time to buy somewhere else. I wish I would have. They are overpriced. She is in 8th grade now and I am still paying on it. For my second child, I bought used outright and wish I had done so with the first child.

Continues to charge me for a flute that has been paid off

Went to get a tuner they needed to price correct from the site, and they did. But also got a Hohner Puck that was repackaged (to be fair, idk if by them) and a draw hole didn’t work at all. That was the last one, so they had to switch with an Old Standby, and if you know harmonicas, that’s just a trade down even though it was more expensive on their shelf. I know it’s harder to do a refund, but I’d have rathered that. These things combined left a bad taste in my mouth.

Best store ever!

Love this place! Super organized!

We’ve been going to this place quite often and we really like the books we find. It’s like a treasure hunt!

It’s always been a delightful and meditative experience looking for books there. However, we had this new experience when we went there yesterday. There was someone named, Niko or Nikko at the cash register who I personally hadn’t seen before.

Well! I wish I could thank this person and give them a raise myself! Nikko (hopefully I’m getting the spelling right) is simply the best customer service I’ve ever had in any 2nd and Charles ever! Kind, patient, helpful, and with such a nice smile on! You made our day, Nikko!

Staff was friendly, selection was awesome and they had a ton of sale and clearance items!

Was very nice with good prices on used books.

Not as nice as some, disorganized layout. But overall as expected and hard to go wrong.

Phone number on their website is wrong (the one on Google is correct, though). It’s a cute store, if a little overpriced (especially for being mostly used) and their game and musical instrument selection is great. I brought them two crates worth of books, DVDs, and one bluray. Half of it they dismissed out of hand, and the other half they offered me $14 cash/$22 store credit. I laughed out loud and took all of it home with me. Have gone there looking for something specific multiple times, have always left unsatisfied.

This was a while back but went in to purchase some POPS they put them on Hold for me until the day they could be sold, however when I called the day before hand to check on things the Order was gone. Disappointed for sure, apparently one of the Staff members decided to go against policy and purchase them before the date they were legally allowed out on the street. Never shopping here again.

It’s an ok store, but for real value, Great prices and a real bookstore experience Book Gallery West is the place to go!

My daughter takes voice lessons with Kim Peterson at the Academy, and we couldn’t be happier with our experience to date. Kim always goes the extra mile to ensure she’s inspired, supported, and given every opportunity to progress as a vocalist. The events Kim organizes, such as our recent concert at Bo Diddley Plaza, are a nice reward for the practice her students put in and create memories they’ll never forget.

Very good teachers great location

Randy is a wonderful guitar teacher with a progressive method of teaching that works really well. Vicky is a great piano teacher who has a passion for music. And Larry teaches the drums with a little flair only a drummer can show. Great to have this in our community with fair pricing and amazing teachers.

Toni does incredible work as a professional. The new Bone Nut on my Electronic Base, looks better than if the manufacturer installed it. And, setting the Lower Action for my new flat wound string’s, is perfect! Toni, is so reasonable, his price actually stunned me! i am a very critical person about pricing and professional work, but I have to admit, Toni’s the Man!

Tony is the best around! He set-up my Gibson and built a bone nut in 2 days all for great price.

After seeing 2 places here in Gainesville who have no idea what they are doing and have no customer care skills, I am grateful to have found Tony, he actually knows what he is doing, he took his time, he listened to what I wanted and got it done in a timely manner. So if you want your guitar set up properly go see this gentleman, I highly recommend him.

Tony has worked on two acoustic guitars for me–both Martins, one a six string and the other a twelve string. The repairs and setup he did for me were good. He works out of his house and has always been a bit quirky during our interactions. Unfortunately I think the pandemic and perhaps other issues have taken their toll on Tony, and my last interaction with him was grossly unprofessional. Dropping off instruments is by appointment only, which makes sense since his shop is part of his house, and now at his insistence must be outside because of COVID, which I also respect. I made an appointment on a day that turned out to be stormy, and was disinclined to hand off my Martin in the rain. When I called Tony to reschedule, he refused–“I don’t want to risk wasting my time,” he said, and hung up. Occasional missed appointments are part of doing business, and I’ve been a good paying customer. I genuinely hope that Tony either hires someone to handle customer interactions or resolves whatever issues he’s dealing with, but unless that happens I’ll be taking my instruments to Hoggtowne Music for repairs.

Yes, Tony is a little eclectic but since I moved here 40 years ago, he’s the only person I’ve trusted to do any extra-difficult guitar repair work that I didn’t trust myself to tackle.

I bought my wife a Resonator for Christmas and called this gent to ask him if he would inspect it, set it up and tune it for me; since I know nothing about Guitars. To say he acted is though he could care less is an insult to the term “could care less”. I wouldn’t patronize this pet rock if he was the last Luthier in America.

The reason is: Tried to make an appointment a month ago; finally made an appointment last week and I went here for 20min on time, knocked the door and kept calling, but no responce, until today Tony picked up my call and “gently” ended our conversation after 50s and blocked my call forever. I was just saying I went here on time. I probably have been too polite to Tony.

This guy is rude beyond belief. I called for a quote on a nut swap and he told me to do it myself because, “I seemed to have it all figured out”. Thanks Tony! 0 Stars.

Perry is the absolute best. His talent, personality, and ability to add such an incredible musical touch to any occasion is unmatched!!! I will invite him to add music to all of my major life occasions 🙂

A truly consummate musician. An excellent entertaining addition to any event: personal or commercial. Support a Veteran and hire Perry.

Have known Perry for twenty years, first saw him playing with Bo Didley and later with Monkeys Striking Matches before his solo career. He’s the real deal, great musician that easily adapts to personal tastes of his employers. If you want a talented player and entertainer look no further

Good people, fantastic equipment, beautiful building

Simply put, this place rocks. I approached Pulp Arts to shepherd a DIY project I recorded at home through the mixing and mastering process. This review will cover the mixing, as the mastering is still under way. First off, the studio is very impressive, full of great vintage equipment, state of the art boards and outboard gear, and it is beautifully designed. I worked with engineer Danny Clifton, who was very professional, immediately grasped the sound I was going for, understood the music I was referencing, and had immediate, great ideas about how to use the studio’s resources to make the proper mixes without altering the original vibe. And it turned out fantastic! I would highly recommend this studio based on its professionalism, talent, and equipment. To have this caliber of a studio in Gainesville is a big win for the area. I will update this review later with more on the mastering and links to the final tracks once they are released. Thanks PULPARTS!

Best studio in Florida, possible the country. [I’ve been to many.] It’s a dream. The entire crew is super knowledgeable and creative, the gear is top notch, and most importantly – it’s feels like a family. Great vibe, good people – making a record is all about hospitality and feeling comfortable. Our band (and our producer Luke Temple) truly felt that. Love the Pulp crew and honored to have worked with everyone there! To many more years working together!

Who records snare and high hat simultaneously with the same mic? If you don’t share their view of your project, you might get apathy. Facilities are superior, but the tracking was comparable to home digital recordings. Didn’t finish the project, “it’s not you, it’s me”. May try again, a different project.

Highly skilled and super friendly. We are repeat customers of Sean’s over the years, and excited that he now has his own shop.

Dale here again: this is service so nice, I reviewed it twice.

I used to drive all around Florida searching for the best overhauls.

I’m happy to say, Gainesville: it’s here.

Nice place staff is well educated and polite. Reasonable prices and quick work!

Peter’s love for handpans is infectious as his laughter. He enjoys helping connect people to the right instrument. His teaching style is open and flexible. He’s able to instruct seasoned musicians to beginners and everyone in between. If you are looking to add a healing instrument in your life or looking for some instructions or tips on playing, Peter is your handpan guy.

Mr. Levitov was the teacher to unlock my musical voice. He helped me to meet Music on her terms and learn to speak her language. By following Peter’s lessons, I was able to watch my brain and how it functioned change right before (OK, actually behind) my eyes. The wisdom gained from Music doesn’t stop with music, it has affected my entire life.

And I love his laugh!

Peter is an amazing handpan player who delights in matching players to the handpan that is just right for them. He spent several hours exploring various handpans with me in his studio. I had never played a handpan before and was delighted with all the scales and makers! Peter’s patience led me to my soul-mate instrument—-an Axiom F# Hokkaido.

Because of Peter’s kindness—and because he’s a generous and knowledgeable teacher—I started taking lessons with him 1:1 and with a small group of newbies. My appreciation of this healing instrument has deepened as I have grown as a handpan player with Peter as my mentor. I continue to learn and grow. Am so thankful that Peter has the capacity to teach 1:1 in person and via Skype. His laugh is well worth the price of any lesson!

Safa and all instructors who he gathered are all professionals. Safa has a great knowledge of a lot of instruments alongside music theory. If you want to learn an instrument and elevate your music knowledge at the same time, this is a great place for you and I highly recommend it.

My family is so grateful for having found Safa Music Academy. Our son’s appreciation for music and his ability to learn piano have soared since beginning to train with Miss Weilu Liu. She is patient and caring and knows how to keep him engaged and excelling.

I would highly recommend Safa Music Academy!
Having two kids that have attended for nearly a year we have had a great experience. One child taking violin lessons with Safa, and another on the piano with Lindsay & Simon. Communication, attention, and outcome has been excellent. The instructors put great effort into to these virtual lessons and have opened the door for my kids to become as skilled at their chosen instrument as they choose to practice to. Very reasonable to work out logistics with and very accommodating when scheduling conflicts arise.

I really love going to TBGoods. There’s always something for me or my kids at half the price of anywhere else. The staff is amazing. Katie Mack knows me by name and she’s always friendly and offers great suggestions for family members!

Andy a nd Jason helped me out very much. Great customer service.

Izzy was a great help. And she has a great customer service. Thank you so much

I’m very proud of the service that you’re business provided to me

very clean place with helpful staff.

Awesome

They a take advantage of your collateral loan more so than any other shop. $35 for MSRP $3,400 item.

I will take my bad ass goods to another pawn shop. The staff looks up data in a bogus data base and then skews the deal in their favor by 1000%. It’s a insult and bad business guys. I’ll never work with you again for ripping me off in this deal.

They’ve actively LIED about their firearms.They tried to pass off a gun that had no box, heavy carbon fouling in the chamber, and scratches on the feed ramp (a clear sign of wear) as a brand new gun straight from the factory. Yeah right.

That, and I was looking to trade my S&W model 66-4 (4 inch) for their S&W 19-3 (4 inch, nickel finish). They wanted to offer only $400 for my 66-4 and wanted almost $700 for their 19. If you didn’t know, the model 66 is basically just a stainless steel version of the model 19. So, they wanted $300 to swap firearms that, barring the finish, were almost the exact same gun. They both contradicted themselves and outright LIED in order to defend this highway-robbery of a price.

They contradicted themselves by suggesting both that I would get more money selling it privately (which by itself is true) AND that the gun was only worth $400 in private sales. The gun can’t be worth more than $400 and $400 at the same time; that’s a contradiction.

They suggested it was $400 by lying, outright LYING, that there were model 66s available on armslist for $400 right now. I really wish I had checked armlist on the spot because the Gainsville Fl section of armslist had only one model 66 available (a 66-2 with a 4 inch barrel, so almost the exact same gun) and it was listed at $600 not $400. They either didn’t look at all (which would be lying because they said that they had, in fact, looked) or they saw the $600 price tag and knowingly said $400 anyways. I do, however, take some comfort that I said something to the effect of “Well if there are model 66s for $400 in this area then why am I wasting my time here?”

I know a fair bit about firearms and could therefore see their lies for what they were. If you too know your way around firearms then you probably don’t shop here because of the outrageous prices, but if you don’t then I’d highly recommend staying clear of it. They have proven themselves to be willing to lie on more than one occasion, so there’s no question that they would take advantage of you. Don’t buy here or you will overpay; don’t sell here or you will be ripped off.

Terrible service, rude and unhelpful. Will not go again. I went once before and had a different experience, so it may have just been the employee. That individual also misquoted what my item was worth and was unable to show me where they saw the price they were quoting me and even became angry when I asked. Sad.