Shawn is the best music teacher I’ve ever worked with. He’s so patient and kind , he really is passionate about this industry. I felt so insecure about my abilities or lack of in music and he completely changed my life . 12/10 recommend coming to him .
Shawn is simply the best music teacher in the Chicago area! I was referred to Shawn by a teacher at my daughter’s school as someone who could teach her how to play guitar. I was so impressed listening to him teach my daughter that I started taking lessons from him as well (I never played the guitar before this). 10 years later, I am still with him weekly. He is extremely knowledgable and very patient. His teaching methods are fun and interesting. If you want to learn music theory or if you just want to learn how to play a specific song, Shawn will customize your lessons so you can reach your goals. He always puts your goals first and is most interested in your enjoyment of the instrument and music. He teaches all ages and he can relate to anyone. If I was unable to practice during a given week, it does not matter, he will find something interesting for me to learn during our lesson. I literally learn something new from him every time I have a lesson. He is very good at finding ways to weave in life lessons as well. His educational background in music is deep and he is proficient at many instruments as well as producing. He is even teaching me how to write my own songs and produce them, something I never thought I would be able to do. I cannot recommend him highly enough. My favorite hour of the week is the hour I get to spend with Shawn learning how to play the guitar.
If you’re looking to learn to play music – Shawn is the instructor for you. I highly recommend him.
Shawn was my daughter’s guitar/bass teacher for many years beginning with junior high school and continuing through college. His skill, knowledge and ability to teach, without doubt, was a huge influence on her musicality. To this day she is still an active musician.
I have been taking weekly guitar lessons from Shawn at Hutch Music Studio for 3 1/2 years and can think of no better teacher to learn from. Shawn is fluent in music at all levels. His deep understanding of music theory is only ‘icing on the cake’ for learning guitar techniques and skills. He is very patient, encouraging and uses very effective methods to help students learn at any level. His passion for music is evident at each lesson.
If you are considering music lessons, I can’t recommend Shawn enough.
Hutch Music Studio has everything one could wish for – whether taking lessons from Shawn, using the studio as a practice facility, or recording music. Check it out!!!
4. Perfektion Music
Address: 25661 W Blakely Pkwy, Wauconda, IL 60084 , Hawthorn Woods , Illinois , United States
Been dealing with Shel and Alan for 13 years.
Hands down the best distributor I’ve ever worked with.
By far, the highest margins for the retailer in the business.
I used to buy a lot of smalls from Musicorp (doesn’t everybody?).
Increased my margins substantially by switching to Perfektion.
Same quality products for much, much less.
Credit terms are flexible and available. All you have to do is keep your word and pay, and the possibilities are endless.
I’d give Perfektion 6 stars if I could.
I have been dealing with Black Mountain Music for over 4 years now and I guess Scott Johnson the owner of Black Mountain Music closed and switched over to Perfektion Music as a representative at some time last year. And now I guess Scott Johnson is no longer representing Perfektion Music either. Now the truth is that I have never dealt with Perfektion Music directly and I understand if they do not know me nor my store. I guess the strange part of this is that when I asked if I could get a 30 day net. payment plan like I had with Black Mountain I was told they couldn’t find where I had done business with Scott Johnson before. Then the person on the phone asked me if I could call his grandfather in Texas as he is down there for the Winter. I find it strange that a company would need me to call their grandfather, who essentially is on vacation to find out if I can get credit with them. I would think they would have denied me or had me fill out some paperwork. I am not sure I want to do business with a company that has no one at the helm on a regular basis and has to ask a customer to call someone not on the premises. I would think they would have at least called the grandfather himself and had him call me, but it sounded more like he wanted me to ask permission for him to do business with me. Interesting!!!
5. Dr Woods Guitar Emporium
Address: 304 Lincoln Ave, Fox River Grove, IL 60021 , Hawthorn Woods , Illinois , United States
Great customer experience at Dr Woods! Buddy and team were super friendly and helpful.
Large selection of guitars and great atmosphere. Highly recommend.
I have been a customer of Dr. Woods for three years. In the course of my time here I learned how to play the drums and play weekly in one of his adult ‘rock you’ setups.
i look forward to playing with Buddy and the rest of the band every week and it is my mental release from my normal 9 to 5.
If you ever considered learning to play, even as an adult like me, here is the place and now is the time.
I’ve done a ton of business with Buddy at Dr. Woods over the years….3 Guitars, repairs, accessories, etc. I always get a fair price and expert advice. Recently I brought in my Tele that had become unplayable. Buck put on some new NYXL strings but also adjusted the neck too. Plays like a dream now! I will continue to go to Dr. Woods for all my musical needs.
A very helpful and knowledgeable staff. A relaxed atmosphere with some really great looking guitars.
Buddy is an expert musician. His advice, insights, and customer service are worth the visit. I support this local shop because they offer value that I can’t get from the web or a large chain.
Very friendly, asked for advice on a project gave great direction. I will definitly come back to give them my business.
I called 45 minutes before they closed and was there about 25 to 30 minutes before they closed to get a guitar pick the lady with a dog looked at me walking out locked the door and got into her car and left mind you there was still about like I said 25 to 30 minutes left so if you’re gonna close at 8:30 put it on your page on Google that closing is at 8:30 and I’m still gonna buy a pick tomorrow because you’re the closest but that will probably be the last time I’m there and I will be returning the saxophone either Friday or the third
Its a long story. In the end it was a bad experience.
I think if I didn’t check up with them things could have been much worst.
I’m not doing any business with them and advise the same.
I debated posting a review or not, but I think I should if it’ll keep someone from having a bad experience. First off, the employees are super kind people. Couldn’t be happier with the staff. But unfortunately the work I received on my guitar was really poor. Took a guitar there, first time bringing them one of my instruments. Was told I could expect a turnaround in under a week. Ended up waiting almost 2 months. Honestly not a big deal, happens a lot with instrument repair. Got the guitar back. Took it out to play it and the truss rod cover is missing. Find it in the case and put it on. Turn the volume knob, it falls off. Have to spread the top of the pot and reinstall it. Start playing and there’s a weird oscillating noise from the amp. Find the output jack totally loose, have to take off the cover and tighten it. Screws for the cover are stripped in the body. This is a new guitar by the way. Notice the G string sits higher off the neck than all the others, very noticeably. Figured they would fix this when doing a setup but I guess not. Had to file the saddles out myself. Should have just done the job myself at this point. Ended up taking the guitar apart to make sure the wiring wasn’t as bad as the assembly and setup. Got it playing good now, but after paying for someone else to do it and then having to do it myself, it wasn’t worth it. I figured the extra time taken would have meant it was 100% ready to go when they called but apparently not. This was a mid range guitar so I’m not terribly upset about it, but if it was something really nice I would have definitely been upset. Take this into consideration before dropping off your favorite axe. Hope they learn to slow down and do quality work.
6. PJLA Music Sales & Marketing
Address: 22159 N Pepper Rd, Lake Barrington, IL 60010 , Hawthorn Woods , Illinois , United States
I bought a trumpet from PJLA Music a PHAETON Trumpet PHT-2040 Black Chrome Onyx plated finish with 24 K Gold Plated finger buttons, top/bottom caps & water keys. I have been playing trumpet for 40 years and I have never had a better horn then this. I got it and starting playing and it played freely and was open and the horn allowed me to do as i wished with it and truly went over the top with its performance.. Thank you for my Horn!
7. Libertyville Music
Address: 401 S Milwaukee Ave, Libertyville, IL 60048 , Hawthorn Woods , Illinois , United States
I’ve been going here for years. I try to stop by every time I’m in town. They really take a lot of care in selecting which instruments they put up for sale, and I appreciate that. Everything in there is solid, and and at an excellent price point. All my guitars we’re setup and wired, and rewired by Mark, the Grand Master luthier and technician. It was a bummer to hear he didn’t work there anymore. But I’ll still stop by every time I’m in town. I will always remember this place. It’s where I got my first electric, my first amp, won my first mixer in the opening day raffle. Great local music shop.
I have had a great experience with Libertyville Music. They have sold us instruments and equipment and have always steered us in the right direction, along with being available to troubleshoot and fine tune any products they sell. The repair and setup services have been prompt, technically outstanding, and priced fairly. Any items not currently in stock were ordered quickly, for competitive prices. The staff is helpful and friendly and will always take extra time to answer questions and chat without making you feel rushed and hurried. As a novice musician they have taught me a great deal both during lessons and through casual conversation. Highly recommended and a great community resource.
The staff here is great knowledgeable and helpful. Good prices.
Nice staff, low selection.
Small shop with friendly, expert staff
If they do not have it in stock, they will order it for you. Helpful staff.
I’ve lived in Libertyville for fifteen years and I have really tried to support them. I teach band locally and have a busy professional performing schedule and would love to have a local business that I and my students could use for guitar and band instrument repair, and to buy supplies and equipment. My experience with them has been the worst every time I’ve been in. Their store stock is woeful. Twice I have left nice guitars with them to be set up. The first time I couldn’t tell that any work had been done, but there were little dents on the back of the neck. The next time (Iknow: why?) they just sat in the store for three weeks while I waited. Then when I picked them up (no work was ever done) there were marks all over the cases, as if they had been tossed around. They are rude, unprofessional and totally disorganized. Students I’ve taught who took lessons there (not at my suggestion) learned nothing. Just another jive guitar store run by morons.
Prices are extremely unreasonable not to mention the skinny kid behind the counter called me man so many times I thought I was in a Cheech and Chong movie.
8. Music Workshop
Address: 1250 S Lake St, Mundelein, IL 60060 , Hawthorn Woods , Illinois , United States
I decided to learn to play the guitar at 74! Thankfully I found Hunter and the Music Workshop. This is the most difficult endeavor I have ever undertaken but I am learning. If not for Hunter’s understanding and patience, I would have quit. But as he guides me, I am finding this to be one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. He is so encouraging. Thank you Hunter. You are the best teacher I have ever encountered.
This place is great, the owner is an excellent musician with a great heart for teaching students and works with their individual needs while keeping it fun. Great music school and studio. Lucky to have a place like this out here.
Hunter is the best. He has excellent gear for recording, a nice live room, great mics, and is very fast. He knows what he is doing, and he is a great guy.
Need to record in Lake County? Call Hunter
Fabulous Family owned business. These people are NOT just business owners, they are devoted to the advancement of classical instrumentation, as well as band instruments. If Beethoven was alive, he’d be doing business with Classic Violins of Mundelein!!!
Hand made instruments, excellent service and payment options, professional instruction. Awesome shop.
Classic Violins, the owners and the people who work there are second to none. Each time we use their services, we always have an outstanding customer experience and receive the utmost attention anyone can ask for. Our family is a regular customer with two young student musicians. We have both, rented and purchased musical instruments from them. The quality of their Bulgarian made rental violins and cellos is absolutely great and I wouldn’t choose any other place. We recently purchased an Arcus carbon fiber bow from them and thanks to the amazing Antoinette(Tony) and her impeccable knowledge of violin bows, my daughter now has the perfect addition to her custom made violin. Tony was so patient and resourceful during our bow search and multiple trials, we never felt rushed and knew we were in good hands. The Arcus bow is worth every penny and then some…. Thank you Tony! Their Luthiers, especially Petio & Plamen, are very experienced and with their attention to detail, I couldn’t trust anyone else with our music instruments. There is so many wonderful things I want to say about everyone at Classic Violins, nice, warm, and professional atmosphere. A family owned business that is big enough to know everything there is about their industry and yet small enough to know your name and what you need…Thank you Classic Violins!!!
just a good place when we couldn’t fit our instrument into our car they helped us
Your sales rep was awesome! Despite his hectic workflow being Cyber Monday, he took the time to answer all my questions and helped me make my decision to buy from you. As always, you guys were much cheaper than the other places I checked out, even while they had “sales” going on. Thank you guys for the great customer service and going out of your way to help.
Ask for their daily pricing in the chat box. They have the best prices. The best gear. The best customer service. I have not one bad thing to say about these guys. The DJ Hookup is the way to go. They sell their equipment at the price others are selling the same equipment used.
Looked at THE DJ HOOKUP for a DDJ-SR and had some questions about it. As soon as I emailed he company I heard back from them quickly! They answered all my questions! Customer service is awesome! Can’t wait for my DDJ-SR to come in so I can do another review on the product!
They advertise 90 day returns but be aware you pay for shipping AND a restocking fee..
U can’t call and talk to nobody about ur order, then it’s been 2 months, and u can’t get any info on your order status…. Starting to think I’ve been scammed…. Like some of the other blogs I have read about them….
I bought a allen and heath zone 96 from here just for it to stop working after 3 uses within 3 weeks of purchase and it stopped working. I reached out to The DJ hookup and they told me to reach out to allen and heath long story short its been a week and still no resolution. When you purchase an expensive item I would think the business would take more ownership by sending a new one and them dealing with the vendor than the client specially if its within a month. Would not recommend buying from here.
Very bad experience with shipping. My order does not arrive and the customer service is terrible. They are kidding me..
Bad customer service.
Ordered 2 speakers – one blew up 30 sec’s after plugging it in.
Called to get it replaced and got the run around. Never called me back in the 3 or 4 days she said she would back to me.
Finally had to call Mackie and they took care of me in 30 mins.
Great Prices, but bad service.
Brought in a new classical guitar for setup/adjustments. For a reasonable charge, I was out the door in 20-30 mins, with a much more playable instrument.
Plan to visit again.
The best luthier and guitar dealer that I’ve ever come across. This is the place for people who love classical guitar.
Today ( 5/28/22 ) my new Antonio Picado 62 was perfect adjust to my expectation. A little lower saddle and nut makes huge difference. Easy playing, less pressure for my left thumb and fingers.
Thank YOU
We are extremely appreciative of Knight Music Academy! Laura does a wonderful and professional job at running it smoothly, and ensuring all our needs are met. The environment is always pleasant, clean and welcoming. My child has been taking piano lessons here with Mrs. Park who is a very kind and supportive instructor. Knight Music Academy is highly recommended!
We love Knight Music Academy! My son has been playing guitar with Laura for five years, and my daughter has been learning piano with Joanne for almost three. They both LOVE it here. The quality of teachers, concerts, and environment can’t be beat .
My daughter loves taking music lessons here. They have frequent recitals and excellent teachers.
Disappointing Experience for my Child
I enrolled my 6-year-old child at Knight Music Academy with high hopes for a positive learning experience. Unfortunately, my experience with the owner, and the piano instructor, left much to be desired.
On multiple occasions, I observed displaying rudeness and impatience towards both students and parents. This behavior created a tense atmosphere that was far from conducive to a productive learning environment.
Moreover, demonstrated a lack of patience when working with my child. Instead of providing gentle guidance and encouragement, there were instances where my child felt discouraged and hesitant to continue with lessons.
These experiences had a notable impact on my child’s enthusiasm for learning piano. What should have been a joyful exploration of music turned into a source of anxiety and reluctance.
Expectations vs. Reality
When I initially enrolled my child, I anticipated a nurturing and supportive environment where a love for music would flourish. Unfortunately, the reality fell far short of these expectations.
Suggestions for Improvement:
I strongly recommend that Knight Music Academy invest in training for their staff, particularly in areas of effective communication, patience, and professionalism. Creating a positive and encouraging atmosphere should be a priority.
Conclusion
In sum, my experience at Knight Music Academy was disappointing, primarily due to the demeanor of the owner and instructor. While there may be positive aspects to the school, they were overshadowed by these significant shortcomings.
Sign Off:
Thank you for taking the time to consider my feedback. I hope this review serves as constructive feedback for Knight Music Academy to improve and provide a better experience for future students.
18. Aspen Music Service
Address: 328 Banbury Rd, Mundelein, IL 60060 , Hawthorn Woods , Illinois , United States
I personally shop here for records, posters, and other music memorabilia. All of which I’ve never been disappointed with. On top of that I have friends who can vouch for the framing that Kelly does. All around great shop!
Always fun to look through the selections of records and find something you didn’t know they had! Kelly is a nice guy and I always get good deals at Daddyos!
Kelly has framed many pieces of art and memorabilia for my home and office. He has a great eye for putting things together and making them look amazing!
Went here for the first time to go vinyl shopping. And all I can say is what a great shop. Everything is labeled very well the owner is really nice and the prices are great. All the vinyl is super clean (washed) and a good selection. This is a great place to start for people getting back into vinyl.
They have some cool things
Great selection of music. Very cute vinyl record bowls too.
This is why I buy vinyl online. Drove by at 1:30 on Saturday, door was open. Came back after lunch, and the door that says 10-5 on Saturday was locked and shop was dark. All three of us wanted to shop vinyl but he can’t even keep his posted hours.
20. Schaff Piano Supply Co.
Address: 1370 Ensell Rd, Lake Zurich, IL 60047 , Hawthorn Woods , Illinois , United States
We always have great service from Schaff! Alan in the parts department is great to work with!!
I have been getting my supplies from Schaff since 1980 (Yikes I’m getting old!) and they’re the best supply I’ve dealt with. Great advice and nice folks.
Best piano supply company I’ve ever visited. Great people.
