I’m so happy. Bruce worked with me to nail down what I wanted in my own Strat. I ended up with a Shoreline Gold body and Medium Jumbo frets rosewood. He added a Spank Switch and It’s really fun. All in all it was an fabulous experience from start to finish. My guitar rocks!!
I highly recommend Stratocaster Design for any Strat customization’s!
When Bruce explained to me that adding a blender circuit would not only give me one master tone (which i love) but also allow for greater tonal range by blending between two pickups I was sold. Not only did Bruce add a blender circuit, but he also setup my Strat with new strings and setup the floating bridge with way more action than i’ve ever experienced. The guitar plays better than ever following Bruce’s setup, and i doubt you’ll ever find another person with so much passion and love for the Stratocaster! Good Stuff! Keep on rocking Bruce!
Recently purchased a HSS Fender Strat Loaded pickguard and I love it. Tons of tone options with the Dual Stratbucker and SpankBlender functions.
Corrected to 4 star, you guys were great, only thing was i couldn’t find the hard case for my bass guitar, to take on the flight back home. So really just available stock issue.
6. Linda West Cellos (by appointment only)
Address: 70 S Kellogg Ave STE 1, Goleta, CA 93117 , Isla Vista , California , United States
Shopping experience was a breeze, Linda helped me find a new violin and bow. Got to try the violin out for a weeklong trial before committing myself to the purchase, then set up a finance plan with Linda.
Easy peasy. Thanks, Linda!
Linda is a true inspiration and went above and beyond for me thank you Linda you are the greatest!!
Cannot be happier to buy my daughter’s first “real” cello from Linda and Anne. 100% online. The price is actually really good if you also take into consideration of the tax, case, bow, etc. They are patient enough to record videos so that I can show them to our teacher in Tennessee. Also, perfectionist set up and the cello is ready to play out of the box.
Linda West listed a vintage American Bolander cello bow for $2,500. I was very interested and willing to buy it, but I also knew that an equivalent bow had sold relatively recently at auction for under $1,000. She could not be bothered to respond to my email inquiry but I ultimately decided to buy the bow from her anyway – only to discover it had subsequently been sold. Fortunately for me I almost immediately afterwards found a Bolander cello bow for sale on the Tarisio auction site which I purchased for $700. So really this is to say thank you to Linda West for blowing me off. You saved me $1,800 and I got the cello bow of my dreams…
Great service! Though my musical taste is ecclectic, I’m not exactly an easy sell. I must say eventhough initially I was a bit skeptical, VNYL’s curated vinyl subscription service has been amazing. Can’t really say I’ve disliked any of the selections I’ve recieved. They’ve definitely been a plus for my collection and, always, spot on!
I just received my second of three boxes and have to say I’m pleased with the service.
I have roughly 400 records and am a regular crate digger of both new and used records as well as a frequent shopper on Discogs. I watch record prices pretty closely and like getting a good deal. So far I haven’t received anything that’s already in my collection, but albums in the genres I prefer. Most of the records I’ve received so far are ones I’ve frequently seen in stores and are of bands I’ve at least heard of or my friends have told me about, but I’ve never taken the time to listen to or check out. At roughly 12 bucks an album – at least for my plan – the records are a good deal and are what I would expect to pay for a “grab bag” type of service. I also have noticed that I typically get a color variant pressing, when available, that I appreciate.
I would suggest taking the task of picking a monthly mood seriously as I do believe it influences what you’re sent. It’s not a big lift, though. I will browse the artists in each playlist and select the one with the most that I enjoy.
At this time, I will likely renew my subscription.
I don’t really know how people can have such a negative opinion on VNYL. When I first learned about VNYL I was skeptical but honestly every single month they hit the mark with my likes. One of my proudest moments: Joining VNYL. I haven’t gotten any records I don’t like. I’ve been introduced to artist that are now my favorites. The customer service is amazing. I once had a record get lost in the mail and they were there to help and they sent me a new one. They are super awesome with helping/ answering questions / fixing any problem you might have. The member store always has a nice selection of new records that are the ones you have to have. They have a personalized store that is linked to Spotify that is the best to get things you like/want. BEST COMPANY EVER…You can’t go wrong with a company that sends you awesome stickers and records.
I was a member for quite a bit of time. I received a couple “vibes” (collections of three records based on your taste shipped monthly to you) that I was pretty satisfied with. However, as money grew tight and my interest waned – I wanted to get rid of the monthly cost. Unfortunately, I didn’t know that you had to actually cancel the service and would still be charged regardless of choosing vibes. This went on for about 8 months without my knowing. The company was willing to make it right and allow me to make-up my selections. Totally reasonable, as it was partly my fault. However after the intial make-ups communication disappeared and after months, I believed all hope was lost. Recently, a customer service representive reached back out and acknowledged that somehow the ball was dropped and is willing to finish out the make-up agreement. My views went from 1-star company to 4. The service is good for those who want new records but do not have a decent record store around them. You’ll also discover some newer indie artists you haven’t heard of. The member store has a decent rotating selection. And the customer service is spot-on with knowing the value of your dollar and wanting to make things right. I’d recommend this company for the member store alone. Thanks, VNYL.
After the first two orders my husband and I weren’t sure that we were going to continue with the subscription – there was maybe one record in each package that we actually enjoyed.
We LOVE the personal touch in each package (notes written explaining why each record was selected and what to expect) but that was the main reason we were staying subscribed – since at that point the music selection really wasn’t fitting us all to well (each package was only about 30% enjoyable).
HOWEVER after our last order we were pleasantly surprised. It was an amazing selection and we appreciated EVERY record. We loved the albums and the style of music was perfect for us. We decided to continue with our subscription simply due to the fantastic selection.
One of the Jimmy Hendrix record we received is valued over $70! This made our monthly subscription price WELL worth it for the month.
I think people typically write reviews when they are unhappy with a service but fail to write on a positive note. I wanted to share our experience on here for a more well rounded look at Vnyl for those thinking about joining.
Been a member for about 6 months and the boxes are hit and miss. Some are great and some are not so great. The ones you don’t like you can just sell to your local store or whatever. I am an international customer so it’s a little bit more expensive for me but I think it’s worth it. Their customer support is fantastic and they’ve always helped me when I’ve needed it. Highly recommended.
This company is a joke. Please do not purchase anything from them. I took advantage of their black Friday deal. There were no instructions so I messaged customer support on three different platforms. I finally got a response a week later for them to tell me they have to mail my offer to me and then I can claim it online? The offer hasn’t even shipped yet. They are disorganized. They have no idea what is going on and the slowest customer service I have ever seen. I am attempting to cancel and get my money back but it’ll probably be another week before someone reaches back out.
I had a terrible experience with this, like ALL the way around. First, I was triple charged. Then, I have to pick from their “curated” playlists, when my options are the same as their thousands of subscribers. The music wasn’t my bag, at all. When I finally picked a playlist, it took 3-4 WEEKS to ship. It’s just ridiculous. No matter how little you have to pay, NOT WORTH THE EFFORT.
Not a great gift to give. Recipient has to pay shipping and auto renews with no option of refunding. Also terribly delayed / late shipping. Took months to get the first one
11. Jensen Guitar & Music Co.
Address: 2830 De La Vina St, Santa Barbara, CA 93105 , Isla Vista , California , United States
Great store, I always shop here for my guitar needs
Johnny with the electronics is like MacGyver — a magician and wizard. Chris the owner is always fair and knowledgable. Done business with them for 40 years, all good.
Cool place, cool people. You can trust them with your repairs, have the day to day stuff you need and can order whatever else. Some nice used gear… I only wish their electric instrument and amp section was larger! Give them a visit.
BE ADVISED!!! The phone number that is listed for Jenson’s Guitars is NOT their phone number but rather it is my home phone number and I am absolutely sick and tired of getting a couple dozen phone calls for these people who obviously don’t care about the deflected business. To be clear I have never been there and have no idea as to the in store service experience and thus the lowest rating only concerns the phone number dilemma.
Worst Shop. But sadly the only guitar store Locally.
I have had employee’s ignore me, to just play guitar.. to having employee’s talk down to me over string gauges.
You don’t talk down to someone who is giving you money.
NOT JUST THAT, but the one dude did not even listen to what I said, last time I was there.
I was shopping for strings for my 8 string, and I said: “Hi, I am looking for strings for an 8 string”.
and he said: “We don’t sell 8s”
… Guitarists know that means 8 gauge strings..
I didn’t ask for 8s I clearly said 8 STRING guitar STRINGS.
Then when I pointed out the 3 different packs of strings behind him, he got standoffish with me and then proceeded to talk down to me like I didn’t know string gauges.
I’ve played guitar for nearly 20 years now. I have moved allover California, and this is the WORST store I’ve ever been in. Sucks that Instrumental Music Closed down. Worst store, next to one in Ventura that stinks of incense and the dude was just.. a little odd. Really friendly, but a little overly friendly, But it is better than Standoffish employees.
Also looking at other reviews on here, I have NEVER heard anyone say any of those things about the store
“Knowledgeable”, the 3 times I have been in, I knew more.
“Cool People”, right the people who ignored me, scoffed in my face when I said I was only browsing, and then that one dude for strings.. yea.. real cool.
“Prices are Fair and Competitive”, I’d disagree on 60% or more of their products. I can buy strings, picks, cables, pickups, and GUITARS cheaper literally anywhere else I have been.
my 8 string, they had one used, same brand, same guitar, that was 300$ MORE, I found one NEW for 300$ less and it came with a hardcase.
And that is just my experience, I have not heard any of my friends, old SBCC Teachers (if they are guitarists), or students say anything GOOD about Jensen.
I have heard maybe ONE person say they had an employee who repaired guitars that was actually nice and did a really good job. But I didn’t have that experience the 3-4 times I went in. Never will go again. I literally go down to Ventura to do music business now.
worst experience ever. be warned
12. Nick Rail Music
Address: 2801 De La Vina St, Santa Barbara, CA 93105 , Isla Vista , California , United States
I am from out of town was looking for guitar tuner, guitar picks and capo. I did not want to spend alot of money because have these items at my home. He got me the items that I needed and the prize was reasonable! Thank you for excellent service!
Fast, friendly service. Let’s keep our local businesses alive and well!
The guys helped me out in making sure I had everything I needed and more. Extremely knowledgeable and friendly:) I came in unprepared but this helpful team made sure we figured everything out before I left! Thanx again! I’ll be sure to make this my new spot for any of my stringed instruments.
Great fast service!
Great little music shop with high quality instruments, such as Taylor guitars, and some unusual surprises. Friendly staff, always a pleasure to shop there.
Friendly staff, could use more electric guitar and bass accessories
I was really looking forward to renting a clarinet from this location. Unfortunately, the service was terrible and I decided against it. Try a different music shop or try ordering online.
I was calling to get a price estimate, and when I asked “can I get a price estimate on a drum set” they hung up. I thought this was a music shop. Very rude and disrespectful.
Horrible communication and it took nearly 3 months to repair my guitar. Terrible service…do not recommend.
I’ve been a big fan of Seymour Duncan since I was a teenager and I’m an even bigger fan now that I get to work here. The Seymour Duncan team is one of the best and brightest I’ve encountered during my career and they continue to push the bar higher. We are incredibly fortunate to have some of the world’s most talented builders of pickups and pedals right here in Santa Barbara, and it’s clear from their work that they truly love what they do.
Great pickups, horrible shipping. I live 4 hours from the shop but it took a week for shipping!
DO NOT WORK HERE! I should have listened to former employees who told me this is a horrible company. They show zero care or loyalty to their workers and absolutely will lay off workers regardless of tenure or quality of work as soon their profits start to fall. Their management methods are INFURIATING, especially if you care about the quality their products. DO NOT INVEST YOURSELF OR YOUR TIME INTO THIS COMPANY. They will not hesitate to betray you as soon as it is convenient for them. Their wages are also indefensible considering their profit margins and the cost of living in SB County. Many workers are living close to the poverty line and several work multiple jobs to support themselves. Find work elsewhere.
16. IV Bagel Cafe
Address: 6551 Trigo Rd #1, Isla Vista, CA 93117 , Isla Vista , California , United States
Awesome place for a quick bite. Friendly people working here and good bagals.
Pizza bagel is best bagel
One of the best bagels we ate on our road trip in California! Amazing!
Good food a bit pricey
Great Beatles music
Vegan options available! No vegan cream cheese unfortunately. How can you have vegan options except for the best bagel topping?! Please get one if possible! Tofutti and Miyokos both have a great vegan cream cheese!
This is the perfect spot for college kids looking for a decently priced bagel. I wanted something savory so I got a garlic bagel topped with avocado. I wouldn’t have minded paying more for the avo (even though I already paid extra) if I knew they’d apply barely any. Another sad thing.
If you’re going expect a wait of 10-20 mins.
Thanks for the bagel.
The non-vegan ones looked great!
The bagels are tasty, but it took almost 45 minutes to recieve one toasted bagel with cream cheese. I won’t be coming back.
There’s no mechanism for doordash drivers, I had to wait in a 30 minute line to pick up the order.
Placed an online order at 9:50, waited in line for an hour, received 2 bagels and 2 coffees at 11.
Anna provided the perfect peaceful background music for our mother’s garden memorial celebration. She offered a wide range of beautiful music that helped to create the soothing atmosphere that we hoped for. Anna is a professional and provides excellent suggestions and guidance. So happy we found this amazing harpist!
Anna played beautifully at our wedding! Without any extra work on our part, she folded herself perfectly into the proceedings and worked seamlessly with our officiant to set up and play at our wedding ceremony. The harp added even more light to a day that will forever remain illuminated in our memories. Thank you Anna!
Anna was incredible! Couldn’t recommend her any more. From start to finish she was professional, organized and really listened to what it is we wanted (we were a little unsure at first and she helped guide us). Through multiple pre wedding zoom calls which we did with wine in hand and with our grandparents across state, we were able to create a beautiful selection of modern and classic songs.
One of my favorite parts of the day was exiting our ceremony hand in hand with my husband while the sounds of Clocks by Coldplay streamed from Anna’s harp. One moment I will never forget for the rest of my life!!!
If you’re considering adding a harpist to your wedding day, Anna is the perfect addition. She is an exceptional harpist.
18. Best Buy
Address: 7090 Market Pl Dr, Goleta, CA 93117 , Isla Vista , California , United States
Nice options like financing and full-credit returns for valued customers. Make sure to check the price and any item in store. If it’s did and fulfilled by Amazon on Amazon’s website they will price match. It’s saved me around we 200 bucks so far!
I don’t mind waiting 45 days for a washer that keeps getting delayed, thanks Joe…, but I do mind getting transferred to eight different people and hung up on three times while I’m trying to deal with customer service out of India.
Surprised by the helpful staff.
Best Buy is slowly dying but this one is worse than most. You have to work you way though a maze just to check out.
Really hidden, you’d miss it if you weren’t looking for it.
Not so good
19. Harps by the Sea
Address: 22 W Mission St Suite AA, Santa Barbara, CA 93101 , Isla Vista , California , United States
