I absolutely love all that Mount Hermon has to offer. My family gets the opportunity to go to family camp there every year. Last year I was in the 6th grade and we went to the outdoor science school program and it was really fun. Our trail leader was Kate so if you ever see this PLEASE COME BACK!!! Anyways, aside from that, I am now getting the chance to go to ponderosa lodge this summer and I can not wait for it. I am very please with all the mount hermon has to offer and I hope that they can keep living up to that standard.
Great family environment!
Comfortable, friendly and well – organized.
They didn’t have much merchandise out for young teens, at the time.
One of my favorite bookstores in a beautiful locale.
Nice little gift shop for your Mt. Hermon gear, Christian books, and movies.
4. Mountain Music School
Address: 216 Mt Hermon Rd Suite A, Scotts Valley, CA 95066 , Mount Hermon , California , United States
Mountain Music School has been the best decision we’ve made for our son’s piano lessons. The staff is super knowledgeable and very professional. I would recommend them to anyone who is looking for a place for themselves or their children.
I can’t say enough good things about Mountain Music School! Over the past two years, my son and I have had a fantastic time learning piano here. The instructors are top-notch, making each lesson both fun and educational. The school’s welcoming and supportive environment has really helped us thrive as musicians. I enthusiastically recommend Mountain Music School to anyone interested in learning music – it’s been an absolute joy!
5. Hill Guitar Co
Address: 7362 Hwy 9, Felton, CA 95018 , Mount Hermon , California , United States
Robie takes great care in the repairs he makes on all of my fractional size instruments I give to kids I work with in SLV. He also really know his fiddles and made some modifications to two instruments that made then sound 10× better.
Robie’s Fiddle and Banjo Shop is the only place to go in the Santa Cruz Mountains for expert handcrafted repairs and to purchase beautifully refurbished instruments.
7. Mills Music
Address: 152 Storm Ln, Felton, CA 95018 , Mount Hermon , California , United States
Matt is an awesome bass tech. I’ve had work done previously and each time he’s very professional.
Matt did an outstanding job resetting my cracked neck and realigning my bridge. Give him a call – this essential shop is open for business!
Matt is a consummate professional and a real nice guy. My 75yo Kay C1 plays like butter after he worked on it, and I leaned a lot about it in the process.
Simply the best concert pianist I’ve ever heard. I’m excited her music site is up. I just played a download in my car on a trip down the coast. Fantastic.
12. Union Grove Music
Address: 1574 Soquel Dr ste g, Santa Cruz, CA 95065 , Mount Hermon , California , United States
I love this place. The guitar repairs are superb and nobody knows vintage instruments like these guys.
All the guys and gal is always friendly and extremely knowledgeable. Every time I go here they have been very helpful, resourceful, and honest. I’ve gone in a couple of times wanting one thing and asked them about it, but they recommend something that will work better for what I’m looking for and they’ve always be right about why the other item is better than the one I wanted.
The kids loved it!
Staff is always friendly. Wish there was a little more selection.
Very knowledgeable staff. The prices are a little higher than other stores around for the same item, but they also have more higher end items. Almost exclusively guitars, very little of any other instrument.
I called asking to hold a guitar I really liked a lot until I could get there THAT SAME DAY…they said ok, no problem, it is on hold only for me. When I arrived THAT DAY a salesman said they sold it THAT MORNING. I felt very disappointed.
I’m an older woman who plays electric guitar. Have purchased top-line new guitars there and sold some equipment there, and they did the job. But I have never been comfortable there. The boss is angry, curt and dismissive and the staff doesn’t seem relaxed or happy. There are unwritten rules about how long you can stay, what you can touch etc. Not for me any more.
Look, I get it. You’re right in the middle of downtown where all the vagrants pass through, but the attitude has got to go. I used to occasionally stop in here whenever I needed strings, picks, etc. And every time I felt like I wasn’t welcome. Avoid like the plague
13. The Starving Musician – Santa Cruz
Address: 1003 Pacific Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95060 , Mount Hermon , California , United States
My friend brought his guitar in for new strings, and because he has poor eyesight, he asked for assistance in restringing. Though there were quite a few customers needing assistance, my friend was told they’d have it done within about 40 minutes. We browsed a few other stores and came back in 30 minutes, delighted to discover his guitar was ready — for about $30.
Staff was super knowledgeable, friendly and helpful
Knowledgable staff with all the help and none of the pressure. Lucas was great!
They may not have the selection of a NYC or L.A. Sam Ash or Guitar Center, but this is Santa Cruz and the folks who work there sure are friendly and genuinely seem to want to help.
Good
One dude with a mustache was super cool the other guy was kinda a jerk and didnt seem to want to sell anything. A great attitude goes a long way. I would have bought something had the gent been nice.
New location and staff suck
They were rude , and so sterotyplxL
They were not very helpful. Told them I was looking for a used electric guitar for my wife to learn on and he didn’t care to take the time and talk to us. All the employees were just hanging out in the front and not really doing anything. We left.
14. More Music
Address: 512 Front St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060 , Mount Hermon , California , United States
Best music store with kind instrument technicians for repairs… beautiful quality guitars ✨
Sweet deal on fret-less bass guitar!
Dave H puts the More in Music as he was a true asset in my vintage guitar purchase bringing a lifetime of knowledge to my questions. He delivered exactly what he said he would and More. His seasoned tech Tommy executed a pro-set up on the instrument. You’re in good hands with Dave and company on your next purchase. I’m lucky I found them.
So very dissatisfied buyer beware
Tried to sell some guitars and other music equipment here on consignment. When it had been a couple months and nothing had sold, I went in to get the equipment back and sell it on craigslist. They had “misplaced” both of my guitar cases and all three guitar cables, which they gave me a little bit of cash for as a consolation. They did sell my digitech but did not pay me for almost two months from when it sold. Some of the employees are super helpful and this may be a good music store in some aspects but the lack of integrity in the consignment department made me feel obligated to let people know to avoid it.
Lousy customer service. every time I go in there to shop, I get kicked out of rooms, or asked to move from a certain spot. I’m a customer too!
15. Guitar Shop
Address: 926 Soquel Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95062 , Mount Hermon , California , United States
Steve Crisp, the owner, is one of the best guitar techs in California, if not the Western U.S. Having him in Santa Cruz is a wonderful thing. Bill Walker, who also works in the shop, is a long-time fixture in the local music scene, a great guitar player and aficionado, adding to the expertise and great vibe.
I went in to get some new strings and found out it’s a guitar repair shop. Nonetheless, the owner is clearly a master of his craft. I had this annoying rattle on my g string that I could never figure out how to fix and the boss knew exactly what to do. In less than 5 minutes, he fixed a problem I had for years. Now my guitar sounds better than when I first got it over ten years ago. Not to mention he blessed me with 2 new high e strings. Real stand up, candor guy. I couldn’t ask for more from a guitar repair shop. Thanks again!
Awesome owner, great vibe, very friendly!
Professional
Nice little place, a little slow on the customer service.
Quality merchandise, was surprised how low some of the prices were.
Recommended.
Didn’t return phone, email/website inquiry from a week ago…nobody is that bitchen. At least return a message letting me know you’re to busy and cool to accept more business work…
I had the feeling that this wasn’t a legitimate business. The guy knows his guitar strings and he didn’t rip me off or anything, but I won’t visit again.
I’ve been playing Brillante arranged Christmas and Hymn pieces for many years now. Every time I perform one of their arrangements, I get flooded with positive feedback. One of the most common comments I get from people in regards to these arrangements are how absolutely unique they are. Even though there are thousands of other Christmas and Hymn sheet music available on the internet, the arrangements done by Brillante are really one of its kind. You can’t find anything else quite like it.
“I bought O Come, All Ye Faithful, which was very enjoyable to learn & perform. It was easy to find this arrangement on your website, checkout and print at home.”
The Pavane arrangement is just superb. A very thoughtful and inspiring arrangement with subtle lines and harmony well displayed all along the work. In my opinion, the best rendering of the piece, even better than orchestral and camera arrangements I’ve listened to. Congratulations to those incredible pianists and long live Brillante Piano Duo!!
17. Sylvan Music
Address: 1521 Mission St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060 , Mount Hermon , California , United States
Great help and great cost… amazing old guitars collection. Ukes, banjos etc.
Great place. very warm and knowledgeable. Special shout out to Max fabulous dude.
Went in with the intention of buying a beginner level guitar and thats exactly what I got, staff didn’t try to get me to buy a really expensive guitar, I told them what I wanted and they gave me my options. Great experience overall
they had kool stuff but there was this old guy who was a dick. otherwise koolspot
Don’t show up @ 6 o’clock
Quick and friendly service.
The worst customer service!! take your business somewhere else. I went there today they were rude, I waited and went over few guitars couple of times to buy one. Everyone ignored me and told me to be careful with the guitars! I played guitar for 10 years.. this is the worst guitar shop I ever been to!
Reply to owner’s response:
Sure! a customer with a toddler in store will rebuff help or assistance?
I never heard of this before ! ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I mentioned that I was looking for a guitar to my son’s size (he is 5, not a toddler), he even spoke to you asking for assistance, you were rude! another customer walked in after me, you chose to help him instead.
By banging guitars, you mean putting them back to it’s place but happen to bump in the next guitar or wall?!
Take a look at previous customer reviews they complained about the same thing, if you don’t want us to touch many guitars in the store, you could help by showing suitable ones for purchase.
How can we support local business if they refuse to help us?
I didn’t storm out, I just felt unwelcomed as no one tried to help me, just yelling from behind the counter to be careful instead of assisting customers.
Owner’s response:
This person rebuffed our attempts for assistance then she and her toddler proceeded to carelessly mishandle instruments and bang them into each other. Several times! When we kindly asked that they be more careful, they stormed off as if we were making a completely unreasonable request. Oh well, I guess you can’t please all people all the time. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I took my violin here for some repairs and was told that it would take about 2 weeks for the service. I agreed and waited an extra month, given the COVID issue. I did not receive a call so I called to check if it was ready. The owner who does the repair said that he hasn’t even gotten to my violin because he was working on other instruments. I asked why he did not call me to let me know of the delay. His response was, “If I had to call all the people to let them know, it would take the whole day!” and “Do you have a concert tomorrow that you need it?” This is just not acceptable and RUDE. The proper things to do was simply apologize and find a way to remedy your inability to complete the service you agreed to. I work in customer service and giving off excuses is the lamest and unprofessional thing to do. Sylvan made an agreement on an agreed upon time for the service to be done, and they did not fulfill that agreement. The fact that you don’t honor nor bother to call to update your customers, IS NOT RIGHT! The least you can do is apologize which you did not even bother to do.
overpriced instruments and bad service!
18. Midtown Guitar Company
Address: 926 Soquel Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95062 , Mount Hermon , California , United States
Went here with my brother and the woman working here went the extra mile to find him the right guitar tuner. The shop is small but neat and simply packed with cool stuff.
Great atmosphere, very helpful and I love the fact that you can try out the items. Thank you for your excellent service!!
Knowledgeable owner also repairs guitars
Only place that has a great selection of Blueridge guitars. Some are all solid wood.
Also has nice electrics. No one else has Blueridge like this place.
Is this place closed for good? I’m here during hour but it’s closed
after 6 years of living in Santa Cruz, I decide to visit. checked hours on google here. drive over and they are closed for 2+ weeks. maybe I’ll visit again in another 6 years. seems a great way to build your customer base. why didn’t you post that you are closed on google?
19. Little Mozarts 4 FUN
Address: 925 Lockewood Ln, Scotts Valley, CA 95066 , Mount Hermon , California , United States
Always a pleasure there. This is the place to go for your drums! New hides going on! 🙂
I absolutely love my repaired drum! It is a work of ART. I also appreciate the business integrity of Drum Skull for working directly with West Africa for skins and more. I now have two djembe’s that have been amazingly transformed by Matt, a true Master of his craft . Thank you so much! And, they sound perfect!
Sequoia Lyn-James
Knowledgeable, friendly service! Feels like family! Absolutely beautiful repair work and amazing sounding drums. Longtime client. Highly recommend Drumskulls for your African drumming needs.
