Discover the top 20 music shops in Preston Heights

We worked with Jimmy and Rhonda on our wedding day. They were absolutely amazing. We received so many compliments from our guests. They are so professional and so positive. All of our guests had a great time. Thank you both SO MUCH for making our day even more special!!

They were Awesome! Everyone enjoy their musical selections!! So many people dancing in a restaurant! It was simply amazing and heartwarming to see!

Great Music

Found a lot of good stuff and the owner was a pretty friendly guy.

Have a neighbor kid who was interested in going to a record store this was a wonderful place to take him such a big variety so clean and the people were so nice we’ll be back

Great addition to Joliet!

The reason I posted three stars is because of no fault to you. You are strictly records when I was looking for CDs and DVD. I am sure that you are a great store

They have a great selection and are very reasonable also..

Check other places and compare before going with them.

Management was rude and caused a scene at the store.

Asked about a particular CD on Record Sale Day to add to my collection because it was rare and I’ve been eyeing it for about a month, and the male worker at the store starts suggesting in a loud and sarcastic voice, audible to everyone in the store, that I might just be trying to sell them on eBay for profit. I wanted it *because* it was rare. A rare piece for my own collection. What a petty way to make negative assumptions about your customers.

Even after I tried disengaging from the conversation and walking away, he continued talking at me, telling me how stores could get in trouble for people buying multiples and trying to sell them on eBay or whatever. Pretty annoyed at the confidence he had, all because I asked a simple question.

Petty and unprofessional. Was honestly surprised, reviews on this place are great. I imagine management was stressed, but still no way to treat a customer.

Update. Still an awesome spot. The owner and is his staff are always helpful. He gives solid offers if you need to sell your record collection. They also offers music lessons.

Clean store, nice layout. Prices were better than expected. The person working was very friendly and knowledgeable. He helped me look up some Radiohead albums that are hard to find. Will definitely be back.

Full disclosure: Joe, the owner, is one of my very best friends. I think that gives me some special insight into how he runs his shop, and I know for certain he’s extremely talented and passionate about teaching the gift of music.

It’s evident in the quality of instructors he hires and the progress (and success) of the students. Just check out their social media pages, where you’ll see some spectular young musicians learning their craft. And, it needs to be said, having fun while doing it.

That there’s a very good record store IN THE STUDIO indeed makes this place one of the coolest places around. A local gem that deserves our support!

I was recommended by a friend to have my son take drum lessons from BJ at this studio. For 4 years he’s taken drum lessons and we’ve been more than happy with everything. The owners, teachers, and people behind the desk truly care about the students and parents. My son has really connected with BJ and has learned so much. I would highly recommend BJ to anyone that wants to take drum or piano lessons.

Stopped at the store while in the area. The young man behind the counter was very nice and helpful. The selection was diverse and I found a few things to take home.

Good store! I go for the vinyl which is mostly used with a small selection of new releases. I can usually find good deals on good condition, bit off of the radar titles. Good staff and new discount program

A little on the small side. Decent selection of guitars and basses. Staff was friendly and were easy to talk to.

Employees are real helpful.

It has everything music

Great help and assistance

Good selection, knowledgeable staff.

You can make as much noise as you want.

Told me I had to wear a mask. Lost a sale.

I’d give .5 if possible…and that’s merely for existing. My son wanted an acoustic guitar for Christmas. Since I know nothing about guitars, we went to Joliet guitar center. We spent 30 minutes in the acoustic room while 3 employees did nothing. No one greeted us, no one checked on us to see if we had questions, and no one said goodbye to us. Never again.

Drove over an hour and a half from Evanston to buy a Traktor S4 that this store was advertising on the Guitar Center website. I show up and the guy refuses to sell to me saying someone already “Web Ordered” it. After he wasted my time with bull**it, I asked him to see if he could see if there were any other Traktors available at other stores. He proceeded to “search” the area and then in a droopy tone said “I think there is one in Naperville”. Then he proceeded to continue watching videos on his cell phone. What a joke. The fact that people go to this store and trust their “sales associates” with advise is complete garbage. Also, how about you train your employees in customer service and/or find people that actually want to be working at your store. F+++

Simply the best!

Friendly staff and great teachers!

Jimmy is AWESOME at teaching drums!

This place does not do instrument repair, and has not every time I call for the past 6 months. I finally took my Electric Guitar to West Side Music Center. I haven’t actually been able to go inside for some time because they leave their neon “OPEN” sign on even if they are closed.

I didn’t wanna have to ask to play the guitars, but other than that, it was perfect

Very pricey and will give you outrageous quotes for repairs when you can get the work done much cheaper elsewhere

They gave me a quote on fixing my guitar that was out of this world. They said it would cost more to fix it than the guitar was actually worth. Whoever I talked to said they would have to send it out to a different tech. Long story short I got a second opinion and it only cost me $15 to get it fixed…… Good place to take lessons but don’t take your instruments here to get fixed.

Chris tuned and repaired multiple keys on a very out of shape upright piano. He brought a new life into our family’s piano. Also kind and patient, Chris is very talented at what he does!

Perfect, great job, will use again.

Chris tuned my piano. He was extremely helpful, knowledgeable and professional.
Will definitely continue to use his services in the future.

The What’s Goin’ Down In Downtown J-Town podcast is largely recorded at Third City Sound along with albums from the vast majority of the bands played on The Local Music Bonanza. You’ll also find Bill and Dave doing sound for area shows and festivals when they aren’t playing music in their own bands. They done a lot of great things for our music community.

Pro sound. Terrific Production. Creative Engineering. Killer Prices. What more could you ask for in a recording studio? maybe you could ask that the Owner and Engineer would know how to find you that weird instrument you envisioned being played on your track, or the musician to play it. Chances are, he’ll make a phone call, and you’ll have theremin being played on your b-side. Maybe you need a studio that feels just as comfortable as jamming in the garage with your bandmates, your best friends. This is that studio. Oh, and you’d also like your Producer and Engineer to be a trained multi-instrumentalist? Look no further. You’ve found the studio you’re looking for.

Love Third City Sound! I’ve been recording there for several years now. High quality, very reasonable prices. Facilities are perfect–sort of funky in a good way. Old, wooden floors, a couple of drop ceiling tiles falling down, occasional garbage can spilling over. There is a full-size refrigerator to keep your beer, and there is always a bottle of Malort in case you need some inspiration. You can tell that real musicians inhabit the place. An eclectic and constantly growing variety of instruments (including a kettledrum, Rhodes keyboard, sitar/guitar, bells, etc.) is available for client use and just might inspire you to add something new to a song. Staff is the best. Bill, the owner and main engineer, is very knowledgeable and very helpful–always learning more. He is constantly investing in new equipment and likes to experiment with new recording techniques. An accomplished and versatile musician himself, he will offer criticism, advice, arrangement ideas, etc., but only if you solicit this advice. Furthermore, Bill has connections with lots of musicians and can always hook you up with good players if you want to add instrumentation to a track. All around great place to create and record!

Great small venue! Everyone there is super nice and nothing short of hospitable to anyone that comes there. It’s in a great spot to have food and drink downstairs, or byob to the shows up top.

Poor Service, Lack Of Experience

Tom is a knowledgeable, patient and passionate teacher. Highly recommended!

My son has been taking lessons with Tom for almost 2 yrs. He is patient, kind, extremely talented and as my son says, amazing!!
He has been a huge part in my son’s musical journey and has made him quite the musician.

Tom has been giving my kids music lessons for over a year now and they have learned a ton. My daughter is learning guitar and my son the drums. Both look forward to their lesson each week! Thanks Tom!

When it comes to guitar music, he’s smart for me to trust.

Down Home Guitars is a true gem of not only Frankfort Illinois, but the entire Chicago Land Area. They serve not only as a high end acoustic instrument shop, but also as a music school, an intimate music venue, a shop for everyday music items and instruments, and a place where musicians of all levels have the opportunity to play with and for one another at their weekly Jam Sessions and monthly Open Mic Nights. The people are friendly and I always feel welcome when I am there.

I attend the Down Home Guitars’ concert series regularly. The venue is perfect! The walls are aligned with top of the line hand-crafted, American-made instruments and there is not a bad seat in the house (which holds about 60). It is simply gorgeous. I especially appreciate the complimentary wine, craft beer, and snacks that they have to offer at each show. That really adds a nice touch to the evening.

Down Home Guitars is doing it right! Steve and Molly (who run the store) are the kindest of people and everyone that works there seem to be pretty knowledgeable about music and their instruments. I would definitely recommend this store for anyone who is looking to take music lessons, buy and instrument (high or low end), get a repair done, see a good show, play an open mic, or just to become part of the Down Home music community that they have created and welcome everyone to be a part of.

I have been looking for a certain guitar and found it at Down Home Guitars. I sent an email inquiry and Steve got back to me the next day. I live in Hawaii so I needed it shipped safe and quick. The guitar showed up just as promised. This was a seamless transaction. I would recommend Down Home to anyone interested in a great guitar, great service, and fast response.
Thanks again, Steve.

Great shop and good people. The owner and crew are doing great things for music in the community. They are very knowledgeable about their products and they provide great customer service. I recommend checking it out, it will definitely be your new favorite music shop.

The store carries beautiful high-end acoustic instruments. They also hold some impressive seminars and concerts. If you want the very best and can spend 6K on a guitar then this store may be for you. With a larger wallet, perhaps you will receive better treatment than I did. The red-haired owner of this store is probably the rudest retail store owner I have ever experienced. Of course, I wasn’t there to spend thousands of dollars. I simply went there to buy picks, strings, tab books, and to explore and discuss instruments with other music lovers. My initial visits were often greeted by cold, stiff, and awkward personalities. After multiple visits, I expected things would warm up, and while some staff were friendly, it was never a comfortable experience. This was especially true whenever the owner was present. Pompous and arrogant seem apt descriptions, and small talk and small wallets are beneath him.

Great teachers! Our kiddos love this place and learn quickly in this setting.

Glen is a great teacher. He’s patient, kind, and very knowledgeable. He’s also very nice.

Glen is a great piano teacher

Extremely helpful and smart passionate dudes helped me out as a beginner I couldn’t be more happy!

Great place to find equipment, musicians are always added to their Arsenal.

Good gear, lessons, and extremely nice and friendly staff.

Bought a nice used snare for a reasonable price. I will be shopping here for great deal on used parts

They claim to Promote your band but all they do is take your money. Only promotion is facebook and there are only bands liking there page. No local advertising in newspapers etc. that would take money from there pockets – beware of Evolution Music or at least look into them before you go.

Terrible experience, treated so poorly. Bought online and never again, aren’t to be trusted.

Asked to see a guitar and the manager couldn’t be bothered. I emailed the company to ask for help and got no response.

Found this store online and nothing but respect for the hard work and dedication they provide us customers. I always take in my Bajo quintos and have them install my pickups. It’s a pleasure talking to them they get a kick out of seeing each bajo i bring in. Great price for installation of whatever pickup I bring in to be installed. I truly recommend this location fair prices and great service. I’ll be stopping in today with another bajo for pickup installation.

John is a hero amongst mere mortals, and a true credit to the music gear industry.

Went in for my first guitar and being a beginner I had no idea what I was doing or what to get, all I knew was that I wanted an acoustic guitar. John was extremely helpful and talked to me in detail about the differences between certain guitars and what would be best as a beginner. You can tell he was very passionate about what he was doing. He wasn’t just “doing his job”. John also made sure to walk me through the process of taking care of the guitar and how to keep it in great condition. I ended up going with the Yamaha FSX800C and I couldn’t be happier! It is a beautiful red color and sounds amazing! I recommend to anyone looking to buy an instrument especially if you are a beginner. Thanks for everything and will definitely be stopping by every few months!

I love all the products but at times the service was bad, other visits there were good service. Thanks!

In defense of my friend Aidan, most things you are accusing of us aren’t true. Yes we took a bass and a guitar off without asking. We were not aware of that rule because this was our first time trying out guitars at this store. Your associates did everything with the amps. They are the ones who had the volume up high. Only 3 of the 4 of us played guitars, and only two amps were available. I was cut off in the middle of a solo by your employee so that someone else could use it. Every few minutes we were asked if we would buy the guitar. I’m aware as a small business you need people to buy but di you expect a few 17 year olds to drop $500-1000 within 30 min of finding a guitar? We need things like strings and picks and wanted to buy local. After the pressure we recieved, we left without buying anything. So yes, maybe guitar center is better fit for us.

I asked for an estimate to repair a leak on my daughter’s flute. With no parts needed, they wanted $40. I declined their service and the man on the phone hung up on me. When I picked up the flute, somehow additional keys were bent and leaking. Ridiculous!

The owner of the shop spoke to me very rudely and insisted that I was trying to sell my instrument at “retail” price, even though I obviously researched beforehand… why would I try to sell a used instrument at retail price? He refused to give me his best offer or even look at my instrument. Wouldn’t recommend this place at all. Save your time

I went to Kula’s based on recent reviews that have been posted prior. I can tell you if you are looking for honesty and the best possible loan or price for items your selling, come to Kula’s and find out for yourself. This is a family owned business and they are very approachable and honest.

I had a great experience here. The workers were very kind and helpful, and I loved a lot of the merchandise they had there. I would definitely go again!

Great deals excellent staff

Spent $7000.00 there over the years. Get in a spot, go there for a loan & get turned away. You lost a customer. I’d rather pay retail then step foot back in your place. Shame on you.

Purchased a diamond ring from them some years back for $800, a ring which they made. Went to sell it back to them recently and they only offered $150 for the ring, which seemed low so I went to a local jewelry store instead for a second opinion and was offered $200… $50 more then they offered for a ring they made… I sold a few other jewelry pieces to them that day and now I feel I was ripped off.

They turned me away. The man sitting at the front told me he couldn’t take my game because I’m black…..

Service was amazing! Everything arrived on time within days of purchase. Of course its quarantine time and was given two masks with my order! Thanks for the experience.

Quality instruments? 100%
Knowledgeable and helpful staff? 110%

I’m so impressed with this shop! I love acoustic guitars and clearly this family does too. Just purchased a beautiful new Martin at a very fair price. It is notable how well they take care of their instruments. There are hygrometers and humidifiers abound. Every guitar we took off the wall had fresh strings and was in tune (how often can you say that?).

The father and son owners were extremely well versed, informed, thorough, funny, and kind. It was fun just to hang out with them and talk guitars.

I’d never been to this shop before today, but if I’m in the market for any sort of guitar – this is absolutely my first stop.

They also have a really cool new venue adjacent to the shop where they plan to book concerts. If you live locally you owe it to yourself to stop by. I live about 30 miles away and I’ll be back for sure.

Thanks again for a great experience.

Had been looking for a Guild D-55 for a while. Bought from them for a great price and in excellent condition! Fast shipping and a smooth buying experience!

They are more of a acoustic guitar place not really a place for bass players .

***EDIT***
So, I am knocking down my review from five stars to three; due to my most recent experience a couple months after the first one. So I reached backout to buy another guitar (place order) as I really wanted an AD22e or another model I can’t remember, but after confirming they could place the order I let them know that I wanted the AD22e and to provide me the full price so we could close the deal and they went silent, mind you I didn’t even get a copy of the receipt from my AD27e that never came which I had also requested from the last conversation.

I did finally get my guitar ordered but I had a national retailer place the order. I was disappointed I didn’t hear back from Tobias Music about completing the purchase and obtaining a copy of the receipt for my AD27e that never came.

** original **

Just bought an AD27e (Taylor) from them after finding it for sale online. it was a great buying experience. I’m a lefty, buying guitars online is the norm, and most of the time guitars I buy take a day or two to pack and ship. we had a few emails back and forth and they were quick to respond and very professional. These guys had it packed and shipped the same day, and I didn’t place my order until after lunch; that’s service.

They also took the time to dial the guitar in; it came with the action set and was tuned ready to play out of the box. Paul did a great job and really made this buying experience easy, and hassle free. I’ll have to check back often to see what other lefty guitar they get in. If I have the chance, I will buy from them again.

I started coming here years ago (to rent musical equipment for my kids back when they were in orchestra at school.) Recently I’ve decided to get back in to playing myself. Bought some new equipment… the staff is friendly, helpful and personable. I wouldn’t consider buying from anywhere else at this point.

Everyone is nice here. Love it.

You don’t have to give up price to shop local. Great price and service at Naperville Music. I purchased a Kawai digital piano recently. Nate took the time to demo and answer any questions I had – no pressure sales tactics. We actually did the deal over the phone and the piano was delivered and setup a couple days later. You will not find this level of service at guitar center.

“Without music, life would be a mistake.” It’s really nice quotation, because its help for healthy living. Now a day’s Music can be a great, medicinal relaxer to assist us break away from the various stress of life.

The aqustic of the show room had some reflections, which made the sound poorer. Sewrvice was reasonable.

In these unprecedented times I recommend Sweetwater for all your musical needs. Impeccable customer service! Online service at your fingertips

Don’t waste your money on this place, they never e-mailed me but they said they did to let me know, that my grandson piano teacher would no longer be their on the day his lessons were schedule. All they are worried about is the money!!!

Terrible service, they purchased an old guitar from me, and refused to let me take the case, we never arranged them getting the case, also the staff is not very enthusiastic. No one seemed like they wanted to be there including me.

As soon as the piano teacher looked at me and my daughter the energy was wrong. I maintained a positive attitude…she swung the room door open 5 mins before my daughter’s lesson ended and started talking to me LOUD saying “your daughter is not supposed to be using THIS BOOK”. I kept trying to explain (again) how my daughter had taken a break in her lessons. Ms Allison KEPT cutting me off everytime I tried to speak. She did this after the lesson was over as well. Then, she kept hammering at my daughter telling her how impossible close to difficult it would be to re learn the notes. This lady took 1 look at us and assumed we were ignorant. She chose to be antagonizing instead of being a teacher. I don’t think she’s like this with everyone, picks n chooses.The energy of this place was nothing like this when Tracy works.

Customer service is excellent and their instrument rental pricing is better than other online music stores.

Went to buy a new flute. Good selection. Knowledgeable and attentive staff. Will return for all our music needs

Great service, rental program, knowledgeable staff@

Great place with very friendly staff members. They’re always willing to help. I used them for instrument rental for a couple of my kids.

Very friendly and welcoming place. Had an issue with a repair but they corrected the problem. Took more than stop to resolve the issue, so 4 out 5 stars. Would still recommend and will continue to shop here.

Good