Valerie is a very good and kind teacher. Her own magnificent tone when she plays her viola is inspiring! My son has been her student now for 7 years!
polite owner. made sure I got everything I needed in a professional fashion. quality repair and maintenance service, prices are average.
Supposed to be an open storefront but it was locked up during posted buisness hours. off the street and hard to find. No one picks up the phone.
I walked in to buy strings, and the door was open … suddenly the owner comes out of the back and asks me why I’m in there. I tell him I need guit strings. He tells me he is giving a lesson and can’t help until the lesson is over… seriously. I know exactly what I want, and I can’t believe that he left the door open if he was too busy to take my money!
3. Harps by the Sea
Address: 22 W Mission St Suite AA, Santa Barbara, CA 93101 , Santa Barbara , California , United States
We LOVE Detar Music and have been with them for several years. I can’t imagine my kids taking lessons anywhere else. Gus Detar is the most encouraging, patient and talented teacher you could ask for. And hands down, Detar Music has the most entertaining music recitals. Not only are you excited to see your own child perform but you can’t help but look forward to all the other talent. Detar Music is not your typical music studio, they are way ahead of the game in getting your children to want to practice and play music because they balance music theory with letting your child actually play music they enjoy. Our family can’t recommend them enough, which we do ALL THE TIME!
These guys are great! The studio is awesome for anything you need to record. They do lessons for beginners to experts and I have heard nothing but the best!
We absolutely love Detar Music and the great music teachers there. My son Connor has been taking piano lessons from Daniel Bagdazian for almost a year and he loves it. We all look forward to his lesson each week. Daniel is always positive and encouraging with Connor. We are grateful to have found such a supportive and fun music studio. I have recommended them to friends who are also happy there. 🙂
6. Nick Rail Music
Address: 2801 De La Vina St, Santa Barbara, CA 93105 , Santa Barbara , California , United States
So nice to find a store like this locally that was open! We went in for a guitar capo, which they had. We were also able to try out some Taylor guitars, and a few other brands as well. A wide assortment of other instruments too, and things needed to play them. Really nice guy working in there today. We’ll definitely be back!
I came in here to get my trumpet serviced, and they did an amazing job with it and it has never felt any better, the workers here at Nick Rail are not only fantastic with Thierry customer service but they are very knowledgeable.
First time in that nice little store. Awesome!! customer service
It’s been awhile since I visited Nick Rail Music and I was pleasantly surprised at the layout and selection. Service was super friendly too. A few more electric guitars and accessories and I’ll go five stars. It’s nice to be shopping “small business local” again. NR is literally the only music store available since Instrumental Music left and Jensen curtailed their hours. I’ll be back for certain, maybe even walk out with one of those Taylors…:-)
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 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.
NOT RENT OR BUY FROM THEM. GO ONLINE AND GET WHAT YOU NEED 4 TIMES CHEAPER THEN HERE. I rented a Sax for my daughter for 3 years paying $61.00 per month for an Alto Accent Sax with an option to buy. When the 3 years were completed they said that only 2 years applied for the buy option. I said ok how much more do i need to buy it? They still wanted $900 plus and i had already paid $1800 on rental and this type of Sax sell for $350 used online. I tried to use the money to buy something else because i had to get something equal or higher value as long as it was a band instrument. I ask for a clarinet that had the price of $1900 and they said that if i wanted that one I had to pay the resale price of $2400 so i still needed out of pocket $600 and I said but the price says $1900 and with no shame at all they said thats for someone that comes in and buys it here in the store but since you are using credit then you have to pay de resale price. The customer service was terrible and the way they steal people’s money and taking advantage of students its totally wrong. I hope they are giving money back to the schools for having them as the renters for their bands.
Came in to purchase a Yamaha YTR5330MRC trumpet and they did not have it in the store so they told me that they were going to try and get the trumpet for me, so I gave them my phone number cause they had told me that they were going to call me back to tell me if they were able to get it, I waited two weeks and no response and now a month later still nothing. I came all the way from Ventura city to the store all for nothing, they wasted my time, very unprofessional when I entered the store it was slow there were no customers they could of called me the same day but anyways I do not recommend coming to this store very unprofessional.
7. Dancing Drum Rhythm & Art Center
Address: 810 E Gutierrez St, Santa Barbara, CA 93105 , Santa Barbara , California , United States
Large selection and very happy with the condition of the media I purchased. Based upon the condition of the record sleeve and the price I was worried that the record would not be of better quality but I was very happy to find the record condition to be great. A very happy customer.
Great record store with miscellaneous other things for sale, they also buy and sell some collectibles, if you like hotwheels they have a great old school hotwheels collection in the back.
Nice store, well organized records with friendly staff.
Found some good records, reasonably priced. Needs easier way to search the lower shelves.
Could use a little dusting
Nice place to shop and hang out the owner.
This place is mostly a rip off trying to make money off college kids looking for records. I literally walked in and the owner was talking to a customer/friend about ripping off students from UCSB. Anything worth getting is marked up to anywhere from $75-$100. For a record?? Half of them are cheap bootlegs being sold for $100. One time I tried asking if an album I was looking at was an original print (knowing it wasn’t) and the owner swore it was the real thing. Wasn’t even remotely close to the real packaging. Anything found in there can be found much cheaper with a little research. Beware
9. Jensen Guitar & Music Co.
Address: 2830 De La Vina St, Santa Barbara, CA 93105 , Santa Barbara , California , United States
I have been going to Jensen Guitars & Music Company for many years and they are the best! Chris Jensen and Joel are very helpful and knowledgeable. I asked Joel for guidance on my bass guitar. Then I ended up going back and buying a used acoustic guitar from Chris Jensen. Chris helped me find the perfect acoustic guitar to take around with me to a park or to the beach. It can also be amplified and he helped with fixing it so the battery stayed in it. It is the perfect guitar for me! Thank you Chris Jensen. See you soon Joel with my bass. You guys rock!
#FenderAmplifiers
Guitar has never sounded better after their setup service!! I bought my first guitar there 10 years ago and they’ve always been great! Thanks Jensens!
Never got back to me about my setup being done, left tiny metal shavings stuck to the pickups and all over the body and neck. Had to take the pickguard off to clean it all. Didn’t set intonation, didn’t make note of my preference for action height. I’d expect more from a professional setup. That said, the neck does feel better, but the service and care for the instrument was disappointing.
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.
My wife bought me a used Antonio Hermosa AH-10 classical guitar from Jensens for Christmas. They sold it to her for $300. I can’t find one on the Internet for more than $200. Yes, she should have researched before she purchased…and NO, she should not have trusted Jensens to give her an honest price.
10. Warbler Records & Goods
Address: 131 E De La Guerra St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101 , Santa Barbara , California , United States
Huge selection of music, helpful staff and a good return policy on tapes.
Great spot for all your listening needs
Great spot. Good vibe
Great collection of records and CDs available. Perfect location in the heart of Santa Barbara near State St. They have a diverse and unique display and offer many items relating to vinyl and CDs as well. My only gripes are the ever increasing prices and the disorganized displays.
Good record store. I always find something I want. However, twice now I’ve driven from goleta just to go here and it’s all locked up during business hours. It happened a few weeks ago and then again today. I was there around 12:30, the lights were all on, but the doors were locked.
Knowing that music stores are a dying business, barely hanging on by a thread. You’d think the owner/workers would be more inclined to help a sole customer in an empty shop. Instead I’m left to fend for myself and look through cds and vinyls of bands I never heard of but would’ve been more than happy to learn about. Which is the reason I was there. Had so many questions left unanswered by a couple of people who never even bothered to greet me when I came in. If that’s any indication of how they treat customers…..i don’t think they’ll be around much longer.
Visiting from Ontario Canada – downtown for July 4 – my son is a vinyl lover and wanted to check this place out. We walked a long way to find it as they said they were open. When we finally arrived, they were not. Door was locked no one there. What a colossal waste of time. If you aren’t going to be open, don’t advertise that you are – Plain and simple. We would have used our time more wisely. NOT a fan of false advertising or lazy staff that don’t pay attention to details.
Walked in and seller tells me he’s going to have lunch and waited all day. I just wanted to stay 10 minutes but I guess he couldn’t wait for clients to enjoy and buy vinyls. Very disappointing.
Best spot in SB for all your recording/mastering needs. Great selections of gears. I heard they just expanded too
I’ve recorded with many people at some world class studios and Hidden City has by far been my favorite locations to work in. With Elliot you not only get an engineer but you get a producer as well. He is extremely professional, focused and a pleasure to be around. When I’m recording with a Elliot I feel totally supported and not judged to explore what ever ideas I may have floating around in my head and he helps bring them to fruition.
Record at Hidden City Studios, you will not be disappointed!!!!
Great studio in the heart of downtown Santa Barbara. For all your rehearsal, recording, and mixing needs!
We rent a rehearsal studio here monthly and really enjoy it. It’s one of the few spots in town that has rehearsal space for reasonable rates. It has air conditioning, and a drum set, mics, and a bass amp ready to go. 10/10 would recommend
First time here. Had a great experience. Super friendly and professional. I’ll be sure to be back again and again.
Had a great time there, Andrew was very knowledgeable and helpful and the studio was cozy with plenty of equipment.
15. a query string
Address: 810 E Montecito St, Santa Barbara, CA 93103 , Santa Barbara , California , United States
