Grant helped me so much!!! He was able to explain everything and was very patient. He is certainly an expert on musical instruments! I have been going to this Sam Ash location for about two years, and the quality of the service has exceeded my expectations on every visit. Sam Ash honors its return policy. It is rare these days to get such fine customer service, and I am grateful to know that I can trust the advice of the employees of Sam Ash. Go to Sam Ash and ask for Grant to help you. You will be very happy! 🙂
Fantastic location and staff is very helpful. My daughter found just what she needed and as a,parent I really appreciate the great service
The team at Sam Ash, (specifically Josh, but everyone else was great too), was incredibly friendly and very knowledgeable about the products we were looking for during our visit. We will definitely be back and will tell all our friends about it too.
I came here because it was convenient and close to where I work. First time in the store in like 10 years. I rather take the drive to Guitar Center, for far more better options. It was just OK.
I dealt with several staff members there yesterday, all of whom were incredibly helpful and went above and beyond to assist me.
Good service.
On floor manager was rude, not cool!
Not sure I will ever shop here again. Woman in the brass section was very friendly and helpful. Sales manager was a total jerk to another customer and when that customer left the sales manager said “doesn’t matter he wasn’t going to buy anything anyway”. You can never judge what a customer can afford simply by looking at them.
Me and my money will go elsewhere.
Included a speaker cord that was bad, so I had to rush out and buy a cord for the gig that night
Great piano teacher! I’ve been with Amber over two years and am happy to continue. Shes super professional and fun and has a real talent for making complicated things easy!
My son has been taking violin lessons with amber for a while now. He has learned so much and truly enjoys her as a teacher. She’s sweet, patient, and works with you and your schedule!
I had been singing as a backup for 3 years when I decided I wanted to sing as lead do I found Amber on the internet and started with lessons about 18 months ago . Well at first I knew I needed a lot of work to do this . I have now been singing 5 songs a week for the past 6 months in front of a large crowd . Amber has been great at finding my range so I could sing in key more often . I would recommend Amber to anyone .
6. OhHi Guitar Works
Address: 4964 Fruitville Rd, Sarasota, FL 34232 , Sarasota County , Florida , United States
OhHi Guitar Works did a fantastic job on my 88 strat and I’ll be using them for all of my guitars, going forward. The pickups are perfectly wound, evenly voiced, and have just the right amount of output and clarity. The custom built pots have a musical roll off and my neck pickup has come to life. All of this plus the added shielding and perfect setup has made this guitar hard to put down. Ted’s years of experience and attention to detail are made evident in his work. It’s refreshing to find people truly passionate about their craft like Ted and his crew
Tried to find someone to repair my Precision bass neck. Tried numerous luthiers in the sarasota bradenton area. Luckily, Ted was the first one to answer the phone! He did a great job on the neck and for a fair price. Would recommend him highly,
Great service – Ted reset my Rainsong guitar replacing the truss rod and resetting the action to make it playable again. Prompt, efficient and friendly service – will definitely use again.
7. Bayfront Piano
Address: 7606 S Tamiami Trail Unit #103, Sarasota, FL 34231 , Sarasota County , Florida , United States
Super nice guy and an AMAZING selection of pianos from classic to new styles. I really enjoyed checking the place out!
Just about five years ago we bought a used digital piano from Bayfront Piano. Recently it needed servicing and Anthony could not have been more conscientious, competent and an over all pleasure to deal with. Our piano is better than new. It is amazing to find a place that stands behind its products the way Bayfront does with outstanding service.
Anthony helped us find the great piano for my son. He does business with honest and patience. Thank you
Very nice store with great pianos and friendly staff. That being said when the store has a piano competition and the one and only single judge chooses the 2 winners who messed up on multiple occasions, played before the competition (not allowed per store) and actually started their pieces over 2 students who played flawlessly, something really stinks. It’s a shame, it could have been a great event.
8. Salty Dog Records Sarasota
Address: 2178 Gulf Gate Dr, Sarasota, FL 34231 , Sarasota County , Florida , United States
Man oh man what an awesome treat this place was! I wanted to find a record store I have not been to so I Googled and found the salty dog. Stepping in the shop, it was quite small but had a very large selection of heavy metal albums all the way to smooth jazz and everything in between. The shopkeep was courteous and knowledgeable and was able to help us with anything we needed. I was able to pick up a dead Kennedy’s album and an offspring album to add to my collection. Check out process was easy and I’ll definitely be back in the future to check up on new albums coming in. Swing by and get an album or 2 and feel free to write your name on the wall as a little treat they do when you shop there! Awesome place and I can’t wait to come back.
I only stopped in for a moment but was amazed. The shop was welcoming, clean and organized and we were greeted when walking in. I entered the shop on a whim to ask if they had anything by a specific artist I was looking for. I was not expecting it to be there and – to my surprise – they actually had one! Also it turns out the record I bought was a rare edition I had gotten for a steal. Will be back soon!
Great place
Great little shop. I forgot how good it feels to browse through albums.
Cool record shop. A little slim on metal albums but I did walk away with one. A good variety.
A little small and not one thing I wanted or was looking to find. Wall to wall Beatles and Taylor Swift, not much in the vein of Prog Rock.
This guy is a con man don’t waste your time or hard earned money
9. TR Music & Voice Lessons
Address: 2121 Ingram Ave, Sarasota, FL 34232 , Sarasota County , Florida , United States
I’ve been trying to learn guitar on and off for years and I just couldn’t commit to it. Finding Scott has been a game changer. The way he teaches and his humour are just two of the reasons I have fully committed this time! His teaching style keeps your attention and I genuinely look forward to every lesson! Honestly it’s changed my life because it’s showed me that I CAN learn guitar with the right teacher and the right motivation!! I am so excited for the future and to be able to play any song I love soon!!
As a parent, it’s reassuring to see my child’s passion for music nurtured at TR Music and Voice Lessons. The teachers not only teach the technical aspects but also foster creativity and self-expression in their students.
We ended up only going through with lessons for the littlest nephew because the older one’s schedule is just too packed. And, it’s been about two months of lessons now and I have to bump up my previous review by a star. This place is EXACTLY what we wanted for him: he loves coming here, loves the guitar we bought here, and loves his teachers (Emil and Georgene). Emil is his main teacher for guitar and piano but whenever teachers have scheduling conflicts, others easily substitute in and out. Fantastic set-up!
10. Troll Music
Address: 628 E Venice Ave, Venice, FL 34285 , Sarasota County , Florida , United States
Knowledgeable staff, good selection (especially for beginners!) and one of the best customer service experiences I’ve ever had. The associates, Dylan, Jim and Larry, are as professional as it gets. Fair prices, great service— if you haven’t been in yet GO! You will thank yourself later.
Great business that has been in Venice for many years. Took my cello in which had a stuck endpin. they were able to get it out without damaging the cello. Later I had a sound post installed. Took a while, but the price was fair.
Just rented our wedding sound system from these guys, and they are the absolute BEST. The people at Troll are incredible. I’ve shopped there for over 10 years, since I was a teenager. And whether I need a spare guitar cable, a new speaker or just some company this is the shop to stop in. Favorite music store hands down! Thanks Cliff and the gang!!!
Good music systems but a little arrogant.
Nice store.
Right in Venice so conveniently located.
Great customer service
Avoid unless you want your guitar damaged –
If you would like to spent $550 on new pickups installed and a bigsby/bridge on a $1200 guitar, get it installed crooked, and have the worst soldering you’ve ever seen and not even grounded, then LOOK NO FURTHER, the body of my $1200 Telecaster is permanently damage because he misaligned everything and cut the wood incorrectly and has multiple visible holes and exposed down into the pickup cavity, had to go and fix it and realign everything (plays perfectly now, and everything is perfectly soldered and sounds way better and no buzzing) also had to fix the intonation and action since everything had to change and be fixed. After taking pictures and documenting every single little thing internally and externally and showing them what had to be fixed (obviously I do not trust them touching my guitar again) they refused to do any refund or pay for a new body to make this right. Luckily Capitol One charged them back for Bad Services, so enjoy the charge back Troll, have made sure to inform all the local guitarist I know to avoid this place ✌
Pictures attached, switched to the vibramate mount which is perfectly straight since it used the strap hole and original mounting holes, you can see how off he mounted everything by looking at where the pickguard is cut compared to the perfectly straight vibramate mount, also the wood filler I had to use and holes I had to fix, along with I attached an image of how he did it look at the strings and the screws in comparison to the poles and bigsby you will see how off it is.
Spent 50 dollars on a Floyd rose setup and there is nothing but string buzz now. Now I have to go spend money at a real shop to fix the mistakes.
I would not deal with this store again for a school rental, the customer service was poor. Rented a trumpet, returned it, was still charged the monthly rental amount a month later because the paperwork had not been processed. Had to call the store 4 times, dealing with Cliff and Billy as well as Veritas Instrument 4 times before I was finally issued a refund.
I have now heard the GS Duo perform three times and am already looking forward to hearing them again and for the release of their Christmas CD! They create musicscapes that transport the listener to different worlds – from contemplative cascades to rivoting Latin rhythmic fiestas. Sarasota is blessed to have these talented, versatile musicians as locals!
I had ordered the Galestro-Smith Duo’s new holiday album, Christmas Time is Near, before Christmas but because I was out of town for the holiday, I didn’t receive it until my return at the end of the year. I have played it over and over. I think I may have to stay in ‘Christmas mode’ for a while! This has quickly become one of my favorite Christmas CDs and it’s making me look forward to next Christmas already!! My deepest gratitude to Jonathan and Angela for sharing their extraordinary talents. I will wait with delightful anticipation to see (and hear!) what they do next.
John and Angela truly helped make my wedding a special and successful event! They are as technically precise as they are musically sensitive. They were happy to accommodate our requests in addition to their deep catalog of arranged standards and duet repertoire. I highly recommend them for special events, public and private functions or any other venue where nothing but the best will do.
12. Sarasota Gold
Address: 2936 Webber Pl, Sarasota, FL 34232 , Sarasota County , Florida , United States
Andres was so entertaining! He personalized just about every song he performed and really seemed to connect with the audience.
I love hearing Andres play in town! I also love his YouTube videos as they are very entertaining and personal. If you haven’t been to one of his gigs yet, you better plan to go to one soon!
This gentleman is very talentef.
15. Music Compound
Address: 1751 Cattlemen Rd, Sarasota, FL 34232 , Sarasota County , Florida , United States
What a fantastic place! Both my boys are taking lessons and couldn’t be happier. They are inspired by all the instructors, they jam together at home whenever they get a minute, and the confidence they develop with every performance is just incredible! I wish I had a place like this to take lessons from when I was a kid. This is not just a place for music classes, it’s a community. It’s a true music compound!
What an amazing place! My daughter had a Karaoke Party at The Music Compound and we all had the best time! The staff was very friendly and got the kids pumped up to sing their favorite tunes. The staff helped set up, clean up, they took pictures for us, and my daughter feel extra special on her birthday. I was so pleased with our experience and I can’t wait to do another event!!! Thank you for a great day!
My daughter always enjoys the camps at Music Compound. The staff is caring and knowledgeable, we feel home there! The performances on the last day are a hit! Thank you so much!
Music compound is a terrific, encouraging, family friendly music school! My daughter and I both really enjoy it. If you’re considering music lessons, definitely give music compound a try!
I love the concept of this place, but the music classes with Bobbie Morgan are the worst. So dull and boring, she is like the soup nazi of music class. Also too many up sells forcing you to buy her books. Please hire someone who actually enjoys sharing music.
I have used David Turner for several Marketing functions and have found him to be professional, prompt and always willing to go the extra mile to ensure a great event! I highly recommend him. Kristen Myers, Marketing Director, Village On The Isle
I hired David Turner Music for my wedding and it was one of the best decisions I made! During our ceremony, David Turner and his wife played a beautiful instrumental overture, while David kept it going, playing the saxophone during cocktail hour (definitely recommend!), and DJ-ing into the reception. Here is why David Turner Music deserves five stars:
1. David Turner plays straight bangers. The dance floor was packed the entire night. All I offered him was a limited list of songs I didn’t want played and David took it from there. 10/10
2. Consider all musical needs *handled.* I really wanted live music at my wedding but it didn’t work out to have a band. With David Turner Music providing a stringed instrument and flute accompaniment during my ceremony and a saxophonist during my cocktail hour, I felt I got the best of both worlds, though! 12/10
3. The best money you can spend is to ensure there are no audio issues heard. David Turner Music handled all the microphones and speakers for our wedding. It is almost a sure bet that at some point a mic will cut out or the guests will experience screeching feedback. However, that did not happen once during the entire wedding/reception. Still don’t know how he pulled it off. 20/10
If you’re reading this review because you’re considering hiring David Turner Music, do yourself a favor and hire him.
Absolutely fantastic Saxophonist and DJ! Very personable, will work with you to create a one of a kind and memorable experience.
18. Green Tune CD Distributors
Address: 6029 Deacon Rd, Sarasota, FL 34238 , Sarasota County , Florida , United States
Finally, a free service to meet musicians that actually works. This site is refreshingly simple and easy to use. The other free musician sites out there look they were designed in the 90s and never updated. There is also no bait and switch where it’s “free” to join but then you need a credit card to contact a musician. Highly recommend!
20. Sarasota Violins
Address: 777 S Palm Ave UNIT 1, Sarasota, FL 34236 , Sarasota County , Florida , United States
Sarasota Violins is an amazing resource for our region’s cultural center, offering a full spectrum of quality instruments and accessories for all ages and stages of musical artistry. The growing string student and the professional alike are offered the same outstanding customer service and unparalleled industry knowledge. Our entire community is immeasurably blessed to have such a world-class musical and artistic nurturing resource right here in the heart of Sarasota.
What a joyful experience it is to do business with Sarasota Violins! They offer a selection of violins incomparable to any other around, and they do an amazing job of carefully matching the right violin to the violinist. Mr. Mendoza, a world renown violinist himself, is incredibly inspiring. This shop is truly a jewel for the arts community here in Sarasota.
Excellent service.
Mr. Mendoza gives a good help to choose the right violin for the student.
The store has the best violins in Sarasota.
