The Gottschalk Music Center’s repair staff was EXCELLENT in comparison to other stores in about a 15 mile radius. It was understandable, because it was the start of public school season, so i get that everybody was very busy with school instruments at this time. Gottschalk repair were the only people who obviously shared the same sentiment, and yet thoroughly gave me options and made me feel like i could trust their work, before i even knew the quality. Everyone told me I should drop 800 dollars on a complete over haul (for me, this is doable next year, but not right now. also, my horn was barely playable in its current state). Gottschalk told me it could be fixed up pretty good, but I should perhaps plan on a more extensive repair further down the line. I guess this is all it takes to win somebody’s trust. Thank you gottschalk for helping a customer feel like they have options with a piece of equipment they love. I will be coming back here, for 100% of my horn’s work, whenever I am back in town.
Thoroughly enjoyed my visit! Staff is INCREDIBLY friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. I am a super beginner on the violin and was a little intimidated to come in and ask for help but literally 30 seconds after I came in I felt welcomed. Will definitely be back for anything and everything I may need in the future. 10/10.
Awesome staff. Extremely helpful.
The best thing about Gottschalk Music is that they are very personable and will help you with your specific instrument and music needs. They will help with your specific questions and what you may need for your instruments. The repair specializes in brass (trumpet, trombone, French horn, baritone, tuba) and woodwind (flute, clarinet, saxophone, etc) instruments.
A little hard to find but the staff was great and informative
2. Vessel Stringed Instruments
Address: 1110 15th St, Modesto, CA 95354 , West Modesto , California , United States
Very professional and fair with the prices on the repair my violin.
Great service, owner has a heart of gold and always willing to help.
Very honest and trustworthy place they know what they are doing and offer the best advice regarding the instrument.
I came in here with my daughter and Gary Vessel was very rude and creepy to her. I was asking about violins and trying to keep it normal but you can tell Gary does not have good customer service. Dont bring your kids here. I wish my daughter would have never met that man. Once we got in the car, my daughter said ” Daddy, I think that man Gary was so strange and he was so rude”. Dont waste your time here and definitely don’t bring your kids here to Gary.
The second star is simply because this establishment has a reputation for making good violins. The three missing stars are more about character, integrity, and the love of music itself. If I throw honesty into the mix, I really ought rate this shop as one star.
But such a harsh rating deserves clarity, so I will tell my tale. I entered this establishment with a violin in one hand and a ten year old girl hanging on the other hand. The girl, having never played violin, is in love with the instrument for all the beauty and happiness the instrument has inspired in her and she has determined to invest the thousands of hours required to master it. She is however, young and impulsive, so the violin in my other hand is a loaner, the best her school can provide, and it may not be a perfect instrument, but in the hands of a budding new violinist, it is the perfect tool to test the waters and determine how deep her dedication to the instrument goes. It does however need the care and attention of someone skilled enough to replace the bridge and put on a new string.
So here I stand as one of the patrons of this little shop filled with stringed instruments. My daughter is even more deeply enthralled and excited as she’s waited weeks to see this instrument come alive again. Four people stand in front of the shop, playing together. It sounds great. She squeezes my hand even tighter. She’s almost in tears of excitement as one of the players breaks away to help us.
That’s where this sweet scenario goes wrong. What I assume is an artist, takes the violin to a cluttered work table, “hmmm and hah’s” over it for a moment, then brings the violin back and states that the violin is unfixable and unplayable.
The little hand I’m holding gets a little limp. I begin to ask questions while he goes on showing me how the strings lay against the fingerboard and digging through a small box of different sized bridges. He makes measurements and attempts to demonstrate why this violin is of no value because he can’t lift the strings far enough off of the fingerboard to make it play perfectly.
I look down at my daughter and she is failing to hold back the tears. She buries her head in my shirt as she believes her school is out of violins and without a successful repair, she will not be able to take lessons.
The shopkeeper notices, and puts on a display of making one more attempt at repair before shaking his head and saying there’s no way to fix it…however, he does happen to rent violins. My instincts had already been firing off warnings, but the distinct stench of car salesmen hit my nostrils as his attempt at an upsell continued. Needless to say, I left. I took my daughter to the car and did my best to console her as she could no longer hold back her tears. Not being a violinist, I could not be sure if i had just been manipulated, or the violin truly was trash, so I took it out of the case. If it is “unfixable,” I thought, then something must be broken because even a cheap violin is designed to play, even if it is badly. Nothing was broken.
I thought through the experience in the store. He was making measurements but not holding the ruler all the way against the surfaces he was measuring. He was being dishonest, manipulating me, and trying to play my daughters heartbreak against me.
So, still not wishing to think badly of a person without knowing, I asked around. Come to find out, this guy isn’t the only violin expert in Modesto. How could he know that I know violinists? The violin is fixable. The bridges and fake measurements he was showing me were just that, fake.
His reputation for these kind of antics is well known in the community for exactly the type of experience I have just described.
In the end, the school had found funding for a couple of new violins, and one was offered to my daughter, along with a sweet promise to help her get caught up with the rest of the class when the new one arrives.
I’d drive a long way to go somewhere else. Dishonesty is dishonesty. Play straight if you want my business.
3. Langlois Music Co Inc
Address: 1700 McHenry Ave #78, Modesto, CA 95350 , West Modesto , California , United States
A very nice locally owned music shop very helpful and personal people.nice place and gear.
Matt is a drum instructor!!
Wide selection of music, offers lessons.
Good selection on key boards and pianos in the Yamaha line.
i want to buy ,but no money
Alright place, kinda small inside since all the pianos are in the way.
Bad and not friendly at all. No one to greet you, buying tickets to an event, told AFTER he brought tickets out CASH only! No signs stating this policy anywhere. Yah im sure people are buying Pianos cash only WTH! Bad service. Bad business.
Will never return She Damaged my just bought brand new electric guitar Chipped Scratched handling it rough and the strings were off track
Hola no tienes el instrumeto guitarron
5. Ingram & Brauns Musik Shoppe
Address: 1709 Yosemite Blvd, Modesto, CA 95354 , West Modesto , California , United States
Bought my 2nd guitar,thanks Josh,very professional
Very helpful
A lot of overpriced equipment. Less than knowledgeable staff.
Staff knows a lot about products. a lot of things not in Stock but you’re still able to order online
Really nice store, but I always find the customer service to be a bit aloof and snobbish. I would shop there more if the staff were more interested in actually helping customers instead of socializing.
This place should hire more people! I waited 20mins to get helped. People complained about it as well. You’d think they at least acknowledge you and say “be right with you” these people didn’t say a thing! After I finally got helped, she didn’t know much about the product! Seemed like I knew more! Definitely walked out with nothing and I’m taking my business else where.
When you walk into a business and you are going to spend your hard earned money on their products I expect them to at least give me the finger, they don’t even say hi or ask you if they can help you it’s a real sad deal Bad management
I won’t spend a penny there
Service was very slow. They didn’t even acknowledge me and my son. No hi, one moment be right with you. Waited for awhile even went to restroom still no help we left.
7. Broken records
Address: 1321 I St, Modesto, CA 95354 , West Modesto , California , United States
Bought a few vinyls from here and I can honestly say the atmosphere there is super relaxed and the staff is friendly and not wanting me to hurry up and buy. Will go back again and they support local artist!!!
Went here for opening day as well as most recently today. It’s nice having a record shop downtown, and they have a wide selection. On top of this, they carry CD’s, cadettes, VHS, and old pop culture memorabilia all at an affordable price. Their is 3 little arcade machines, and 2 little pinball machines in the back which appear to be on free play. The employee(perhaps owner?) seems very friendly and will take your photo and give you a sticker when you make a purchase. On top of all of this, they’ll even buy old records off of you, if you have no need for them anymore. Highly recommend to anyone looking for that new album they just need in their lives.
8. California Underground
Address: 1026 McHenry Ave, Modesto, CA 95350 , West Modesto , California , United States
It was a good little store, good service, but you have to navigate the parking lot past Walmart and that was a bit of a pain other than that I was a fine experience
Everything u need n music CDs
Dope place fa sho. One of the only places that carrys planet of the grapes and def supports local artist
Ok
It’s okay
Worse experience, call no answer, drive by always closed!!
It’s always closed and when look it up online it says that it’s open but when go there it’s close. They should fix their office hours
Siempre está cerrado
9. Mad Monk Vintage
Address: 3500 Sisk Rd, Modesto, CA 95356 , West Modesto , California , United States
Fun place to shop and dig through old vinyl to find treasure
You could spend hours here so many .50- $1 dvds and cds. Also much more to treasure hunt!
Pinball!!! They have eight machines, but half are regularly down…
Most people that work there are great. A few not. They don’t give you much for used cd’s.
First time going to this store the other day.. I was surprised the store was so big. There are good deals on clothing and something for everyone here. I like this store but the employees are not friendly and definitely not helpful, but I will still shop here.. check it out.
Only place to buy vintage vinyl and CD’s out here and my daughter likes to go, otherwise I’d go elsewhere. Their thrift side is super overpriced. Also, I asked them if they would buy children’s clothes and they said yes. I came back with a box full of girl’s clothes and women’s clothes, they bought maybe 5 things including one pair of jeans w the tags still on and they offered $6 and rejected everything else. I was now told they don’t buy kid’s clothes which is odd because they sell them. I had quite a few shein items that were brand new and I was told they were “too cheap” by the super unhappy employee. I guess selling Walmart brand overpriced super worn and damaged clothes w stains and holes is ok, but brand new shein is where we draw the line. I also had other brand new items in there that I guess were also too cheap. Don’t waste your time packing everything up and bringing it to them. Plato’s closet also buys clothing and they don’t have a nasty attitude about it. Also, for CD’s and vinyl, you’re better off shopping on eBay as the vinyl here is overpriced and the selection is just meh.
Hard to find items. Also no assistance available anywhere. The few employees working there don’t have any Idea where items are.
10. V-Picks
Address: 1633 Oakwood Dr, Modesto, CA 95350 , West Modesto , California , United States
Hands down the best customer service a person could ask for.
I was having trouble finishing my purchase threw the website, and with in an hour of reaching out to them, Josh from DJ Techtools was on the phone, making sure to get me taken care of.
I will 100% be coming to these guys for ALL of my future buys that they can provide.
Thanks for making a life time customer out of me Josh!
Evan H.
La consola que compré para mi esposo está espectacular, el envío fue rápido y cuidadoso y la comunicación súper fluida! Estoy muy feliz con mi compra muchas gracias
Innovative tech. Super fast delivery to Canberra Australia. Thanks guys!!!
Update: It ended up taking them nine days to fix my problem, all I needed was a Link to the new version which was not included in my purchase email for some reason. Raised my rating since they solved my problem.
I really like this company, unfortunately I bought a product last Wednesday (6 days ago) on the website, the software installed fine but doesn’t load properly I submitted a ticket and they haven’t been very responsive. I was told they would get back to me within 24 business hours but, I haven’t heard back in a few days. I wish I could use my new software 🙁
17. Alejandra Miret CD Store
Address: 1224 7th St c2, Modesto, CA 95354 , West Modesto , California , United States
