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Acme Music
Category: Shopping Musical Instruments & Teachers Musical Instruments & Teachers [Edit]
3715 MacArthur Blvd(between Brown Ave & Loma Vista Ave)
Oakland, CA 94619
Neighborhoods: Laurel District, Lower Hills
(510) 530-7234
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 10 am - 7 pm
- Price Range:
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$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
14 reviews for Acme Music
14 reviews in English
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Review from Steve B.
Los Angeles, CA
2/2/2012
Feels like home, but full of instruments and a few very real people. John is like me, a little inconsistent perhaps, but only because he's always helping his customers EXPONENTIALLY well.
Want to support your local business? Drive to Acme. Buy strings, whatever, look around. They have cool guitars, amps (some nice hi-line valve amps).
I just had a pair of 15 year old AKG K270 Studio Headphones ($300) and Bose Headphones rewired for $35. For both.
..and John knows my name. -
Review from Mike D.
Oakland, CA
Updated - 1/9/2012
I can't say enough nice about John & the folks at Acme. Every time I come in I'm treated warmly and they bend over backwards to help me with my crazy music projects. I love these guys!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/3/2010
Acme is a funky little shop, but they're working hard to make it a music point for the Laurel… Read more »
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Review from Marie H.
Hayward, CA
9/24/2011
This place is excellent! My daughter is taking drums there. She has a teacher she really likes and the atmosphere is really comfortable. This is the kind of "mom & pop" business that I love to support. John and Annette give great service, are very knowledgeable about both instruments and music history & trivia as well. They have quite a selection of equipment there and seem to be able to get you anything you want. We have rented a drum set from them. Will probably buy it. I also love that they have the previous owner of about 40 years hang there when he wants to. They are strong supporters of the Laurel District and Oakland in general. This is the kind of local business we all need to support.
GO LOCAL!! -
Review from Joe L.
Oakland, CA
11/17/2011
This little gem of a music store has everything you might need and service with a smile. I originally came in to have a guitar fixed and their service was so friendly and the vibe was so nice in there that I kept making excuses to go back. They have a bunch of electric and acoustic guitars for sale as well as strings and tuners and what not. John and his wife are very friendly and community minded, I have enjoyed a few of their local music nights and I encourage you to do the same.
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Review from Brian G.
Updated - 7/14/2011
I just wanted to check in to say I can't go on enough about the customer service here. John is such an honest guy who values his business and his customers. I've stopped in a few times to check out instruments, get some updates on a piece of equipment I bought and have had to call a few times too and he's always happy to help. I know he's overworked but it really seems like a labor of love. This is LOCAL shop run by LOCAL people, so screw Guitar Center and go give them some love.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/11/2010
I feel like ACME music and I are already in long-term relationship... and we just met! It really… Read more »
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Review from viva h.
Oakland, CA
9/3/2011
I went into the store today, and I was looking for a specific music book. They did not have the music book, but they were willing to order the book for me. I would have loved to order the book, and come back to this store, but I needed the book in a couple of days. Ordering it would have taken longer. I asked if there were any other local music stores, and the employee (I am sorry I didn't get his name) offered to call another music store, which he did, and check for me if they had the book I was looking for. It was very nice of him, and because of his great customer service, I will return if there is any other music needs I have. You just don't get customer service like this anymore! They seemed to have a large selection of instruments, and accessories, and someone was playing piano in the back, which was fun to listen to when I was in the store. Highly recommended!
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Review from fluffy d.
Oakland, CA
6/9/2011
This is a great little shop in the Laurel district. The owner, John, is very knowledgeable and very pleasant to talk to. No hard sells, here, just an interesting variety of equipment and instruments. I was able to test out several acoustic guitars on my own in a back room and take my time listening and playing them. I really like this place and I will definitely become a regular customer. Cheers!
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Review from Rocky L.
Oakland, CA
10/31/2011
Lucky to have such a great neighborhood music store. John and Annette are committed to the business, to the neighborhood, and to the whole community. Friendly, efficient, a pleasure to deal with
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Review from Mel H.
Oakland, CA
12/16/2009
I am (unfortunately) not a musician (other than some years of piano in my childhood), but have known of Acme in my neighborhood for YEARS now. So I went to get a guitar for my bf for the holidays, thinking it's time for me to check the place out.
First of all, utterly charming, and perfect for me in that it wasn't overwhelming--they had a few acoustic guitars on display, a few electric, vinyl LPs everywhere, some drums. In definite abundance was great customer service. I had plenty of questions obviously marking me as a layperson, but both John and the cool guy in the Santa hat (um, sorry, I didn't get his name) were really nice and helpful. They showed me a very cool black lacquer-y acoustic/electric guitar that was in the window: perfect! And a great price. I bought that and guitar lessons as a gift and my bf LOVED it! *Turned it out it was a Fender, a very good brand, my bf was impressed and it appeared that I had done a bunch of research or something, but in fact it was John and Santa!*
What a gem. Thirty-eight years in the Laurel and I can see why.
Maybe I should try and learn guitar...? -
Review from Emmett S.
Oakland, CA
3/27/2006
Alright, so Guitar Center it ain't. Acme Music is the kind of dusty, cluttered, down-home music stand where you can take bass lessons, get your amp fixed, and take in a little neighborhood history as well. When my dad moved back to Oakland after 30 years away, he couldn't believe old Acme was still in business. "I bought guitar strings there in 1974," he said, shaking his head. You're not gonna find a big selection of new and used guitars, amps, keyboards, etc. What they have is usually whatever has been brought in on trade that week. Sometimes there's some gems, sometimes there's nothing worth checking out. But the repair guy Randy is fast, inexpensive and reliable. And the feeling you get from supporting these Laurel District stalwarts is worlds better then getting abused by the morons at GC.
***Updated 02/20/07*** I bumped these guys up a star because Randy really came through for me last week. My amp was all beat up after surviving a heist from the trunk of my car, passing through a yard sale in the Mission, and ending up at a swap meet in Alameda. Miracle of miracles, the guy who I bought it from originally saw it there and bought it back. (Thanks so much, Panhandle Guitars).
Anyways, the mesh was torn and frayed, the speaker was ripped and the knobs were stripped or missing. Acme fixed it up to insanely good condition, did it cheap, and got it back to me in under a week just in time for my gig on Sunday. Seriously, if you have a guitar or amp you need fixed up in Oakland, give these guys a call. -
Review from J L.
Los Angeles, CA
5/18/2010 3 photos
The nicest staff and most unique selection of everything from high-end handmade amps and guitars to entry level gear for beginners. I was lucky to visit the store while there was a man playing the "hurdy gurdy"-- a wild and very rare instrument. Overall great experience and two thumbs up!
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Review from Dan T.
Oakland, CA
5/20/2009
Absolutely the place you want lessons!!! The atmosphere can only be described as a family atmosphere. Staff is more intersted in customer satifaction and advancement in musical ability than in making the almighty dollar. I would never go anywhere else as long as they are there.
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Review from Robert V.
Oakland, CA
12/28/2010
As a novice BASS Guitar student I was looking for a learning environment that wasn't too intimidating. ACME Music provides this and more. The store has great instructors, facilities and staff that are knowledge...and yet warm and supportative. In a month of lessons....i am making steady progress. Vicki is my talented instructor......who is so patient with beginning students like me. The store has a nice stock new and used music equipment as well. If they dont have it in stock....they find it for you.
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Review from gary l.
Oakland, CA
4/13/2010
very good place to go for a local hole in the wall, the guitar repair guy was very quick to get back to me and explain the work needed to get done and the job was done right i was very happy with his work and prices.
