Bill’s Music Sales

Very helpful. Personal attention. Good price.
I was in Stockton for a month, and I saw this store in the downtown area. I was thinking of buying a guitar for the first time, and the worker, who I assumed was Bill, showed me two starter kit options (guitar, replacement steel strings, strap, music book, electric tuner, case, and six picks).
The price was right (with tax about $ 200), and the salesman helped tune my new instrument. Not overly talkative, but still knowledgeable.
I can’t speak to much of the other items on sale. It looked like there was a fair selection of new and used guitars as well as speakers, drums, etc.
A very nice local place. I’m glad to find it.

We delivered our son to the UoP conservatory to start college, and stopped in all the local music stores to get oriented and see who has what. The one and only guy in Bill’s was rude, unwelcoming and unfriendly. He’s got the only store within reasonable walking distance of UoP, so you’d think establishing a positive relationship with a new student who’s going to need sheet music, reeds and who knows what all would be important. The guy was brusque and unhelpful even though we told him why we were there. He may have everything a student might need, but we’ll never know because we won’t be going back.

Well, they got amps and preamps. But really that’s it. Maybe I would buy a Yamaha aucustic here or a bass amp. The only electric guitars they have are jays! Cheap quality stuff! Get some fenders and maybe lll come back. But that guy there is very unfriendly and not helpful at all

Went in to find a beginner guitar for my eleven yo daughter. They had a great deal on a kit with everything she needed. I was happy with the price and the customer service.

I was looking to replace a broken tuning peg for my acoustic. Worried I’d have to buy a full set, Bill poured out his junk drawer to find the component I needed to fix my broken peg. Very grateful!

I’ve been buying my gear from Bill’s for 44 years. The best around. I love these guyz.
Frank John Colli
Professional, singer, songwriter and guitarest.

Not sure why no major fans of this place. I used to go to the Harding Way store for years as a student at the Conservatory. Reeds got very expensive on a college student’s budget and Bart & Mark Magellan used to let me root through the Van Doren reed boxes to hand pick mine. The Magellan Family has owned their 2 stores through 2 generations of music specialists. This is also a great place to rent a band or orchestra instrument as the rental can be applied to the purchase of the instrument. Yeh, you can buy your stuff on ebay or online, but you won’t got the expertise of someone who’s been in the biz for over 60 years combined!

I usually don’t write reviews on anything but food, but I can’t help myself on this one. The other reviews here are probably family members, or friends. This was the only place in town that had ceramic fuses for my Peavy Mark IV bass head, after looking everywhere. I was happy about that, but the merchant was rude on the phone, short tempered and plain weird in person.
You would think in this economy he could fake being nice to customers. I asked him about a tube pre amp pedal for my setup, and He looked like he was just so annoyed with my question. They have a lot of cool Peavy stuff which I like, but wont go back unless I have to…

This store has been here forever (well, at least it was there when I was a teen in the 70’s) and on the surface it hasn’t changed much. The same guy even still works there. We use Bill’s to rent a saxophone and buy reeds (the second generation-​my kid– is doing this. I did it for myself back in the day.)
This place is very low key and very customer-​oriented. If your rented horn needs repair, they will repair it without drama. Rental prices are very reasonable. Reeds are costly, but that’s not Bill’s fault – that’s the way it is. (Or maybe I’m yearning for those days in the 70’s when I could buy a reed for less than a buck!)
I wouldn’t go to any other place for my «music» needs and I am grateful to have Bill’s as an option. Stockton is lucky to have a place like Bill’s.
P. S. Bill’s also has another location on Harding Way, about 2 miles away.

Bill always has deals on guitars.
I got my first guitar here… Black Telacoustic Takamine, Jasmine model.
ah! memories.
One star because this place always has good deals on guitars and start up models.
another star because it’s a local business.
another star because they rarely hike up prices
and a fourth star because he’s helpful like rain is to the desert… dis guy will answer all your music questions and make time for you. good guy.
I recently started playing again… how sweet the sound {then i farted}