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Bongo's & Bud's Music Center
4.7 ★★★★★ 72 Google reviews · Guitar & music store in Hopkins, Minnesota
Locally owned music store since 1955 featuring stringed instruments (guitars, basses and ukuleles).
Plan your visit
- Repairs & setups a repair bench comes up in reviews and the store's own info — call ahead for turnaround, since good techs run a queue
- Buys & trades used gear they buy, trade, or consign used instruments — bring the case and any original parts, and expect trade credit to beat the cash offer
- Lessons lessons come up in reviews and the store's own info — call about openings, instruments taught, and rates before the first visit
- Instrument rentals rentals mentioned — the usual route for band & orchestra season; ask about rent-to-own credit
- Today see hours ·
- Phone (952) 938-6341
- Website bongosandbuds.com
Hours
| Monday | 11 AM–4 PM |
| Tuesday | 11 AM–4 PM |
| Wednesday | 11 AM–4 PM |
| Thursday | 11 AM–4 PM |
| Friday | 11 AM–4 PM |
| Saturday | 11 AM–3 PM |
| Sunday | Closed |
What's on the wall
“John and the team took great care setting up my bass for a very reasonable price.”
“There is a instrument care station and knowledgible handy man whose skills revolve around the keeping and repair of a good bit your school music program and rock band queries.”
“I took lessons here when I was a kid and it’s my new go-to place for strings and gear when I’m shopping.”
“Even though I was buying some ukulele strings, the owner took the time to help me out with the string ties that I was missing.”
Brands they deal
“I had a 61 Fender Jazz reissue pickup change out and setup that they did great.”
“Dude had his maestro fix 2 electric guitars then bought the Gibson for a reasonable price.”
What players say again and again
“The staff is well versed in the setup and requirements necessary for a happy performing and the artist experience.”
“Dude had his maestro fix 2 electric guitars then bought the Gibson for a reasonable price.”
From the reviews
Bongo's and Bud's is a great community music store for the artists and musicians here in Hopkins MN. Along with a good variety of specialty instruments and band equipment the store also offers a large selection of instrument cording and connection wiring for your recording studio and live music environment needs.
A great place for private music lessons! The store owners were happy to connect us with us with the right instructor for our son, who meets us in the practice hall.
Stopped in to make a minor purchase. Even though I was buying some ukulele strings, the owner took the time to help me out with the string ties that I was missing. Will definitely come back.
Owner was very personable and replaced my guitar strings after I broke one (he suggested replacing them all since they hadn't been touched in years). Swift service, friendly conversation, low pressure situation.
Selling or trading gear at Bongo's & Bud's Music Center
Bongo's & Bud's Music Center comes up for buying and trading used gear — confirmed on their own site. Two things make the trip go better. First, bring the whole package: the case or gig bag, the original tremolo arm or bridge parts, the paperwork if you have it — a complete rig is worth real money more than a bare instrument, and it saves the back-and-forth of "can you bring the case in?" Second, know that trade credit almost always beats the cash offer, usually by a healthy margin — if you're upgrading anyway, price your old gear as a trade against the new one before you take cash. Either way, expect the offer to be below what the gear sells for on the wall; the gap is the store's margin for setup, warranty, and sitting on it until the right buyer walks in.
Lessons at Bongo's & Bud's Music Center
Reviews and the store's own info mention lessons at Bongo's & Bud's Music Center. If you're signing up a beginner (or restarting yourself), a quick call ahead answers the three things that matter: which instruments they teach, whether the schedule has openings at the time you actually need, and what a first lesson costs. There's no wrong first guitar — a good teacher will happily work with whatever you walk in with, and a shop that teaches usually keeps affordable starter instruments and rentals on hand for exactly this reason.
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