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Folk Music Center

4.8 ★★★★★ 236 Google reviews · Guitar & music store in Claremont, California

Lessons Vintage specialist

Store offering musical instruments for sale and repair, plus lessons, in a cool setting.

Plan your visit

  • Lessons lessons come up in reviews and the store's own info — call about openings, instruments taught, and rates before the first visit
  • Today see hours ·
  • Phone (909) 624-2928
  • Website folkmusiccenter.com

Hours

Monday Closed
Tuesday 12–5 PM
Wednesday 10 AM–5 PM
Thursday 10 AM–5 PM
Friday 10 AM–5 PM
Saturday 10 AM–5 PM
Sunday Closed

Hours can shift for holidays, clinics, and lesson schedules — worth a quick check before a special trip.

What's on the wall

Instrument and gear categories at Folk Music Center, confirmed in players' own reviews and the store's own info — not guessed from the sign out front.

🏆 Vintage & Rare 3 mentions

“A historic musical instrument store and museum, known for its vast collection of rare and antique instruments from around the world.”

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🔧 Repairs & Setups 7 mentions

“They also offer instrument repairs and music lessons!”

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🎓 Lessons 2 mentions

“They also do have musical instruments for sale, classes, and also Strings and supplies.”

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🪕 Ukulele, Banjo & Folk 19 mentions

“They were super nice & let me try out the hammered dulcimer for a long time (I’d estimate over 40 mins) + showed me how to hold the mallets.”

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🥁 Drums & Percussion 7 mentions

“I have boughten many djembe drums, stickers, medallions, tapestries and albums.”

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🎹 Keys & Pianos 2 mentions

“Julian loved the really nice thumb pianos and the dinosaur and the UNO cards.”

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What players say again and again

The things reviewers bring up again and again across 236 Google reviews — with their own words as proof.

🔧 expert setups & repairs 4 mentions
🧠 knowledgeable staff 7 mentions

“He let me know that he'd have a look at the banjo, but that the shop's banjo expert, Henry Barnes would do all the work.”

From the reviews

Honestly one of the most knowledgeable and friendly music stores I have ever been to. We have come back three or four times just to talk with the staff and learn about some of the interesting instruments inside. They also have open mic nights and a stage in the back corner for performances.

★★★★★ — Nathan, Dec 2025

This place is a local gem - everyone that works there is so awesome, kind, and loves music. I brought my prize Tim Davis handmade custom banjo in for service. It's a one of a kind instrument with amazing tone, but it was buzzing all over the fretboard and no matter how I tried to adjust it (truss rod, coordinator rod,…

★★★★★ — Mike, May 2023

The shop is wonderful. I went in looking for some things I could do as an amateur guitarist to accommodate a hand injury. Ellen and Nathan were very patient and generous with their time. They offered several workable solutions, including trying bottleneck.

★★★★★ — Edward, Mar 2025

Super friendly staff and lots of rare instruments and decorative art. They are very laid back and like to have fun with the customers. Prices are fair as well and you get the nice mom and pop vibe in all the good ways. I only give it 4 out of 5 just because what they had for what I was looking for was limited.

★★★★☆ — Tom, Apr 2025

Excerpts from public Google reviews. Read all 236 reviews →

Lessons at Folk Music Center

Reviews and the store's own info mention lessons at Folk 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 on hand for exactly this reason.

Where to find Folk Music Center

220 N Yale Ave, Claremont, CA91711

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Guitar stores near Folk Music Center

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4.8 ★★★★★ 73 reviews

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Repairs & setups expert setups & repairsknowledgeable staff

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under a mile away

Styles Music

4.8 ★★★★★ 97 reviews

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Lessons Repairs & setups Vintage specialist expert setups & repairsfair trade-in offersknowledgeable staff

Longstanding musical instrument shop featuring a wide selection of new and used guitars, ukuleles, drums, amps and other gear, plus gear repairs, lessons and sales.

1.4 miles away

FYE

4.3 ★★★★☆ 311 reviews

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Vintage specialist good value

Entertainment retail chain selling new & pre-owned music, movies & video games, plus T-shirts.

1.5 miles away

All guitar stores in Claremont, CA →

Listing verified July 2026 from public business records and player reviews. Something out of date? Report a correction. Own this store? Claim your listing — it's free.