Everything About Music In San Diego 

Local music shops San Diego buy drums guitars in your area

The local music scene in San Diego will be broken down in full detail for you today. The best instrument stores in your area including some different sections for where to buy guitars and the best drum shops in town will also be covered.

There will definitely be a lot of crossover between some lists but we have done our best to get the right spots in the right sections for you. Up next we will get into quality instrument repair shops near you because some reading this may need a piano tuned, a guitar repaired, or work done on other band instruments and there is somebody out there that can assist.

Then it will be time to pivot to the best music lessons for kids or adults. Following that we will give a shout out to the top stores for music lovers that sell vintage CD’s and records here.

We also think many of you will want to know about the best concert halls and live music venues while some others may prefer to visit bars and restaurants that have free live music around the city.

And we will get you out of here with the best festivals on the San Diego music calendar. Stay with us til the end where you will find a map with the wide variety of stores and venues we are discussing pointed out.

Everyone reading this is welcome to look through more of our blogs on the Southwest at that link.

Musical Instrument Stores In San Diego

Some of the best musical instrument stores near you would be:

Music Central is a good option for local music lessons, instrument rentals, repairs, equipment and accessories, and sheet music.

Harper’s Music Store in Chula Vista is an established shop selling top-brand orchestra and band instruments with a rent-to-own program.

Ukuleles, violins, guitars, music books, and accessories as well as instrument rentals, buying and selling used gear, and restringing and repair services can be found at Giacoletti Music Center in Oceanside.

Organ Stop features an instrument showroom in El Cajon specializing in acoustic and digital organs as well as concerts and lessons.

For a large supply of music instruments and accessories head to B&H Music who also provides music lessons and rentals in Carlsbad too.

Where To Buy Guitars

For all the guitars and accessories you need check out:

One of the leading guitar stores near you is Top 40 Guitars where you can select from a wide selection of new, used, and vintage guitars from major brands including Fender, Supro, Takamine, Paul Reed Smith, Marshall, Guild, BOSS, ESP, Danelectro, Gretsch, Pigtronix, Taylor, and much more.

Alongside top branded guitars like Fender, Gibson, Martin, Seagull, Marshall, Cordoba, Roland-Boss, and EXH Mark’s Guitar Exchange also offers other branded instruments, lessons, and instrument repairs.

Moze Guitars provides private music lessons, guitar repairs, and even sells used and new musical gear and all instrument types including acoustic and electric guitars, bass, pedals, amplifiers, ukuleles, and others.

At Guitar Center you will find a huge selection of amps, drums, keyboards, recording gear, DJ equipment, lighting, and more from top brands like Fender and Gibson.

Dusty’s Guitar has a vast inventory of guitars and accessories plus they give quality lessons.

WildCat Guitars in Escondido sells acoustic and electric guitars and guitar straps rom different brands.

At El Cajon Guitars you can buy acoustic, electric, amps, banjos, accessories, and guitar strings.

Other places that we have mentioned throughout the post also sell guitars include Giacoletti Music Center.

Of course many of the places in our San Diego music stores list will also have a nice guitar selection.

Drum Shops Near You

And for the best drum shops visit:

Drum Flip sells new and used bespoke artist kits, cymbals, snares, gear, and more at affordable pricing.

You can buy new and used custom artist kits, cymbals, snares, hardware, and more as well as get custom drum services in Carlsbad at Doc Sweeney Drums.

Instrument Repairs

Instrument repairs in San Diego are available at:

San Diego Sound and Music Repair provides pro audio and DJ equipment repair services including almost any type of electronic equipment used for sound or music creation and reproduction.

For over 30 years The Repair Zone has been offering a wide range of local repair services for guitars, basses, mandolins, ukuleles, and stringed orchestral instruments.

You can also check at RS Woodwinds for their full service band and orchestra repair services specializing in woodwind instruments.

Van Laarhoven Guitars has over 10 years of experience in guitar repair and modification including instrument cleaning, truss rod adjustment, intonation, action, nut adjustment, cleaning out electronics, and tremolo balancing.

Piesik Piano is a great option for tuning, repairs, regulations, and voicing of pianos in Oceanside.

Keyboard Service repairs digital pianos, keyboards, synths, Hammond organs, Leslie, church organs, and more.

MyPianoSolutions in Chula Vista provides repairs, parts, and service for most of their main brands and service products that are both in and out of warranty.

Other places that we have mentioned throughout the post also offer instrument repair include Music Central, Mark’s Guitar Exchange, Bertrand’s, Moze Guitars, and Giacoletti Music Center.

Music Lessons

Level up by taking lessons at a music school in your area:

Bertrand’s Music and Lessons is a family owned and operated music store with eight locations in Southern California focusing on school band and orchestra sales, rentals, and repairs in addition to providing ukulele and guitar lessons for kids, teens, and adults.

Learn piano, guitar, ukulele, and bass music lessons from qualified, friendly, and professional instructors at Paper Moon Music.

At School of Rock San Diego students are brought from the lesson room to the stage developing both their confidence and musicianship with programs designed for beginner to expert in guitar, bass guitar, keyboard, drums, and vocals.

Chula Vista Academy of music offers lessons in piano, guitar, voice, drum, violin, brass, and woodwinds.

School Of Rock is a music school in Oceanside for all skill levels, ages, and aspirations offering lessons in different instruments along with music camps and workshops.

Private instruction for students of all ages as well as summer camps are available at Coastal Music.

Escondido Music is a great option for comprehensive and high-quality music and arts education to students of all ages that also supports a developing network of experienced professional musicians, artists, photographers, and authors plus they sell some instruments too.

Private lessons for piano, guitar, trumpet, violin, voice, saxophone, drums, bass, ukulele, banjo, flute, clarinet, mandolin, percussion, music theory, songwriting, recording, and artist development take place at VIP School of Music in El Cajon.

California Music Lessons has classes in bass guitar, clarinet, bass, cello, oboe, flute, saxophone, trumpet, music theory, and more.

The Music Key School is a good place to take lessons in piano, singing, and guitar in Carlsbad.

Other places that we have mentioned throughout the post also offer music lesson include Music Central, Mark’s Guitar Exchange, Moze Guitars Organ Stop, B&H Music, and Dusty’s Guitar.

CD & Record Stores

Live music lessons near you San Diego vintage CD record stores

Check out all kinds of vintage CD’s and records at these local stores for music lovers:

Red Brontosaurus Records features punk, hardcore, and hard to find titles as well as retro video games and consoles.

One of the oldest record stores in your area is Folk Arts Rare Records who offers wall to wall folk, R&B, rock, and show tune albums.

Taang Records is a long running store specializing in punk, hardcore, Ska on vinyl, cassettes, and CD’s.

A wide range of new and used CD’s and records in San Diego in a variety of genres are available at M-Theory Music.

Vinyl Junkies Record Shack offers CD’s, LP’s, and cassettes of various genres such as blues, classic rock, funk, soul, jazz, punk, pop, and hip hop.

Love Bus is a record store in Carlsbad that specializes in albums and vinyl from the 1960’s, 1970’s, and 1980’s.

San Diego Live Music Venues

Seeing a concert at San Diego live music venues is always a good time:

One of the ultimate destinations for live music, shows, and events downtown is Music Box SD with an upscale 3 story live music venue serving craft cocktails and a variety of small plates.

Humphreys Backstage Live is an intimate music venue and lounge located in Shelter Island with bands performing various music genres.

Head over to Brick By Brick which is a premier live music venue near you featuring mostly live hard rock bands from some of the biggest and best in the entertainment industry plus a lounge and pool tables.

The Observatory North Park is one of the newest concert, music, or nightlife venues in town and it has been restored like a 1939 theater with a red decked cathedral hall for live music, plays, films, major touring acts, corporate events, and more.

The North Island Credit Union Amphitheater in Chula Vista is one of the larger concert venues in the San Diego metro hosting multiple live performances.

Oceanside Theatre is a performing arts theater that can host multiple music concerts at a single time.

Concerts and performances, museum exhibitions, educational activities, and special event spaces all go down at The California Center.

The Grand is an event and community gathering venue hosting variety of live music performances and concerts in Escondido by the country’s big name.

Restaurants With Live Music

You can take a date or a group of friends to these restaurants with live music:

Cafe Sevilla is proud to offer the most authentic Spanish ambiance in their tapas or small plates bar, restaurant, and nightclub where you can enjoy handcrafted sangria cocktails, classic Spanish cocktails, and a fine selection of Spanish wines.

One of the central meeting spots for people to gather for fabulous food, handmade cocktails, and top rated entertainment in a casual yet contemporary atmosphere is at Beaumont’s Neighborhood Eatery with occasional live music performance too.

Cafe Bar Europa has always been a warm place to gather with friends where great food and drinks for pick up or delivery are offered including their signature tapas dishes inspired by Southern Europe plus nightly jazz and folk music in a dim Bohemian setting.

The Gentle Penguin is an amazing venue for great food and live music in Chula Vista.

If you are looking for a large informal venue serving comfort food plus beers, cocktails, live music, and open-mike nights featuring some big names check out Pour House.

Vintana is a delightful dinning place with live music in Escondido on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.

Black Rail Kitchen features a fun mix of local bands and musicians to entertain you during dinner every Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday starting at 6:30pm.

A gastro pub that has live music in Carlsbad every Thursday through Sunday along with amazing food and drinks is The Landings.

Bars With Live Music

There are also some bars that play live music around town:

Tin Roof is a fun bar with live music in your area with a full service restaurant located downtown offering sumptuous cuisine.

Prohibition Lounge is a stylish red hued haunt with a 1930’s vibe featuring live music and seasonally inspired cocktails.

Head over to Henry’s Pub to try their fresh food, regional beer, and specialty drinks along with delicious pizza and American fare as well as live music, sports TV, DJ spun dance nights, and other lively entertainment.

Soda Bar serves beer and mixed drinks alongside live local music from a variety of artists.

There’s a wide selection of beer and specialty cocktails at Black Cat Bar plus pool tables and a jukebox to enjoy from.

Whistle Stop is a bar with a laidback house party vibe featuring regular events such as game nights, bands, and DJ’s.

The Jazzy Wishbone offers delicious food and drinks paired with the sweet sound of jazz featuring some amazing artists.

For an inviting Irish pub with live music in Escondido where you can also find an outdoor patio, a large selection of beer, and bar food head over to O’Sullivan’s.

The Coyote Bar features American cuisine and drinks as well as nightly entertainment like music, karaoke, and dancing.

Music Festivals In Your Area

Have as much fun as you can at one of these music festivals near you:

The South Bay Pride Art & Music Festival in August feature fantastic live bands, international DJ’s, go-go dancing, and artisans galore as well as delicious food and beverages including exquisite cocktails throughout the event.

Music from a wide array of backgrounds including new classical, indie rock, jazz, Latin, experimental, folk, and the uncategorizable are showcased at the Carlsbad Music Festival each November.

In the past we have also discussed:

Enjoy The San Diego Local Music Scene

We tried to cover everything as quickly and as well as possible for you on this page. After reading about the best musical instrument stores, drum and guitar shops, instrument repair services, classes and lessons, vintage CD and record stores, concert halls and other live music venues near you like bars and restaurants, and the best festivals in the region you should have a much better understanding of what is available.

And anyone that made it this far might just know a little bit about the local music scene themself and if so feel free to tell us what we got wrong in the comments or share your own thoughts. Now it is time for you to go enjoy the music in San Diego.

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