The Good Guys Inc — Attraction in Saint Paul

The breadth and depth of knowledge held by the staff at Good Guys is unmatched in the region. They've worked on vintage Moogs, ARP 2600s, Fender Rhodes, and almost every amp under the sun. There is a reason studios and musicians across the country send their gear here. The staff is kind, thoughtful, and quirky at times. Does it take a bit to get your gear fixed? Sometimes. Like all technical repair shops, solving your specific issue is an iterative process. Depending on the nature of your gear, the damage, and your attitude, things may take more time than you'd wish. If you're kind and patient, there is almost nothing Mark and the Good Guys can't fix for you.

Having spent a fair amount of time there in the mid-2000s, I can definitely say that the negative reviews likely represent two of the most difficult aspects in customer service: 1) hobbyist or rude/impatient customers and 2) experience based technical knowledge.

There were always a few customers who did not know how to interact politely with staff or felt that their problem should and could be solved immediately. People bring gear into Good Guys constantly and expect their gear to be looked at asap. It's supremely difficult to find someone with an electrical engineering degree who is willing to get paid what the public is willing to pay them for repair service. Labor is in short supply, so your piece will be democratically placed in line with everyone else's and when Mark, Scott, John, Dave or whoever is there now gets to it they will work to solve the problem. They aren't magicians, they are talented repairmen who love gear and the science underlying it. Sometimes it's replacing a tube or cap, and sometimes it's a more significant diagnostics process resulting in trial and error. Because it's science. Take a deep breath, go in, meet the guys, and enjoy soaking up the DECADES of talent and knowledge you're surrounded by in those moments. Be open with your concerns, timeline, etc and know that they will do their best. They wouldn't be doing this if they didn't care about you and...

I took in my handy Tascam DR-40 for repairs back in July. The staff was very friendly and gave me a reasonable quote. I forgot I dropped off my Tascam and called in a few months later to inquire about any repairs that may have been done. One of the reps I spoke with on the phone told me my Tascam was misplaced and they would get to work on it immediately. A week or so after I called in, I still didn't hear anything back from them, so I messaged the Good Guys on Facebook. The following day, a rep called me and informed me the device was repaired and ready to be picked up. That day I picked up my trusty Tascam for the same quote that offered back in July. The staff is friendly. The repairs were wonderful and completely reasonable. My only complaint was calling in to remind them to repair my device. For this particular experience, I would give them 3.5/5. However, I would definitely bring any audio equipment back to these guys in...

Brought in a cassette deck for repair last Fall, knowing some of the reviews about long delays and lack of communication. Owner seemed friendly and welcoming, and upon me explaining what needed to be fixed with the deck, I was given a claims tag and a promise that I'd get an invoice/estimate via email in 2 weeks. 2 weeks passed, and nothing of note was in my email. Eventually I got a reply with an estimated cost, not any form of official invoice, and since then I have not heard a thing about my equipment, even after following up recently to ask about the status of the repair.

I'm lucky this was not a piece of equipment that was vital to have operable by now, anyone who wasn't aware of their questionable business practices would be screwed over at this point. PLEASE do not drop off your equipment here unless it's known that they've gotten their...