Russo Music — Local services in Asbury Park

SHORT VERSION: Exceptional all the way around. Wish I could give 6 stars. Zach is awesome to deal with; Pat is a superb guitar tech and a great guy as well. Detailed version (IMHO) is worth reading - or just go to Russo's and you will be happy that you did!

DETAILED VERSION:

INTRO Buying a new guitar should be an enjoyable experience, especially for those of us who are not professional musicians. After all, you are spending your "free" time and discretionary money on a hobby. If you are not having fun, why bother? Getting a guitar at Russo's was not a purchase, it was an experience.

ZACH (sales person) From my first phone call Zach was absolutely cool to deal with. I could tell instantly that he was a musician who just happened to be working at a music shop as opposed to a salesman. I was very excited as I was moving up from a beginner acoustic guitar, and I really felt Zach shared in my anticipation like I was talking to one of my music buddies. Although I did have an idea of what guitars I wanted to try when I got to the shop, based on my conversations he gave me a well selected array of wonderful guitars to try out. Not once did I feel any bit of "sales pressure." Zach is extremely knowledgeable and was very helpful. Both of those are understatements. And as long as I wanted, I literally "had the room" without any rush at all. And after actually getting my guitar (I'll leave you in suspense for the moment of what guitar I selected) Zach stays in touch and is just as friendly and helpful.

THE GUITARS ARE JUST DIFFERENT HERE Ok, I am aware that to varying degrees among manufacturers, acoustic guitars each have their own individual character; and sure they will sound a little different in different rooms, etc. BUT... prior to going to Russo's, I had tried several guitars at a larger well known music store, in their humidity controlled acoustic guitar room. NONE of them sounded nor played as nicely as any of the ones I tried our at Russo's, nor gave me that wow factor feeling. Zach told me that each guitar that comes in to their shop is checked out and run through the guitar tech before hanging up on the wall. You can certainly tell the difference.

"VIBE" Some places just have a cool vibe, and some don't. Russo's definitely does. It just looks and feels like what a music shop should, and you sure do feel like a kid in a candy shop when you stroll in! Friends of mine who go there have said the same thing - "there's such a cool vibe there". My wife, who does not play an instrument, commented on how much she liked the place and actually enjoyed going there with me. The acoustic room is particularly cozy, sectioned off for both a little quietness and definitely to control the humidity.

PAT (guitar tech) Once I selected my guitar, Zach brought it right over to their guitar tech, Pat. He went over the guitar for several minutes, then brought it in to me, introducing himself and asking me to play it a bit and let him know my preferences, playing style etc. He adjusted the set up again a bit and I left with a guitar that was amazing to begin with, but even better by the time I left! Pat is also just a genuinely great guy and shared in my excitement for my new guitar. Subsequently, I had him do a little work on my old beginner Yamaha guitar - new strings (he suggested String Joy for this guitar), and replaced the cheap plastic saddle & nut with bone & setup. He did an incredible job! Pat definitely maximized the potential out of it! Sounds like a whole new guitar. And as he hung around a bit I could tell that he was excited & took pride in his work, even if its only on a beginner guitar. And as I had now been playing my new guitar for a while, I asked if he would mind & had the time doing a slight adjustment to the action - off he went to the bench, then back to make sure I liked it - and its EVEN better (well, as suited to me of course) now. I couldn't ask for better work.

WHAT GUITAR DID I SELECT?????? A beautiful Martin D-35. And a great memory of when I...

Covid has changed so many things. There is a yearning for normalcy, even if it’s a new version of our old normal. I purchased a used arch top guitar from Russo Music in Asbury a while ago and was blown away by the shop. The instruments they have are amazing. My 11yo daughter loves this shop. She’s learning both guitar and bass and often asks if we can go look around at Russo. We have never felt rushed, ignored, or pestered by the staff here. They have all been incredibly knowledgeable and patient enough to explain things to myself and my daughter. We were in Asbury yesterday to get some fresh air on the boardwalk when the kid asked if we could swing by the guitar shop. When we got there, the doors were locked but someone quickly came and asked how he could help. We explained that we wanted to look around but just noticed the sign stating we had to schedule a visit. Luckily the shop was empty so we were allowed in. My daughter took a quick spin around and on our way out I noticed a used Bassbreaker amp. I was told they just got it in. It was priced fairly but was a bit out of my price range. Then they mentioned that there was a Black Friday weekend sale going on. I took my wife out to brunch in Asbury today and just so happened to bring the amp up over drinks. We swung by Russo afterward and the Bassbreaker became my Christmas present. The kindness of the entire team at Russo is greatly appreciated. The protocols they have in place to protect the staff and customers from Covid is greatly appreciated. Would I prefer not to look at their guitars through foggy glasses? Sure. Would I want to be subjected to getting sick? Absolutely not. The day will come when we won’t have to wear masks and socially distance ourselves. Until then, I would like to thank Russo Music for being concerned with everyone’s wellbeing. May everyone there have a happy and...

These guys are some really great folks. I had had some trouble before--the typical music store stuff with a too-cool-for-school staff, but they were great and they resolved those customer service issues. And besides, what can I say, they're great folks, focused on music, most of their sales staff is working musicians, and they know what they sell. I've even had them special order left handed guitars for me which they did with no trouble. What's also funny is the number of leftys they stock regularly, just off the rack without a special order. Apparently their buyer plays southpaw--something of that nature--so he makes sure they have not one, not two, and not a bunch of cheapies, but some great leftys across all price ranges...including usually a used one or two. At one point they had a new left handed 1960 Reissue Gold Top Les Paul on their rack. That was a couple of years back, but still, they take care of guys like me.

and the customer service is good, they're just good guys...no problems with them at all. They have the one repair department that I actually trust to do the job right and they warranty their work for 90 days. is a setup a little more expensive? yeah, but they do a fantastic job, they'll work on the instrument until its the way YOU want it, until its RIGHT...and then they give you a warranty. In instrument repair, my experience is that you get what you pay for...these guys just do a bang up job, end of story. They get it right.

They've got a great used section for pedals and some nice used gear, amps and so forth, and there's always a few vintage pieces if that's your thing. At least you can go look and gawk, even if it isn't. I don't think they mind.

All in all, five stars. ...