Matt's Music — Local services in Bartlesville

Went there looking for a good music store with a wide selection and it was looking great. I explained at that time I would much rather buy locally instead of order out of town to keep the money local to help the local people here.

I then attempted to get a guitar on layaway after finding one I wanted and could afford after saving up, but they do not offer that kind of service. I then told him I would be back within a month to get it. He warned me that there is a chance it might get sold before I got back since it was the x-mas season.

When I went back on the 28th, it had been sold, and I asked him why he did not order another one knowing I would be here for it. He said it would take another 4 weeks to order a new one. I was upset because he obviously did not care, only caring about what he wanted to sell then and there, which is poor customer service, and losing profits as a result by not allowing lay away to where all he would have to do is order another one before the layaway was completed, or do a special order of a single guitar for an extra charge of say $20.

Needless to say, I found the same one like it online for the same price, but had more with it, as a gig bag, tuner, cable and cloth. I chose to get one a little bit better, instead of a flat royal blue, I got the GRX70 instead of GRX20 he was offering, with a quilted grain maple top, and an extra pickup on it for about $10 more after the total cost, which shall arrive in about two or three more days.

I then went in today to try and let him know I was going to want a guitar case, Grover locking tuners, and another guitar stand, and then later on some different pickups. This was so I could still buy locally and help the local people instead of ordering out of state. As soon as I walked in, he told me that he did not want me there as he had said before when I left the last time (but never heard him say that), any more because of what happened previously to where he raised his voice at me because he felt guilty for not having the guitar there when he knew I was going to be there to buy it within a month.

Now he has permanently lost any money I would have spent there by his own choice. He makes it very obvious he does not care about his customers, only what he can get for his current stock, nothing else. This is the worst customer service I have ever experienced at any music store I have ever been in all my life, being a musician since 16, bar none. If I could have done this review with no star at all, I would have.

EDIT; Matt (the guy in the picture I have shown today) has made the claim I was rude and harassing, when all the while I was quiet and polite while looking at any other options and asking questions about them as well as other possible items when he was not interacting with other customers out of respect. As to the claims of me being rude and harassing, to which seems to be the whole point of the owner response to try and justify his actions towards a a potential customer, where he gets the money from, there are some false statements, claiming I was rude, saying I never purchased anything, when I had bought a guitar stand previously that same month, and the claim...

Lovely little storefront but lacks quality customer service. I asked if they had any 335 models or replicas. A woman working behind the counter told me they did not but after a little look around, I noticed there were two Yamaha replicas hanging in the corner behind a mass of cheaper guitars making them impossible to approach. When I pointed out that there were indeed a few, Matt responded saying "yeah, but those are Yamaha's." It was very condescending and rude.

When I asked to play a cheaper Yamaha (a model which has always intrigued me) Matt asked me if I was planning on buying it. Whereas on this day, I was not looking to walk out of the store with a new guitar, I do have an annual budget for gear and if I'd been given the opportunity to play the guitar, I very easily could see myself returning to buy it at a later date. Matt told me that he does not allow people to play the instruments unless they are serious buyers. Kind of a catch 22 considering I prefer to hold the instrument, play it, and feel it before purchasing. I politely disagreed with his philosophy but ensured him that I respect his decision and left without the opportunity to test anything out.

Mom and pop stores like this have a huge advantage over online shopping: you are able to make more meaningful connections with not only the instruments, but the people as well. This just didn't happen for me. These folks are human, as we all are. Perhaps they were just having an off day or perhaps I did something or said something that offended them prior to inquiring about their instruments. Nonetheless, I won't...

I went in before Christmas looking for an acoustic guitar for my s/o and two people were working, a girl and a gentleman I’m assuming was Matt himself. I told them I was looking to buy an acoustic for my boyfriend for Christmas and that he’s a beginner so I wasn’t looking to spend an arm and a leg just in case he decided it wasn’t for him. The guy immediately stepped in and started showing me several guitars that were definitely budget worthy yet still nice looking and brand new. I listened as he showed me a couple and gave great suggestions and he never once tried to over sell me on anything, I walked out of there with a new guitar well within my budget and completely satisfied with the customer service I received. My boyfriend loves his new guitar, plays it everyday and we’ve even gone back to get a stand and strings and we’ll definitely be going back one day to purchase an upgrade! Matt’s doesn’t disappoint and they know...