Music Inn World Instruments — Local services in New York

TLDR: I would not buy or sell a musical instrument here or take anything here to be repaired or serviced. Look for another store where they have expertise in your specific instrument and are more trustworthy. It might be fine if you are looking for an interesting music experience or you know exactly what you need and they happen to have it, but otherwise I would not recommend this place.

Longer story: I went in to get a few woodwind instruments assessed for possible repair because I was planning to sell them (3 clarinets and 1 flute; high-level student-quality instruments). They were instruments we hadn’t played for 20+ years, so I wasn’t sure what condition they were in and was seeking an expert opinion. I picked Music Inn because it was so highly rated by so many people, and many music stores just don't have that many ratings.

I met the owner Jeff, who was pleasant to me, but he "assessed" my instruments even though he professed his eyesight was not great, he no longer did repairs, and in hindsight I now know he did not know what he was talking about. He said they were all in fine condition (not true) and because I was looking to sell them, he offered to buy them. I wanted them to find a good home more than to make money, so I sold him 2 clarinets and a flute for $70; he pointed out the clarinet he thought was the best one and that I should keep. (I told him that I was not a clarinet player; I feel like he used this information to take advantage of me.) Even though we originally agreed to $100 for the three instruments, already a ridiculous deal, he made a sketchy comment that made me feel pressured to lower the price in the end. I walked away with the strong feeling that I had been completely swindled, but that it was too late—I had sold the instruments.

I held off on writing this review until I found another reputable music store near Herald Square that specialized in woodwind instruments, for a second opinion. I brought in the one clarinet Jeff recommended I keep (he said it didn't need servicing, it just needed to be played), along with a Gemeinhardt open-holed flute and a Gemeinhardt wooden piccolo. The experts at this store (like, actual experts - I had to make an appointment to connect with the right people for each instrument) assessed all 3 instruments and informed me that pad bugs had destroyed the pads, and they could not conscionably recommend refurbishing them given the cost—that it would be almost the same cost to buy brand new instruments, the cases needed to be thrown away and replaced, etc. I now know this assessment is correct because the one clarinet Jeff recommended I keep had actually been assessed previously by another music store that indicated it had pad bugs and was not fixable; I didn't realize this in advance.

I don't know if Jeff purposely exploited the opportunity to buy three of my instruments for almost nothing, knowing that he was leaving me with damaged instruments, or if the ones he purchased also had pad bugs and he couldn't see them. The one clear thing is that he certainly doesn't know how or isn't able to assess the condition of clarinets or flutes, and he acted like he did. Full disclosure: I have not been in touch to try and rectify the situation because I doubt he will do anything about it and I had such a terrible experience with Music Inn that I just want to forget this ever happened.

Some of it is my fault for not reading the reviews in depth, but hopefully you will! Go to a different repair/instrument shop if you want to work with someone trustworthy who actually knows their stuff; I had an excellent experience with Midtown Music Loft and would highly recommend them...

My experience with this store is mixed, but my last visit made me never want to go back. First of all, it’s a very small store and the instruments are crammed wherever possible and it reeks of cigarette and marijuana. They do have a lot of instruments, but a majority of them either have a defect that makes it difficult to play or they are just damaged all together. I’ve also seen some of the instruments they have in music shops online, but this store jacks up the price x2.

I usually would just come in to try out some instruments and one of the guys working there ( some older dude with a white beard) would be just outside the shop talking to other people. This time however, I came in as usual and played something, but when I was done, he said I used the wrong pick and told me the right one was in a drawer. I found it and asked if I could try playing with the right one and he said, “You’ve played that enough. You can buy the instrument and I will sell you the pick”.

It was super embarrassing because I was just chilling and trying out instruments and then he basically said either buy something or get out. It’s reasonable for anyone looking to buy instruments to try them out. I’ve never had this problem before, but I guess he was just too high to be so blatantly disrespectful the previous times. I’m honestly never coming back because I feel like I’m not welcome. I’m not saying you shouldn’t go, but if you want to avoid the embarrassment and disrespect from the staff, I recommend y’all...

Owned by a gentleman who usually sits right out front with a majestic beard and a soft voice. Once you enter be sure not to clunk your head on any of the many hanging instruments. The floor also becomes a sneaky ceiling as you travel down the steep and narrow staircase so trust me on this one, you'll want to climb up and down it as if it were a ladder. You'll save yourself from accidentally seeing stars in the middle of the day. As for the selection of instruments, I've NEVER seen a store that carries so many unique and cultural instruments from around the globe. Music Inn also holds many instruments from previous eras of our musical history. Expect a higher price, as these bad boys (and gals) could be discontinued, special-made, rare (or not commonly sold in the USA), and one of the biggest reasons, it's located in the city-island of Manhattan. You'll see Djembes, koras, mbiras, udus, asalato (kosh kash), tabla, various woodwinds, intriguing string instruments and tons of percussion. There's no doubt that you'll find some fun here. To top it off, Music Inn hosts an open mic night on Thursdays....