Ballard Custom Audio

Did some simple troubleshooting on the sound system in my Honda CR-​V, but I wasn’t able to solve the problem. Popped over to see Bill at Ballard Custom Audio, and he solved the problem in 5 minutes. Friendly people, good service, and reasonable prices.

I took my car in for what I thought was a more complicated problem. It turned out to be a simple solution. The guys there fixed it very quickly and did not charge since it took them less than 5 minutes. Moreover, they were very friendly. My issue was very simple but they did not make me feel silly for bringing in my car. They said «oh this happens all the time.» Next time I have car audio needs I will definitely be coming here!

After one of our work vans was broken into in front of my house I need to have a car alarm installed quickly. Ballard Custom Audio stepped up to the plate with a quick appointment.
I found them very accommodating, they made it easy for us to drop off our truck in advance of the appointment and were very open about the cost of the installation.

I had a system installed on my 2014 Audi A4 by Bill back in 2013. The system was originally an LC6, a Kenwood amp, a custom subwoofer box in the trunk and Morel speakers for the fronts and backs. After a short period of time, I found out about another piece of hardware that could be used to replace the LC6 and potentially integrate with the Audi system directly — a Mobridge DA2. Bill had never heard of them, but was happy to give it a try, and we got it installed.
Fast forward to the present, and the Mobridge had stopped working (some combination of it being my own fault for playing with the setup, and the mobridge being very poorly documented and unreliable.) I went back in and Bill was quite happy to help bring the system back to a working state.
I don’t think I can emphasize enough how friendly, knowledgeable and helpful Bill has been — other than the drive into Seattle from the east side, Ballard Custom Audio has been an awesome place to go for my car. You should absolutely give these guys a call!

I couldn’t be happier with the work that was done in my car by them! Bill was able to take my old subwoofer and box and transform it into something amazing for my new jeep! He installed my bass knob in such a way that was hidden and it was not very noticeable, which I love! Since I was going out of town and couldn’t pick the car up on the day it was finished he was able to drop it off and hold onto the keys for me. Super friendly staff and all over great guys. You can tell they all have a passion for building stereo systems and they really know their stuff

Amazing car audio services. We recently purchased a used Rav which I felt needed a backup camera. After reviewing all of the options with us Bill and Jordan recommended a newer Pioneer head unit. At first I wasn’t sure, due to other companies messing up installs in my other vehicles, you know those famous «car t*& guys». Anyway, after reviewing the head unit they recommend, I went home and researched it myself. The Pioneer was the right fit for the job, plus it added a lot of other features, like Bluetooth and map options all via my Android or iPhone. The install was great. The stereo was flush mounted, it looked good and works great. I would highly recommend their work!

Had a new deck, speakers, and amplifier installed in my truck by another company and the stereo had a constant high pitched tone in the background consistently. They could not fix it for me so I brought it here hoping they could figure out the problem and sure enough, they did.
Bill went through and showed me what the issue was and how he fixed it and he did it for me the day I walked in. Good guy/​good customer service and very knowledgeable in his field of expertise.

Someone broke into my car and tried to steal my stereo equipment. Not only did Ballard Custom Audio repair the damage, but they went above and beyond to make improvements to the way the stereo was set up. I will absolutely use them again for any future stereo needs.

This review is long overdue! Bill is the best! Two summers ago, I had a sweet system installed in my «possessed» car – I say this because it has crazy electrical issues and a mind of its own. But Bill’s work is seamless – he took the time to listen to what I wanted in a system and had it done within hours. My ride was complete! After about a year, I wanted to upgrade to a stereo which had a removable faceplate, so I went back to these gems to have it done. Bill even fixed my broken glove compartment box cover and door handle which had previously been «fixed» by some hack in Miami. Another amazing experience! Thanks again, guys – I will surely recommend you for all stereo needs!

I got a backup camera installed here for my Subaru. I gave them a call and the person was very helpful over the phone with many details and told me if I stopped by I’d get a consultation. No appointment necessary. The hardest part was finding them as it literally is a hole in the wall.
The owner took a look at my car and told me what my options were. In order to get the price lower, I gave up some of the features. The unit came with a new stereo and some of the stereo features didn’t interest me. We made an appointment within two weeks and I brought my car in and they installed the camera. It was pretty uneventful. When I went to pick it up they took their time to walk me through the new stereo. They even set up my bluetooth. I never felt rushed.
I love the camera. I’m much better at parallel parking. No more bumping the cars behind me. And I really feel it’s the ethical thing to do. I would be devastated if I hurt anyone with my car. I really wish this were something that was required. How many kids have to die before the government does something?

Jordan was incredibly helpful while talking me through the stereo options they carry, and best of all didn’t try to push any accessories or up sell after I told him I only listen to podcasts and don’t need anything fancy. That’s a rarity in the car stereo world.
He then jumped to the installation and finished in about an hour and called me promptly. After that he walked me through the tech on the new stereo and made everything easy to understand. Great place!

The day before a long road trip, my car stereo stopped working. They replaced and improved the system within hours. A pleasant experience. Road trip: awesome music awaits!

These guys were so helpful and helped me figure out the right parts for a stero I was installing. Excellent service and nice people!

My car stereo stopped working so I stopped in. They (Jordan?) found and fixed my problem within five minutes, a disconnected wire, and didn’t charge me anything. Try getting that kind of service from Car Toys. These guys are awesome!

Bill and crew did a great job on a couple of kicks in my classic ’72 ‘burban.
They found a truly perfect modern replacement for the AM radio in the dash. It looks KILLER, and I can tell Bill spent a lot of time to get it just right — including a few bits he shanghai’d from the original unit. Having Bluetooth compatibility and two cleverly hidden USB ports completes the awesome job. I really really like the look and appreciate all the thoughtful design decisions Bill made.
The kicks both sound great too, nice speakers and they blend really well into the still vintage cab. On the flip-​side though, I lost the ability to fully open the two knee level vents, which is a bit of a bummer, but not a big deal. The light bar that attached to the roof during the job also left a few deep scratches and two rectangular scuff marks in the exterior paint over my door, but nothing too obvious, and not quite worth bumping down a star in the review, as the inside was really exceptional.
Not cheap, but top quality work never should be.

Go here for quality work. a flawless install, and first rate customer service.
The difference between a good car audio installation and a bad one comes down to attention to detail, time, and a sense of craftsmanship from those doing the work. Ballard Custom Audio was thorough, careful, performed the work masterfully, and, above all else, listened to my needs and found solutions that made the install perfect.
They also managed to catch several installation errors from work done by another shop (ahem, Car Toys), made note of them, explained what was done improperly and in a few spots flat out skipped, and then took it upon themselves to address those issues.
Ballard Custom Audio is the real deal. Highly recommended.

After buying my car, I was on the search to look for a trustworthy place to install a car alarm with remote start on my 2014 Mazda 3. Ballard Custom Audio came up with excellent reviews on Unilocal,and I called to ask some questions and then later decided to stop by to see what my options were. The shop itself looks far from pretentious on the outside, but you should never judge a book by its cover.
I met Bill, the owner, and he gave me some advice and a quote on how much it would cost to install the car alarm for my car. I was able to book an appointment to drop off my car a month later (their schedule gets booked up fast!).
My car alarm took 2 days to install, in order to make sure everything was working properly and not be rushed. Everything worked fine except for the fact that after turning my car on with the remote start, the car engine dies after I open the door! Unfortunately, this was an unexpected surprise for both of us since Bill told me that my car was wired to do this regardless of the type of alarm installed. He didn’t realize this until after the installation was done.
Even though I was more concerned about the car alarm working properly in which it did, I wished that there was more research done on the compatibility with my car and the takeover procedure of the remote start function where it would not have to force my car engine to shut off every time I open the door. I hate to do this but I have to deduct 1 star on my overall experience. On the bright side, I do get a lifetime warranty and I can always call back in the future to see if I can get the remote start issue fixed for free.

I feel like often you can learn as much about the way a business conducts itself when you are a «little» customer, and sometimes even more, than when you are a «big» customer.
With Ballard Custom Audio, I was a «little» customer. Even though they were going to make next to nothing off of me (and knew it!), Bill, the owner, went above and beyond, and showed that my business mattered.
I know that if I ever need more major auto stereo/​audio work done, I will definitely be «big» customer at Ballard Custom Audio.

I hate to do this,
They quoted me a price of$ 2200 for purchase and installation of a navigation system. I found the same system on Amazon with them as the installers for
$ 1240
I called them and asked them to compromise on the price, and was rebuffed

This place is great! I would recommend to anyone to come here for installation.
First off, I know nothing about stereo equipment let alone ones for your car. I emailed them and got a quote right away, I followed up with a call and got to make a appointment for two weeks later. Again the person I was dealing with was nice and helpful.
At my appointment, told I was the facts, explained what I was being charged for and I would pay once completed to make sure I was satisfied. After 3 hours my car was done on time as they said. Both Bill and the other guy (didn’t get his name) were extremely nice. Bill showed me how to use it and explained warranties and I was good to go!
I am so happy with my new system now that I can plug in my iphone and play my own music! It was a great experience and all these previous reviews were spot on with the treatment I received!
Thanks Ballard Custom Audio!