The Guitar Connection

OK, so I broke a string and needed a new one. Called TGC and the guy picks up and yells «Fuck off!» into the phone. I give him the benefit of the doubt and figure he must have had a telemarketer or prank call directly before me and he thinks it’s the same person.
So I call back and tell him «I think you may have mistaken me for someone else, I just need a string, what time do you close?» He replies with «Well I close at 5 and it’s dinner time so please don’t call me at this time!» and hangs up.
I don’t really need to say much more than that I guess…

This guy sold me strings.
I tipped him a few bucks for his knowledge.
When I got home to put them on my acoustic, I noticed there was black stuff all over some of the strings.
I brought them back and showed him.
He refused to acknowledge what was clearly there.
He gave me a new pack anyway, and got very angry about it.
He said «DON’T LET THIS HAPPEN AGAIN.»
I got home, opened the strings, and these ones are WORSE!
I put the strings on my guitar anyway, because I don’t want to deal with that guy again.
The high e string SNAPPED after about a minute of playing (I’m assuming because of the black gunk that is all over it).
I’m chalking this one up as a loss.
AVOID THIS PLACE!!! This guy sells either USED, or FAULTY strings.
I’ve been playing guitar for half my life (13 – 14 years) and I have never had this issue once before.
I love supporting local businesses, but next time I’m going to Guitar Center.

I live in West Hollwood, but when I can, I drive to Venice to get my guitar strung at Guitar Connection. I am not exactly an expert when it comes to music, but I have to say you don’t have to know much to understand the respect and the history that goes behind a musical instrument. I took my guitar to the local (Hollywood) Guitar Center, and asides from charging me $ 40, they screwed up my nut, the guitar sounded so bad, and it was just greasy and dirty. The strings were completely the wrong strings that I asked for.
The thing with Mike (Guitar Connection owner) is he understands guitars. He charged me a pleasant $ 25 for stringing, but on top of that he cleaned up my entire guitar (looked new), and fixed the nut for only $ 10. Which, let me tell you, I never heard this guitar sing like this before. I am so happy to have this instrument playing so well before Christmas.
If you want someone who cares about your instrument, and who is dedicated to make it sing than this is the place to go. I like to visit Venice for many reasons, and this is one of them.

OK it may not be the prettiest place, but the owner is a genuine guy and an experienced musician. So I’m giving it 5 stars based on personality, not looks or inventory. There are some nice used guitars and basses one can demo while there, and maybe some unique and hard to find models. I think it’s worth a look if you’re in the area.

At first you think, how cool, a guitar store in the hearts of Venice. You walk in, and it’s a cute and quaint little store with some nice guitars hanging on the walls. But then you meet the owner. What an unbelievably rude and obnoxious figure he is: farting, burping, yelling, racist, misogynist, quasi psychopathic lunatic. Unfortunately I will never be able to step foot in the store again and will have to continue to trek to Santa Monica or Hollywood for musical instruments. Real shame this guy shoots himself in the foot and drives away potential happy customers like me.

I love this little shop in my neighborhood. I get all my strings and picks here. It’s a no bullshit kinda place indeed, and Mike is a little brash, but a lovemonger and guitar junkie nonetheless. All these other reviews are unnecessarily harsh. So happy this store is right down the block. He’s saved my life multiple times when I need supplies on my way to airport or gig.

Mike was helpful and informative. I needed a new guitar, this was my first time purchasing one and actually knowing what I was looking for. The proprietor is in love with guitars and shares the with beauty and style through guitar connection, small storefront but he has an enormous inventory behind the scenes. (Off display). He was concise and friendly, the overall experience was informative and pleasant, plus I have an awesome new guitar put together by a man who has probably ha a guitar in his arms for longer than I’ve been alive. Go here if you want a guitar.

By far the crappiest shopping experience i’ve ever had in my life. First, the owner is a complete greedy tool. He’s racist, rude, and has huge temper problems. Before entering the store I could hear him screaming at his tv at the top of his lungs. Second, the store is very expensive. You can go to guitar center and find the same products at a fraction of the price. The store is tiny, and crammed with equipment, and smells like garbage, which is not surprising because Mike and the guitar connection are both straight trash.

Rude, rude, rude. I tried to ask a simple question over the phone about guitar strings. I asked for a particular brand of low tension strings. He said no and gave a brand of strings that were high tension and hung up abruptly. I was left wondering whether he carried any low tension nylon strings. Does this guy really want any business?

Truetone didnt want my guitar, so I took it here on the way back home. Didn’t get what I wanted for it, but I was ok with what I got. Had a nice chat, the owner is a very intense, but kind person. I definitely understand all of the reviews on here, but he returned every bit of respect I gave him. If I need a guitar in the venice area, I’ll be sure to go here and support local biz

Crowded little store crammed with guitars. I almost thought the place was closed because the front door was a locked metal gate, but you just have to get buzzed in. I’ve been to a couple stores shopping for my first guitar, and I would always explain that I have tiny hands, and probably need a smaller guitar. I’ve had another guy try to tell me I could still learn on a full body, and that my hands would adjust, but I’m playing now and that’s just not realistic. The owner Mike was honest though, and showed me really cheap guitar options that would get me started off. He was also the only guy who taught me a chord to play, which was helpful so that i wasn’t just playing gibberish.
Mike had a friend there who made some random comments, and because he was afraid it was interrupting the sale, he would intermittently scream at the friend and tell him to leave, saying it was hard to get a sale these days and didn’t want it to be messed up. A little strange. Even so, I actually came close to buying the cheapest guitar, but this place is cash only, and I couldn’t pony up. Bought a chord book instead though because he treated me fine, if not his friend. The chord book has come in handy.

Threatened to pull out his gun after a simple discussion about guitar strings.

Rude
Absolutely agree with these people. I didn’t even make it to the store! I called them get the hours and i was having trouble writing down the info as i was at my doctors office and trying to hear as well cause there was noise in the background. Because i asked the guy on the phone to repeat, he actually started to repeat the hours in a very very rude tone! Very rude, like «i said 4pm!» I was not impressed and will not be spending my money there, and i spend a few hundred a month. What a poor attitude they have. This is real and no joke, the guy was a real unfriendly person over the phone! Thank god i did get to the point where i went in, i would of said something back to them.

I don’t usually speak negatively, but I’m breaking that rule now! The guitar shop on ROSE and 6^th in Venice called «THE GUITAR CONNECTION» sucks! Specifically, the owner, one, MIKE VAN VOORHEES is an ass! Save yourself the frustration and anger i went through by taking your business elsewhere.
My GF had recently lost her harmonica, so i went in there with the intention of buying 3 or 4 new mouth harps in different keys. Mike told me they were each $ 11 and went back to get them. He came back with three little boxes and told me, I couldn’t play them until i bought them. So i opened one and immediately saw that the harp was a cheapie looking thing. The wood that you normally see in a decent harmonica was replaced by a purple piece of plastic, and the metal was thin and cheap. So i told him, I was only gonna buy one if I bought any at all. He huffed and puffed about this. I gave him $ 11 and put the harp to my mouth. It sounded like CRAP and had a rattling sound in it like something was broken. He snatched that one outta my hand and replaced it with another one in the same key. I blew in that one. It still sounded like crap. No rattling, but barely any noise unless you really blew through it. Sucked. Nothing like the quality Hohner’s I have at home.
Immediately he started berating, and almost yelling at me for being a bad harmonica player and that i didn’t know how to blow through a harp. Yeah right! He told me since i already tried it, i’d have to buy it. My GF noticed i was about to give him a piece of my mind and stopped me, saying its not worth it. So we left with the piece of junk plastic harp.
This guy is a pro-​crook. He was extremely aggressive with me and was totally dishonest. Thank God I didn’t buy a guitar there! I am ashamed that someone like this is doing this kind of shady business on my home street of Rose. He gives ALL small business owners a bad name. I’ll now take my mouth harp business to Guitar Center. I hope and will celebrate the day that this shit shop of his closes it’s doors forever and I hope it’s replaced by a much more honest used car sales business.

Truly the most unprofessional, abusive, obnoxious, psychotic person I’ve ever had to deal with. AVOID AT ALL COSTS.

I could say worse things, however I will just say he’s not so friendly.
Going to a guitar store is like a spiritual experience for me, this guy kills that buzz. Sketchy.

Creepy. I uploaded a pic of the some of the stuff on the front door. Obama with a HItler moustache and all sorts of nutty gun stuff made me glad the store was closed especially after reading that the guy is kind of a jerk.

0 Stars.
The guy working here is a jerk. I asked him a few questions and when he realized I wasn’t buying anything, he said «I’m getting nothing out of this!»

Great neighborhood guitar shop. Mike has a ton of great stories to tell you on top of doing professional work at half the price of other places.
I suggest you go in with time to spare… you’ll learn alot.