Heriz Music and Art

I worked in a neighboring school district and we had over 30 instruments that needed repairs at the end of the school year. Margarita helps us out every year. She took the instruments and began repairs, while our district took their time preparing a purchase order. She is very thorough with repairs. She will make sure before an instrument leaves her bench that it is in the best working condition. I’ve been a professional musician for more than a decade and even I cannot diagnose all of the problems a given instrument has just by looking at it. She will do a full diagnostic and repair even the slightest of pad leaks or bends or dents in slides to ensure your instrument will be in tip top shape for years.
I also love their store, it is full of just about everything you could need. They have band and orchestra instruments galore for rent, they have middle eastern instruments and native american flutes, guitars of every shape and size, drum sets, and accessories as far as the eye can see. The chances are, if you need something for your student, or upcoming gig, Heriz music will probably have it in stock.

This is a Hook and Bait mom and pops store! After careful inspection woman owner quoted $ 120.00 to clean flute and replace four pads. A few days later she called me to say «your flute is broken and has a powder from silver cleaning polish» and it will cost $ 320.00 to do. I declined. I went to pick up flute prearranged one day ahead. When I got there my flute had been disassembled completely (maybe she thought that would make me let her ‘fix’ it) When I asked how long would it take for her to clean and replace pads she said «10 hours». I declined. She insisted on putting it back together which she did in 5 minutes. Took it home to discover she had not put the springs in place at all even the under G key one! So now I have to find someone to clean, repad, AND fix springs!

I absolutely love this place. I came in when my lady got me lessons and rented a saxophone for me to learn my favorite instrument. Yeah she’s pretty great. Anyways, great customer service whether in person or over the phone. I recently set up lessons for my lady to learn the guitar. Easiest thing to do setting up her lessons over the phone as she broke down the rates and recommended to rent the guitar rather than cashing out on a new $ 300 guitar. They have never sold me anything unnecessary. Love that. Decently priced for being in Burlingame which is a dominant upper class society. I am very pleased with this place and will continue my loyalty.

Fantastic staff and great selection of music and musical instruments. Whether you need an instrument to buy, rent or repair, Heriz is the place! Customer of Heriz for over 3 years — no complaints!

*Note: I did not come here to buy anything. I came here as a community outing with kids i work with*
Thank you Heriz Music and Art for being so hospitable and kind! I work with children with special needs, and today we had a community outing to this music store. We gave them a heads up the day before saying we would be coming, but we weren’t expecting anything special to be done. Surprisingly they had a friendly gentleman give a 15 minute history lesson and music demonstration on this instrument that looked like and was played like a hybrid of a harp and a drum (I forget the name of it, but it’s related to a piano if I remember correctly). He was very knowledgeable about the instrument and was super sweet to the kids while explaining everything. The kids absolutely loved it!

Was not at all happy with the service and the price for a time up for an instrument was double of what bronsteins in SSF. Will not be going back here.

As a public high school music educator for 13 years, I would like to recommend Heriz Music as a friendly and knowledgeable music store for those looking for Woodwind, Brass, and Stringed instruments either to rent or purchase. I have been working with Margarita Heriz since 2003, when my previous repair technician had closed his music store in San Bruno, and I had taken a number of my school instruments to Heriz for them to fix. They have always been upfront about costs, and are honest and flexible enough to treat the customer with respect. Margarita and her technicians at her store are always working hard to find the solution to a repair on instruments, without gouging customers on cost. Another plus in this store, like many of our local stores, is that they offer quality private teachers specializing in woodwind and string instruments who are also affordable. Regarding renting or purchasing instruments, at a time when many are concerned about getting a quality instrument at an affordable price, and time is of the essence, Heriz Music is definitely on my short list as one of the places that I go in the Bay Area to find the instruments that I need. There is metered parking, so if you drive you might want to bring change, but it is very close to the Burlingame Ave. Caltrain for those that take public transportation, which is very convenient. I would recommend this store to any of my students looking for a local, friendly and convenient store to help them with their music needs.

My experience with Heriz has been fabulous from renting to lessons. I highly recommend this music store for it’s helpful staff, variety of instruments, and talented teachers.

If you live in the area and care or know about your musical instrument, just go to Bronstein’s or Hornucopia even if it means the extra distance. Many of the people going to Heriz’s are students living nearby who go there because simply it is the closest music store.
I’ve been here a couple times myself for a repair. The first couple were when I was still in elementary school and honestly could not tell the difference between a working and broken saxophone. Recently I had a tenor «fixed» there. I went in with several leaks, unadjusted and loose springs, and overall a poorly tuned instrument. I left with one hundred dollars less, and found the same problems the next day (by then, I had been playing for about seven years).
Furthermore, the selection here is very dismal, and prices are much higher than those of its nearby competitors (which are already very steep). There are about five or six guitars and about ten clarinet, alto & tenor mouthpieces combined. The selection has been this broad for a couple years now; I remember coming to this store a lot before realizing that the reason I was returning was because Margarita’s «repairs» began failing within one month.
I am by no means a professional woodwind player with the most discriminating; I play for a school band, but having something repaired without getting robbed for it would be nice. Though Heriz may cater well to one who has just begun playing and has the money to get ripped off about 200% from normal retail prices and is located conveniently in the peninsula, I suggest that the more experienced musician (meaning sixth grade and older) look elsewhere.