The La Mesa String School

Great instructor! Tim is patient and changes things up to keep the learner interested.

My 7 year old daughter really enjoys her lessons here. What I really like is that the music is fun for her. She’s pretty young to stay interested and it’s impressive that she wants to keep going back. I would recommend lessons here for any young musician.

My 13-​year old daughter has been learning how to play the acoustic guitar through lessons from Tim Dobranski for the past 4 months. Being older than the average age that most kids are when they start learning how to play an instrument, I thought that my daughter would have a hard time picking up the basics, but she went from zero experience to now switching from one chord to another, strumming patterns, and using the chords to play actual songs! It is amazing how much she has learned in just a few months. The first lesson alone — my daughter learned the beginning of a Beatles song! How awesome was that?! The location is in a quaint neighborhood between La Mesa and El Cajon. The price of Tim’s lessons are VERY affordable (trust me, I have 3 kids with daycare payments and loans to prove it!!). We meet with Tim once a week for a half hour. He has set days and times but is very flexible, should you need to switch your day/​time slot. Tim is a great teacher with tremendous patience. He is approachable and personable, which I am so grateful for, as my daughter is super shy! If you or your kids want to learn how to play the guitar, I would definitely recommend contacting the La Mesa String School.

If you are even thinking about learning to play the guitar, then Tim is the guy to go to. When I began lessons with Tim, I didn’t even know how to hold the guitar correctly, let alone play it. But after a few months, I can tell I improve with each lesson. He takes the time to get to know what music you enjoy playing and he is always on the look out for any tips or advice he can give that will help you improve your performance. The price is right, the setting is really comfortable, and the teacher is great. Highly recommend Tim for your guitar lessons!

My kids have had lessons with Tim for nearly a year. My boys are 10 and 14. He has a great way with the kids, very easy going, flexible and supportive. Rather than having a strict agenda (i.e. this is what and how I teach and it’s the only way), he adjusts the style and content to fit what interests the students. He asks for their favorites and modifies them so the kids can pick up the tunes quickly and feel like they’ve accomplished something. Very experienced and professional.

I’ve been taking lessons with Tim for about 3 months now, and I can honestly say I would recommend him to anyone looking for guitar lessons. I’m in my early twenties, and work multiple jobs but Tim is always flexible if I have to cancel or move times, as my schedule can get pretty crazy. He’s extremely affordable (important for a recent college grad like me!) and his lessons are completely customized, and of such high-​caliber. I have had a couple of guitar teachers throughout the past 15 years, and I know I found one I can actually stick with! He has the perfect amount of professionalism and approachability, allowing you to feel completely comfortable learning to play guitar with him.