The Jam Brothers

Bought a mandolin here instead of Amazon because I wanted to get it set up with the bridge in place and strings tightened. I wish now I had just gone through Amazon and then to a luthier. The bridge is not set correctly and the end pin is falling out (no biggie, hoping to get a bigger pin so I can use a strap. As for the bridge I now have to pay a luthier to set it properly and expect the face will see some marking which totally bums me out.

It doesn’t get any better than this. I’ve been to many specialty stores (guitars, bikes, clothing, etc.) where the vibe felt intimidating and inaccessible, but not The Jam Brothers. Shawn is extremely professional, friendly, warm and knowledgeable. I’m happy to call him my go-​to guitar guy as well as my friend. The amount of passion he puts into every instrument (regardless of value) is quite evident. He really helps you understand what you have and what your options are. Also, it’s nice just listening to him speak about guitars, the manufacturing process, the marketing behind different lines, etc. He knows what he’s doing and can substantiate his positions on different topics. Even if you’re not ready to go in and buy immediately, you should definitely check this place out and say hi. The selection is impressive and Shawn and Valerie are just solid people to know. No other music instrument store in the East Bay even comes close!

Wonderful place. Took my 15 year old Larrivee in for some TLC and got back the guitar I fell in love with. Wonderful work at a great price. Can’t wait to come back and buy one of their handmade guitars.

Came here after seeing The Jam Brothers posts on
. I was in the market for a mid-​raged intermediate acoustic guitar that was well built. I met Shawn and talked to him. He gave lots of insights and tips about guitar manufacturing. He is very knowledgable about his craft and he also custom make some high quality guitars at affordable prices. Worth checking out. Places are these are rare in the Bay Area nowadays.

I rarely write reviews like this, so read on.
Like many others, I discovered The Jam Brothers via craigslist when searching for «Telecaster» or something generic. Huh, a guitar shop in Walnut Creek. Boulevard Way? Where the heck is that? Mapped it out.
Drove down, found the shop near that very popular deli I’ve never been to, because I rarely come to this part of town (just haven’t had a reason). Found the shop and parked, had to double check to make sure the shop was open, and went in.
Met Shawn, explained that I had bought this crappy Squier Bullet at the flea market and needed a couple of those screw thingies for it. I watched incredulously as he put on his specs, dug through a drawer of stuff, coming up with only one. He then went to look at the Fender catalogs, spending another 20 minutes to come up with a $ 20 bridge that would fix this poor guitar I wanted to rescue out of mercy. Wow.
While I was there, I browsed the wall, noticing the various brands I had never seen. The Steen guitars caught my eye, things of beauty.
Holy crap. Steen — Shawn Steen. This guy makes his own guitars — by hand — in Walnut Creek. If they look as good as they sound, they will be amazing.
After browsing the site I see that they do guitar setups and other things. I’m going to be back to pick up my bridge and resurrect this Bullet, but I will definitely be coming here for other things. Service and attention, as mentioned in other reviews, seem to be a staple. That’s how I would run my own business, and I appreciate that this is how Shawn runs his.

Found the Jam Brothers through Craigslist. Was looking for a short neck bass. Shawn hooked me up with a nice little beauty, gig case as well. He was nice enough to hold it for me for a week, I wanted to replace its original round wound strings to flat wound strings, but the item was not in stock. So Shawn ordered me a set, and once it arrived, he promptly emailed me. The very next day, I drove from my place, Oakland, to Walnut Creek, not a long trip at all, about a 15 minute drive, the store is located right next to the freeway, no problem. I also took another bass of mine to have its strings replaced as well, Shawn did that in mere minutes, he also repaired the volume control knob. I also fell in love with a hollow body bass they had on display, and promptly placed a down payment, it’s currently on layaway, what a great option. I’m a beginner, older than most students, but seriously considering taking bass lessons from Mark Levine, I hear he’s an outstanding instructor. The store is small but well laid out. Shawn was very cool and informative, none of the stuck up pretentiousness of all the employees at Guitar Center. I currently have three basses, all lower priced budget basses, but as I improve, I can see myself eventually selling them, and getting something more baddass in the near future… and you can believe it’a going to be from the Jam Brothers.
***UPDATE***
I went ahead and started taking Bass lessons from Marc Levine. The man is awesome, quickly started me doing finger exercises. Can’t wait for the next lesson. I also finished paying off the Gold Tone (great bass by the way) that was on layaway. I’m so glad I discovered the Jam Brothers and Mr Levine.

I loved the personal attention I got from Sean (the owner), the low keyed atmosphere, the fact that it was quiet enough to hear guitars as I tried them out, and the good price I got.

Had a great experience at Jam Brothers. Drove out there from Pacifica because they have Larrivee and Guild acoustic guitars, which are a bit hard to find. They were very patient while I compared several brands over and over again trying to decide which sound I liked best. I ended up with a Martin. They adjusted the action while I was there before I made my final decision. Very knowledgeable and friendly. Decent prices. Highly recommended.

I had been planning to have my guitar repaired, so I thought I might need to go into the city, but I found Jam Brothers and it’s just a few minutes away. After reading the reviews I thought I’d give them a try. I had the nut on my Stratocaster replaced and the guitar tuned. Shawn did a great job, and I’ll be back if I need more work done on my guitar.

Took my new guitar in for a setup, and he had it finished in an hour. Good stuff.

Great little guitar shop! Located in a quiet neighborhood right off 680 & 24– easy parking (though there’s a busy lunch spot next door.) Lessons are available at the shop– that’s where I take my lessons from Mark Benjamin.
Plenty of instruments to choose from, representing a wide variety of styles, including custom guitars. Shawn and Valerie are very knowledgeable and helpful. Shawn builds guitars and does repairs on site. Highly recommended! Strike a blow against the Evil Empire (those big guitars chains!) and go to The Jam Brothers!

After searching all over the area for someone who knows their stuff I’m glad I came across Jam Brothers. I Dropped off my Schecter Hellraiser C-​1 FR for a full setup, intonation and all. I had been having some recent fret buzz trouble. Dropping off my guitar last night within minutes of closing time I received a call the next afternoon for pickup. The tech had worked all morning on it and WOW, I have had a chance to sit down and play at home now. The difference is amazing, I knew I needed a slight adjustment but it’s like the day I bought it. $ 99 for a setup is comparable for the same service just about anywhere and for me was well worth it.

I found these guys while looking for gear on Craigslist. I dropped in one day to check out a guitar they had advertised. I brought my 9 year old son with me. Small place. There was a very nice and knowledgeable guy working that day and an attractive young lady as well. I ended up not buying the guitar just due to cash constraints. I did however notice that it had been set up RIGHT.
I so appreciated the attention and service I got, and the way my son and I were treated that I bought a few odds and ends to support them. I wish we had a shop like Jam Bros down here in San Ramon. I’ll be taking one of my new guitars in to Jam Bros for a proper setup soon.
The place is very neat and clean, and well laid out. I have to admit, having grown up in Berkeley, I’m a fan of a little bit of chaos. The hole in the wall guitar shop should have gear everywhere. I’m going to give them some more business. I’ll update after my setup…
The only reason they didn’t get a fifth star is the lack of Gibsons.

I had my acoustic guitar set up here– service was good and the guy, presumably the owner, who set it up seemed to really know his shit! Then winter weather came and the neck on my guitar twisted a little– they gladly fixed it up for free.
Their store is well-​stocked and (as every other Unilocaler on this thing has remarked) you can play their guitars without getting pressure-​sold like you might at some other stores.
This place is exactly what we need as an alternative to Guitar Center — please support these guys and visit their store.

Not really a great selection of drums. Actually they only had 3 cymbals, a few sticks, some heads, and some hardware. They did, however, keep a great selection of used guitars and basses in stock. Many of them are on consignment. Friendly owner and comfortable environment. Support your local guitar shop. Not a huge selection of amps either…

My husband got me a small bodied Guild for our first anniversary. The owner was really helpful, but not overbearing. Great little spot.

Awesome locally owned shop. Owner worked for a major guitar maker and is amazing at repairs. Some of the local luthiers sell their handmade guitars here. Amazing place.

I like the idea of a small independent guitar shop. But, just not enough real estate to cover what an independent guitar shop seeker would want to see in a small independent guitar shop.
Liked the guy I spoke with, so no problems staff-​wise. But just not enough gear here. I would rather see a bit more cramming of stuff into every available nook and cranny vs. seeing a more open area and neatly laid out. Just my humble opinion.
I DO like the fact that they keep out of the norm stuff here though.
Johnny

I had my Heritage 575 guitar set up and restrung. I have been going to a «name» tech, with prices to match. What I got for a very reasonable price was perhaps the best setup I have had in years. Very impressive!
There is no need to go to a box store, either,
when the kind of high quality people and service are just off Mt. Diablo Blvd. I’ll be back! And I’ll tell my friends, too!

Don’t drive all the way to a megastore in Concord for your music needs, when everything you want is right here in the WC! (And they will match the prices of the big guys.)
I take lessons here every week with Mark. The small space allocated for lessons is cramped, but functional. Mark B is an excellent teacher who is very patient and has pushed me to excel at a faster rate than I thought possible.
Shawn and Valerie, the staff here, are very knowledgeable and helpful.
Whenever I need something for my guitar playing, they always have it on hand and can make recommendations as to what would work best for me. Shawn also put a peg on my guitar so I can use a strap, which was very helpful.
All in all, their prices are very fair and the staff are very friendly. It’s great to be able to take lessons and get all the supplies I need right here in the neighborhood.