Business Details
Local Music Store & Music Lessons in Branford CT
At A Sound Choice, we have been a trusted local resource for musicians since our establishment. With over two decades of service, our expertise spans musical instrument sales, professional repair services, and personalized music instruction. Our founder, Ken Johnson, brings more than 50 years of hands-on experience in music performance and repair, ensuring every customer receives expert guidance. Our team of professional musicians tailors lessons to individual needs, catering to students from beginner to advanced levels. Our repair shop is recognized for precise, timely work on stringed instruments, drawing clients from Branford and surrounding areas.We pride ourselves on maintaining a wide selection of instruments and accessories while fostering a community-centered approach to musical education. Our commitment to quality and customer satisfaction has earned us a reputation as the region's premier destination for all things music-related. Through partnerships like our 14-year affiliation with National Educational Music Company, we continue expanding access to quality instruments and services. Whether you're seeking lessons, repairs, or your perfect instrument, we remain dedicated to providing exceptional value and expertise.
Services
Musical instruments
Guitar repair
Music lessons
Instrument rentals
Music accessories
Drum lessons
Ukulele instruction
Banjo repair
Stringed instrument repair
Piano lessons
Highlights and features
- Our founder brings 50+ years of music industry experience to every interaction.
- We offer tailored music lessons taught by professional musicians with teaching expertise.
- Our repair shop provides quick turnaround times for common stringed instrument maintenance.
- We maintain strong industry partnerships like our affiliation with National Educational Music Company.
- We serve Branford CT and surrounding areas with community-focused music education programs.
Services
Music lessons
Our structured lesson program offers guitar, piano, bass, drums, ukulele, mandolin, and banjo instruction tailored to individual learning needs. Professional musicians with teaching experience guide students of all ages through personalized curricula. We accommodate beginners through advanced players with flexible scheduling options available.
Guitar repair
Our repair shop specializes in acoustic and electric guitar maintenance including restringing, setups, pickup installation, and structural repairs. Experienced technicians handle both quick fixes and complex modifications while providing transparent pricing. We maintain equipment properly for long-term performance and playability.
Musical instruments
We offer a wide selection of musical instruments including acoustic and electric guitars, basses, pianos, drums, ukuleles, and banjos. From entry-level instruments for beginners to professional-grade equipment, our inventory caters to diverse musical needs. We also carry quality accessories and cases.
Instrument rentals
Through our partnership with National Educational Music Company, we provide quality instrument rentals with convenient home delivery options. Our rental program offers students access to properly maintained instruments with included repair services during the rental period.
Music accessories
Our store carries essential music accessories including gig bags, strings, pedals, and repair tools. We feature premium brands and specialized products like hybrid gig bags and tuning equipment. Accessories complement our instrument and lesson offerings.
People
Ken Johnson
Owner
With over 50 years of music experience, Ken Johnson has built A Sound Choice as Branford's premier music destination. As owner and lead technician, he combines deep industry knowledge with local community engagement to guide students and musicians.
Kevin Ryan
Guitar Instructor
Professional guitarist specializing in acoustic and electric guitar instruction, Kevin offers personalized lesson approaches that develop technical skills and musical creativity for students of all ages and proficiency levels.
Walter Lesco
Guitar Instructor
Experienced educator providing comprehensive acoustic and electric guitar instruction, Walter focuses on technique development and repertoire building for students seeking structured musical growth.
Ralph Onofrio
Drum Instructor
Specializing in drum lessons, Ralph Onofrio offers technical training and rhythmic development programs for beginning to advanced percussion students using professional-grade equipment.
Dean Falcone
Multi-instrument Instructor
Dean teaches guitar, bass, mandolin, ukulele, and banjo, bringing versatile expertise to students exploring multiple stringed instruments through specialized, adaptable lesson approaches.
Questions
What types of music lessons do you offer?
We provide guitar, piano, bass, drums, ukulele, mandolin, and banjo lessons for all ages and skill levels.
Do you repair all types of stringed instruments?
Our repair shop handles acoustic/electric guitars, basses, ukuleles, mandolins, violins, violas, cellos, and banjos.
Are beginner lessons available for young children?
We accept young beginners aged 9+ for most instruments, with piano/drum lessons starting at age 5.
What repair turnaround time should I expect?
Common repairs like restringing are completed quickly, with more complex modifications typically taking 1-2 weeks.
Do you offer instrument rental options?
Yes, through our partnership with National Educational Music Company, offering home delivery of quality rental instruments.
How are lesson schedules structured?
Lessons are offered in four-week sessions with consistent scheduling, allowing flexibility for teacher changes when needed.
Reviews (7)
Tom Salatto
Apr 17, 2022
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Awesome! Just went to Ken to get my Epiphone Dot adjusted and it sounds great. Also picked up a great gig bag for it. He's outstanding and extremely knowledgeable. Also, lots of cool gear to pick from.
Excelsior To All
Jan 05, 2022
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Originally purchased an alvarez mf60ceom. Great guitar but I was looking for a different tone and feel. Upgraded the next day to this Larrivee om40. Great value from this guitar. This brand is their high end competitor to the likes of Taylor and Martin. Ken was super helpful and the exchange was hassle free. Couldn't be happier with my purchase.
Chris C.
Dec 27, 2021
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Nice shop! great selection of guitars and bass. owner is very knowledgeable. nice guy as well. support a local business. If you are a guitar player or musician you will like this shop!
Ted Roy
Sep 26, 2021
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A Gem. The Owner Ken is hands on and very helpful. I brought in a Bass a couple weeks ago for a neck adjustment and he set it up so well and finished the same day. I was amazed at the adjustment job. It felt like A brand new instrument and played like one too. I will bring all my basses to him for set ups. I bought my first guitar from him when I was in middle school in the mid 90's using piggy bank coins. Very nostalgic times. Great memories and still great service. A classic store through and through and we're lucky to have him in Branford. Support local.
Theodore R.
Aug 16, 2021
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Brought in my bass today for a full setup, had it back in the same afternoon. plays tighter and better than it ever has. Thank you Ken! Will come back in the future for more services for sure!
Joseph Reynolds
Jan 16, 2021
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I have a Fender Stratocaster that had a bad volume pot so the "mr Fixit" in me said I can fix it.so I bought a soldering set and volume potentiometers from Stew Mac, which if you are not familiar, is a one stop shop Of any thing to do with building or repairing guitars and amps for Guitar Luthiers amateurs and professionals alike. Needless to say it wasn't as easy as I thought, soldered the new volume pot in as best I could while following an instructional video but NO SOUND!.
So I brought it to A Sound Choice and I asked Ken to please fix the volume pot and then while he was at it do a professional setup and replace the strings.to make a long story short, Ken said I did a good job, just needed a little touching up and now the guitar is playing better than ever and I have another 20 more Guitars I need to bring him for future set ups. He could have charged me for a complete volume pot replacement and I would've never even of known otherwise. If you want honest, trustworthy, affordable, timely service of your treasured instruments.you can not do better than A Sound Choice.
So I brought it to A Sound Choice and I asked Ken to please fix the volume pot and then while he was at it do a professional setup and replace the strings.to make a long story short, Ken said I did a good job, just needed a little touching up and now the guitar is playing better than ever and I have another 20 more Guitars I need to bring him for future set ups. He could have charged me for a complete volume pot replacement and I would've never even of known otherwise. If you want honest, trustworthy, affordable, timely service of your treasured instruments.you can not do better than A Sound Choice.
Bill P.
Dec 12, 2020
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The owner, Ken does brilliant work and knows exactly what he is doing. My Hamer Studio (Les Paul style guitar) that I'd recently bought online wasn't playing to my expectations, so I brought it to A Sound Choice. Within seconds, Ken knew exactly what to do, and set it up to factory specs. Then he handed me my guitar to get my opinion. The work was perfect, but I like my setup a bit higher than factory spec.
A minute or two later, it was perfectly dialed in just the way I wanted it. That last step made all the difference. Ken is a real pro, and makes the extra effort to be sure you're pleased with his work. On top of that, he carries a really nice selection of guitars, basses, drums, books and accessories.
A minute or two later, it was perfectly dialed in just the way I wanted it. That last step made all the difference. Ken is a real pro, and makes the extra effort to be sure you're pleased with his work. On top of that, he carries a really nice selection of guitars, basses, drums, books and accessories.
