Fiddler's Green Music Shop

A great small town, very personalized experience. They know folk instruments extremely well. They're not out to just scrape a buck off of you - but help guide you through the right decisions. From beginner to professional; Fiddler's Green is the place to go!

Fantastic shop. He has great knowledge and clearly is a master musician. Was honest and did not try to sell us the more expensive mandolin. Threw in free pics, helped with a case, tuner, strings and strap. We will be back for adjustments and anytime we need a new mandolin!

Went here a couple of weeks ago for a repair on my guitar because the strings were too high and it hurt to play it, came back to get my guitar, did an amazing job fixing the strings, aside from that, the guy at the counter is really nice, would absolutely come again.

If you're in the need for a stringed instrument, look no further. This place is epic. Their lesson offerings and teachers are great. I had a few Ukulele lessons while passing through town and my teacher was good. She was informative and make things easy to understand. Parking here can be an issue during rush hour. It's location is right off a main drive in Austin, but folks will let you out of the parking lot.

fantastic experience!! from the moment i walked in, i felt welcomed and peaceful to try anything there; the owners are very sweet but give you space to fully focus - plus i found a great acoustic guitar for less than the same one listed on guitar center and sweetwater !! will definitely be back 🎶🌞

Lovely little shop. Full of wonderful instruments you are going to have trouble finding elsewhere. The owner is highly agreeable, and his passion for this place is faultless. I purchased a Gold Tone Irish bouzouki from him several years ago, I was playing it today and it is simply incredible. The price he sold it to me for is just as great as the quality of the instrument. If you want to buy an acoustic instrument, of really any type, but more specifically of the mandolin family, please buy it from here!

Very impressive selection of mandolins. I visited on Saturday and enjoyed meeting Ben and getting the chance to play on a few very nice mandolins. Great place! Sorry, forgot to snap of the inside. But go check it out for yourself. You will not be disappointed.

Well I bought 2 $45 harmonicas here, and wasn’t really looking to do so, but also spent 1k on a banjo if that tells you anything about this place. This is a world-class music shop hidden in plain sight, or maybe just hidden period, but the guy who sold me the instruments said he’s training to be a luthier and couldn’t care less about commissions. It’s the real deal. Wait for their opening hours.

Great selection. Have acquired multiple instruments (Ukulele, harp, mandolin, Guitar, Irish whistles,...) from them. Always a dangerous temptations when exploring the shop (like that Bouzouki...). Their new location in Lockhart has an added benefit of great BBQ nearby.

This place was amazing, super accommodating of my group coming in to play all sorts of instruments mostly while killing time between work events. They were so chill and welcoming that we bought t-shirts so we felt better about wasting their time without buying anything expensive. I'll probably come back next time I'm in town and buy that Acoustic Bass I've been jonesing for ever since my visit.

I heard from a source they were the go-to for acoustic guitar work. I brought in my Martin for a setup, and now it plays better than ever. The entire process was a delight, from the guys working behind the counter to Ben who actually did the work. Ben called me to ask about my preference and playing style, and he took the time to listen to me to make sure we were on the same page. Also while ringing me up, the guy behind the counter was nice enough to let me play his personal Martin that happened to be there. If you've ever gone in the store, you know it's not your typical music shop. I wouldn't want it any other way. Keep it up!

Customer service is phenomenal!! Ben is extremely responsive! As I was considering the purchase of a mandolin he responded to my emails of questions and was happy to get on the phone with me. In person was even better. He very knowledgeable and fantastically easy to work with and talk to. After purchasing a mandolin from Ben, He was also beyond helpful in getting my mandolin setup. On top of this, Fiddler's Green is a wonderful, musical store located on Main Street, right off the square from the townhouse. Just a cool, cool place with great vibes. Well worth the trip to Lockhart!

I bought a harp from Fiddlers Green. I was impressed by the knowledge of the owner when he answered questions by email and appreciated his detailed photos of the instrument. Curbside pickup (due to COVID-19) was quick and convenient. Would definitely shop here again.

A Virginia girl myself, was missing a little bluegrass in my life, so went in search of "fiddle" lessons and came upon Fiddler's Green. I just want to camp out in this store with all the beautiful handmade instruments and every time I head over, am treated to a session of some talented local group of musicians sitting inside doing variations on a theme of something familiar... As Nick says, Ben is the greatest...this guy is so cool and very willing to share his knowledge and time on music with you. Great music shop!

My teacher suggested this place, but I was really disappointed. When I asked about a capo for my ukulele, they told me they were out. When I asked if they could order one, they said no but to check back in a week, and they *might* have one then. They didn't even know when they were getting more, and I felt like they were blowing me off. Yes, they have some nice instruments and song books, but I can't say that I'll go back.

Prices? I've never written a review for product or experience before. Although the staff was extremely helpful with a slight arrogance to a newbie/novice. I still had a great experience with the purchase of my first Kentucky KM-160. I was told it was $600 and was sold to me for $400. The actual price online is between $199-$260. A little like a car buying experience.

I love Fiddler's Green, it has everything you could want from a music shop. Recently I took up fiddle lessons, and not only did Fiddler's Green hook me up with my awesome instructor, they are always helpful if I need new strings or any sort of accessory for my instrument. Compared to other music stores I've been to in the past, everything is completely reasonable cost wise. My boyfriend also recently got a bodhran for Christmas, and what do you know, they offer lessons for that too. They are super accommodating and have great customer service, I definitely recommend this place to anyone with any sort of musical hobby, or anyone looking to start one.

This place was an excellent little find up near Hyde Park. They sell all kinds of acoustic instruments, including guitars, mandolins, dobros, dulcimers, harps,and many more (mostly stringed) instruments. While sitting in there talking to Ben, we had an informal jam and talked about our music related injuries. He's a good guy. I highly recommend checking this place out. The selection rocks, the people are cool and they're open Sunday!

One of my favorite places in Austin. It's put together just right. An arts and crafts door handle greets you on the front porch. It's a real music store, with gorgeous instruments filling each room. They have guitars, but it is the place to go if you're looking for mandolins, banjos... even harps. The staff is friendly and really knows their stuff. They've coordinated the bi-monthly bluegrass jams up the street at Waterloo Ice House. All in all, the kind of place that makes Austin great. May it prosper for a long, long time.

Whether you're a newbie or an accomplished musician, this shop should be on your list. Their selection of instruments is not vast, but they have a good range of incredibly high-quality guitars, fiddles, banjos, mandolins, etc. They can also hook you up with lessons, strings, books and the little things you'd need to keep your instrument happy. The people who work there are great musicians, too, and helpful without being intimidating. They're happy to help, or just to leave you alone to enjoy the beautiful items all around you. I purchased a mandolin here and have taken individual and group lessons through an instructor there, and every time I go in I'm treated like a welcome guest.

I love this place so much. They always have very unique ukuleles with a large variety. They also sell really good cases. I haven't ever seen anywhere that has the same cases or cases nearly as good, nor the ukes anywhere else with this quality and variety. Highly recommend them

Great shop for acoustic music instruments, one of the best that I've visited anywhere. As I walked in the door I was greeted by an older man playing old time music on the banjo. The staff member joined on guitar. The banjo player was superb, and it was a pleasure to hear. The man purchased the banjo as I was leaving. The Mandolin selection required an entire room, with little but high end selections available from small builders. I was able to experience first hand many instruments I've only heard on recordings. The 105 year old Gibson was especially sweet, if I had the cash on hand I would have left with it. Minus one star for pricing. Not bad, but better deals could be found with some searching. But it's also true that handmade instruments are unique, and it could be considered that the ability to play the instrument in store justifies the cost.. A must visit for any music fan in Austin.

Great shop. I've recently moved back to town, and stopped in to get back into the bluegrass / jam scene. Ben and Michelle are super nice, welcoming people, and hooked me up with some great instructors and jam sessions. They're well connected and can help acoustic musicians of any level fit into what's going on locally. If you can't find a place to park in front of the shop (2-3 spaces), pull around back.

This is a great shop for [almost] all things strings. If you are looking for ukuleles, mandolins, banjos, harps, dulcimers, and so forth, please check out Fiddler's Green. I've only been playing ukulele for about 6-7 months now and I wish I had found this shop sooner. I was looking for a Christmas gift for my sister (who has just started playing). The larger instrument stores have a very small selection of anything non-guitar and I couldn't find anything I really wanted to get her. Buying online, you have no clue the sound you will actually get. I searched and came across Fiddler's Green - when I went in, it was like a stringed instrument heaven with a huge selection of ukuleles in all price ranges and sizes. On top of that, the staff there was incredibly patient, helpful, and not pushy at all. I ended up with a concert for my sis and a soprano for me. :) Long story short - check out Fiddler's Green!!!

They have all sorts of things you may need for your instrument here. If you can't find it they will order it for you. You can rent instruments here, which I love. However, the instructors that work there are hard to get a hold of. I called everyone on the list, texted, and called again. Only one got back to me and our schedules didn't match up. So, I rented a violin for 2 months that I never used. I tried to find other instructors around town, but they were easily double the price if not more for a half hour lesson. So, obviously I preferred to use Fiddler's Green instructors b/c I can afford them. They do also have a little group that meets on Sunday evenings where you can watch or join in to learn by ear. I was never able to go, but I love that have it available. I'll probably be back one day, but it will be a while. I will have to make sure I have an instructor lined up first though.

Super helpful and very patient when my daughter was renting a violin and then again when she was looking to buy her first ukelele. Highly recommended!

What a lovely little treasure in Central Austin! After years of playing guitar, I really wanted to get a ukulele, but had NO idea what I was doing. I looked around online, but of course there are 700,000 different reviews for all kinds of different ukuleles and different places to get them. I would always exhaust myself trying to find the perfect one, hoping that the YouTube video I was watching was in accurate depiction of its sound. I finally gave up and decided to go to a real music shop, and I'm so glad I did! The very kind and patient gentleman running the store showed me some of his favorite options in a variety of price ranges, and since I didn't know how to play, he was gracious enough to play many of them for me so that I could hear the variations between them. He was very knowledgeable and extremely helpful. I ended up selecting this beauty that he recommended, and I've been at home learning to play it for the last two hours and I'm falling even more in love with it than I did in the shop. This place is so gorgeous and cozy. It feels like you've wandered into a Tolkien novel and come upon the hobbit village music shop. I was a little surprised they had a credit card machine, I figured I would have to pay with a sack of gold coins. ;-) I highly recommend this jewel of a store!

Easily the best selection of acoustic instruments and the most friendly/knowledgable staff in town. Oh, and they are all highly accomplished musicians. You won't find that at your local high-volume chain store. Even if the only thing you need is strings or rosin, this is the place to go in Austin. They get extra kudos for their community-building activities, which are substantial (jam sessions, Pickin' in the Park, concerts, lessons) and really set them apart from all the other shops in town.

These folks are amazing. The selection of ukes is incredible and the staff is super knowledgeable and helpful. The guy who helped me had actually gone to Luthier school! Plus he had great tips on where to find jams etc. Bought the Ohana uke I couldn't find anywhere in NYC on the spot and now I'm on the plane home.

Incredible service. I purchased a banjo a couple weeks ago and fell in love with it, even as a beginner. I knew immediately that the purchase the staff recommended was an instrument that I could use for the rest of my life, even if I decided to move beyond an entry-level instrument. The icing on the cake came when the tailpiece on my banjo broke today, through no fault of the Green itself. I took the broken part in and when the staff figured out they didn't have an extra part in, they traded my used (for two weeks of heavy play) instrument in for a new instrument. Their guiding interest was that I was able to keep playing my banjo, an attitude that is unfortunately rare with most retailers these days. They have a great selection, a knowledgable staff, a robust list of instructors, and a great attitude towards encouraging folk music in Austin. If you need a fiddle, a mandolin, a ukelele, a banjo, a guitar, or whatever (they have a huge inventory), check it out!

Just bought an 00 acoustic from here after several visits and months of checking out the other shops in town. These guys have a great space. I brought my existing guitar in to A/B and the shop negotiated a great price. After putting new strings on I'm blown away ... The value of Eastman is scary.

Came with friends on a visit to Austin. My friend's little girl wanted to play something other than classical or the traditional music in lessons. I was happy she was able to find such a nice place to keep her interest in violin playing. Great and friendly group atmosphere for kids to experience and play Irish Music. The Workshop is very casual and friendly. I hope there is a place like this back home.

A real Texas treasure. Located in a house, Fiddler's Green is a great alternative to big-box music stores. I recently bought a used octave mandolin there, and Ben was extremely helpful throughout the process. Definitely worth the drive from Houston to Austin.

Super helpful and not pushy! Went here for a fiddle and was told I could rent to own. Perfect solution for me.

Always courteous, always helpful, always knowledgeable. Austin is lucky to have this shop. There are not many like it.