We help musicians make informed decisions through expert-tested reviews, detailed comparisons, and comprehensive buying guides.
BestMusicInstruments was founded in 2019 by a group of professional musicians, audio engineers, and music educators who were frustrated by the lack of genuinely independent instrument reviews online. Too many "review" sites were thinly veiled advertisements. We set out to build something different.
Based in Chicago, Illinois, our team operates from a dedicated studio facility where we test instruments hands-on before recommending them. We evaluate everything from $50 beginner ukuleles to $10,000 professional guitars with the same rigorous methodology.
Today, our guides cover 36,000+ products across 11 instrument categories, helping over 850,000 musicians each month find the right equipment for their needs and budget.
We are not affiliated with any instrument manufacturer, retailer, or distributor. Our recommendations are based solely on product quality, value, and suitability for the intended use case. No brand can pay for a favorable review.
Every recommendation is informed by hands-on experience. Our reviewers are working musicians and audio professionals who evaluate instruments in real-world conditions — not just from spec sheets and marketing materials.
The instrument market evolves constantly. We update our guides weekly to reflect new product releases, price changes, and availability. Outdated recommendations are removed. Every guide displays its last update date.
We explain how we evaluate instruments and what criteria we prioritize. Our scoring considers sound quality, build quality, playability, value for money, and brand reliability. We document our testing process so readers can assess our conclusions.
Our guides serve complete beginners and seasoned professionals equally. We explain technical concepts without condescension and provide actionable recommendations at every budget level — because great music doesn't require expensive gear.
Our editorial team includes 12 specialist reviewers with backgrounds spanning orchestral performance, jazz guitar, audio engineering, electronic music production, and music education. Combined, our team brings over 150 years of professional music experience.
Each category is overseen by a dedicated specialist who has professional experience in that instrument family. Our guitar reviewer has toured internationally for 15 years. Our studio equipment reviewer holds a degree in audio engineering and has worked in major recording studios. Our drum reviewer has performed with Grammy-nominated artists.
We welcome feedback, corrections, and suggestions from our readers. If you believe a review contains an error or a product recommendation should be reconsidered, please reach out.