The Early Music Shop Reviews 

1,064
TrustScore 4.5 out of 5

4.7

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Review summary

Created with AI, based on recent reviews

Evaluating 436 reviews, reviewers overwhelmingly had a great experience with this company. Customers consistently praise the excellent quality and wide variety of products, finding them suitable for their specific needs. Many highlight prompt and secure delivery, with items often arriving sooner than expected and well-packaged. The service is also frequently described as excellent, with helpful staff ensuring a smooth ordering process. However, some customers also noted issues with delivery delays, orders not being shipped, or items arriving damaged or not as described. Additionally, a few reviewers were not happy with communication regarding order status or product availability, leading to uncertainty.

What people talk about most

Product

Reviewers highlight positive aspects of product quality, with many describing items as first-class,... See more

Delivery service

Clients share positive opinions on delivery service, with many reviewers highlighting prompt and timely... See more

Quality

Reviewers mention positive feedback about quality, with many customers expressing satisfaction with the... See more

Service

People report positive experiences with service, often describing it as first-class, excellent, and beyond... See more

Order

Customers consistently note positive experiences with order processing, highlighting prompt handling and... See more

Reviews shaping this summary

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

I bought a Fipple recorder as part of my campaign to keep arthritic fingers moving. It’s great. Makes a good sound but best of all the holes at the foot of the instrument are perfectly placed for my... See more

Company replied

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

They carry more obscure parts and instruments that are hard to get from other places. The delivery took a bit longer than expected, but that might be just because of the current global crises, so can'... See more

Company replied

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

The recorder bag I bought was exactly as described and fits all my recorders snugly. Shipping from the UK was reasonable, and the package arrived quickly. I would buy from this company again. I... See more

Company replied

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

I got in contact with The Early Music Shop and was put through to the Snape Maltings branch. The member of staff (I think her name was Esther) was fantastic! She went above and beyond to check the rec... See more

Company replied


Company details

  1. Music Store
  2. Musical Instrument Rental Service
  3. Musical Instrument Repair Shop
  4. Musical Instrument Store
  5. Sheet Music Store
  6. Used Musical Instrument Store

Written by the company

The Early Music Shop is the largest source of historical musical instruments worldwide. We are an independent music shop specialising in Early Music instruments, accessories and printed music. Our expert staff have years of experience helping you to find the perfect instrument for you!


Contact info

4.7

Excellent

TrustScore 4.5 out of 5

1K reviews

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4-star
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1-star

Asks customers to review

This company invites their customers to review, whether positive or negative

Replied to 75% of negative reviews

Typically replies within 1 month

How this company uses Trustpilot

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4.7

All reviews

(1,064)

438 reviews in the last 12 months

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Companies on Trustpilot aren't allowed to offer incentives or pay to hide reviews. Reviews are the opinions of individual users and not of Trustpilot. Read more

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Wonderful experience!

Wonderful experience and a repeat customer! I am an international customer living in the US and received excellent service as usual. Thank you!

8 June 2026
The Early Music Shop logo

Reply from The Early Music Shop

Thank you for your kind words and for your continued support! It means a great deal to us to have loyal customers around the world, and we look forward to helping again in the future.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Barry Holder did an excellent job…

Barry Holder did an excellent job revoicing three recorders, a Mollenhauer Denner, a Moeck Stanesby and a Maarten modern alto. The turnaround was prompt and everything worked very smoothly.

8 June 2026
The Early Music Shop logo

Reply from The Early Music Shop

Thanks for sharing this, which we will pass on to Barry.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Super service

Super service, fast and safe delivery and quality recorder. Thank you very much.

8 October 2025
The Early Music Shop logo

Reply from The Early Music Shop

Lovely to hear this, thank you for sharing.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

The staff were very helpful

The staff were very helpful, very clear about the product and the transporting of it and I was very happy when it arrived safely and on time. Thank you

29 May 2026
The Early Music Shop logo

Reply from The Early Music Shop

Thanks for letting us know, this is great feedback which will be shared with our team.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Gut string

Good product, fair price, promptly dispatched

29 May 2026
The Early Music Shop logo

Reply from The Early Music Shop

Thank you for your review. It's much appreciated.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

Everything was delivered OK, however...

Everything was delivered in expected amount of time. Nothing was damaged, but the package had been ripped and the Royal Mail had to wrap it in a separate bag. One item was very small and could have fallen through the rip easily. More robust packaging should be considered.

26 May 2026
The Early Music Shop logo

Reply from The Early Music Shop

Thank you for your helpful feedback, which we will pass on to our packaging department. We will certainly look at our packaging to see if we can improve it.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Great Service

I'm very pleased with the recorder I received. Shipped from the UK to the USA, it arrived very quickly and in perfect shape. I'm considering a couple other instruments now!

26 May 2026
The Early Music Shop logo

Reply from The Early Music Shop

So glad to hear it arrived safely and you're happy with your purchase! Do be in touch if there is anything else we can help you with.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Happy Satisfied Customer

Shipping was immediate and the recorder arrived safely and in a timely manner. Very happy overall.

26 May 2026
The Early Music Shop logo

Reply from The Early Music Shop

This is good to hear, thank you so much for your feedback.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Prompt delivery; good communication

I really like the communication emails ( even though automatically generated) related to my purchase. The Sigo recorder arrived in perfect condition.
I may like to suggest all the packaging be more environmentally friendly.
Would definitely buy from this company again.

22 May 2026
The Early Music Shop logo

Reply from The Early Music Shop

Thank you for your review. We're pleased to hear that all is well, and that your SIGO arrived safely.
We also appreciate your suggestion regarding environmentally friendly packaging. Sustainability is something we continue to review, and customer feedback like yours helps us identify areas where we can improve while still ensuring instruments are well protected during transit.
Thank you for choosing The Early Music Shop.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Truly beautiful musical instruments of…

Truly beautiful musical instruments of great quality. Also appreciate the maintenance advice cards.

3 March 2026
The Early Music Shop logo

Reply from The Early Music Shop

Thank you for your feedback, great to hear that the maintenance cards are a helpful addition. Enjoy playing!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Excellent selection at various price ranges

I really enjoyed the website. There were plentiful choices of my preferred instrument, and a excellent selection in various price ranges. I was able to find an entry level maple recorder at an excellent price. My instrument arrived safely despite being sent internationally.

18 May 2026
The Early Music Shop logo

Reply from The Early Music Shop

Thank you for your review. We're delighted to hear that you found our range of recorders easy to browse and that you were able to find the right instrument at a price that suited you.
We hope you enjoy many happy hours of music-making with your new recorder, and we look forward to serving you again in the future.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

My experience was great with Early…

My experience was great with Early Music Shop but I was surprised to have to pay 17€ for the customs !
The Brexit made it Esther more expansive !

22 May 2026
The Early Music Shop logo

Reply from The Early Music Shop

Sorry to hear you had customs fees to pay. Unfortunately this is out of our control. But glad to hear that you have had a good experience nonetheless. Enjoy your purchase!

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