Seven C Music & Coffee

A friend and I were visiting from NJ. Both of us play guitar and we both love coffee. This place was like a dreamland for us. We are a bit self conscious playing in public so neither of us played the guitars, but we admired some very beautiful acoustic (and a few electric) custom guitars. I overheard some customers coming in with their instruments and interacting with (who we assumed were) the luthiers, and it was fascinating to listen to them talk about some of the old guitars that were brought in. They were clearly very knowledgeable. I would not hesitate to bring my guitars to this place if I needed service or setup. One of the employees was doing setups of some guitars (action, intonation, etc.) out in the open space behind the counter, which was extremely cool to see, and fascinating. She clearly knew what she was doing. I wish we lived closer, because I would be at this place every day!

Great coffee, atmosphere and service.
It is simply the best family owned small business for quality guitars and guitar repairs in the Tampa/St Petersburg area.

My heart is so full. I have to tell you about an amazing set of experiences I’ve had recently. For my Tampa Bay musician friends, you already know all about this place, and yes, I’m REALLY late to the party, but let’s talk about Seven C Music.

My very first experience with Seven C was on Feb 17th of this year (I know, I KNOW!!! 😊). at the Clive Carroll concert. Clive is a name familiar to any fingerstyle guitar fan. I was so impressed by the vibe of the place; it is very “Asheville”. It is so calming, welcoming, intimate, and friendly. Of course, the concert was magnificent, but that’s only a small slice of what I’m here to tell you about.

I decided that night to cycle all my guitars that needed work through their repair shop. Some had not had any work done in years, and most had NEVER had a professional hand on them. One by one (OK, two by two! 😊), I put my Avian Songbird, my Luna Vicki Genfan Signature, My Yamaha NTX700 nylon string, my Washburn 335 copy, my 2000 Mexican Strat, my Yamaha 12 string, and finally my beloved 1983 Peavey Foundation bass thought for setups and other work. I also put daughter Abby’s Ibanez electric and Ibanez piccolo guitar through. Most of the work was routine, falling under the scope of their regular setup fee (plus restringing, of course). The Washburn needed a new pickup switch. The bass needed more work that I’ll detail in a moment. The 12-string was almost unplayable, and I didn’t think it could be rescued. Boy, was I wrong. The work Seven C does is pure MAGIC.

Without exception, everything came back playing better than any of them ever had, even when new. The care and kindness that David, Joel, Amanda, Marie, and the rest of the crew showed both me and my instruments was beyond exceptional. They listen to you, and help you arrive at exactly what you and your instruments need. I have carpal tunnel in both hands, and I asked for extra low actions on everything, and they are all like butter. The Strat can change notes just breathing on it 😊.

Now let’s talk about my bass. I bought it new on December 31st of 1983, and it needed more significant neck work than all the others. The problem was that the truss rod nut was unreachable even with the proprietary wrench made for it (it’s a very narrow neck, and the truss rod hole has very little clearance, so it takes a super thin-walled extended socket). The truss rod nut was almost halfway to the second fret! David had to cut away part of the fingerboard at the first fret, route out some clearance in the truss rod channel, get access to the nut, install spacers, and then rebuild the fretboard. The result is a neck that is flat, smooth, and accurate - for the first time in 40 years. It really does play better than new. This is craftsmanship of the very highest order, and I’m 100% certain that I was charged FAR less than the number of hours that were actually put into the instrument. The pricing is utterly fair and reasonable for everything. David cares. His team cares. I cannot recommend them more highly for ANY repair/setup work you need. Sometimes, there is a little bit of a wait. Most of my babies were gone for a week, and a couple of them were gone for two weeks. Trust me, it is worth every moment. This is about quality and care.

On top of all that, it is a supremely hip coffee shop. The sights, smells, and sounds are a tonic for the nerves, and 7C is an absolutely wonderful place to spend a Saturday morning meeting great people, having great conversations, and immersing yourself in music. That Strawberry Lemonade Tea is divine.
And yes, I was late to the party, but what’s important is that I showed up at all. I am so glad I did. You will be, too. 😊

Great experience! The owner is so nice and personable. Truly listened to what I had to say and gave an honest assessment of the instrument I brought in for repair. All the luthiers at the shop are true masters of their craft. I would recommend this place to anyone looking to get their guitar repaired or to purchase an instrument. I've recommended a few people bring their instruments in and all the work that they've done has been top notch. It's also a great place to get a coffee and just hang out. I hope this business sticks around for many years to come.

One of my favorite coffee shops in town! The coffee is amazing and I especially love their London Fog. Incredible atmosphere with tons of comfy chairs and tables to bring your laptop or guitar and do work. I highly recommend trying ANY of the baked goodies they have from a local baker. They are soooo good! They also have live music performances throughout the month. Go grab a coffee and shop for a new guitar!

Just had another of my acoustic guitars checked out and set up at Seven C Music, and, as usual, they did an outstanding job! We are lucky to have such a professional repair service in the Tampa Bay area. Very approachable and knowledgeable staff and owners. Thanks!

Seven C Music and Coffee is an AWESOME music store and cafe.

My girlfriend and I visited a few weeks ago and we really enjoyed the beautiful store layout with cafe. They have private smaller rooms for their acoustic high end models, and I got to sit and play several models of Collings and Martin guitars that I could only dream about playing. It was very relaxing too.

David, one of the owners, came in and we enjoyed a nice conversation. He was very sweet and welcoming.

I got to briefly meet his son, Joel, another owner of the store. He was very kind and you could tell he knew his stuff. I look forward to bringing my guitars down to Seven C Music for hardware upgrades in the near future. If I ever need anything repaired, I know they’re the place to go. I didn’t catch Joel’s wife’s name, but she was very welcoming the moment we walked in. Great staff. They are all very family oriented.

If your significant other doesn’t like being “dragged” to music stores, this place will certainly change their mind. My girlfriend enjoyed her book and some delicious coffee in the cafe area, while I played in the private acoustic room. She said she enjoyed the relaxing atmosphere and it made for an awesome Saturday afternoon.

The coffee is great too. We brought home some whole bean coffee home.

They are about a 2 hour drive from where I live, but are absolutely worth the drive. Definitely worth stopping in if you’re ever in the area. I look forward to visiting again, soon.

-Allen

He worked on my EVH Eruption 1978 guitar and did a I thought was a impossible set up. But Nope I got it back and never sounded better. It's a amazing guitar now and a joy to play. Eddie would be proud of the quality of work that was done there.

The only place in St. Pete for all things Guitar! Skilled luthiers, wide selection of guitars for beginners to experienced collectors. The owners are great people and it shows in every aspect of the business. We enjoy attending their live events and the cool music community they have helped create. Make sure you sign up for their text messages to keep up with events!

My husband and I had the honor to participate in the monthly art walk festival here. Not only was it the best venue that he and I performed at, but it had all of my husband's boxes checked for any needs for his guitars, whether it be maintenance or future purchases. The owners and staff were extremely nice and accommodating.

What a fabulous shop/store with an excellent live performance venue - guitars galore (and more musical instruments) plus goodies inc coffee, as well as luthiers on location !

Really great place to see a performance. Chill vibe and all the beautiful guitars hanging in the background make for a perfect backdrop

I recently took a antique family guitar in for evaluation and service. I appreciate the honesty and forthrightness, having been told my guitar was repairable, but the cost of the repairs would vastly exceed the value of the guitar. Other shops might try to underrepresent the work needed, then hit you up with a surprise service bill afterward. Thank you, Joel!

Amazing shop and staff!

Master luthiers - restored my primary acoustic guitar to better than new form.

Great vibe and atmosphere - check them out if you're in the area.

Fast, knowledgeable, capable, excellent selection of instruments, good repair people. Highly recommended. They did a warranty-covered Taylor neck reset. I couldn’t be happier.

Seven C Music is usually my last stop on the Second Saturday Art Walk. Grateful they open their business for events and have great live local and National Musicians playing! Food truck, beverages, in/outside seating and accessible rest areas.

What a place! Not only great repair staff, but guitar shop, entertainment venue and great coffee. Everyone was friendly and knowledgeable. I wish I lived closer, but worth the 40 min drive. Cool area also.

David Hosler, the owner of Seven C, has created a gem of a guitar shop right here in the warehouse/ arts district in St Petersburg Florida. Integrating a live room w stage, events, coffee/ espresso bar, wine bar with state of the luthier gear and world class luthiers. A limited but diverse and well chosen selection of guitars are always in stock. Used and new. I have a 2015 Taylor t5z classic used on over 1000 gigs. It plays like brand new every time I get it maintained/ set up here. I highly recommend visiting the location whether you are a tourist or local. 2nd Saturday art walk they have an indoor/ outdoor event with a food truck.

Seven C Music is one of the most impressive guitar shops I've seen. The shop decked out with a live stage, cafe, repair center, and loads of great guitars! Seven C has a huge range of Taylor guitars and plenty of great electric guitar and amplifiers. The staff are super-nice and I can highly recommend this store. Check it out! A+

Didn't try food there. Did have a great experience with a bass guitar set up. They did a fantastic job. Also attended a show there. Intamite venue. Very nice