Gryphon Stringed Instruments

About Gryphon Stringed Instruments

Gryphon Stringed Instruments is a music store at 211 Lambert Avenue, at the corner of Lambert Avenue and Park Boulevard, a few blocks from California Avenue. It sells new, used and vintage fretted instruments and runs a repair shop that the business says has a national reputation for repairing, building and appraising guitars, mandolins, banjos and ukuleles.

The shop's own history page tells the story. Gryphon started in the fall of 1969 in a garage about three blocks from today's store. At first it built instruments: from 1969 to 1973 it made about 40 steel-string guitars, a few F-style mandolins and dozens of banjo necks. Repair work kept coming in. By 1972 the team was spending more time fixing old guitars than building new ones. A storefront opened in 1973 on El Camino Way. In 1975 the shop moved to its current corner. The extra room made space for Carol McComb's Folk Guitar Workshops, the start of years of group and private lessons there.

The name comes from the mythical gryphon, half lion and half eagle. The shop's FAQ explains the logo with a wink, noting that its chariot pulling skills have never been tested.

What it sells

Acoustic guitars, mandolins and banjos have been the core of the shop for more than five decades. The website's catalog runs much wider:

• Guitars: flat top, arch top, classical and resophonic acoustics, plus solid body, semi-hollow and arch top electrics.
• Mandolin family: mandolins, mandolas, octave mandolins, mandocellos and bouzoukis.
• Banjos: five-string, tenor, plectrum and guitar banjos.
• Ukuleles and basses: soprano through baritone ukuleles, plus acoustic, electric, ukulele and upright basses.
• Gear: amps, effects pedals, pickups, microphones and audio interfaces, tuners, cases, strings and instruction books.

The history page says recent growth has come from instruments by very small companies and individual makers. A growing stock of steel guitars and ukuleles has helped too. The website notes that its online catalog is being updated, so call 650-493-2131 if you are hunting for something specific.

Setups, repairs and appraisals

Service is what sets the shop apart, by its own account. Gryphon's FAQ says its luthiers check every instrument that comes into the store. Its technicians set up each one before it goes on sale. Further adjustments before and after the purchase are free. The shop also says it has no commissioned salespeople, so staff have no reason to push you toward a pricier instrument than you need. Even with accessories, it says it points customers to what works rather than what sells. Local buyers get the most from this, since they can drop in for tweaks after the first weeks of playing, when strings settle and the action may need a small change.

Appraisals are a growing part of the business. Quick in-person visual appraisals, without paperwork, are free. Formal written appraisals, which many insurers ask for, need an appointment and carry a fee, with or without photos. Instruments bought at Gryphon get a discount. The appraisal page also points to a staff member's appearances as an appraiser on PBS's Antiques Roadshow.

Buying, layaway and custom orders

You can buy in the store, online or by email. Most instruments can go on layaway. Gryphon does not rent instruments. It will custom order guitars from its popular brands with a deposit. Many new and used instruments cannot be shipped abroad because they contain protected materials such as certain rosewoods, so ask before ordering from outside the United States.

Visiting the shop

Hours changed in July 2026. The shop is now open Tuesday through Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and closed Sunday and Monday. Gryphon says the change means nearly the whole team is in when the doors are open, which helps with trade-in evaluations and repair consultations. It also closes on major holidays, including Thanksgiving and Christmas.

The store is in the Ventura area just south of the California Avenue district, so it pairs well with lunch on California Avenue or a train trip to the California Avenue station. If live acoustic music is what got you thinking about an instrument, our live music guide lists where to hear it locally.

Location and getting there

Gryphon Stringed Instruments is at 211 Lambert Avenue, Palo Alto, CA 94306, in the California Avenue area of Palo Alto. Our California Avenue guide covers what else is around.

The nearest train stop is the California Avenue Caltrain station, about 0.6 miles away. That is roughly a 14 minute walk.

Parking: street spaces and city garages with posted limits (see parking in Palo Alto).

Hours

Hours from the business's own website, checked October 30, 2026.

What is nearby

• Say Ray, service business, 0.1 mi
• Building Kidz of Palo Alto, Lambert Avenue, service business, 0.2 mi
• Equinox, studio or gym, 0.2 mi
• INDO Restaurant & Lounge, restaurant, 0.2 mi
• Tie Mu Zhen, restaurant, 0.2 mi
• Boulware Park, 0.2 mi
• Hoover Park, 0.5 mi
• Bowden Park, 0.6 mi

Other books, gifts, art and specialty shops nearby: Verizon El Camino Real (0.3 mi); AT&T El Camino Real (0.4 mi); Gamelandia (0.6 mi); Christian Science Reading Room (0.6 mi). Browse the full books, gifts, art and specialty shops list.

Before you go

• Hours for small shops can change with the seasons and holidays. Check before making a special trip.
• Many independent shops will order items they do not have in stock. Just ask at the counter.
• Gift wrapping is often available, especially around the holidays.

About this listing

Checked October 30, 2026 against Gryphon: hours and directions; Gryphon: new store hours starting July 7; Gryphon: history; Gryphon: FAQ; Gryphon: appraisals. How our listings work. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Frequently asked questions