Forrests Music
Ordering, Payments, and Returns
How to place orders, ask about instrument financing, understand sales tax, and handle returns.
Ways to order
You can order directly from this storefront. We are also happy to take your order by phone during store hours, and for instrument purchases, special orders, or anything you would rather talk through, phone or email is often the faster route.
- Phone
- 510-845-7178
- Toll free
- 800-322-6263
Payments and financing
We accept major credit and debit cards. Card payments are processed by Stripe on its own secure payment page — your card number goes directly to Stripe and never reaches our servers. Instrument purchases may also be paid by bank check drawn on a US or Canadian bank in US dollars; email us for details.
Instrument financing may be available for qualifying purchases from $1,500 to $20,000, with terms from 6 to 60 months. Contact Forrests for current instructions.
Sales tax
Sales tax is calculated at checkout for your destination and shown before you pay. Orders shipped within California include tax on merchandise and on shipping and handling, as California requires.
Cancellations and availability
Contact us as soon as possible if you need to cancel or change an order — if it has not shipped, we can usually still catch it.
Out-of-stock items can't be ordered online — they show a “notify me” option instead — and an order we can't fully fill is refunded, not held.
Satisfaction guaranteed
All items except instruments and digital downloads may be returned within 30 days of receipt, provided the item and its retail packaging are complete and in new resalable condition.
For customer-requested returns on orders purchased on or after August 4, 2026, we deduct a 5% restocking fee from the returned merchandise price. Sales tax on the returned merchandise is refunded in full. Orders purchased before August 4, 2026 are not charged this new fee.
Original outbound shipping is not refundable. If your order shipped free, our actual outbound shipping cost is deducted from the refund. You are responsible for return shipping and for the merchandise until it safely reaches us.
The restocking fee and outbound-shipping deduction do not apply to defective merchandise, shipping damage, or an item Forrests shipped incorrectly. Contact us before sending one of these returns so we can provide instructions.
Please examine everything promptly when it arrives. No adjustments can be made more than 30 days after you receive the merchandise.
For instruments, contact the shop — instrument purchases are handled individually, and trials are the usual way to decide on one.
What is not returnable
- Digital downloads (sheet music PDFs) — these are delivered instantly and cannot be returned or refunded once purchased
- Repair parts
- Used reeds
- Special orders
- Items sent on trial before purchase
- Légère reeds, unless defective
How to make a return
Include a copy of the invoice with the items so we can credit the right order. Please repack everything properly to prevent damage — you are responsible for the merchandise until it safely reaches us, and we cannot cover a return that is lost or damaged on its way back.
If we made a mistake
If an item is defective, arrives damaged, or we filled your order incorrectly, contact us before returning it. We will waive the restocking fee and outbound-shipping deduction, refund any original shipping charge, and cover reasonable return postage.
Damage in transit
If your order arrives damaged, call or email us for instructions before doing anything else — keep the packaging, since the carrier may need to see it.