Want to learn the harmonica? The ukulele? Maybe some Spanish instruments?  Dale’s Guitar in downtown Turlock offers much more than its title indicates.

 “One thing that I think sets us apart from other stores it that we offer lessons on any instrument. Even for uncommon, oddball instruments, we will find a teacher and offer lessons,” said Dale Falkenberg, owner of Dale’s Guitar.

Located in downtown Turlock for the past six and a half years, Dale’s Guitar has become a staple of the local music scene. With about 100 students coming in and out of the building each week, the store features five lesson rooms where nine different teachers share their love of music with local students as young as two and a half years old.

“We offer a free first lesson on any instrument just to try,” said Falkenberg.

Despite having an entire store front filled with guitars, ukuleles, instrument accessories and more, instrument lessons are at the heart of Dale’s work. A guitar player of 42 years, Dale teaches 50 students a week himself and the multitude of instruments, music books and musical offerings are partly the result of student requests and interest.

“Some of the school music programs have died off a bit and that has brought a lot of people with music interest, or who want their kids to learn instruments, to the store,” said Falkenberg.

Dale’s Guitar has also served as a go-to spot for the Sunshine Strummers, a local ukulele group for seniors that tours the area and has played at locations such as the Carnegie Arts Center and California State University, Stanislaus.

“We always send our members to Dale’s once they have decided to invest in a ukulele. He also has accessories, like straps for our ukuleles that we buy here,” said Kathy Murray, head of the Sunshine Strummers.