Lemur Music
Lemur Music is a specialty e-commerce and retail business based in San Clemente, California, founded in 1964, that exclusively sells double basses, bows, strings, sheet music, and related accessories to students, professional musicians, schools, and hobbyists across all 50 US states and 25 countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1964
- HeadquartersSan Clemente, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Lemur Music does
Lemur Music is a privately held, specialty e-commerce and retail business founded in 1964 and headquartered in San Clemente, California. The company focuses exclusively on double bass instruments and the surrounding ecosystem of bows, strings, sheet music, amplification, cases, and accessories. Its catalog spans 1,419+ products including 438+ string variants from every major manufacturer (Thomastik-Infeld, Pirastro, D'Addario, La Bella, Corelli, Jargar, Rotosound), with instrument price points from approximately $169.99 for an entry-level Fender Mini Precision Bass up to $46,000 for an 1880 French vintage double bass. The platform is built on a standard e-commerce storefront with 24/7 online ordering, supported by a physical showroom operating by appointment and an in-house full-service repair/refurbishment shop. A differentiating service called the Lemur All-Pro Set-Up is performed on every bass that leaves the shop, customizing string selection, action height, and bridge adjusters to buyer preferences.
The business operates a direct-to-consumer model with a secondary B2G component accepting school and military purchase orders and bid requests. The company holds OEM collaboration agreements with major European luthiers — Pollmann, Wilfer, Stoll, Scaramelli, and Arvi — to produce Lemur Exclusive bass models unavailable through other channels. Shipping reaches all 50 US states and 25 countries internationally. Founder and owner Jerry Buffa leads the 11–50 employee organization. Distribution is purely direct; no marketplace presence or third-party dealer network was disclosed.
Beyond transactions, Lemur has built a content and community layer around The Bass Shed podcast and referrals to The Bass Shed Academy lesson platform, positioning itself as a hub for double bass education and repertoire. The company shows no disclosed funding rounds, no technology partnerships, and no AI/ML capabilities. Its competitive position rests on catalog breadth, luthier expertise, OEM exclusivity, and a specialized All-Pro setup service rather than on technology differentiation.
Lemur Music firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Lemur Music
- Legal name
- Lemur Music
- Website
- https://lemurmusic.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1964
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Lemur Music is a specialty e-commerce and retail business based in San Clemente, California, founded in 1964, that exclusively sells double basses, bows, strings, sheet music, and related accessories to students, professional musicians, schools, and hobbyists across all 50 US states and 25 countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Lemur Music industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Musical Instrument Retail (Double Bass Specialty)
- NAICS
- Musical Instrument and Supplies Retailers (459140), Used Merchandise Retailers (4595)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Musical Instrument Retail (Guitars, Keyboards, Drums, Band/Orchestra) (CRALAEAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Instrument Accessories & Consumables Retail (Strings, Reeds, Sticks, Cables) (CRALAEAE), Instrument Repair, Maintenance & Luthier Services (CRALAEAF), Instrument & Pro Audio Retail (Online/Brick-and-Mortar) (MPAIAJAH)
Keywords
Where Lemur Music is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Clemente
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Lemur Music business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Product Sales: Primary revenue stream from selling double bass instruments (upright and electric), bows, strings, sheet music, and accessories through e-commerce and retail. Products range from entry-level laminated basses to high-end carved wood instruments priced up to $46,000.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Single product sales with varying price points based on product category, brand, and quality tier |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels3 records
Lemur Music product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Lemur Music is a specialty retailer of double bass instruments and related products, operating through an e-commerce platform and a physical showroom in San Clemente, California. The company sells upright (laminated, carved wood, vintage, and flyaway) and electric basses, bows, double bass strings from major brands, sheet music, amplification gear, cases, and accessories, with a professional All-Pro Set-Up performed on every instrument shipped. It also offers bass rentals, vintage instrument restoration, and accepts school and military purchase orders for institutional customers.
Product overview
Lemur Music operates as a specialized double bass music studio and e-commerce retailer based in San Clemente, CA. The business offers a comprehensive product portfolio centered on double basses—ranging from entry-level laminated instruments ($2,495-$3,800) to premium carved wood basses ($4,200-$38,000+)—alongside a complete ecosystem of related products. Key offerings include bows (fiberglass, carbon fiber, brazilwood, and pernambuco options ranging $120-$1,450), an extensive selection of double bass strings from major brands (Thomastik-Infeld, Pirastro, D'Addario, Corelli, Jargar, La Bella, Rotosound), sheet music collections, performance accessories, amplification equipment, cases, and rentals. The company positions itself as a specialty shop offering telephone support for custom bass orders and advanced positioning in bass maker production queues.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Double Basses (Upright/Acoustic and Electric) Full line of upright and electric double basses including laminated, carved wood, vintage/historic, flyaway, and electric models from brands such as Solana, Shen, Pollmann, Wilfer, Stoll, Scaramelli, Arvi, Kay, Fender, Squier, and Lemur-exclusive designs. Priced from approximately $169.99 (Fender Mini Precision) up to $46,000 for an 1880 French Double Bass.
- Bass Bows Bass bows in fiberglass, carbon fiber, brazilwood, and pernambuco materials from brands including Glasser, CodaBow (Revelation, Infinity), and Lemur Music house brands. Prices range from $120 to $1,450.
- Double Bass Strings Comprehensive selection of upright bass strings (438+ products) from Thomastik-Infeld, Pirastro, D'Addario, Corelli, Jargar, La Bella, and Rotosound, available in orchestra, solo, fifths, and various tension/gauge options. Prices range from approximately $19 to $2,000.
- Sheet Music Extensive sheet music collection including solo bass repertoire, bass and piano pieces, chamber music (duets through quintets), method books, jazz studies, real and fake books, and music for bass with various instruments. Prices range from $15 to $30.
- Double Bass Accessories Performance and maintenance accessories including bass rosins, polishes and cleaners, endpins, mutes, sound posts, tuning machines, repair tools, and replacement parts.
- Pickups, Preamps, and Amps Electronic amplification equipment for upright basses including pickups, preamplifiers, and amplifier units.
- Bags and Cases Protective carrying cases and bags for transporting double basses and accessories.
- Bass Rentals Short-term and long-term rental programs for double basses, with an affiliate program for other instrument rentals through Bertrand's Music Rentals.
- Vintage and Historic Bass Restoration Full-service repair and refurbishment of vintage and historical upright basses through Lemur's in-house repair shop to enhance playability of historic instruments.
- All-Pro Set-Up Service Professional setup performed on every bass that leaves the shop, customizing string choice, action height, bridge adjusters, and other features to maximize playability for each buyer.
Companies that use Lemur Music
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Lemur Music technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Lemur Music partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators1 record
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Lemur Music competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Reverb: Online marketplace for new and used musical instruments including double basses; competes with Lemur on selection breadth, pricing transparency, and global reach.
Broad incumbents
- Sweetwater: Largest online musical instrument retailer offering strings, bows, and basses across all categories with strong logistics and customer service; relevant competitor for strings and accessories.
- Music & Arts: Large multi-instrument retailer with strong school music program business; competes with Lemur in B2G channels and entry-level double bass/accessory sales.
Direct peers
- Johnson String Instrument: Retailer of stringed instruments including cellos, violas, violins, and double basses, plus strings and bows; serves schools and individuals with a similar catalog breadth to Lemur.
- Kolstein's: Long-established double bass specialist and luthier serving professional orchestral and jazz players with high-end carved instruments, repairs, and accessories, overlapping heavily with Lemur's premium segment.
- International Violin Company: Retailer and dealer of violins, violas, cellos, and double basses with showroom, rentals, and trade-in programs; similar dual retail/repair/service model.
- Upton Bass: Specialty double bass shop and luthier workshop offering new, restored, and rental basses plus strings and bows; closest direct competitor to Lemur in the pure-play double bass niche.
- Carriage House Violins: Boutique string instrument shop and restoration workshop offering sales, rentals, and luthier services across the violin family including double basses.
- Shar Music: Specialty retailer of string instruments, bows, strings, and sheet music with a strong educational and orchestral focus, directly comparable to Lemur's B2G and string offerings.
- Southwest Strings: School-focused string instrument and accessories retailer serving orchestra programs; comparable to Lemur's B2G school channel and instrument range.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Lemur Music social profiles
Digital presenceLemur Music financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Lemur Music leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Lemur Music funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Lemur Music M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Lemur Music
What does Lemur Music do?
Lemur Music is a specialty retailer of double bass instruments and related products, operating through an e-commerce platform and a physical showroom in San Clemente, California. The company sells upright (laminated, carved wood, vintage, and flyaway) and electric basses, bows, double bass strings from major brands, sheet music, amplification gear, cases, and accessories, with a professional All-Pro Set-Up performed on every instrument shipped. It also offers bass rentals, vintage instrument restoration, and accepts school and military purchase orders for institutional customers.
Is Lemur Music a public or private company?
Lemur Music is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Lemur Music founded?
Lemur Music was founded in 1964. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Lemur Music based?
Lemur Music is headquartered in San Clemente, United States, in the North America region.
How does Lemur Music make money?
One revenue line is on record: product Sales.
Who are Lemur Music's main competitors?
Reverb is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Sweetwater and Music & Arts. Direct peers are Johnson String Instrument, Kolstein's, International Violin Company, Upton Bass, Carriage House Violins, Shar Music and Southwest Strings.
Does Lemur Music have an API?
No public API is recorded for Lemur Music.
What industry is Lemur Music in?
Lemur Music's product category is Musical Instrument Retail (Double Bass Specialty). Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRALAEAA, Musical Instrument Retail (Guitars, Keyboards, Drums, Band/Orchestra), with a secondary code of CRALAEAE, Instrument Accessories & Consumables Retail (Strings, Reeds, Sticks, Cables). Its NAICS code is 459140.