KarunaNews Story

Beautifully restored banjos and 18th-century violins line the walls of Amazing Grace, a San Anselmo music store that has faced more threats than Luke Skywalker since it was founded. In fact, the shop wouldn’t exist if George Lucas of “Star Wars” hadn’t rescued it in 2004. “We thought we’d have to jump ship and start repairing instruments in our garage,” says co-owner, master luthier (string instrument-maker) and old-time string band musician John Pedersen, who has co-owned it since 1983. All manner of string instruments are repaired at the store, which has been at the heart of the thriving Marin music scene throughout its incarnations in three buildings and with three pairs of owners (all local musician couples) since 1970.