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Thread: Sometimes (Many TImes?) The Small, Local Shops Are Best

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    Forum Member OldStrummer's Avatar
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    Sometimes (Many TImes?) The Small, Local Shops Are Best

    If you're like me, you take any opportunity to "visit" a guitar store. Except Guitar Center, that is.

    Given the dominance of the Internet, local specialty stores are a disappearing act. So, I really get a warm feeling when I have the chance to look and feel in a real, brick-and-mortar shop. I was reminded of this last night as I had to get a string winder/cutter, and I knew from a previous visit that there was an awesome, independent guitar store in Petaluma, California. It goes by the unlikely name of
    Tall Toad Music. Not only did they have the tool, but their selection of new and used guitars, basses, ukuleles, mandolins, and what-have-you is astounding. Do check the link above, they have a "virtual walk" to give you some idea.

    That reminds me of my own local-to-me store,
    Melodee Music. Some great guitar lovers there. They have a humidity-controlled room for their acoustics, and a lot of electrics on the wall, on the floor, and hanging from the ceiling. The last few times I've been in there, they have a guitar listed as "make an offer." I was tempted at one time...

    A little more mainstream, but not as well known (to me, at least) as Sweetwater, Musician's Friend, American Musical Supply and Chicago Music Exchange (and I'm leaving out the high-end "specialty" sites like Wildwood and Norman's) is
    Elderly Instruments. Some professional musician friends of mine recommended them to me, and their collection is outstanding, and they still operate as a family business despite a large online site.

    Do you have a local guitar shop that you like, and give them business? I'm all about supporting local businesses these days, when the Internet is putting so many of them out of business.

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    Forum Member Don's Avatar
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    Re: Sometimes (Many TImes?) The Small, Local Shops Are Best

    I've got a couple. My Martin 000-15M, Dr. Z Cure and Strymon Flint all come from Ray Mullin Music about 1/2 an hour from here. It's in a location that I frequent anyway. The Flint cost the same as online, the Dr. Z was $50 cheaper and the 000-15M was on sale $50 cheaper. The guys are nice and they have a good selection of good gear. I've been a customer there for many years.

    I also enjoy going to Empire guitars. My Kala Ukulele and several pedals come from there. They have a lot of vintage stuff. Some of the pricing seems a little high, but they might work with you on it. Last time I was there I saw the Marshall JCM800 4210 that I bought for $550, recapped, retubed and traded for a Mesa MkIIB combo in the store. They were asking $1250 for it!

    I like to check out the used stuff at GC. My recently purchased Guild Blues 90 came from there.

    I bought my refinished, renecked 1957 Strat at Elderly many years ago. They were great to deal with. I used to love their catalogs, not just the musical instruments ones, but the albums and books, too.

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    Forum Member melody's Avatar
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    Re: Sometimes (Many TImes?) The Small, Local Shops Are Best

    I live just down the street from Elderly. It's a dangerous place for me to enter they have some great gear I know most of the staff..

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    Forum Member ch willie's Avatar
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    Re: Sometimes (Many TImes?) The Small, Local Shops Are Best

    I'd buy guitars at Mom and Pop shops around here, but they don't deal in lefties, and even if they did, everything they sell is crap. High prices for terrible guitars.

    It's probably better for me that Mom and Pop don't carry lefties. But it would be nice to go into their shop, sit down, and try out a few guitars.
    If we'd known we were going to be the Beatles, we'd have tried harder.--George Harrison

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    Forum Member DanTheBluesMan's Avatar
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    Re: Sometimes (Many TImes?) The Small, Local Shops Are Best

    my last local place went online only back in Jan '18 or '19. If I head north to Manchester there is Manchester Music Mill. Still further north to Concord is Strings and Things. If I go an hour east and slightly north there's Mark's Guitar Loft in Barrington. Darren's in Derry is gone, Belisle in Manchester is gone. I don't know what the hell happened to Ted Herbert's, it was still there last time I looked but their selection was a pale version of days gone by. Ted's Music in Milford closed. Hampshire Music closed. Progris has been closed about 40 years now, that's where I bought my first guitar and first amp. Daddy's got shut down by their finance company. I was there on the Friday before and went back on Tues or Wednesday and the sign was in the door. That gutted me, I was there at least once a week often more.

    I googled music instrument sales near me and a bunch of places I've never heard of popped up. I like how their idea of 'near me' includes Boston. Near? Not really in my book. A bunch of the places I suspect are actually lesson studios and band instrument stores.
    "Live and learn and flip the burns"

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    Forum Member Don's Avatar
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    Re: Sometimes (Many TImes?) The Small, Local Shops Are Best

    Quote Originally Posted by DanTheBluesMan View Post
    A bunch of the places I suspect are actually lesson studios and band instrument stores.
    So many places have turned into that! I Used to go to Rick's Music in Seekonk, MA (the town I live in) and hang out. It was a good place to be. It was the first place where I saw Duncan pickups in the '80s. I bought my '66 Vibrolux Reverb there in 1990. They've moved a few times and mostly just give lessons and sell student level instruments.

    Providence and Pawtucket, RI had a bunch of great shops too. The last time I went to Miconi Music in North Attleboro, MA, they still had some new G&L and Heritage guitars on the wall, though I don't know if they're still a dealer.

    One of my favorite places is Strum PDX in Portland, OR. My cousin's friend owns the place. It's a nice place to hang out. They have a small bar and have shows a few times a week. I'm looking forward to visiting them when we go to our daughter's graduation from NUNM in June.

    https://strumpdx.com/

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    Forum Member gibsonjunkie's Avatar
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    Re: Sometimes (Many TImes?) The Small, Local Shops Are Best

    For years I bought most of my gear from LaSalle Music in West Hartford,, CT. I bought my first Gibson acoustic - a J-40 in 1972 from the owners son. I bought about a half-dozen guitars from them in the mid-90's too (some in their East Hartford Store). They finally sold out to a lousy chain store and disappeared. A lot of great musicians worked there, too.
    "We catched fish and talked, and we took a swim now and then to keep off sleepiness." Mark Twain

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    Forum Member WoundUp's Avatar
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    Re: Sometimes (Many TImes?) The Small, Local Shops Are Best

    We had one here in the Shreveport, LA area called The String Shop for years...right up until Guitar Center showed up and put them out of business. They're friends of the family so we specifically don't shop at GC because of it. There's a couple of other small shops in the area but nothing like The String Shop used to be. One is 'The Band House' who mainly sells band instruments and a couple of others I can't recall at the moment.

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    Forum Member ch willie's Avatar
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    Re: Sometimes (Many TImes?) The Small, Local Shops Are Best

    I lived close to a shop whose owner was an ass to kids like me, kids interested in music and guitar but not rich enough to buy his cheap guitars. It would have been nice if the guy had encouraged us. We thought he was cool because he ran a guitar shop. I wish I could find him now and force him to hear me playing bad versions of Smoke on the Water and Stairway to Heaven.

    But there were shops with nicer folks working them. One such shop was Corner Music in Nashville. Now they've grown and moved, but they have one of the best staff of sales agents I've experienced. Really helpful and encouraging--they know how to sell. Last time I was in there, I saw a Rickenbacker 360 and thought I'd have a heart attack. If it'd been in a lefty, they'd have had to bury me right there.\\

    I'd so much rather do business with a mom and pop, but I don't have access to such a shop anymore. I get excellent service from Sweetwater. That's worth something too.
    If we'd known we were going to be the Beatles, we'd have tried harder.--George Harrison

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    Re: Sometimes (Many TImes?) The Small, Local Shops Are Best

    In our little town, we were lucky to have a music store. My friends parents co signed with me to buy my first drum set, (in 1965!) The owner was a tech, and in those days, it was "Smith Music and TV". I also bought 2 televisions from them over the years, stereos, several guitars, amps, basses, and a couple of the PA's back in the day. Bob always wanted to sell on credit, but would take cash. When he and Betty hung it up, we were left with nothing local, so I started a business in my garage selling strings, picks, cords, sticks and drum heads. I managed to get an EV dealership for a few years with only a $2K yearly minimum. I think I reloaded most of the working musician's cabinets, and sold a lot of PA gear.
    Many years later a good friend, (electrician by trade) bought an existing electrical business, and put a music store in the shop. I gave him all the stuff I still had, and he got a couple of guitar lines. It didn't work well, he said he was only supplying something to try out before they ordered online!

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    Forum Member redisburning's Avatar
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    Re: Sometimes (Many TImes?) The Small, Local Shops Are Best

    Austin has a relatively developed music scene and tech money.

    We have Austin Vintage Guitars and Guitar Resurrection for more typical (but still high end) stuff and Austin Guitar House (my personal favorite) for boutique gear. It's something else to be able to handle Bartlett, Teye, Trussart etc. stuff locally.

    The one thing I dont like is Texas' ridiculous sales tax though. Everyone here is so convinced they never pay any taxes even though you have to pay 8.25 percent on a 4 grand amplifier and then ride over all the potholes taking it home, though now it's not precisely like I can avoid that shopping online like I used to be able to.

    Actually while Im on the soap box I also don't particularly like testing instruments out in stores. Firstly, finding an amp to plug into. If I'm at the store that stocks Two Rock, all well and good. If not, well **** me hope they don't think Im playing through one of those horrid little 68 deluxe reverbs everyone seems to pedal. Additionally, what on earth am I supposed to play. I feel like if I play anything practiced it'll be ridiculous so noodling it is I guess oh now I feel like I can't play the guitar. Less of a problem at the places that stock Fenders and Gibsons though lol when I walk in one of those places Im often the best player which I mean fair shot that's like being the best basketball player in the over 60s amateur's pick up league. And finally, does anyone here play sitting down? Right, thought not. A guitar store is actually the only place I play sitting down.

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    Re: Sometimes (Many TImes?) The Small, Local Shops Are Best

    For some reason I CAN'T play in a guitar store.

    Don't know why.

    Every time I try my mind goes completely blank and I start the same old tired blues in A crap.

    But I HAVE found that handing a guitar I am thinking about to someone else and standing back helps me pick the good ones.

    Now I am the first to admit that I ain't that good but I can't play chit in a guitar store...

    Yes, Austin has some good ones. But growing up in the Triple Cites in upstate NY there were more than a few which were MUCH better.

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    Forum Member redisburning's Avatar
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    Re: Sometimes (Many TImes?) The Small, Local Shops Are Best

    Quote Originally Posted by renderit View Post
    For some reason I CAN'T play in a guitar store.

    Don't know why.

    Every time I try my mind goes completely blank and I start the same old tired blues in A crap.

    But I HAVE found that handing a guitar I am thinking about to someone else and standing back helps me pick the good ones.

    Now I am the first to admit that I ain't that good but I can't play chit in a guitar store...

    Yes, Austin has some good ones. But growing up in the Triple Cites in upstate NY there were more than a few which were MUCH better.

    and Wegmans is better than anything we have here, too.

    Im gonna get out of here eventually, but Im taking half the amps in the state of Texas with me.

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    Forum Member jrgtr42's Avatar
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    Re: Sometimes (Many TImes?) The Small, Local Shops Are Best

    I do prefer shopping at mom-and-pop stores.
    Unfortunately, the mom and pops in my general area (Western suburbs of Boston) tend to deal more in lessons and band instruments / rentals than guitars and related gear, so GC is the closest place to scratch that itch.
    The M&Ps nearby don't usually carry much above MIM strats and inexpensive brands, though they'll occasionally get a used in. Same with amps - nothing boutique here.
    There's a couple places in Boston or south shore that have stuff like that, but I don't get that way often, and almost never when I can negotiate a stop in.

    I hear complaints about GCs around the country, but the ones in my area do tend to have better service and knowledge than the apparent average.
    They are of course limited to stock by what's provided from corporate, but they have a decent selection of guitars and pedals here. Amps aren't as good a selection as 15 or 20 years ago - could be any number of reasons for that (GCs credit problems, manufacturers, etc.)
    I've gone into small shops over the years and have been ignored - or the one time I walked in, and wasn't 5 feet in the door when the guy said, without looking up from his magazine, "tryin' or buyin'?" "neither," I replied and walked out. Every time I walk into a GC, here or elsewhere in my travels, someone does greet me. They may not know an output jack from their A-hole, but they're generally friendly.
    ********************************
    "Do you call sleeping with a guitar in your hands practicing?"
    "It is if you don't drop it."
    - Trent Lane, Daria, Episode 1-2.

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    Forum Member OldStrummer's Avatar
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    Re: Sometimes (Many TImes?) The Small, Local Shops Are Best

    Quote Originally Posted by jrgtr42 View Post
    I do prefer shopping at mom-and-pop stores.
    Unfortunately, the mom and pops in my general area (Western suburbs of Boston) tend to deal more in lessons and band instruments / rentals than guitars and related gear, so GC is the closest place to scratch that itch.
    Speaking of which...

    A year or so ago, I was in Boston on business, and met up with my sister and brother-in-law for lunch. We'd found a place that was right across the street from the Berklee School of Music. Just a couple of doors away from it was a Guitar Center. Figuring, "Hey, they've got to have a terrific clientele based on their location," I had to go in.

    What a disappointment. I mean, really.

  16. #16
    Forum Member jrgtr42's Avatar
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    Re: Sometimes (Many TImes?) The Small, Local Shops Are Best

    Quote Originally Posted by OldStrummer View Post
    Speaking of which...

    A year or so ago, I was in Boston on business, and met up with my sister and brother-in-law for lunch. We'd found a place that was right across the street from the Berklee School of Music. Just a couple of doors away from it was a Guitar Center. Figuring, "Hey, they've got to have a terrific clientele based on their location," I had to go in.

    What a disappointment. I mean, really.
    The bigger GC in Boston is better - down by Fenway Park.
    I haven't been to the Berklee one - honestly, I didn't even realize that shop had changed from whatever it was to a GC.
    It had been an indie shop for a long time, and I don't think the selection was that great even then - they did a lot of strings and picks and stuff, but that;s it.
    ********************************
    "Do you call sleeping with a guitar in your hands practicing?"
    "It is if you don't drop it."
    - Trent Lane, Daria, Episode 1-2.

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