I wanted to be anywhere but my hometown of Bloomfield, New Jersey, in the mid to late ’60s. Los Angeles would have been nice. London would have been better. Most of the bands I liked hailed from those cities.
One saving grace was that Bloomfield was only a short ride from Manhattan, and from age 15 on, I regularly made trips into the city alone when I had a few bucks in my pocket—usually the day after Christmas. The bus ride was $1.30 each way, and I managed to figure out the subway system pretty easily. One of my favorite hangouts—after eating at the Horn & Hardart Automat and cruising 42nd Street to gawk at the hookers, lowlifes, porno palaces, and drug dealers—was West Greenwich Village. Specifically, the area around Avenue of the Americas, including Bleecker, MacDougal, and 4th streets. The Music Inn, importer of cool English rock LPs and world music instruments, was a definite stop every time, along with Village Oldies and Matt Umanov’s repair shop. I never went into Umanov’s, but I always enjoyed pressing my nose against the window. I also recall seeing Dan Armstrong’s repair facility.
After college, my new hangout in the Apple was 48th Street—“Music Row, ” the nerve center of the musical instrument business in Manhattan. I can’t imagine how many hours I spent ogling the used and vintage guitars in the windows of Stuyvesant Music (aka “We Buy Guitars”), Alex Music, 48th Street Custom Guitars, Rudy’s Music Stop, Terminal Music, and, of course, the venerable Manny’s Music. It was your classic “kid in a candy store” scene. Like most young people, I had very little money to spend on guitars, so my time was mostly spent—you guessed it—pressing my nose against the glass.
Big Apple Guitar Shops: Then And Now
“Silver & Horland had a very nice store near city hall and the Brooklyn Bridge, but they later moved to 48th Street and, within a few years, were gone. There was a guitar store named for and run by Noah Wolfe. Harry West—a private detective with an office on Park Place where J&R Music is now—had, in his apartment in the Bronx, one of the finest collections of acoustic instruments in the northeast. And Marc Silber, who later moved to California, had a shop in the Village. There were also buyers/sellers to whom musicians knew they could go to find special instruments. One of them was George Mell (née Melaga), who lived here in Staten Island. There was a fellow known as ‘Frank the Barber, ’ who had his tonsorial parlor on 9th Avenue in Manhattan. Andy Statman purchased his famous blackface A2 snakehead Gibson mandolin from Frank.”
Debbie Harry of Blondie looks on as bassist Jimmy Destri (left) and guitarist Chris Stein (right) check out guitars at Stuyvesant Music in May of 1977. Credit: Bob Gruen
Flash forward to 2010, and things certainly have changed. We Buy Guitars on 48th closed years ago and then reopened a few years ago on Long Island. Terminal Music is gone. Alex Music is gone. 48th Street Custom Guitars is gone, and Manny’s, incredibly and unfortunately, closed last May after 75 years in business. Manny’s had been bought out by Sam Ash Music in 1999. Sam Ash told Premier Guitar in 2008 that the company purchased the store because it was having troubles, and they believed it was an institution that should be maintained. That closing was a real loss for New York’s musical community—not to mention the touring pros who frequented Manny’s regularly. I met jazz vibraphonist Lionel Hampton, blues legend John Mayall, famed producer and musician Todd Rundgren, and Barry Tashian, guitarist from’60s garage-rock band the Remains, at Manny’s.
Guitar Marketplace Usa
Jay puts it rather succinctly: “The world-famous block known as ‘Music Row, ’ is being gradually disassembled and dispersed so that more skyscrapers can be erected.”
This brings us to the subject of “big box” music stores. Those who know me—friends, acquaintances, and fellow musicians—know of my disdain for big-box music stores and my vociferous defense of independent music retailers everywhere. BBs certainly maintain a presence in New York City’s retail music establishment, and they have their place for the segment of the population to which they cater. But, I am pleased, even elated, to say that independent guitar shops, with their heightened selection and personalized customer service, are making a serious comeback in New York City—proving once and for all that big boxes are not taking over. Most NYC indie dealers are holding their own, and some are thriving and expanding, even in the present economic downturn.
Rudy’s Music Stop (rudysmusic.com) has occupied 169 West 48th Street since 1978. Owner/guitarist Rudy Pensa left his native Argentina with a dream to operate a music store in New York City. With a passion not only for electric instruments, but also for archtops and acoustics, Pensa is not only a player and businessman, but a builder as well. In 1982, he began making guitars that were sold in the shop, and in 1985 he began collaborating with luthier John Suhr to produce the PensaSuhr line of electrics.
S.m. Hanson Partners With Guitar String Company To Recycle Strings
Rudy’s specializes mostly in high-end instruments, as well boutique effects and amps. He also stocks numerous vintage and used guitars, amps, and basses. Rudy’s Amp Room and Repair Shop is located right around the corner at 723 7th Avenue, and his new SoHo store is at 461 Broome Street. Rudy’s prices are certainly not “bargain basement, ” but there’s no denying the astounding selection of high-quality gear he sells.
Matt Umanov Guitars (umanovguitars.com) has been in Greenwich Village since 1969, but Umanov himself was doing repairs and restorations as early as 1965 before becoming a retailer. He stocks Fender, Gretsch, PRS, James Trussart, and Collings electrics, but his true love is acoustic guitars. “The need to pick up and play acoustic instruments will never go away, ” he says, “it’s built into the human genome.” Umanov carries new Taylor, Martin, Guild, Collings, National, and Seagull flattops, plus used and vintage pieces. Umanov even recently collaborated with singer/songwriter Steve Earle on a signature Martin. Umanov claims it’s not hard maintaining a store in New York City, and as for the big box retailers, he commented, “Fortunately, our longevity, reputation, and location have made this not as big a problem as it is for some. We figured out how to deal with the economy last year and are doing nicely.”
30th Street Guitars (30thstreetguitars.com) has been serving the city since 1997. Owner Matt Brewster grew up working in a music store in Ossining, New York. A visit to his shop is like walking into electric guitar heaven. Used and vintage Gibsons and Fenders are everywhere, and there are lots of oddball electrics, too: Supros, Danelectros, Silvertones, Harmonys, sparkle-covered Italian kitsch, and ’60s Japanese “cheese, ” such as Teiscos and Kingstons. But Brewster also builds his own Rust brand of relic’d, Fender-style solidbodies that are extremely playable and priced within reach of most guitarists. The bodies and necks are custom made for him, and he does all the relic work himself.
Ukulele By Nyc Abstract Buy Paintings India
Flying in the face of convention, Brewster doesn’t advertise—and that includes in phone books. When questioned why he decided to start a guitar shop, he replies, “I started off playing guitar and fixing guitars, but I realized I wasn’t going to be a rock star. So after working at Ossining Music Center for over 10 years and spending about a year working for Brian Moore, one of the employees there approached me with the idea of opening a store. It’s tough to maintain a store like this with the high rent. The economy has impacted me, sales-wise, but it’s actually been good for repairs. We get a lot of international walk-in business. Brazil is a hot spot for guitar sales. Those customers tell other people and they’ll buy from us. And because we’re close to Madison Square Garden, we deal with guitar techs that come in. We work with a lot of big-name artists and I wouldn’t want to drop names, but I will say that Eric Clapton came in one day to try out guitars, because he knew he could try things out and be left alone. This is a place where everyone can be comfortable trying out guitars, amps and pedals. It should be fun!”
Dan’s Chelsea Guitars (chelseaguitars.com) is located on the ground floor of the world famous Chelsea Hotel at 220 West 23rd Street in a store not much bigger than the average Park Avenue walk-in closet. Packed into this tiny space is an extremely interesting collection of used and vintage guitars and amps of all types, as well as oddball memorabilia, vintage microphones, and other ephemera. The atmosphere is strictly “hole-in the-wall-dusty-chic, ” but the staff is knowledgeable, friendly, and ready to satisfy customers with good equipment and prices to match.
First Flight Music (firstflightmusic.com) is a downtown shop that has been in operation since 1995. Owner Dan Wollock commented, “I’ve always been a part of the NYC music community, and I’ve always loved cool vintage guitars, so I put the two together.” Asked about the
Hard Rock Cafe New York 2003 Rock The Universe Double Neck Guitar Le 500 Pin
Rudy’s specializes mostly in high-end instruments, as well boutique effects and amps. He also stocks numerous vintage and used guitars, amps, and basses. Rudy’s Amp Room and Repair Shop is located right around the corner at 723 7th Avenue, and his new SoHo store is at 461 Broome Street. Rudy’s prices are certainly not “bargain basement, ” but there’s no denying the astounding selection of high-quality gear he sells.
Matt Umanov Guitars (umanovguitars.com) has been in Greenwich Village since 1969, but Umanov himself was doing repairs and restorations as early as 1965 before becoming a retailer. He stocks Fender, Gretsch, PRS, James Trussart, and Collings electrics, but his true love is acoustic guitars. “The need to pick up and play acoustic instruments will never go away, ” he says, “it’s built into the human genome.” Umanov carries new Taylor, Martin, Guild, Collings, National, and Seagull flattops, plus used and vintage pieces. Umanov even recently collaborated with singer/songwriter Steve Earle on a signature Martin. Umanov claims it’s not hard maintaining a store in New York City, and as for the big box retailers, he commented, “Fortunately, our longevity, reputation, and location have made this not as big a problem as it is for some. We figured out how to deal with the economy last year and are doing nicely.”
30th Street Guitars (30thstreetguitars.com) has been serving the city since 1997. Owner Matt Brewster grew up working in a music store in Ossining, New York. A visit to his shop is like walking into electric guitar heaven. Used and vintage Gibsons and Fenders are everywhere, and there are lots of oddball electrics, too: Supros, Danelectros, Silvertones, Harmonys, sparkle-covered Italian kitsch, and ’60s Japanese “cheese, ” such as Teiscos and Kingstons. But Brewster also builds his own Rust brand of relic’d, Fender-style solidbodies that are extremely playable and priced within reach of most guitarists. The bodies and necks are custom made for him, and he does all the relic work himself.
Ukulele By Nyc Abstract Buy Paintings India
Flying in the face of convention, Brewster doesn’t advertise—and that includes in phone books. When questioned why he decided to start a guitar shop, he replies, “I started off playing guitar and fixing guitars, but I realized I wasn’t going to be a rock star. So after working at Ossining Music Center for over 10 years and spending about a year working for Brian Moore, one of the employees there approached me with the idea of opening a store. It’s tough to maintain a store like this with the high rent. The economy has impacted me, sales-wise, but it’s actually been good for repairs. We get a lot of international walk-in business. Brazil is a hot spot for guitar sales. Those customers tell other people and they’ll buy from us. And because we’re close to Madison Square Garden, we deal with guitar techs that come in. We work with a lot of big-name artists and I wouldn’t want to drop names, but I will say that Eric Clapton came in one day to try out guitars, because he knew he could try things out and be left alone. This is a place where everyone can be comfortable trying out guitars, amps and pedals. It should be fun!”
Dan’s Chelsea Guitars (chelseaguitars.com) is located on the ground floor of the world famous Chelsea Hotel at 220 West 23rd Street in a store not much bigger than the average Park Avenue walk-in closet. Packed into this tiny space is an extremely interesting collection of used and vintage guitars and amps of all types, as well as oddball memorabilia, vintage microphones, and other ephemera. The atmosphere is strictly “hole-in the-wall-dusty-chic, ” but the staff is knowledgeable, friendly, and ready to satisfy customers with good equipment and prices to match.
First Flight Music (firstflightmusic.com) is a downtown shop that has been in operation since 1995. Owner Dan Wollock commented, “I’ve always been a part of the NYC music community, and I’ve always loved cool vintage guitars, so I put the two together.” Asked about the
0 Response to "Buy A Guitar Nyc"
Posting Komentar