Going to NYC, where to go to musicstores???

[JimmySX]

Hi people,

We'll be going to New York in february on holiday. Now I need some adresses to take a look at some high-end music stores. Any suggestions??? We'll be staying close to Timesquare, so if they are nearby that would be a plus

Jimmy

[wwittman]

Well:

Rudy's
and
Chelsea Guitars

but really, I would also suggest :
Hoboken Vintage Guitars
Mandolin Bros. (in Staten Island) for all things acoustic
and Roger Sadowsky in Brooklyn for bass guitars

[martinresi]

For recording gear i usually go to Guitar Center on 14th. For instruments, 30th St. Guitars, Drummer's World and Modern Drum Shop are excellent!

[code green]

yeah, you could go to GC on 14th street...it is large and does have a bunch of [insanely overpriced] vintage axes/amps. but wouldn't that be a little like coming to nyc and going clothes shopping at banana republic? instead i would check out these joints:

around times square:

-rudy's -- 169 w. 48 st.
-rogue music -- 251 w. 30th street (there are a couple of other stores on the block, forget their names)

west village:

-matt umanov guitars -- 273 bleeker street (has some virtual museum pieces)

williamsburg brooklyn

-main drag music -- 320 wythe avenue (lots of cool new and vintage gear)

hoboken

-guitar bar
-hoboken vintage guitars

here's some free advice from a native new yorker: i understand plenty of people can't help staying around times square, 'cause that;'s where the cheap hotels are...but by no means--NO means--should you STAY around times square when you're not in your hotel. it is quite by far the lamest part of the city. take a look at all the neon signs, then split. don't eat there, for god's sake. don't go to bars there, don't chill there.

use the subway (any new yorker will gladly tell you how to get where you want to go--we're actually very friendly and love to show off our city) or cabs and see a little more of the city.

the shop in williamsburg is one stop into brooklyn on the L train, which runs across 14th street. from times square it's about a 15-20 minute ride, max. hoboken isn't far either, a couple of stops on the PATH train.

all this said, you'll want to make rudy's your first stop...just don't waste too much time in the other stores on 48th street (sam ash/manny's).

have fun, and feel free to pm me if you'd like some rec's on food/bars/etc....or directions anywhere. enjoy the trip!

edit: huh...so i guess there's no pm feature here on gearslutz--so if you want add'l recs...just ask!

[Pasta4lnch]

these are all great places . . . never know what you'll see - check out the video on their home page

http://www.chelseaguitars.com/

[code green]

Originally Posted by Pasta4lnch

these are all great places . . . never know what you'll see - check out the video on their home page

http://www.chelseaguitars.com/

oh man, that is amazing! yeah, plus one for chelsea guitars (though it always bugged me out how small that place was inside compared to how big it looks as if it will be from the display windows). there's a couple of stores on the lower east side, too, that may be worth a look...forget their names, but they often have some cool pieces in the windows.

ps...can you make out what he says? "sounds ________"?

[soundeq]

Armen's repair shop... 30th between 7th and 8th

Dude has a TINY shop with stuff STACKED TO THE CEILING! some good used gear in there. Has some nice Hi-end stuff, not all old alesis and Berincrap....

[JimmySX]

Thank you guys for the input so far! I can't wait to get there

[astorian]

Stay away from the 48th Street stores (and Times Square in general). Maybe I'm biased, because I wade through the crowds on my way to work every day, but Times Square is NOT New York City. It is its own unique version of tourist hell which must be avoided at all costs (except to stumble back to your hotel and sleep). No, seriously, visit other parts of town to get a real sense of the place. Go to Brooklyn, Greenpoint, Williamsburg, the Lower East Side, East and West Village, Harlem ...

GC on 14th is relaxed. Armen's on 30th is awesome. 30th Street Guitars is a really special store with lots of interesting instruments.

Good luck!

[JimmySX]

Originally Posted by astorian

Stay away from the 48th Street stores (and Times Square in general). Maybe I'm biased, because I wade through the crowds on my way to work every day, but Times Square is NOT New York City. It is its own unique version of tourist hell which must be avoided at all costs (except to stumble back to your hotel and sleep). No, seriously, visit other parts of town to get a real sense of the place. Go to Brooklyn, Greenpoint, Williamsburg, the Lower East Side, East and West Village, Harlem ...

GC on 14th is relaxed. Armen's on 30th is awesome. 30th Street Guitars is a really special store with lots of interesting instruments.

Good luck!

I can't say thank you enough!!!!
You guys are a great help!
I will visit New Yorks gems for certain. No doubt about that.

What's another 'must see' while being in the Big Apple??? Tourist wise I mean?

[Pasta4lnch]

Originally Posted by JimmySX

I can't say thank you enough!!!!
You guys are a great help!
I will visit New Yorks gems for certain. No doubt about that.

What's another 'must see' while being in the Big Apple??? Tourist wise I mean?

I recently drove through Time Square at night and it's exploded into a huge machine (not that it wasn't always) but there were a few new additions that might make for a cool evening . . . Ripley's Museum, I think there is a Madam Tuseau's. The lights alone are worth the experience! There are a ton of great places to eat there as well . . . Virgil's BBQ comes to mind (44th, i think . . . )

[JimmySX]

Originally Posted by Pasta4lnch

I recently drove through Time Square at night and it's exploded into a huge machine (not that it wasn't always) but there were a few new additions that might make for a cool evening . . . Ripley's Museum, I think there is a Madam Tuseau's. The lights alone are worth the experience! There are a ton of great places to eat there as well . . . Virgil's BBQ comes to mind (44th, i think . . . )

Thx for the great advice! Especially about the BBQ part

[themaidsroom]

#1) an internet cafe
#2) main drag, williamsburg
#3) mandolin brothers - staten island - this is the greatest guitar store i have
ever been to anywhere in the world - worth the trip







be well


- jack

[ofsaints]

Dale Pro Audio on 19th St near 5th Ave

I think it's the last pro audio gear place left in NYC.


Charlie

[dacart]

Also for music you should check out Ludlow street on the Lower East Side. It's what Bleecker Street used to be like back in the day (although a trip to Bleecker is still very much worth while) there's a great guitar store there as well. Check out The Living Room if you go down there http://www.livingroomny.com/
For Bleecker Street check out http://home.nyc.rr.com/jkn/nysonglines/bleecker.htm

I second a trip to Dale Pro Audio. Great people and, indeed, the last good walk-in pro audio shop in NYC.

Finally don't miss a chance to go into Central Park one of the great urban green spaces in the world (not that I'm biased or anything)

Dan Carter
http://www.dacartmusic.com

[trident fan]

i used to live in midtown and i completely disagree with the times square advice. in some ways it is more new york than any other place. just don't forget to go to the village, china town , little italy and the met (art museum)on the east side of central park. also,matt umanov guitars as mentioned is cool. don't forget to get some pizza accross the street. it is one of the better pie joints in the city. is it called joey"s? some of the finest restaurants in the city are located in times square or very close. 46th street is called restaurant row for a reason. don't let these snobs throw ya. , you can see tons of locals walking around there.
TF

[Antaren]

What's another 'must see' while being in the Big Apple??? Tourist wise I mean?

If you like museums, The metropolitan Museum of Art is amazingly wonderful. It's on 5th Avenue near 82nd street.

Also the Museum of Natural History (great dinosaurs) and the planetarium that's connected to the Museum of Natural History.

The Museum of Modern art is fantastic, though expensive.

And eat at as many ethnic restaurants as you can. Contrary to what some people might think, there are plenty of small ethnic affordable restaurants all through the city.

If you don't mind freezing your butt off in the winter, you can take a ferry to the statue of liberty. Also the view from the empire state building is awesome (so I've heard...I'm a native New Yorker, but I've never been!)

Have fun!
Antaren

[JoePooch]

what do you guys think of Manny's Music?

[tombak]

These are my favorites..

Rogue
Chelsea Guitar
Main Drag

[Jim Kerr]

Originally Posted by JoePooch

what do you guys think of Manny's Music?

Manny's is owned by Sam Ash now, has been for years actually.
30th st guitars, Rudy's and ludlow are your best bet.
Third on the Dale audio as well.

[lamp]

Rudys for sure since you are close and spend at least 10 minutes looking at all the cool pictures on the walls across the street at Manny's.

I heard Mike Stern has an open ended Tuesday and Thursday night gig at one of the local clubs when not on the road,maybe in the village.

[Pasta4lnch]

Originally Posted by JimmySX

Thx for the great advice! Especially about the BBQ part

there is also a place called Blue Smoke (www.bluesmoke.com) that has a jazz club in it . . . never been, but it looks cool!

[PRobb]

Originally Posted by Pasta4lnch

there is also a place called Blue Smoke (www.bluesmoke.com) that has a jazz club in it . . . never been, but it looks cool!

Going to New York for BBQ is like going to North Carolina for Pizza. The great food in New York is mostly ethnic. Tell us your favorites and I'm sure you'll get a pile of recommendations.

Lots of good advice here, though I'm with the haters on Times Square. Seeing it all lit up at night is tourist must, but that's about it.

The top of the Empire State building is wonderful, so is the recently reopened Top Of The Rock- the tall deco centerpiece of Rockerfeller center.

If you're a museum guy, the rebuilt Modern is fantastic. And the Spanish exhibit currently at the Guggenheim is spectacular. And the building itself is worth the trip.

A cool walk is Elizabeth street between Canal and Houston. Super trendy stuff.

And absolutely get a Metro Card and use the Subway. You didn't say how long you would be here, but you can get a card that gives you unlimited rides for a week.

[rewt_]

Originally Posted by Pasta4lnch

Virgil's BBQ comes to mind

[Pasta4lnch]

Originally Posted by PRobb

Going to New York for BBQ is like going to North Carolina for Pizza. The great food in New York is mostly ethnic. Tell us your favorites and I'm sure you'll get a pile of recommendations.

Funny you say that, I actually live in Queens the ethnic food MECA! . . . but any time I recomend one of these places to people they always get pissed it was too hard core, and end up not digging it. . . I figured w/ all the other comments I'd give them a saftey

I actually did what I hate, that is sticking w/ the main stream. scratch everything I said and take a subway to Flushing. I've yet to have a bad experience there. . .

[PRobb]

Originally Posted by Pasta4lnch

Funny you say that, I actually live in Queens the ethnic food MECA! . . . but any time I recomend one of these places to people they always get pissed it was too hard core, and end up not digging it. . . I figured w/ all the other comments I'd give them a saftey

I actually did what I hate, that is sticking w/ the main stream. scratch everything I said and take a subway to Flushing. I've yet to have a bad experience there. . .

thumbsup thumbsup The 7 train is quickly becoming the gourmet express! And you don't have to go all the way to Flushing, the Indian stuff at 74th St. is great. And I hate to mention it because it is getting so crowded, but there is an off the charts great Thai place in Woodside.

And back to music stuff, Manny's and Sam Ash are total snoozes. The only place worth a visit on 48th St. is Rudy's.

[pramrod]

NY FOOD TIPS:

Pizza- Difara's (brooklyn), Patsy's (harlem)
Italian- Babbo ($$$), Il Bagato,
Steak- Peter Luger (brooklyn), craftsteak ($$$$)
Thai- Sripapai (queens)
Indian- Jackson Diner (queens)
Jewish Deli- Russ and Daughters (smoked fish, soups), Katz's (ok pastrami, shadow of former self but still will do the do if necessary)
Vegetarian (?)- angelica kitchen, caravan of dreams
Coffee- forget it (veniero's in the village has an ok espresso)- drink cuban coffee or vietnamese
Old School Sammiches- Eisenberg Sandwich Shop, Lexington Candy Shop
24 hour diner- empire diner, vaselka
Worth checking out if you are rich: Morimoto, Masa
$$$ Sushi- Sushi of Gari, Yasuda
Inexpensive great sushi- takahashi, geido (brooklyn)
Best Late night dining- Blue Ribbon (manhattan and brooklyn- brooklyn is huge and has a giant high end menu served till at least 2 am, raw bar till 4)
Candy Store- Economy Candy (LES)

forget about gear, it's all a waste of money, go buy super expensive pieces of blue fin toro at the bar at yasuda- you won't be dissapointed. enjoy pram

p.s. please report back on what you ate and your experience of our fine town...

[Pasta4lnch]

Originally Posted by PRobb

The only place worth a visit on 48th St. is Rudy's.

I think it was there . . . the last time I passed they had a PRS double dragon in the window OMG stunning guitar!

[trident fan]

Katz's is fantastic,, not ok. 2nd ave deli, stage are cool. lexington candy shop is a mistake. i went in there and asked them where the candy is ( it;s a greasy spoon/ drugstore), they pointed to 5 candy bars in a steel bowl. not kidding, i counted them. if i remember, the prices were thru the roof at rudy's. tutt for italian try sal anthony's on mulberry. it's one of a couple restauants in littly italy where the sauce is still made from scratch in the kitchen. try the captain's platter. it's gluttony defined.

[PRobb]

Originally Posted by trident fan

Katz's is fantastic,, not ok. 2nd ave deli, stage are cool. lexington candy shop is a mistake. i went in there and asked them where the candy is ( it;s a greasy spoon/ drugstore), they pointed to 5 candy bars in a steel bowl. not kidding, i counted them. if i remember, the prices were thru the roof at rudy's. tutt for italian try sal anthony's on mulberry. it's one of a couple restauants in littly italy where the sauce is still made from scratch in the kitchen. try the captain's platter. it's gluttony defined.

2nd Avenue Deli is, tragically, no more. The king of the pastrami and corned beef sandwiches is the Carnegie Deli on 7th Ave at 53 ST. Warning- one sandwich has about a ton and a half of meat.