Best stores in the Big Apple for basses and gear?

[Grand Wazoo]

So I'm in New York for a week, aside from doing the tourist thing, between here, Boston and Washington D.C. I've got a couple of days where I'd like to check the local bass related stores. Funny enough my hotel is in Times Square and round the corner I found Manny's or what's left of it, an empty shell of a store, looks like it has been closed down for a few years, tramps are sleeping outside the main shutter and there's piles of old building material all around.

So where is worth checking? I've hired a Grand Cherokee for the week so I could drive anywhere, the annoying american speaking sat nav is handy when you haven't got a clue where you are going this even tells me where i can and cannot park, and from what time to what time. pretty smart Wish we had that system in London too.

Thanks for your suggestions

this is just outside my hotel

[url="https://flic.kr/p/yZcMNX"][/url]

[url="https://flic.kr/p/yZcMNX"]New York / Times Square[/url] by [url="https://www.flickr.com/photos/fcamardo_night_time_photography/"]Francesco Camardo[/url], on Flickr

[Muppet]

Bass lounge on 48th?

[Grand Wazoo]

[quote name='Muppet' timestamp='1445295814' post='2890448']
Bass lounge on 48th?
[/quote]

Cheers, I'll stick that in my notebook

actually I can walk it there it's really close to my hotel

https://goo.gl/maps/sGp68Qoym9T2

[NancyJohnson]

I don't want to seem like I'm on a downer, but the New York bass thing has been done here loads of times. The search facility is your friend.

Sadly, the days of pawn shops having a pile of dusty 60s Fenders in the back is history and New York prices are yikes. Just go to the Bass Lounge, have a chat with Larry and look at the new shiny stuff that's on sale everywhere else.

P

[yorks5stringer]

Why not go to Sadowsky at

2107 41st Avenue, 4th Floor
Long Island City, NY 11101
Phone (718) 433-1990 | Fax (718) 433-1993 ?

Warwick have a place in NYC too somewhere

Edited October 20, 2015 by yorks5stringer

[Horizontalste]

[quote name='Grand Wazoo' timestamp='1445295675' post='2890447']
So I'm in New York for a week, aside from doing the tourist thing, between here, Boston and Washington D.C. I've got a couple of days where I'd like to check the local bass related stores. Funny enough my hotel is in Times Square and round the corner I found Manny's or what's left of it, an empty shell of a store, looks like it has been closed down for a few years, tramps are sleeping outside the main shutter and there's piles of old building material all around.

So where is worth checking? I've hired a Grand Cherokee for the week so I could drive anywhere, the annoying american speaking sat nav is handy when you haven't got a clue where you are going this even tells me where i can and cannot park, and from what time to what time. pretty smart Wish we had that system in London too.

Thanks for your suggestions

this is just outside my hotel

[url="https://flic.kr/p/yZcMNX"][/url]

[url="https://flic.kr/p/yZcMNX"]New York / Times Square[/url] by [url="https://www.flickr.com/photos/fcamardo_night_time_photography/"]Francesco Camardo[/url], on Flickr
[/quote]

I'm interested too, going at Christmas time & also staying in Times Square.
Are you planning on bringing anything back GW?

[RhysP]

Most of the famous music shops in that area have been forced to close due to rent increases.

[Grand Wazoo]

Oh no I am not planning on bringing anything back, I'm here purely as a tourist, I was just curious to see what their stores are like

[tredders]

Rudy's has reopened in Soho - they were in the process of moving last Autumn when I was in NY. They generally have some nice stuff in - they had a real Marcus Miller Jazz in there (as in, one owned and played by him, not a signature model), and a really nice early 60's P bass which I fell in love with, but didn't have the cash at the time.

I wouldn't bother with Guitar Center near to Madison Square Gardens unless you're in that area. I walked miles to get there, and it was pretty disappointing. Big store, lots of stock, but nothing really interesting.

Incidentally, fantastic photo of Times Square!

[Mornats]

Details of the Warwick shop for you:

Warwick Music Equipment Trading (New York USA) Inc.
76-80 East 7th St,
New York, NY 10003, USA

Phone 1 (0) 212 777 6990
Fax 1 (0) 212 777 6994

[Grand Wazoo]

[quote name='NancyJohnson' timestamp='1445325305' post='2890490']
I don't want to seem like I'm on a downer, but the New York bass thing has been done here loads of times. The search facility is your friend.

Sadly, the days of pawn shops having a pile of dusty 60s Fenders in the back is history and New York prices are yikes. Just go to the Bass Lounge, have a chat with Larry and look at the new shiny stuff that's on sale everywhere else.

P
[/quote]

Luckily other friendly forum members have replied with their valuable input. Thanks anyway

Edited October 20, 2015 by Grand Wazoo

[Grand Wazoo]

Thanks to all those who helped on the matter I have set a schedule for Thursday after returning from Boston to check all those shops. Cheers

[Muppet]

Can you post an update afterwards on what is still open, what has closed, what has moved (if you can find it) and what shops you found most useful/interesting?

It seems that things change regularly so having an up to date source of info may prove useful for other members!

Have fun.

[NancyJohnson]

[quote name='Grand Wazoo' timestamp='1445384278' post='2891164']


Luckily other friendly forum members have replied with their valuable input. Thanks anyway
[/quote]

Sorry, but this type of thread has been done to death and I was being 100% honest...window shopping or otherwise, there pertains this myth that New York City is awash with guitar/pawn shops, that you'll find a pristine vintage gear on every street corner or that friendly vendors will sell you new Fenders at bargain basement prices. If you just want to look, go to GAK or Andertons.

My wife used to call this the GAP effect. Same sh*t on sale everywhere.

[Grand Wazoo]

Right my first stop last night was at Sam Ash, which according to the main guy there (Michael Sabatino) the store incorporates what was once Manny's after it closed down. It's a big store, still not a multy storey one, and its all spread on the ground floor, but it covers a large area nonetheless, and has a good variety of instruments from the affordable to the dreamy Fodera arm and a leg basses.
Being a Dingwall fan, my attention was immediately drawn towards these new Ibanez fan fretted basses and I tried their 5 strings but aside the typical Ibanez mid rage SDR middle of the road type of sound the playability and their take on the fan fret style of bass did not make me feel at home, in fact it was I believe a flawed attempt to emulate the great work of Sheldon Dingwall and Le Fay. SO I thought crap and put it back. The other bass that caught my attention and made me immediately fall in love with, was a 4 strings PRS Gary Granger model, god almighty what a bass, light as a feather, we are talking 8 to 8.5 lbs max, it has a clever array of sounds from the two double coil pickups, decent on board preamp, and you can tell as soon as you lay your hand on the fretboard this was a quality bass, close your eye and play and feel like you don't even need to see where your hand is on the neck. Superb and I need to try their 5 strings one, one of these days as that would probably be on my future shopping list.

Here's what the front of the shop looks alike (iPhone shot)

[url=https://flic.kr/p/zNUYo5]

[/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/zNUYo5]Sam Ash Store, New York, 334 W 34th Street[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/fcamardo_night_time_photography/]Francesco Camardo[/url], on Flickr

and here is a quick vid of the inside of the store

Next stop will be Bass lounge on 48th

I must warn anyone going to any store in NY not just bass stuff related. the staff in these stores do not fully appreciate the concept of "window shopping" or visiting a store just to test stuff for a future purchase. They want you to spend and buy now and take it with you. This geezer the moment he saw me enjoying that PRS he kept nagging to me about special tax free deals for overseas clients, as apparently New Jersey has no tax so ordering from their NJ store and have it delivered anywhere in UK meant no tax just retail cost and shipping its all you had to pay. To be honest a good deal if you really want cause UK prices are much higher compared, so if I was really interested the deal is no doubt worthy of substantial saving ££

Anyway they are overly keen and somewhat repetitive and a bit annoying.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/zNUYr1]

[/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/zNUYr1]Sam Ash Bass section[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/fcamardo_night_time_photography/]Francesco Camardo[/url], on Flickr

[gary mac]

That's interesting what you were saying about the Ibanez fanned fret thing. What is that they've not got right Fran?
Just curious, I'm certainly not considering jumping ship from Dingwall.

[Grand Wazoo]

[quote name='gary mac' timestamp='1445499508' post='2891856']
That's interesting what you were saying about the Ibanez fanned fret thing. What is that they've not got right Fran?
Just curious, I'm certainly not considering jumping ship from Dingwall.
[/quote]

It's simple Gary, the main purpose behind the Novax fan fret concept is to give you clear definition throughout the range string to string by rendering a multi scale fretboard whereby your lower strings would have a longer stretch, up to 37" on a low B and down to 35" on the G string, this concept is derived from piano strings which becomes longer as they get lower. Novax and Sheldon found the 37"-35" to translate quite comfortably and so when you pick one up, it feels almost like a natural transition, except of course for the first 4 frets where you need to slightly adjust your left hand to reach the top frets.

Now Ibanez has opted not to use this extended fretboard and kept it all at abt 34" probably down to 32 on a G string, I would estimate, and the result is, a very crunched up fretboard where you need to really look where you are on the neck in order not to land your fingers on the wrong fret and even wrong string. I got so used to my ABZ that can just pick it up and play it with my eyes close looking away from the fretboard knowing exactly where I am on the neck. I couldn't do the same with that Ibanez, in fact I couldn't play it at alw

[gary mac]

Wonder why they went with the shorter scale.

Cheers Fran. Have a find day out there

[BigRedX]

[quote name='Grand Wazoo' timestamp='1445498719' post='2891851']This geezer the moment he saw me enjoying that PRS he kept nagging to me about special tax free deals for overseas clients, as apparently New Jersey has no tax so ordering from their NJ store and have it delivered anywhere in UK meant no tax just retail cost and shipping its all you had to pay. To be honest a good deal if you really want cause UK prices are much higher compared, so if I was really interested the deal is no doubt worthy of substantial saving ££
[/quote]

You'll still have to pay VAT and import tax (id applicable) when the gear arrives in the UK.

Actually if you are buying new stuff form outside of the EU you shouldn't be paying local sales tax on it at all.

[taunton-hobbit]

Salesmen the world over always have their 'buy it now' patter...it pays the rent (I know, I do it!).

[andy67]

Did you have a wee chat with Larry?

Was there in July and found the shop to be very like Guitar Guitar. I visited Chelsea Guitars right next door to the Chelsea Hotel were Sid and Nancy stayed, a great wee shop with lots of interesting gear.

enjoy your trip it is awesome over there and I cannae wait to get back

[Grand Wazoo]

In conclusion, I have to say I have had nothing to really write home about the New York music stores, I think despite the reduced size of the store Bass Direct wipes his bottom with any NYC stores I have seen, yes they've got huge real estate but not a lot worth jumping up and down about, except Sam Ash which had the largest range of your main stream basses such as Fenders, Ibanez, Music Man, and anything you can get cheaper online at Thomans. Prices look good but to buy there and have tax added plus customs, when you work it all out, the saving doesn't really justify the effort.

I tell you what guys, sod the music shops if you go to New York you've got to do this! Best $284 I have spent that week. Check out the Deluxe Tour at this link: https://www.heliny.com/

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1012308085478537.1073742022.446213212088030&type=3

[Bassman Sam]

Still got jet lag Fran?

[Grand Wazoo]

[quote name='Bassman Sam' timestamp='1445999782' post='2896080']
Still got jet lag Fran?
[/quote]

Monday all day, dunno how I managed the Marcus Miller gig, luckily Tues morning I booked half day off at work and I was able to get up at a civilized time (11:30am) after after which I was fine, thanks, got to say, this jet lag has been a bit though on this ol' boy.

Edited October 28, 2015 by Grand Wazoo

[NancyJohnson]

[quote name='Grand Wazoo' timestamp='1445999017' post='2896079']
In conclusion, I have to say I have had nothing to really write home about the New York music stores (etc.)
[/quote]

Didn't I tell you this? You could have spent more time doing the tourist poop.

Best place I found was about 15 years ago. Small place in midtown full of vintage Jazz basses. That was it. Jazz basses. All their stock was under $1,500 a pop...several trashed/beautiful 70s models for around $800 each. Never found the place again on subsequent trips.