BASS SAFARI in NYC?

[Calaverasgrande]

I am going to be in NYC and upstate NY at the end of this month and early June. I am looking to acquire a new bass (or new to me) I was interested if you guys could point me towards some good stores in the five buroughs. Or even better name some shops/manufacturers/luthiers I can check out.
edit:moved list to top of thread, check out my other list of Bay Area shops

NYC

NY Guitar & Bass Boutique and the Avella Coppollo Shop, 746 9th ave. 212-399-3414 nr subway lines 1, 9, C, F

30th St Guitars, 236 w. 30th st. (between 7th and 8th) Ground Floor., NY, NY 212-868-2660 Fax 212-868-2713

Ludlow guitars 164 Ludlow st, NY, 212-353-1775 Fax 212-353-1749

First Flight Music 174 First Ave. (bet 10/11th)New York, NY 212.539.1383 fax 212.539.1384 email ffmusic@att.net

Dan's Chelsea Guitars 220 West 23rd Street NY

Rudys 169 48th street, NY, NY, 212-391-1699
fax 212-768-3782

Sam Ash 155 West 48th Street.NY

Manny's 156 48th st (btw 6th and 7th aves), NY,
212-819-0576 866-pro-manny

Kings Music 2352 Flatbush ave Brooklyn 718-377-8532
kingsmusic@gmail.com

GUITAR CENTER, INC. #81025 W 14TH STREET
MANHATTAN,212-463-7500

GUITAR CENTER, INC. #81234-17 48TH STREET
LONG ISLAND CITY 718-278-7794

GUITAR CENTER, INC #818139 FLATBUSH AVE BROOKLYN

Matt Umanovs 273 Bleecker Street

Sadowsky 20 Jay Street Suite #5C, Brooklyn, NY
(718) 422-1123, Fax (718) 422-1120

Brooklyn Gear 20 Jay Street - Suite 1002 Brooklyn, NY 718.858.4900 fax. 718.858.2434 877.700.GEAR (4327)

Aguilar Amplification 599 Broadway, 7th Fl NY,
800-304-1875 Fax:212-431-8201

Epifani Amplification 68 34th Street, 3rd Floor, Brooklyn 718-832-4664 Fax: 718-965-3770

Fodera 68-34th st, Brooklyn, NY 718-832-3455 fax 718-832-3458

Royal Music Center 1966 Rockaway Hwy, Brooklyn, 718-241-3330

upstate
Michael Tobias Design 3 Lauren Court, Kingston, New York 845-246-0670 Fax:845-246-1670

Stuart Spector Design, Ltd.1450 Rt. 212 Saugerties,
800-825-8810 fax: 845-246-0833

Harvey Citron Enterprises 282 Chestnut Hill Road, Woodstock 845-679-7138 Fax:845-679-3221

[Matt Call]

You're a fool if you don't stop by the Sadowsky shop.

[tkozal]

We should have like a file somewhere where we can just point people to it.

Off the top:

Sadowsky Shop in Brooklyn

NY Guitar & Bass Boutique, the Avella Coppollo Shop, 9th ave and like 49th? (He makes beautiful basses)

30th St Guitars, between 7th and 8th (lotsa used 70's P's right now)

The places on 48th:
Rudys
Sam Ash (which has noticably improved their bass stock, and sales talent lately)
Sam Ash across the street, otherwise known as Manny's (which has not improved their help, but has a different selection than the sam ash across the street)

Guitar Center on 14th St. Worth it for the big vintage room.

Matt Umanovs in the Village, pricey

These places are on my regular circuit here in the big sh**ty. I go over to 48th st a couple of times a month on my lunch, and 30th st about the same, as we rehearse across the street.

Rudy's has the best selection of high end (Ritters, Modulous, Zon, Pensa, Warwick, MTD, Smith, etc etc etc), including the high end Fenders, like the Victor Bailey (I'm GAS'ing for the fretless) and the FMT and RI's. They also have a 65, a 66 and a 67 Jazz right now for sale. Good high end Amp selection (Bergantino!!! mein Gott!) Sam Ash actually has some Custom Shop Fenders right now.

[Calaverasgrande]

Thanks for the replies. I will definetly check out Sadowsky, I already emailed them actually. I am pretty interested in their Metro and NYC stuff. I mean their made overseas stuff is actually made in a country that is known for making stuff better than made in USA! IE Japan. I just hope the wood on those is up to snuff. All the made in Korea stuff I have been looking at has cruddy wood.
Thanks for the list of stores. I basicaly am a pawn shop urchin, but have been lusting for a new bass that nobody else has owned. I also am getting too old to play 2nd rate gear. So I am trying to get educated about what is the bees knees in basses. And it seems that a lot of guys have shops over there in NYC, specially Brooklyn and Manhattan, which is where I will be most of the time. Another thing though. Doesnt anybody make anything besides a Jazz on steroids?

[jive1]

Don't forget about Epifani and Fodera.

[pointbass]

If you have the time to spare, two interesting stores in Jersey may be worth your while.

First, NJ Guitar and Bass Center in Edison, NJ has some very nice higher end used stuff (most of the time). I was just there last weekend and there were some beautiful F basses, MTD's, Zons, Pedullas, Alembic's and a bunch of cool vintage basses. Prices aren't the cheapest, but all the gear is in excellent shape.

On the complete opposite side of the coin is Rondo .... nothing is high end there, but the massive collection of SX and Brice stuff is a lot of fun. At least you can see what all the chatter is about and you can even pick up 2-3 basses just for the fun of it all without breaking the bank. They have some wild "demo stock" sales that are even cheaper than the web site ads .....

[jokerjkny]

Originally Posted by tkozal

We should have like a file somewhere where we can just point people to it.

Off the top:

Sadowsky Shop in Brooklyn

NY Guitar & Bass Boutique, the Avella Coppollo Shop, 9th ave and like 49th? (He makes beautiful basses)

30th St Guitars, between 7th and 8th (lotsa used 70's P's right now)

The places on 48th:
Rudys
Sam Ash (which has noticably improved their bass stock, and sales talent lately)
Sam Ash across the street, otherwise known as Manny's (which has not improved their help, but has a different selection than the sam ash across the street)

Guitar Center on 14th St. Worth it for the big vintage room.

Matt Umanovs in the Village, pricey

These places are on my regular circuit here in the big sh**ty. I go over to 48th st a couple of times a month on my lunch, and 30th st about the same, as we rehearse across the street.

Rudy's has the best selection of high end (Ritters, Modulous, Zon, Pensa, Warwick, MTD, Smith, etc etc etc), including the high end Fenders, like the Victor Bailey (I'm GAS'ing for the fretless) and the FMT and RI's. They also have a 65, a 66 and a 67 Jazz right now for sale. Good high end Amp selection (Bergantino!!! mein Gott!) Sam Ash actually has some Custom Shop Fenders right now.

cant add much more, but also check out Dan's Chelsea Guitars. he carries a KILLER selection of vintage gear with a clientele list of a who's who in rock.

also, like jive1 pointed out, you can visit shops like fodera, as well as the amp shops like aguilar and epifani, which are always worthwhile a visit. both daveB and nickE respectively treat all of their customers like bonafide rockstars.

[Calaverasgrande]

See! thats what I mean, Sadowsky, Epifani, Fodera, Aguilar?
Is NYC the epicenter of bass or what? It's a good thing we haev Modulus, Mesa Boogie, EB/MM and Alembic out here to balance things out.

[tkozal]

but, dude, when you get here, make sure you only SLAP as you try things out - I had the odd occurrence of following the same guys around last week from store to store, no we weren't together, we were all just making the same route. I felt like a lonely man, non slapper, fingerstyle guy that I am. All these old guys my age were just slapping like crazy! What the ?

[hasadari]

Look here: http://www.meucat.com/musica.php?LANG=i

[Drake Kennedy]

There are no basses in New York.

[werbo1]

MTD and Spector are in upstate NY

[tkozal]

In Kingston and Saugerties, actually. About 90-120 miles north. Beautiful this time of year, just gorgeous. Citron is also up there. Its the Woodstock arts "axis" there are a number of players who live up there (Metheny, Tony Levin, etc.)

I'm going up there on vacation in a few weeks, and will be looking at real estate.

Oh, I see you are from Kingston! Did you know that downtown Kingston looks a lot like St Gerorges Bermuda, without the pastels? That classic 17th century waterport look. Have you ever checked out any of Tony Levins local gigs in Kingston?

[Calaverasgrande]

In Kingston and Saugerties, actually. About 90-120 miles north. Beautiful this time of year, just gorgeous. Citron is also up there. Its the Woodstock arts "axis" there are a number of players who live up there (Metheny, Tony Levin, etc.)

Oh sh*t you are kidding me! My mom lives up in Kingston, I'm actually heading out there to celebrate her birthday. Then I'll be in NYC with the sis. Maybe I'll see if I can drop by on Herr Tobias et al. Hmm. I think I am going to need a LOT more money. Might be selling some stuff and getting a custom made after all. I have had this perverted fantasy for a number of years. To get a 5 string version of my Ovation Magnum made. Considering thats its made of Ebony, carbon/graphite, aluminum and mahogany its a pretty expensive perversion.
Thanks!

edit...trip, I swear I already fixed this I noticed that I had responded to the wrong guy about the kingston thing etc, ok once more into the breech

[tkozal]

its werbo1 who lives in Kingston, NY, check the names and locations!

[werbo1]

Heh, yeah Tony lives about a block away from me, I've seen him twice and plan on seeing him again in the upcoming months. Yeah i forgot about citron, but i shouldn't have (He played at my bar mitzvah lol). And i didn't know Metheny lived in woodstock - a town i really should go to more.

So bottom line, MTD is in woodstock/borderline Kingston, Spector in Saugerties i believe and no clue where Citron is. There is another lesser kown builder somewhere abouts too, wish i knew more. I could give more info if need be, I tend to be vague a lot, PM me or just post it right here.

Where abouts in Kingston foes your momma live? Wow, this is a sweet coincidence.

[Calaverasgrande]

I dont know where she lives in Kingston never been there, she just relocated there from New Orleans in November.

[werbo1]

Ok this is a little off topic, way off topic...but

Is her name Kathy? and her last name start with a D?
she might be my teacher....

[Calaverasgrande]

Originally Posted by werbo1

Ok this is a little off topic, way off topic...but

Is her name Kathy? and her last name start with a D?
she might be my teacher....

Naw her name is Rhys and her last name begins with an "Mc"

[bfonf]

Originally Posted by Calaverasgrande

Naw her name is Rhys and her last name begins with an "Mc"