Disgusted With Massachusetts Music Stores

[Rockmusician]

I live about 20 miles south of Boston and cannot find a decent music store anywhere. You would think that will all the bands that have come from the area and with Berklee being here that there would a store where I can go and find good quality gear and deal with someone who actually knows what they are talking about. I have gone to 4 stores in the last two days. Every one of them had about 300 guitars and about twenty basses. More 90% of the basses were Squier or MIM Fenders. One place had a new MIM Jazz. They wanted $850 for it. I can get an American for a couple of hundred more. Another store claims to stock Sadowsky, Lakland and Eden. I went there and was told that they sell it but do not stock any. They have to order it. Why would I order something that I can't play first? I even went to Guitar Center figuring that they would have a better selection. I was wrong. They had a few more basses but there wasn't anything that I was even remotely interested in. It seems like alll the stores are catering to beginners and veteran players are being shut out. It's frustrating.

[BigOldHarry]

You know, I've spent a fair amount of time in Boston as well - and I agree - it's strangely hard to find a decent store.

There was a nice guitar store out toward Brockton (can't recall the name) but they had few basses. Sucks to be a bass player, some times...

[corinpills]

Rock City in somerville used to be run by some bass freaks and always had the best stuff. Problem is (I think), having super cool basses on the wall and selling enough of them to stay in business are two different things.

I very rarely see anything in the bass department at Guitar center that I would find interesting enough to deal with dude-man- bro sales guy to try out.

Jim Mouradien's shop in Winchester always has some nice stuff in (a bit more on the old school tip, I suppose), and there's what'sitcalled? in Brockton. You'll find it if you google it.

[anonymous02282011]

'Try before you buy' is quickly becoming a thing of the past.

I've bought and sold a TON of gear over the last couple years and I don't think I auditioned a single item I bought over that time.

It's certainly frustrating.

However, if you know exactly what you're looking for there are ways to check it out before you drop your $$$

So what exactly are you looking for?

[anonymous02282011]

Originally Posted by corinpills

Jim Mouradien's shop in Winchester always has some nice stuff in (a bit more on the old school tip, I suppose), and there's what'sitcalled? in Brockton. You'll find it if you google it.

Yea, Jim is the man. I was in there about a month ago and he had some pre-CBS Fenders hanging on the wall right there for any potential customer to try . . .

There's also the Guitar Garage in Somerville . . . or maybe he recently moved to Wobourn or Waltham . . . anyway Krishna has a great collection.

In Brockton . . you're thinking of Boston Guitar Works. Never been there myself.

[TRichardsbass]

Used to be a Daddy's Junky Music near Berklee. I haven't been in town for quite a while. They often had an interesting mix of things, new and vintage/used.

Did you look at or go to any of those?

[anonymous02282011]

Originally Posted by TRichardsbass

Used to be a Daddy's Junky Music near Berklee. I haven't been in town for quite a while. They often had an interesting mix of things, new and vintage/used.

Did you look at or go to any of those?

Yea, for a while Daddys and EU Wurlitzer were right across the street from each, just a stones throw from Berklee.

Daddys is still there, but they don't have the collection they used to.

[dalkowski]

It's the same almost everywhere. I try to take pleasure in the thrill of the hunt.

When I lived in Boston (87-97), Mr. Music in Allston and Cambridge Music in Porter Square and at Berklee were the absolute shiznit for a wide range of good quality gear. They were the only stores I frequented and patronized. Guitar Center took over the EU Wurlitzer store on Comm Ave shortly before I moved to the 'burbs. And Daddy's is hit-or-miss at best -- I've never seen high-end bass gear at any of the locations I've visited.

+1 to Mouradian's. I know it's a hike for you, but it's worth the trip to Winchester to check the gear. Plus he's a great guy who's interested in everyone who comes into his shop whether they're a regular or first-timer.

RE stocking high-end gear: It's all but impossible for a little mom-and-pop store to pony up the kind of coin it takes to keep a stock of Sadowskys, Laklands, etc. PLus, those specialty basses are going to hang there for a looong time and not return on the investment. Squiers, MIMs and Ibbys are the items that move.

As adbass asked, what are you looking for?

[Bryan R. Tyler]

Drive an hour/hour and a half south to New Haven and go to GGuitars. It's worth the drive if they have what you want to try there.

[fu22ba55]

Originally Posted by Bryan R. Tyler

Drive an hour/hour and a half south to New Haven and go to GGuitars. It's worth the drive if they have what you want to try there.

If you're gonna drive to GGuitars (which, I agree is worth it if they have what you need), then I'd also stop by PMBlues in Pawtucket, RI on the way, with 2 caveats:

1) Check to make sure they're open when you're rolling through. They have strange hours.

2) Be prepared to pay ridiculously high prices, or at least be willing to haggle your butt off with surly pawn shop staff types. Their prices are unrealistic at best, and criminal at worst. But they have a lot of neat vintage stuff in stock, so you can least try some of it out if you flash your money at them.

---

AND, if you're driving down to New Haven, you could also hit up Upton Bass in Mystic on the way to try out some Double Basses!

[Bryan R. Tyler]

Originally Posted by fu22ba55

If you're gonna drive to GGuitars (which, I agree is worth it if they have what you need), then I'd also stop by PMBlues in Pawtucket, RI on the way, with 2 caveats:

1) Check to make sure they're open when you're rolling through. They have strange hours.

2) Be prepared to pay ridiculously high prices, or at least be willing to haggle your butt off with surly pawn shop staff types. Their prices are unrealistic at best, and criminal at worst. But they have a lot of neat vintage stuff in stock, so you can least try some of it out if you flash your money at them.

---

AND, if you're driving down to New Haven, you could also hit up Upton Bass in Mystic on the way to try out some Double Basses!

You've got a really roundabout way of driving if Pawtucket and Mystic are on the way to New Haven from Boston Upton Bass is now in Stonington, not Mystic (although they're close). There's an Upton Bass in Boston anyways though. Mystic does have Alpha Audio Works, which usually has some good stuff.

[dalkowski]

Originally Posted by fu22ba55

If you're gonna drive to GGuitars (which, I agree is worth it if they have what you need), then I'd also stop by PMBlues in Pawtucket, RI on the way, with 2 caveats:

1) Check to make sure they're open when you're rolling through. They have strange hours.

2) Be prepared to pay ridiculously high prices, or at least be willing to haggle your butt off with surly pawn shop staff types. Their prices are unrealistic at best, and criminal at worst. But they have a lot of neat vintage stuff in stock, so you can least try some of it out if you flash your money at them.

---

AND, if you're driving down to New Haven, you could also hit up Upton Bass in Mystic on the way to try out some Double Basses!

I am SO checking out Upton next week when I'm in CT!

Caruso's in New London used to be the best guitar/bass/live sound store between Boston and NYC, but now their business is more about pianos/piano moving. It was a smart move for them, not so much for us bassists.

[dalkowski]

Originally Posted by Bryan R. Tyler

You've got a really roundabout way of driving if Pawtucket and Mystic are on the way to New Haven from Boston

Are you kidding? Straight shot on I-95! Nothing roundabout about that -- and remember, the OP lives 20 miles south of Boston -- that's almost RI. Are you a Mass Pike-to-395 cat?

[fu22ba55]

Originally Posted by Bryan R. Tyler

You've got a really roundabout way of driving if Pawtucket and Mystic are on the way to New Haven from Boston

Aw c'mon! I-95 is the scenic route!

A little frozen lemonade in RI... plus you get to hit Foxwoods on the way!

I don't believe in the Mass Pike. The Mass Pike is my kryptonite.

(And I didn't realize there was an Upton in Boston... I moved a few years back.)

[Rockmusician]

Originally Posted by BigOldHarry

You know, I've spent a fair amount of time in Boston as well - and I agree - it's strangely hard to find a decent store.

There was a nice guitar store out toward Brockton (can't recall the name) but they had few basses. Sucks to be a bass player, some times...

There is a store in Brockton called Boston Guitar Works. The website states that they sell higher end brands but when you go to the store you find out that they don't stock very much. Most of it has to be ordered.

[Rockmusician]

Originally Posted by TRichardsbass

Used to be a Daddy's Junky Music near Berklee. I haven't been in town for quite a while. They often had an interesting mix of things, new and vintage/used.

Did you look at or go to any of those?

I have been to several Daddy's. They are even worse than Guitar Center. Back in the 80's they were good, so was E.U. Wurlitzer.

[basswave]

Drive 10-15 minutes north of the city and go here.

http://www.mouradianguitar.com/contact_us

Jon and Jim are the coolest people on the planet and have about 4-5 used Fender Js in the 7-800 range.

[Rockmusician]

Originally Posted by dalkowski

I am SO checking out Upton next week when I'm in CT!

Caruso's in New London used to be the best guitar/bass/live sound store between Boston and NYC, but now their business is more about pianos/piano moving. It was a smart move for them, not so much for us bassists.

I used to shop at Caruso's all the time. Larry and Rich Caruso are great guys. I wish they were still doing what they did in the 80's.
I want to try Sadowsky, Lakland, G & L and vintage Fenders. I am also thinking of switching my amp from GK to Eden. The closest Eden dealer is in Connecticut.

I am closer to the coast than I am to route 95. It takes me about an hour to get to RI and 2 hours to get to Connecticut.

[Kyon`]

Among the crowd at Berklee, it's generally agreed to avoid daddys. Boston guitar center is slightly better, but only for discounts. The only half decent shop I found was Mr. Music in Allston and it was mostly their used selection. As far as the upper tier stuff I can't find a single store in Boston that stocks anything beyond the standard Fender and Ibanez.

[dalkowski]

Originally Posted by Rockmusician

I used to shop at Caruso's all the time. Larry and Rich Caruso are great guys. I wish they were still doing what they did in the 80's.

I do, too.

I worked for them in high school ca. 80-81 in the old Bank Street store. That place was heaven -- guitars dripping from the ceiling, amps and cabs stacked 3-deep and ceiling-high. Every day I got to unpack the new gear -- it was like Christmas every day. There was a lot of live music of all types happening in the region back then, so there were lots of working musicians in the store every day.

Larry and Rich ARE great guys and excellent businessmen. They had to change their business model around '90 when the cold war ended and the submarine works across the river cut production and jobs.