Going to Paris next week--recommendations?

[climb]

Hey everybody,
I'm headed to Paris next Thursday for a few days. Anybody have any recommendations for bass-related stuff? I'm staying in the Latin Quarter, if that helps.

Thanks!

[farfadet]

Bass and guitar shop are at the "Pigalle" station (metro line n°2), in the "rue de Douai". There are also drummers, DJ and other kind of shops.
If you are more piano, violin and saxophone go to "rue de Rome".
>

[T'CharleS]

Yeah nearly everything bass-related in Paris is at Pigalle... I wouldn't expect very good prices if ever you were planning to buy a souvenir, Paris isn't usually your best bet from my experience.

[erix]

You'll definitely find many gear shops around Pigalle, like California Bass or Bass Center.
In Bass center you'll find European luthier basses that you cannot find in the US like GMR for instance.

[Mr M]

Yes, when you go out of the Pigalle metro station, take the hill where the Sacré-Coeur Church is, at your back. Go straight ahead and than turn right. This is the street with musical instrument shops with basses etc. It was the place that I had the chance to try Zon Hyperbass years ago.
But based on my experience, if you don't speak French, usually you are not very welcome. And I haven't seen a single place in Europe where the prices are more appealing than the ones in the states.
AFAIK, Vigier is not made in Paris. I don't know where in France Noguera is made. It would be great to pay visit to their workshop.
Maybe french TB'ers may help where to see Vigier basses in Paris (because I haven't seen them in that Pigalle area shops if I don't recall wrong).
And I'd suggest to eat at Léon de Bruxelle restaurant which is at Pigalle center if you are into seafood (there are others in other cartiers as well)

[Georges Abitbol]

Vigier Guitars are made near Paris in a suburb named "Grigny" now.
Noguera basses are made in South of France ("Midi-Pyrenées" area)
There are some Vigier basses (Passion III 4 & 5 strings) at Universal bass 17 rue de douai in Paris.
French people over there are friendlier than a few years ago.
Enjoy your stay in France!

[johnnycat42]

Paris is great. Never had any issues with anyone being rude to me and always had a great time. (And I'm American)

[rrohde]

Why would anyone in Paris be rude to you? Normally peeps are being rude when approached in a rude manner. Are you normally rude and were surprised that Frenchies weren't rude to you in reply? Or is this the old, old stereotype that French people are rude?

[climb]

Just checked out the stores in Pigalle. Overall, it was pretty disappointing to me, personally. California Bass Center had very little in the way of high end basses. Universal bass had some nice instruments (Sadowsky metros, 2 F Basses, and a few Nogueras). I politely asked to play one of the Nogueras, and after about 2-3 minutes, the guy asked me for the instrument back saying that it was "for sale". I was in no way rude, and tried to explain to him that I buy a lot of high end instruments (check my profile if you must). The instrument was ok (overpriced), but there was zero way I was going to buy it from that dude after he cut me off and treated me like I was wasting his time. Plus, who buys a multi-thousand dollar instrument after 2-3 minutes of playing it? The shop was practically empty as well. I'm sure it would have helped if I could speak better French, but I just don't know the language.

[DaveAceofBass]

French people can be rude to Americans, they have some sort of idea that is totally wrong about us. That being said, they aren't all bad. I made some French friends once.

[Budha bass]

Originally Posted by climb

The instrument was ok (overpriced), but there was zero way I was going to buy it from that dude after he cut me off and treated me like I was wasting his time. Plus, who buys a multi-thousand dollar instrument after 2-3 minutes of playing it? The shop was practically empty as well. I'm sure it would have helped if I could speak better French, but I just don't know the language.

I could say that with a better French it couldn't be better ...
It's exactly the samewith french peoples...

All instruments are overpriced in the Paris shop now (some exceptions) and the sellers aren't sympatic...
And after, they rush in flames everybody who speak about buying by internet ... but in France, with that kind of shops, it's commun ...

unfortunately, I didn't read this thread before, otherwise, I could helped you to find the good shops and meet the good persons to try a lot of high end basses in Paris...

[D.Don]

Same here, read the thread too late, got a bunch of good experiences down at the pigalle stores, it's just about knowing the peeps there which you do after coming back over and over again, remember, france is SOAKED with tourists, and working in a music store isn't the most stimulating job in the world... (been there, done that).

The music stores in Paris are most of them quite strange coz almost all of them don't carry any used stuff nor want the trade, used stuff is most often found in small specialized shops instead.

But there are exceptions..

Bass Center (rue victor masse) has recently opened a new little show room just next to their "old" shop, where they sell a bunch of old italian and japanese stuff they have been fixing up to nice instruments. Clement (dark hair glasses), who work there is a fantastic dude and a TBer as well (not very active around here anymore though), the owner (gray long hair), is one of the old school dudes and knows a lot and is very nice too.

Just on the other side of the street, there's a small second hand shop which I don't remember by name, but they do have a bunch of used stuff, musicmans, gibsons and others (was there last time 2 months ago, we left Paris and now live in Montpellier since January, and at the time they had quite a lot nice used stuff in stock).

California has a Huge stock of new basses (they seem to be the only ones that stock MusicMan in that area) and they usually got a quite ok stock of used stuff as well (I bought a fretless 1992 ray there... lovely instrument). Frank at California Bass is a funny bloke, very french, though still a nice and good guy.

Then at rue Douai there's two quite nice, but probably over priced, vintage shops that sell old basses and guitars, I don't know them by name, but one is round about the other side of the street from "effect center" and the other one is on the same side as "effect center" but way further down the street. The latter one often has VERY nice old items, and the first one had last time I was there a lot of interesting odd stuff, italian 60-70s stuff and things in that direction.

Madloc (a little further down rue douai), is a rental service for classic/hard to find backline BUT sometimes sell things they don't need anymore, enter the door just to the left of the store and walk over the court yard and there's a lil door with a bell to ring and you will get in and have to talk to the dudes there (no showroom as it's a rental service).

Music Power, generic second hand music store, at rue houdon (up from pigalle the first street uphill to the right from McDo), usually have quite a lot and varied stock of used basses as well, sometimes they have really nice ones, have seen old fenders and rics there. Very nice guys there, Mathieu (short brown hair) who is their guitar expertise is very service minded and is always interested in a chit chat and a good deal. Always have a large selection of used pedals as well...

Bass Center was my #1 choice for bass related things, even if I during the time never bought any bass there as I am more or less only in for used stuff, but for strings (they got the best and most varied string stock in that area) and chit chat and checkin all the new stuff comin in (always a quite good and varied selection of new stuff in stock and they have a lot and really great stock on fender), and Music Power was like a second home for me..

High tech modern custom and boutique basses, I have no idea who's the best to provide in Paris, not my cup o tea.


Main thing to remember, always be very polite, say bonjour and look them in the eyes (and maybe even smile a lil) when you enter the store, and never forget the "Sil vous plait", if you want to try an instrument or ask for something you want to purchase, and when you leave, always say Merci and au revoir, bon jounée and so on... the French are a very polite people and if you show them that you understand this, things get a lot easier and you have a better opening to getting the respect and attention you want as a customer.


D.Don

[Mr M]

Originally Posted by Budha bass

I could say that with a better French it couldn't be better ...
It's exactly the same with french peoples...

Well... I wrote another reply before but I deleted it later because the thread was in Basses forum, now as it is in Misc. I can write more.

To know french has an effect but not very big, the way the sellers treat you changes between worse and worst .

Originally Posted by D.Don

France is SOAKED with tourists, and working in a music store isn't the most stimulating job in the world... (been there, done that).

Isn't it a nice excuse? They don't put gun on your head to work there. Or do they?

Originally Posted by D.Don

Main thing to remember, always be very polite, say bonjour and look them in the eyes (and maybe even smile a lil) when you enter the store, and never forget the "Sil vous plait", if you want to try an instrument or ask for something you want to purchase, and when you leave, always say Merci and au revoir, bon jounée and so on... the French are a very polite people and if you show them that you understand this, things get a lot easier and you have a better opening to getting the respect and attention you want as a customer.


D.Don

Wow, isn't it nice to educate rough people! Customers, be nice so that his majesty seller will treat you well, if not, they'll treat you like shxt because there are lots of tourist there, they bore those highnesses, so if you say hello (en français, bien sûr), smile, offer a glass of wine they may treat you NORMALLY...
I don't advocate being rude but to be treated as a customer should be treated normally, you shouldn't have to make so much effort. An average manner should be enough to be treated the way it should be. BTW, I always act this way everywhere (not trying to be nice so that his majesty will treat me well) because I'm most of the time a polite and nice guy (would you believe it?). And believe me, the result was not very different when I was in Paris (Bonjour, je voudrais acheter des cordes pour basse et si c'est possible j'aimerais bien jouer de ce Fender).

I've been maybe over 15 different countries so far (can make comparison), I'm francophone, I studied 8 years of French with French teachers, I worked in a French Holiday Village for some time, I still have communication with French people in my current job. So I can say that I know less or more French people. And all I can say that they are not famous of their hospitality. I wouldn't call them polite either, if you'd like to see polite sellers, see Vienna, see for example SE of the States. For Paris, it is a nice city, with beautiful buildings, churches, gardens, museums (but I'd rather be in Roma or in New Orleans that I find more beautiful). And for buying instruments, bass related things, nothing comes close to the States.

[D.Don]

Originally Posted by Mr M

Well... I wrote another reply before but I deleted it later because the thread was in Basses forum, now as it is in Misc. I can write more.

To know french has an effect but not very big, the way the sellers treat you changes between worse and worst .





Isn't it a nice excuse? They don't put gun on your head to work there. Or do they?





Wow, isn't it nice to educate rough people! Customers, be nice so that his majesty seller will treat you well, if not, they'll treat you like shxt because there are lots of tourist there, they bore those highnesses, so if you say hello (en français, bien sûr), smile, offer a glass of wine they may treat you NORMALLY...
I don't advocate being rude but to be treated as a customer should be treated normally, you shouldn't have to make so much effort. An average manner should be enough to be treated the way it should be. BTW, I always act this way everywhere (not trying to be nice so that his majesty will treat me well) because I'm most of the time a polite and nice guy (would you believe it?). And believe me, the result was not very different when I was in Paris (Bonjour, je voudrais acheter des cordes pour basse et si c'est possible j'aimerais bien jouer de ce Fender).

I've been maybe over 15 different countries so far (can make comparison), I'm francophone, I studied 8 years of French with French teachers, I worked in a French Holiday Village for some time, I still have communication with French people in my current job. So I can say that I know less or more French people. And all I can say that they are not famous of their hospitality. I wouldn't call them polite either, if you'd like to see polite sellers, see Vienna, see for example SE of the States. For Paris, it is a nice city, with beautiful buildings, churches, gardens, museums (but I'd rather be in Roma or in New Orleans that I find more beautiful). And for buying instruments, bass related things, nothing comes close to the States.

I can see how you possible will be experiencing trouble meeting peeps from cultures that are different from where you come from...

Customer service in the US is most often excellent, best I have experienced so far is Ernie Ball and Phil Jones Bass, no one will beat them by far!!

D.Don