Your local music stores

[RhynoRock]

It's a real drag for me because of the drive I gotta take to go find any variety. I'm right in the middle of two major urban areas, there's no music stores and no decent instrument stores within at least 50 miles.

[Beano_z]

Originally Posted by MarkMgibson

It's true here too - shops sell the exact same brands, with no variety at all. Until a few months ago (when a very good shop opened up), I had to drive 60 miles just to try out a Vox or Orange amp. They same is true of guitars and basses - the same stuff in every shop. Unless you live in a huge city, I bet this is a very common complaint.

...and valid in almost every country, for almost every kind of "commodity", try to find a Leica store in Louvain, Belgium which keeps a decent stock of nice lenses (that's if you're into camera's)!

This is one of reasons I've chosen to live in big cities in the past 10 years. Sitting in Hong Kong I really can't complain, I can find master build custom shop fenders (or Fodera, Ken Smith) to Dr. Z or Aguilar amplifiers within 30 min by public transport (which means 10 miles or less)

[mjac28]

Originally Posted by fdeck

Here, any store that has survived Guitar Center has done so by steering into markets that GC doesn't own, such as band & orchestra, sheet music, or high end acoustic.

+1 I totally agree with this most of the stores in my town supply and repair most school bands.

[wcnewby]

I don't have a well stocked music store near me. There is one with some basses, but no amps to try them on. Few bass books... There aren't any stores nearby where you can play a variety of good basses. I understand why, they are expensive, and if no one buys it before the new model comes out you are loosing money. (if you are a store owner)

Thankfully, I have an excellent music teacher, a bass player himself who worked in the industry, still does to some degree. Steve Carman. He has a studio that is packed full of basses and guitars. He encourages a bass player to know how to play guitar and doesn't allow tab reading. He works deals on gear, takes payments. Right now I owe him hours of "labour" spelled on the handwritten contract in the english way because he is a brit. He also adds that it must be "back-breaking, soul destroying, life extracting labour... It was so I could have a five string to work with when I had no money to buy one. A Cort Curbow... the orange crazer. I am lusting over another bass I can't afford... I really love this one though, a fender deluxe zone bass, the american 18v volt one. The affair that I'm having with my Ibanez is purely physical.

If he didn't have a bass I wanted, or gear, I suspect that he would obtain what I wanted for me to try... he is just like that. And he has strings, and cleaners... a luthier that handles guitar repair. He only sells to his students, you can't just walk in and buy gear there. He teaches guitar, bass, has an upright bass there, is a vocal coach... When you come for a lesson you can work with your bass or guitar, or any of the couple hundred hanging on the walls. So... I don't have a good well stocked music store near me, but I have everything I need, and some things I want and can't afford. I feel spoiled, and I don't mind paying good money for lessons... I would think there must be more than one of these types of teachers.

[Astreaux]

Originally Posted by D.A.R.K.

Gotta give some love to Chuck Levin's music in Wheaton, Md....
Best prices on just about anything in the country- Independently owned and run for over 30 years. I've bought Alembics, Pedullas, and Ken Smith basses there although they stock fewer of these types of instruments since fixed pricing has been implemented.

+1

[cloverkeys]

My local three shops all carry fender, gibson, musicman, ibanenz, yamaha, godin and some lower end warwicks. Everything else is just too far to drive for some bass testing, especially for a humble p player.

[BryanM]

There's a handful of shops around here that carry your standard fare: a few Fenders, some Ibanezes (Ibani?), and some Gibsons or something of the sort. There are also a few standouts that keep things in stock that are off the beaten path, so to speak. One store pretty much only stocks Fender and Samick but their Fender selection is phenomenal, while one shop is more of a boutique amp shop and then carries MTD, Reverend and a few other types of basses and guitars that are a bit high end. One specializes in mostly used gear and is a dealer of new Fenders, Ricks, and some acoustic brands. My favorite is a place called Guitar Gallery that carries a pretty wide selection including Fender, Gibson, Schecter, Rick, and a few others, but always has a nice selection and very knowledgeable staff.

[klejst]

My local ma' and pa' places may not be as big as Guitar Center, however the offer pretty much the same stuff as well. Neither GC or the smaller places have a very elaborate used section though. Of course we just got our Guitar Center here about a couple years ago.

[RxFunk]

Mine sells Ibanez, Dean, Epiphone, Gibson, Schecter, DBZ Guitars, Gretsch,Takamine, Luna, Seagull, Vox, Orange and Blackstar, plus various drum brands.

[SquierJazz72]

For guitars and basses, mostly Fender/Squier, Gibson/Epiphone and some Ibanez.

Amps are mostly Traynor, Fender, Epiphone, and whatever odd amp might turn up used from time to time.

Plus they do sell drums, keyboards, mics, mixers, and various pedals.