You're in NYC and you have $100 to spend on bass / music stuff. What do you do?

Ronny · #1 07-30-2006, 12:07 PM

Not too much of a hypothetical question but a quite pratical one..

My friend is in NYC for two more weeks and he's kind enough to go shopping for me, at least once, to wherever I'll send him too.

I'm willing to spend up to $100 on the whole thing. I'm quite sure that I would also like to buy a good, nice harmonica for my best friend's birthday, so a store that has harmonicas as well as bass stuff is an advantage.

So, what should I buy?
Strings, effects, cables, ear-plugs, sheet music, CDs, drum machine software, etc. etc. - I need to choose and I can't do it without your help.

I believe that you'll be able to recommend me what's the best use of my money (and please be specific, don't just say "buy 1 pack of flat-wounded strings and a good short cable" - That's not helpful in terms of both model names or prices).

C'mon, I trust you

Thanks a lot,
Ronny.

P.S.
I don't know any stores there, too. So if you have specific recommendations about where to go it really would help a lot. Thanks!

tplyons · #2 07-30-2006, 12:12 PM

Sam Ash on 48th street, the band instrument/sheet music shop is usually where I end up.

Get yourself a Hohner Diatonic in the key of C for your friend. My personal favorite harmonica.

Plenty of sheet music, more than you could imagine, with plenty specifically for bass too.

Ronny · #3 07-30-2006, 12:24 PM

Thanks for the quick reply

Yeah, I've just read some great reviews about this exact harmonica. I'll probably get this one in the end. (but BTW, key of C, are you sure? I know it's the most popular one, at least for beginners, but I don't know if it fits most of the blues/rock songs he would probably like to play along.. E or A seems much more varsatile (Did I spell that right?) for me. But I'm no pro when it comes to Harmonicas.

And another thing - I wrote "sheet music", but I'm not really good at reading or writing sheet music. Should I buy tons of it anyway and just.. learn, in your opinion?

Thanks

jondog · #4 07-30-2006, 12:29 PM

Have him drive over to Rondo in Union NJ and buy an SX P-Bass?

At the $100 level, I think the NYC stores have the same type of stuff other stores sell. $100 can buy a pretty cool effect pedal, but it's tough to tell someone to buy one for you unless you've already tried and liked it. I vote for an octaver!

steve21 · #5 07-30-2006, 12:31 PM

make your friend buy you a Sadowsky.

vindy500 · #6 07-30-2006, 12:34 PM

+1 for a sx

Ronny · #7 07-30-2006, 01:59 PM

jondog, I guess you're right about trying different pedals, but I don't really have a choice here, none of the stores around here (in Israel) offers any decent pedals for bass.

An octaver sounds like something I can use more often than let's say distortion, but it seems kinda like trying to sound more like a guitar, doesn't it? Dunno. But thanks

And I've already tried to make him buy me stuff when he was at the Apple store - I asked for a Macbook. He saide "Sure, it's $3,750". But I'll try again with a Sadowski ;-)

Anyway, please keep on with suggestions around the $100 range. Which effect? Which sheet music for bass? Any strings?

Thanks

tommixx · #8 07-30-2006, 09:51 PM

Depends on where you're going cab fare could run you $100!!

+1 on the Hohner, Best Harps out there for sure... The balance I would probably put into an Octaver or a Chorus Pedal myself and maybe a good instruction book or 2 if you have anything left! Good Hunting!

Peace,

T

ardorx · #9 07-30-2006, 09:57 PM

fruity loops.

Philbiker · #10 07-31-2006, 06:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jondog

Have him drive over to Rondo in Union NJ and buy an SX P-Bass?

+1! Drive down the Garden State Parkway and see what Rondo has in their clearance section.

Ronny · #11 07-31-2006, 08:16 AM

Rondo? Clearance section?

Guys, please be more serious and specific :-P Thank you

jondog · #12 07-31-2006, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ronny

Rondo? Clearance section?

Guys, please be more serious and specific :-P Thank you

http://www.rondomusic.net/

It's not a big store, some of the demo basses will be marked below net prices.

Ronny · #13 07-31-2006, 01:00 PM

yeah, in the meantime I've managed to get to their website. This store is too small, and I can't make my friend carry a bass guitar all the way home :-P But that's a nice idea..

Any other suggestions? Any specific stores? He said that he's in the Queens, and of course he can get to Manahttan within 20 minutes and go anywhere there. He has lots of time

beyondhairy · #14 07-31-2006, 01:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ardorx

fruity loops.

i hate fruity loops, for drums anyway, i so much pefer beat craft, they sound soooo real, and u can have more then the 64 beat limit.

Matthew Bryson · #15 07-31-2006, 01:56 PM

What is it that you need? (other than a harmonica) This thread sounds like maybe you have $100 burning a hole in your pocket and a buddy in NYC.

$100 isn't much of a budget, especially considering you don't get to pick it out personally. (whatever it is)

My advice, skip it. (or just buy a harmonica)

Dr. Cheese · #16 07-31-2006, 02:20 PM

If you must get some equipment, look at a nice strap or a quality tuner or maybe a bag or two strings. You might also want to pick up three or four CDs that you cannot find back home.

Ronny · #17 08-01-2006, 01:24 PM

Matthew, thank you for your answer. It's very clever and makes a lot of sense.

But you're right, you can say that I just 'have $100 burning a hole in my pocket and a buddy in NYC'. I don't get this chance any day, and I have the money and urge...

So 'need'? I don't 'need' anything, I have a nice bass and two killer amps - And those things are far too expensive to upgrade anyway. I probably need to get better sound and playability out of my bass, and maybe add new sounds to my playing - So that's strings and effects, at this budget. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Dr. Cheese, I would rather buy a strap in person, it's really a matter of personal choice, you know. And I already have a tuner+metronome which I love.

Currently, I think I'm gonna go for this KORG multi-effect thing: http://www.musiciansfriend.com/produ...dal?sku=152174

And maybe I'll add a pack or two of strings, I don't know which to choose and I only have one bass so I can't take something too etreme, what do you think?

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/bass/...ingOverall%7C1
(this is sorted by customer rating)

Thank you,
Ronny.

Lonnybass · #18 08-01-2006, 01:26 PM

Check out Colony on Broadway just north of Times Square. All the instructional bass books you could ever imagine in one place and before your very eyes.

Lonnybass

Ronny · #19 08-01-2006, 01:54 PM

Thanks Lonnybass

Can you be a little more specific please? There are dozens of businesses named "colony" near Times Square on Google Maps, and I guess in reality there are a lot more.. And if they have a website it can be really helpful. Thank you

Christopher · #20 08-01-2006, 04:20 PM

Colony's on 49th and B'way.

Seriously, though, I'd second Matt's point to skip the music- related purchase, especially since you only have $100. This town largely blows in terms of deals or unique musical instrument offerings.

If you have to find a nice music-related souvenir, spend the dough on some vintage vinyl at St. Marks.