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BASS SAFARI in NYC?

#81
So next I hit up the Avella Coppollo Shop, Matt Umanovs and such. The Avella Coppollo Shop aka The Guitar and Bass Boutique is tiny. Its basically a shop big enough for two guys to work in, with a tiny booth in front with about 6 guitars and 4 amps. I tried out one of their basses and an Atelier Z. Both of which had crazy electrical problems. Kind of a letdown for a high end place to be handed a bass that doesnt work in active mode or is missing the whole backplate, then told in the same breath that its $4000. Also dont see how such a small place can share 2 names!
Matt Umanovs was in a part of greenich Village that seems to consist of almost all tourists. And it was raining. So by the time I found the joint I was in a pretty uppity mood. I checked out a few basses, but not much. They seem to specialize in Fender Ps, to my chagrin. Almost no 5's or anything else. And its all behind a counter so you cant touch without talking to some sideburn farmer.
umanovs.jpg

They did have a couple of basses I was interested in, but they couldnt tell me the price because the boss man wasnt there? I hate moving target pricing, or "what can I take this guy for". In most music stores I actually do pretty good by it as I am scruffy looking and a former sales jerk. It is just the principle that bothers me!
Dans Chelsea Guitars was more my kind of place. Lots of old retro stuff.
chelsea2.jpg

Very funky atmosphere. Prices are a little high, but they seem willing to work with a guy. NO 5's! But some neat older basses, gits and amps. And a death mask from Chris Walken(he's not dead it's from a movie)
 
#83
Then I went back to 30th st music. Out of all of the places I went I really remembered the Moses 4 string fretless
moses2.jpg

and the Stingray 5 string fretless
stingray2.jpg

about the Moses, they had it written on the tag as a "parts" bass. But I thought moses was its own company? Either way, that graphite neck plays like a demon! And it is a really nice white stain, not white paint. Then I finally caught 1st ave Music when they are open, only one P and one daisy rock bass. :spit:
Then over to ave A and 7th for Falafel at Damask.
 
#85
The last place I checked out was pretty cool. Somehow nobody told me about them and they werent in any of the online listings I could find! They are called Maindrag Music.
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They're in Williamsburg, a chi-chi neighborhood of Brooklyn. Its over on s 1st and Wythe, a few blocks from the Bedford stop of the L. They had a few cool basses
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also one of the infamous Wishes.
wish.jpg

but even more so they have a ton of great amps and cabs.
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and a keyboard that used punchcards to load sounds!
maindrag5.jpg
 
#86
tkozal said:
I was in 30th st on Saturday, and played that fretless Moses, it is really nice.

Did you notice they are putting in a large A/C unit?

They also had a 72 and a 73 P's. Both really nice, but getting near $2600!
Click to expand...
yeah, its nice, but the pickups sound kinda choked to me. I really like the Stingrays they have there, the older ones sound cool, but the oldest one has kind of a fizzy sound. Needs recapping maybe? Either way at $2300 it's getting into Sadowsky Metro territory. Or higher end Spector.
 
#87
So I missed one or two shops, found one not even on my list. I finally settled on an Ernie Ball Musicman Stingray 5 Fretless.

ray1.jpg

Strung EADGC. It just sounded better than all the other Stingrays, even the OLD one from the early 80's. It was a narrow choice between the Moses and the Ray. The Moses neck was a little nicer, but the Ray neck and tone won.

ray4.jpg


This is also the most expensive piece of gear I own right now! Okay my Boogie stack would cost more to replce, but I only paid $750 for that. for this, about $1100 with tax and everything.

ray3.jpg
 
#88
Great! You found a bass to take home!
As soon as I was gonna mention Main Drag, you posted that pic of the store! There's another place in Brooklyn (Park Slope) that opened recently. It's called Link Removed. I know you already bought a bass but it looks like they have a Invalid Link Removed in stock. Probably over $1100, though.

Again, I don't know if you're still in the city but....+1 on the Mamoun's falafel. My roommate used to give the owner guitar lessons and we still go there a ton. Great place. I usually get the falafel with hummus and tahini. Their chili sauce will hurt you! Be careful!

I was at the Sadowsky shop again on Monday and they must not have wiped them down yet because I think I saw your prints all over that ebony jazz! :P
BTW, I'm gonna buy that black 24-5 P/J today! Did you play it? I thought that since you don't like P's you might not have checked it out but it's gotta be the nicest Sadowsky I've played yet! It's pretty plain but it certainly doesn't sound that way. I'm also thinking of getting a new Modern 5 that they just finished. It's a trans-red 24-5. Did you get to play that one, either?
 
#89
I played all the 5s they had in there. The ebony and black sparkle was my faveorite for sounds and looks. The PJ one sounded cool but I didnt like it for some reason. I also really dug one of the metros they had that was kind of a tobacco burst? I am probably going to have to settle for a Metro. By the time I have enough for the black and ebony I am sure it will be gone. I find the Metros sound and play just as nice. They just don't have the ebony fretboard option, or as many cool colors.
About my stingray5. Does anybody have any idea how to date them? It has a 3 band eq, gloss neck (not gun oil and wax) with some birdseye, the more modern bridge without the mutes and with the offset "turrets"? I'll try and take some better pictures to post. You cant see the wood grain or the birdseye in these at all.
 
#90
So I looked it up online at some site linked from the musicman forum. It was made in May or June of 93. I was suprised! It only has one or two dings for a 13 year old bass! And I bought it almost exactly on its birthday, when Sterling himself was in NYC to boot. Speaking of, I notice that Bovine Host is quite the guy over at the MM forum. They made him a flamed Bongo! They also have a few pics of some rosewood necked bongos they made for Sterling Ball. And thats rosewood necked as in the whole neck is one piece of rosewood!
 
#92
Thanks!
I almost am feeling the beginnings of the urge to buy another bass. Maybe I will do a corresponding bass safari in the Bay Area? Maybe I'll make it back out to NYC. I am still very interested in a Sadowsky, or of all things a Spector. (the ones I have played are pretty nice. But then I am also intruiged by some of the old guilds I saw at 30th.
 
#95
well my 40th is coming up, so Imight make it back out to NYC, and maybe talk one of my rich uncles into buying me another axe.
I seem to have developed an obsession with the black onyx sterlings. Saw one a few months ago in a store in the bay area. Ebony fretboard on an EBMM bass! nice!

Or... I might have to do a bay area safari. I already know all the stores out here, but I have been shoping for basses for 20+ years. I think I might have some wisdom to impart.
 

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