Destination bass stores

[Odinbass]

Hey, aren't we the city that just won the World Series? CUBS WIN!

Thumbs up to CME. Thumbs down Cubs...... I live in Cleveland.

 

[Twocan]

The Great Great House of Guitars in Rochester, NY. There's simply nothing like it, and you never know what you'll find there.
http://houseofguitars.com/

Rumble Seat Music - used to be in Ithaca, NY and now in Nashville, TN
Premium Vintage Guitars & Amps | Rumble Seat Music

 

[Andrew Post]

Can you think of a bass-heavy retail store so good that you would consider a long drive, or even a plane trip, to visit? Where the selection is the best, and the owner is, if not at great-guy status, at least attentive? Anywhere in the world.



I will be traveling a bit in the next few years.

Sadowsky Guitars in NYC.

 

[bass12]

Don't bother making a stop in Montreal.

 

[Radio]

http://www.rocketmusic.net
Blacksburg VA

Has the brick and mortar shop reopened? I stopped by to buy a bass this summer, and the location was empty. Answering machine had no info, either.

 

[Holdsg]

I think there are 2 brick and mortar stores that Greg runs. Maybe he shut the one down? I just deal with him via email and online.

 

[willsellout]

I was trying to remember the name of that place... Too bad it went under, I got a few basses/amps from them over the years.

I actually didn't know it closed down. I'm not surprised though. It was in a very expensive part of town and they more often than not had douchey customer service reps on the floor.

 

[AsturHero]

In Germany: musicstore in Cologne, thomann in Burgebrach, Warwick in MArktneukirchen, Bassline Basses in Krefeld

 

[relwof]

Atlanta Bass Gallery is a place amongst whose venerated racks I feel as of yet unworthy to wander.

Sounds like you haven't been there yet? Keep in mind this is a shop run by bass players, for bass players - not ego-maniac guitarists set on proving how much better they are than you. While I can relate to your feelings of unworthiness, and they do have some players on staff who are imposingly skilled if they wanted to be that way, I've always found them helpful, patient, and respectful despite my meager skills. The only negatives you're likely to take out of there are those you brought in with you - they're way too cool and supportive (at least in my experience) to drag you down. Not to say you'll never find parts of the experience humbling, but that's very different than demeaning, and can even be healthy on occasion...

 

[Bass Club Mark]

With the advent of this internet thingy (I'm sure it's a fad), it's amazing to me that destination bass shops still remain in business.
Fortunately, the "brick and mortar" of most of these shops are in low overhead locations that still make the economics work.
To me, bass shops are what you visit when you're already in a certain city. I would never think of a fly-in just to visit a store, but I guess I'm kinda spoiled.

These are the places I have either shopped while on business travel, or frequent online. I'm sure I'll miss some. Left to right as you go across the country.

WA:
The Bass Shop, Seattle
Guitarworks/Mike Lull Bass (manufacturer), Bellevue

CA:
Gelb, SF
Bassmods, Sacramento
Bass and Beyond, Sacramento
Bass Exchange, Woodland Hills
Normans Rare Guitars, Tarzana
Wilkins Custom Guitars, LA
Mesa Boogie Hollywood, LA
Guitar Center Hollywood, LA (only one I would ever go to shop for a bass)
Bass Strings Online, Chattsworth
Nordstrand, Redlands (pickups and luthier extraordinaire)
FMI, Pasadena (for double basses)
Lemur, San Juan Capistrano (for double basses)
Bass San Diego, SD

AZ:
The Bass Place, Peoria

TX:
The Guitar Sanctuary

OK:
Guitar House, Tulsa

IL:
Bass Club Chicago, Chicago
Chicago Music Exchange, Chicago
Lakland (manufacturer), Chicago
Midlothian, Orland Park

IN:
Sweetwater, Fort Wayne

TN:
Low End Bass Shop, Murfessboro
Gruhn, Nashville
Corner Music, Nashville
Carters Vintage, Nashville

GA:
Atlanta Bass Gallery, ATL

FL:
Bass Central, Orlando area

VA:
Rocket Music, Blacksburg

DC:
Jive Sound, DC

NY:
Sadowsky (manufacturer), Long Island City
Fodera (manufacturer), Brooklyn
Aguilar (manufacturer), NYC
MTD (manufactuer), Kingston
Spector (manufactuer), Saugerties

CT:
Upton Bass (double bass manufacturer), Mystic

MA:
Bergantino (manufacturer), Whitinsville

Flattered that we made the list!!

 

[Holdsg]

I'm a long time BCC satisfied customer

 

[Maxdusty]

If you're in Detroit, Motor City Guitars has a decent bass collection.

 

[BlueTalon]

I actually didn't know it closed down. I'm not surprised though. It was in a very expensive part of town and they more often than not had douchey customer service reps on the floor.

My only gripe with the place was the parking situation.

 

[willsellout]

My only gripe with the place was the parking situation.

In the PNW in general it seems that parking was an afterthought.

 

[friskinator]

Anything in Vegas? I'll be there in a week or so.

 

[malthumb]

If you're in Detroit, Motor City Guitars has a decent bass collection.

True that. And 100 miles away in Lansing, Michigan you can find this jewel....

Elderly Instruments

if you get out to California, try to see if you can visit the Alembic factory. Technically not a store, but you will see some jaw dropping stuff and meet some of the best people above the soil.