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Disgusted With Massachusetts Music Stores

#22
I've always thought that what this world needs is a chain of stores called "The Rhythm Section" that carries only bass stuff and drum stuff. I'm not talking more Squiers and the usual stuff, I'm talking about all the cool boutique stuff as well, from companies that only make basses and bass amps, or the drum brands you can never seem to find in addition to the Pearls and Tamas. I agree totally with what you guys are saying. Any store you go to has at least 2 dozen guitars and maybe 5 basses. Why is it you have to go to GUITAR center to buy DRUMS?

Bass players and drummers both need a definitive shop that caters to their needs, not just a passing "oh yeah I guess we should have a bass or two and a drum set maybe" mentality.

The funniest bit is that I am primarily a guitarist. How odd is that?!
 
#24
I've spent far too much money there. There's a Japanese and Thai place across the street if you're into that too, but Indian food owns my soul. I used to spend a lot of time in that area during/after college between the food, the galleries, Caruso's, and the comic store.
 
#25
Bryan R. Tyler said:
I've spent far too much money there. There's a Japanese and Thai place across the street if you're into that too, but Indian food owns my soul. I used to spend a lot of time in that area during/after college between the food, the galleries, Caruso's, and the comic store.
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Brian,

Is there still a kickbutt pizza place in Groton? It was in a strip mall, first exit northbound after the bridge... I think it was just called "Groton Pizza"? Or did it go the way of Electric Boat? (this would have been like '89 or '90.)
 
#26
Bryan R. Tyler said:
I've spent far too much money there. There's a Japanese and Thai place across the street if you're into that too, but Indian food owns my soul. I used to spend a lot of time in that area during/after college between the food, the galleries, Caruso's, and the comic store.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, I can't stand Indian or Thai food. I'll go for Japanese or Chinese any day.
 
#27
fu22ba55 said:
Brian,

Is there still a kickbutt pizza place in Groton? It was in a strip mall, first exit northbound after the bridge... I think it was just called "Groton Pizza"? Or did it go the way of Electric Boat? (this would have been like '89 or '90.)
Click to expand...

Well, EB is still there, so there's a chance :D Don't know about Groton Pizza- whenever we're in Groton (right down the road from me), we inevitably eat at Applebee's or I get some Indian food from another Indian food place in Groton. We'll usually drive the extra distance to Illiano's in New London or Mystic Pizza if we're going to get pizza while we're out.

Ron's Guitars is still in Groton as well, but they moved to a smaller store a few years back and the inventory is much smaller now.
 
#29
Rockmusician said:
There is a store in Brockton called Boston Guitar Works. The website states that they sell higher end brands but when you go to the store you find out that they don't stock very much. Most of it has to be ordered.
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Yeah - that's the place. Pretty impressive selection of gee-tars, but if memory serves a bit weak on the bass front...

Funny story - not about that store, but about guitar stores selling basses...

A store in Pasadena (Pasadena Guitars, as it happens) - - I walk in, just killing time, and chat the guy behind the counter up... The store has lots of guitars & guitar amps and a single bass with no bass amps. I inquire; He say "Bass players - they are useless. They only buy one thing and hang on to it forever - I can't make a damn buck off of a bass players, so the one bass I have is on consignment" - - Since I had asked about basses, and thus identified myself as a bassist, he nothing short of surly to me, essentially pushing me out of the door with his hostility.

I opted to be amused, rather than mad, since I know of MANY bassists who will pay $2K or more for a bass but very few guitarists who will do the same...
 
#32
BigOldHarry said:
I know of MANY bassists who will pay $2K or more for a bass but very few guitarists who will do the same...
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I find just the opposite.
Just look around here. $1200 for a MIA Fender is over the top or they flip out over $1600 for a Ric.
A $350 Squier has changed everything......

I know plenty of GP's that have two or three $3000 + Les Pauls or CS Fenders or top notch PRS.
The GP in my band has little combo amps from the sixties worth 2X more than my rig.
 
#33
I'm here in NE as well. about 1.5 hours north & west of Boston. We have a shortage of bass gear in our local shops as well. The used shop is a little better, but stuff stays there forever. The newshop no longer has the nice fenders, upper mid range ibanez, etc.

Up until 2-3 years ago, there was a lot more selection. my thought is that people don't have the $$ they did a few years ago, stock doesn't move quickly, and the shop owner can't have the $$ tied up in stock.

Mail order doesn't help either. Lots of discounts the locals can't match.
 
#34
Bryan R. Tyler said:
Drive an hour/hour and a half south to New Haven and go to GGuitars. It's worth the drive if they have what you want to try there.
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GGuitars has a cool selection of basses. I dropped by there a couple of weeks ago. Going to try to make it a regular stop when traveling south.

I had a pretty good experience this past summer shopping at Guitar Center in Natick. I don't care for the atmosphere much, but they were patient about going up the ladder and pulling down different basses for me to try. I ended up getting an American Fender for what I thought was a good price.
 
#35
Bryan R. Tyler said:
Well, EB is still there, so there's a chance :D Don't know about Groton Pizza- whenever we're in Groton (right down the road from me), we inevitably eat at Applebee's or I get some Indian food from another Indian food place in Groton. We'll usually drive the extra distance to Illiano's in New London or Mystic Pizza if we're going to get pizza while we're out.

Ron's Guitars is still in Groton as well, but they moved to a smaller store a few years back and the inventory is much smaller now.
Click to expand...

Ron's a nice guy; pity he had to go to smaller digs.

Illiano's is good, but if you drive a mile or so down Ocean Avenue, just past the hospital, The Recovery Room has awesome pizza.
 
#36
zillo said:
I'm here in NE as well. about 1.5 hours north & west of Boston. We have a shortage of bass gear in our local shops as well. The used shop is a little better, but stuff stays there forever. The newshop no longer has the nice fenders, upper mid range ibanez, etc.

Up until 2-3 years ago, there was a lot more selection. my thought is that people don't have the $$ they did a few years ago, stock doesn't move quickly, and the shop owner can't have the $$ tied up in stock.

Mail order doesn't help either. Lots of discounts the locals can't match.
Click to expand...

Keene?
 
#37
Can't say enough positive about Mr Music in Havrard Av Allston. I shop there 1st for DR Strings, effects (bass effects case: Source Audio, Xotic, ZVex, TCElect., Moog, Sansamps, Voodo, DunlopMXR, others...and used effects) and interesting basses, they have a bunch of oddities now. A couple old Guilds, an Ovation (the Jah Wobble bass), a killer American Fender P/J, a couple Lakelands, DanElectos, Yamahas, a couple that look like Italian furniture. Things move fast there so it's a great place to visit every couple months. I got my fav bass there last year, a Schecter Studio Custom in excellent condition, taken care of, for $300 and a trade of a p.o.s. Chinese thing that was pretty but junk. (My last Chinese bass until they get the Taoist masters making basses.) They also usually have a top line amp or two, but it's chancy. I've seen many SVT's there and right now a new 600w Ampeg combo with a tube pre is the demo amp to try basses with. It's super.
 
#38
Invalid Link Removed

Brockton Guitar Works is right in your area dude, I got my Epifanis there a while back... Gguitars for high end (Make a trip of it & gamble at the casinos)
I'm on the northshore & its MUCH worse up here
 
#39
BigOldHarry said:
Yeah - that's the place. Pretty impressive selection of gee-tars, but if memory serves a bit weak on the bass front...

Funny story - not about that store, but about guitar stores selling basses...

A store in Pasadena (Pasadena Guitars, as it happens) - - I walk in, just killing time, and chat the guy behind the counter up... The store has lots of guitars & guitar amps and a single bass with no bass amps. I inquire; He say "Bass players - they are useless. They only buy one thing and hang on to it forever - I can't make a damn buck off of a bass players, so the one bass I have is on consignment" - - Since I had asked about basses, and thus identified myself as a bassist, he nothing short of surly to me, essentially pushing me out of the door with his hostility.

I opted to be amused, rather than mad, since I know of MANY bassists who will pay $2K or more for a bass but very few guitarists who will do the same...
Click to expand...

Great point! There are a few stores such as Bass Northwest that cater to bass players but they are few and far between. I am actually considering opening a bass store on the east coast.
 
#40
BassBrass said:
Can't say enough positive about Mr Music in Havrard Av Allston. I shop there 1st for DR Strings, effects (bass effects case: Source Audio, Xotic, ZVex, TCElect., Moog, Sansamps, Voodo, DunlopMXR, others...and used effects) and interesting basses, they have a bunch of oddities now. A couple old Guilds, an Ovation (the Jah Wobble bass), a killer American Fender P/J, a couple Lakelands, DanElectos, Yamahas, a couple that look like Italian furniture. Things move fast there so it's a great place to visit every couple months. I got my fav bass there last year, a Schecter Studio Custom in excellent condition, taken care of, for $300 and a trade of a p.o.s. Chinese thing that was pretty but junk. (My last Chinese bass until they get the Taoist masters making basses.) They also usually have a top line amp or two, but it's chancy. I've seen many SVT's there and right now a new 600w Ampeg combo with a tube pre is the demo amp to try basses with. It's super.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the feedback but unless and they are carrying Ampeg from the 1960's and 1970's they are not carrying "Top of the Line". I had an endorsement deal with Ampeg. I gave it up and ended up buying GK at retail. The Ampeg was under powered and sounded like crap. I was extemely disappointed especially since I had owned several early 1970's SVT heads that I loved.
 

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