I'd go to Gruhn's Guitars. Hell, any place that owns the domain name "guitars.com" has got to be good!
Gruhn Guitars
Gruhn Guitars
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Nashville visit. Must do's?
- Thread starter pepj
- Start date
As a former Nashville resident, I'd add the Nashville Jazz Workshop to your list. If you're going to be in town on a Monday night, I'd go to Third and Lindsey (pretty close to downtown) and catch The Time Jumpers, a group of A-list studio players that do Texas Swing. If you want some decent food and possibly hear some great music, visit Pucketts Grocery on Church @ Fifth. The shrimp and grits are fantastic!
Also pretty sure the owner is a bass player, there was a collection of uprights in one corner when I was there.
On the way to Memphis about an hour NE off of I-40, in a little greasy spot named Mason, you can ignore nearby Bozo's BBQ (it was utilized in Walk The Line with Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon's early scene…I think the Q is rather marginal but the homemade pies are delightful), and proceed less than a quarter mile SW on US 70/79 to the original Gus's fried chicken shack. They've got hot sauce and cold beer to supplement things.
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I've lived in Nashville for about 7 years now. Definitely agree with others' advice, but I'll add my own which may restate what others have said.
Broadway is an experience. I compare it to something like Times Square in NYC: you should see it once, but after that YMMV. The only locals that hang out down there are the musicians and employees working at rhe bars. It's not where Nashvillians go for a good time, at least not the ones that I know. Very touristy.
That being said, Roberts Western World is the place to be downtown. The only exception to the rule above is that you'll find plenty of locals who mosey to Robert's after a show at the Ryman. Get the baloney sandwich.
Station Inn is also a great rec for bluegrass.
If you happen to be staying close by or can do the ride to East Nashville, Dee's Country Cocktail Lounge is one place where the true locals and musicians hang out. Totally worth getting out there IMO.
As for shops, Carter, Gruen, and the rest others have listed are cool if expensive. I'd also put The Low End Bass Shop on your list - I bought my '63 P from them years ago and they're good people.
If you can make it to a show at the Ryman, GO. It's one of the greatest old auditoriums in the country.
Hope you enjoy your stay!
Broadway is an experience. I compare it to something like Times Square in NYC: you should see it once, but after that YMMV. The only locals that hang out down there are the musicians and employees working at rhe bars. It's not where Nashvillians go for a good time, at least not the ones that I know. Very touristy.
That being said, Roberts Western World is the place to be downtown. The only exception to the rule above is that you'll find plenty of locals who mosey to Robert's after a show at the Ryman. Get the baloney sandwich.
Station Inn is also a great rec for bluegrass.
If you happen to be staying close by or can do the ride to East Nashville, Dee's Country Cocktail Lounge is one place where the true locals and musicians hang out. Totally worth getting out there IMO.
As for shops, Carter, Gruen, and the rest others have listed are cool if expensive. I'd also put The Low End Bass Shop on your list - I bought my '63 P from them years ago and they're good people.
If you can make it to a show at the Ryman, GO. It's one of the greatest old auditoriums in the country.
Hope you enjoy your stay!
The standard of musicianship on Broadway is incredible. It only gets better as the day goes on. Take plenty of money for tips.
Thanks, but honestly this place has been exploding for the last 10 years and I'm sure with my situation there's tons of cool places I just don't know about.
Here's a few local rags that might help in your homework about Music City USA:
nashvillescene.com
The local free newspaper like you find in most big cities
Home - The East Nashvillian
A mag about my end of town here in the Peoples Republic of East Nashville
Magazine of Music City - Nashville Lifestyles
If you're staying in a serious hotel downtown and waiting for the valet to bring your Quattroporte . . . .
Eater Nashville
The local tab for the EATER website that features most big cities around the country (BTW, unless you're going to get stooopid drunk and need a fixer upper, stay away from any and all things described as 'Nashville Hot Chicken'. Your GI tract will thank you.) We now have Whataburger and Pollo Campero here, and Shake Shack if you must. Hard to go wrong with Pancake Pantry for breakfast, if he's home, Vince Gill's breakfast addiction.
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Brian closed his retail storefront in Murfreesboro, and now The Low End is appointment only.
6269 Pettus Rd
Cane Ridge, TN 37013
[email protected]
615-691-0110
And he'll be closed from June 3-17 to go to market at various guitar shows. Cane Ridge is a suburb in South Nashville. Good guy that KNOWS his basses.
I like to hit vintage clothing shops, and there are a lot of them in Nashville. Hip Zipper is a favorite of mine. None of them are inexpensive. Corner Music and Fanny's are on my always-go list, Grunn and Carter's and Grimey's Records if I have time. I usually go by Skull's Rainbow Room to see if anything interesting is happening, and Broadway is always entertaining just for the spectacle of it. If there's a concert at Nissan Stadium, the Shelby Street (Seigenthaller) Pedestrian Bridge can be a fun place to hang for a while and enjoy a cool beverage from the informal street vendors (you'll see the big screens and hear the show from the bridge). If you haven't been, The Ryman, Country Music HOF, and Musician's HOF are things you really have to see.
I keep thinking of more places:
Home - Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum
If you have an itch to know WHO played WHAT like other guys know Baseball stats, this is a must go.
Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum - Top Nashville Experience and Tours
Exceptional in its scope, not hokey at all.
National Museum of African American Music | Nashville, TN (nmaam.org)
Most people do not realize what a huge R+B and certainly black gospel presence there was and is in Nashville. Hendrix's first gigs after he mustered out of the Army at Fort Campbell were with Billy Cox in show bands in the many clubs that used to line Jefferson Street (until the Nashville government decided that a thriving black community was exactly the right place for the coming Interstate 40), the Fisk University Jubilee Singers go back to the 1800's, and the TSU Marching Band just won TWO Grammies. The 50,000 watt WLAC was a powerhouse night time rock and roll and rhythm and blues AM powerhouse at night back then, and was listened to by a couple little kids named Vaughn late at night in Big D.
Ryman Auditorium
Remodeled some years ago into a fabulous hall with acoustics hard to find any more. Of course, the Mother Church of Country Music, and The Opry still plays there part time.
The GIG at Belmont | The Gallery of Iconic Guitars
A stupendous vintage collection at Belmont University, near what used to be Music Row. Open just a few days a week (you can see the schedule), it's quite an eyeful and has an uber-rare quartet of signed Lloyd Loar Gibsons, an F5 mandolin, mandola, mandocello, and L5 guitar (like Mother Maybelle played) signed and dated by Loar himself.
Home - Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum
If you have an itch to know WHO played WHAT like other guys know Baseball stats, this is a must go.
Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum - Top Nashville Experience and Tours
Exceptional in its scope, not hokey at all.
National Museum of African American Music | Nashville, TN (nmaam.org)
Most people do not realize what a huge R+B and certainly black gospel presence there was and is in Nashville. Hendrix's first gigs after he mustered out of the Army at Fort Campbell were with Billy Cox in show bands in the many clubs that used to line Jefferson Street (until the Nashville government decided that a thriving black community was exactly the right place for the coming Interstate 40), the Fisk University Jubilee Singers go back to the 1800's, and the TSU Marching Band just won TWO Grammies. The 50,000 watt WLAC was a powerhouse night time rock and roll and rhythm and blues AM powerhouse at night back then, and was listened to by a couple little kids named Vaughn late at night in Big D.
Ryman Auditorium
Remodeled some years ago into a fabulous hall with acoustics hard to find any more. Of course, the Mother Church of Country Music, and The Opry still plays there part time.
The GIG at Belmont | The Gallery of Iconic Guitars
A stupendous vintage collection at Belmont University, near what used to be Music Row. Open just a few days a week (you can see the schedule), it's quite an eyeful and has an uber-rare quartet of signed Lloyd Loar Gibsons, an F5 mandolin, mandola, mandocello, and L5 guitar (like Mother Maybelle played) signed and dated by Loar himself.
^^^^THIS^^^^
Go to church in Franklin on Sunday morning. Every time I've been there, the musicians are all A Listers.
I didn't read the entire thread so apologies if it was previously mentioned, but you need to have a meal at Biscuit Love. The biscuits and gravy are best you'll ever have. Your waist line will hate you but it's worth it! LOL.
I live in Nashville but am from Memphis.
Martin music in midtown Memphis has very nice gear. I know Eric there sells quite a few Foderas and keeps some nice G&L's stocked as well.
Martin music in midtown Memphis has very nice gear. I know Eric there sells quite a few Foderas and keeps some nice G&L's stocked as well.
How could I forget Low End Bass Shop. Brian built one of my favorite jazz basses. Brian Barrett has been running his world class shop in Murfreesboro, just minutes from Downtown Nashville but has moved his shop closer to Downtown & is seeing clients by appointment only now. Be sure to check out his inventory & give him a call if you see something you like.
Minutes from the airport and a hell of a lunch on your way out of town....or on the way in. Las Palmas. The best chicken chimichangas and a side of queso I have ever had in my life. So good, it's the only thing I ate there for 17 years straight for fear if I died tomorrow, I would have missed out on one more plate of these heavenly creations.
Las Pamas, Antioch
