Why is it impossible to find a good music shop (instrument not record) around here?

[ratheripped.livejournal.com]

Have to stock up on some guitar stuff today and find a keyboard stand and really do not feel like driving into the city for Daddy's/Guitar Center. Also as much as it pains me to shoot down a local biz Rockin' Bob's in Davis really sucks if you're not a beginner and that's mainly who their limited selection caters to.

I'm willing to drive around a bit but for the # of musicians in the area there really seems to be a dearth of decent music stores. Any ideas where to go?

Comments

[primal-pastry.livejournal.com]

http://www.woodandstringsmusic.com/

They're in Arlington center, right off the ... 77 I think.

[cnoocy]

The 77 will get you there, as will the 87 directly from Davis. And there's a municipal parking lot nearby if you can't find space on the street.
There is a town festival going on in the area today, as well.

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

A few years back as a total n00b, I bought a guitar there and later found out I could have gotten the same one for a lot less pretty much anywhere else.

YMMV, of course, and it sounds like the OP has enough clue to avoid that sort of thing, anyway. (IIRC, their prices on bowed instruments were more in line.)

Also, the 80 goes to Arlington Center as well.

[icecreamempress.livejournal.com]

Their pricing is inconsistent; some things are weirdly high and other things are weirdly low. Sorry to hear you paid over the odds there for your guitar, but I don't think they're consistently overpriced on the whole.

[clevernonsense.livejournal.com]

I remember when Mars opened in Somerville a few other bigger music stores went out of business, followed by Mars going bankrupt. oops.

There is a music shop in Porter--I thought it went out of business cause it's all boarded up, but it apparently is still open.

Also, more toward Harvard is another one which I think is just guitars. I'm not a musician so I can't really qualify either store but they are nearby. Both are relatively small. The Daddy's or Guitar Center or whatever it's called on Mass Ave nearish to Hynes is rather large and parking isn't too ridiculous there. Or you could take the 1 the whole way from Harvard.

[icecreamempress.livejournal.com]

The music store on the first floor is indeed out of business!

There is still a place offering music lessons on the third floor, Mass Ave Music (http://www.massavemusic.com/); they sell some supplies but it's not a browsing stock as far as I know.

And Yesterday Service (the classical music store) moved to the Armory in Somerville.

[derekp.livejournal.com]

If you're looking for acoustic string instruments, check out the Music Emporium on Mass Ave. It's in Lexington, just over the Arlington border. They've got a HUGE selection of acoustic guitars and some really high end stuff too.

http://www.themusicemporium.com/

[greenlily.livejournal.com]

The #1 bus will take you to:

a. the Berklee Bookstore on Boylston Street (get off the #1 at Hynes/Newbury, walk up to the next cross street, turn right) (note, they are closed on Sundays)

b. Daddy's Junky Music on Mass.Ave (get off the #1 at Hynes/Newbury, walk up Mass.Ave in the direction you were going, Daddy's is on your right)

c. Music Expresso (yes, I think that's how they spell it) on Huntington Ave. which is the bookstore for New England Conservatory (get off the #1 at Symphony Hall, walk up to Huntington, turn right on Huntington, Music Expresso is on your right several blocks along Huntington.

Of the three, Daddy's is your best bet both for guitar stuff and for a keyboard stand. Berklee Bookstore is mostly good for sheet music, staff paper, etc. I haven't been into ME in several years; when I was there, they mostly carried supplies related to symphonic instruments, plus sheet music.

[boblothrope.livejournal.com]

As far as I can tell (from reviews, since their website is down), Music Espresso just sells sheet music, not instruments.

[anu3bis.livejournal.com]

Thank you, Davis Square list! I didn't know about Wood and String, and they do Hammered Dulcimers! I have a 16/15 I've been needing to re-string, so I'm checking with them now.

[dominika-kretek.livejournal.com]

Is there a reason no one ever mentions Mr Music in Allston? I used to go there, but I lived in Allston. I'm no expert, though.

[icecreamempress.livejournal.com]

No, Mr. Music is still its usual self--it's just not that easy to get to from Davis Square compared to Wood and Strings or Music Emporium or even Daddy's at Berklee.

[bluesauce.livejournal.com]

Shame, too; of all the music stores in the Boston area, I think that one is my favorite.

[pch1.livejournal.com]

There used to be a guitar shop in Medford on Main St. right by the Harvard St. intersection. It might have been next to Arthurs Pastry shop.

[somervilleguy.livejournal.com]

I think you're thinking of Carlino guitars. +! for eddy carlino, very nice guy with a decent selection of gear, leans a bit to the "metal" side but still has a decent stock. His guitars (carlino guitars) are very good but very expensive. he also isn't open as much as he should be, but he is open on Sundays.
After that I recommend Mouradain guitars in Winchester, not just for the guitars but also the amps and the service work they do. I find that to be top notch but it requires a long lead time (5-7wks) but they can do almost anything from repairs to complete rebuilds.

Guitar Stop?

[ethanfield.livejournal.com]

Nobody has mentioned the Guitar Stop (http://www.guitarstop.com/) south of Porter on Mass Ave (unless this has recently closed?) I got a quality 5-string banjo there once, and their acoustic selection generally looked good. Dunno about their electrics.

I have found Rockin' Bob's to be good for electronics repairs.

Sandy's

[dashford.livejournal.com]

Of course, there's Sandy's Music at 896A Mass. Ave. in Cambridge between Central and Harvard Squares. It's been there since at least the 1970s. Sandy Sheehan, like his store, is a Cambridge institution, and hosts a weekly old-time music show on WUMB-FM (and occasional old-time music nights at Johnny D's!).