Monday, July 30, 2018



We often hear a customer praise us with the phrase, 'I'm glad you're here.' or 'It's good to have a local music shop!'

Although this blog is not our soap box, we did want to address some of the dynamics that are involved in the running of a small retail music store amidst this ever changing sea of commerce. 

Your support keeps us alive. Where and how you spend your money and the frequency in which you patronize businesses matters. Choices are limitless these days with the online goliaths offering everything we sell and more so how can we make a difference? Service, follow-through after the sale and support.
How can you make a difference? Here are few things that can facilitate and sustain our growth in brief terms:

We are not just a showroom. 
Whether you're here to actually make a purchase or pass the time understand it's a balancing act for us to prioritize paying customers and visitors to the shop. 
It's a kind of nebulous zone to exist in without seeming 'dismissive' of browsers and the curious, offering our time and knowledge that may assist in purchases made elsewhere.

Revolving stock.
We haven't got the same facilities as the 'big guys' to simply return items to stock or make exchanges. Our stock situation is reflective of the local demand and new trends in the market that we are obliged to support (we are literally smaller and like many businesses, we can only hold so much stock). 'Free returns' is not something we can do but we have many times in the past accommodated a customer's needs depending on the situation. Please bear in mind we may take a loss on our part to make a customer happy in the name of good business and other times it's putting out a 'fire'.

A hub.
Due to our support and interest in the local scene we have built a network of connections for all sorts of musicians that we're so pleased to be a part of. This is what being a part of the community is all about-being 'local'. Over the years we have donated freely of our services and time to great local causes and institutions. Good things happen when people meet face to face in this world of online connections. We're here for the same reasons many of you are here for-the love of the arts and what can be expressed through it! Call it 'energy' or 'vibe', no matter how you interpret it it's what weaves it all together. If you like having us here in this brick and mortar location, keep in mind it takes support on both sides to foster and grow the music and musicians of tomorrow. 


Wednesday, July 18, 2018

It's redundant to say...

It's redundant to say we have Yamaha Guitars in stock after a pic like this!
Inside one of those boxes above was one of these:
Yes, that's right! A Yamaha CSF3M elec./acoustic parlor guitar.

Don't fret keyboardists, we have your 'jam' right here:
The Piaggero is here at a price more than a few 
players can afford. Especially students looking for 
something portable and more suited to piano
playing with heavier bass action and lighter
treble action. At this price why buy something
used?


Wednesday, July 11, 2018

Seagulls have landed!

That's right, they're loose in the store as we speak!
However, this kind doesn't require as much care and feeding: The Seagull S6 'Original' like the Seagull guitars by Godin you remember with the latest refinements and feel you expect in a modern guitar: 

Solid cedar top, Wild Cherry, Silver Leaf Maple neck, Rosewood fretboard and bridge. 

If you haven't played a new Seagull prepare to be surprised!

Monday, July 9, 2018

The Cone of Uncertainty

Unlike tropical storms resophonic guitars are somewhat easier to predict.


While we see a handful of them on the bench for maintenance per year,
the primary reason they need tending to is silencing rattles and 
buzzing. Think about it: you play vibrating strings and those vibes
travel throughout the guitar's body so that anything oscillating at
a certain frequency can begin to work loose screws, tuning machines,
and anything else that requires a mechanical fit to stay in place.
Resophonic guitars, dobros, and other resonator based instruments 
including ukes, have many screws holding their cover plates 
(the shiny plate you see on the guitar top) onto the guitar. The 
spider, those 'arms' or metal web you see inside behind the cover plate
is held by string pressure when fully tuned, otherwise it would simply 
fall away from the guitar without the cover plate in place. 
The cone, the heart of the resonator guitar is very light
and must be fitted properly to the wooden body and that
in turn shares the load from the bridge and strings so
that it is all 'unified' so to speak.

When we see resophonic guitars on the workbench we always
check for screws that are loose or not seating properly. We also
inspect saddle placement and tailpiece screws and alignment
so that your strings stay in line from end to end. Even strap 
buttons can rattle if not tightened!


Tuesday, July 3, 2018

Happy Fourth but Take Ten!


10% off any uke in the shop going on now
until July 7th! 

Another satisfied customer! :)