San Francisco

[Adam Tracksler]

We are vacationing in SF next week, are there any good music shops that we should "just happen to walk by?" wink wink

thanks in advance, ad

[Jim M.]

If you're doing the tourist stroll, Lark in the Morning is between Ghirardelli Square and Fisherman's Wharf. I wouldn't call them a good music store, but they have a wide variety of instruments from all over the world that can be fun to play with. Mostly lower quality stuff though.

Serious mandolin shopping can be had in Berkeley, at the 5th String, which is accessible by BART, or at Gryphon, in Palo Alto, which is only accessible by car from SF. (Well, you could get there by bus, but it would probably take 2 hours).

You do know that Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, a free festival in Golden Gate Park is happening the weekend of October 1st?
See this thread:
http://www.mandolincafe.net/cgi-bin....t=28046 (http://www.mandolincafe.net/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=3;t=28046)

[danb]

You should definitely try to get lost finding Fry's in Palo Alto (which is a nice shopping town) and just bump into Gryphon. It's one of the coolest shops on the planet.

It'd sure be easy to get lost there when stopping off for lunch on your day trip down to Santa Cruz to check out the pier, the seals sunning themselves, and the seaside attractions.

;)

[otterly2k]

In defense of Lark in the Morning... they are a great shop for what they are FOR... which is to have a WIDE variety of instruments from all over the world. Agreed, they have few high-end items. But I still think, at a time when most interesting music stores have been replaced by Guitar Center's parade of clones, it is cool to walk into a store and find at least a dozen instruments you didn't even know the NAMES of before.

so probably not a good store to walk by if you're looking for your dream mandolin. But an excellent and unique store (and possibly the ONLY store) in which you will find a laud, a rebaba, a saz, an ocean harp, a kaval, a mizmar, a gopichand, an udu, a hoida and a set of gamelan gongs. (and a thousand other things). It is a cool place, and worth the visit, if you are intrigued by musics of other cultures. And they'll let you play almost anything in there.

[Michael H Geimer]

There's another 'quirky' music store in Chinatown called Clarion Music. Lot's of odd ethnic and asian instrument of dubious quality, but it sure is fun to play the gongs!

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass ought to be on your radar if you're in town over the weekend of Oct. 1st. & 2nd.

Enjoy your trip.

- Benig

[delsbrother]

Anyone have any experience with Fat Dog's (Subway Guitars)? I went a couple of years ago.. Took the train to Cal and then a bus to the shop, Amoeba, dinner afterwards, etc. Definitely funkadelic, with stuff all over the place!

I was a little disappointed to not find 3-4 things I'd seen on the website (FD: "those are LONG gone!"), but I didn't call ahead so can't really complain. I know Bruce H's had a m'cello made there; anyone else have an opinion of their custom work?

Darrell

[CraigF]

Serious mandolin shopping can be had in Berkeley, at the 5th String, which is accessible by BART, or at Gryphon, in Palo Alto, which is only accessible by car from SF. (Well, you could get there by bus, but it would probably take 2 hours).
Cal Train stops very close to downtown Palo Alto. That would be the best bet if not driving.

[mandroid]

Ashby BART station is the closest one to the stiff thing, er, 5th string.
used to be one on Geary In SF, got stuff there. Marc Silber is in berkeley too, on University, if foggy grey cells recall.

[g-mac]

You could take the ferry to Tiburon in Marin County and check out Eric Shoenberg guitars:


Schoenberg (http://www.om28.com)

They have mostly guitars, but they had about 10 Eastman mandolins last time I was in. Very nice folks, too.

[elenbrandt-redux]

The trip to Gryphon is more than worth the effort (leave your plastic home....)Probably the best high-end instruments in the Bay Area are there (other than some specialty brokers in Inverness, CA)and the people are really nice. #It is practically around the corner from Frey's... #If you go to Eric Schoenberg's -- again, really nice people but make sure you call first, they sometimes have odd hours. #Tiburon is a nice touristy experience as well.

Now, Fat Dog (aka Subway Guitars) is its own experience. #Every conceivable odd compendium of beater (and better) guitar will be found there... #(You have to remember that this is a person who also used to keep "bike jail" in his basement). Also...don't forget to check the hours of operation for any place you go.

[quayhog]

Definatly see Gryphon in Palo Alto. If you take the train make sure you get off at the California street station and not Downtown. Downtown would give you about a three or four mile walk. From the California station walk south (turn left) on Park Blvd and walk four or five blocks. Its about a 100 yards past the Fry's sign.