West Coast report

**Brad Weiss** · May-13-2005, 5:48pm

Just to represent the Wesside - I haven't been a Los Angeleno for quite a while, but I'm here for a long overdue visit, and (just) checked out McCabe's out in Santa Monica. #It was very cool, and the selection is quite nice, and ecclectic. #Not up to the stock of Mando Bros. but what is. #They had a bunch of Breedloves -all Quartz- a Hyalite mandola, and a Tamarack mandocello. #I can't imagine how anyone can actually PLAY a mandocello, but how often can you walk in off the street and give it a try! #Three Colllings, and an F5G were the high-end mandos. #The Collings, as many have noted, have a really distinctive tone- and are LOUD. #Extremely woody, brand new. If I played primarily bluegrass, I think an #MT2 -at half the price and 85% of the quality of an MF5- would be the way to go. #My favorite, though, was a 1919 A-4 in very very good shape. It had the lowest action I've ever seen on a vintage isntrument, beautiful filigree tuning knobs, and the tuners actually worked! The tone was really great- not nearly as resonant as other old oval Gibson's I've played - more complexity and great mid-ranges. #If I were in a more secure financial condition I'd have got it on the spot- a good deal I thought for $2500. #Also played a Tomaso bowl back- very sweet, though it would take some getting used to the very short scale- and I don't think it chorded very nicely. But for classical work it would be very nice indeed.

Above all, I found the folks at McCabes incredibly friendly and welcoming. #I had nice chats with 3 or 4 staff, they flattered my lousy technique, and never made me feel like I was being sold anything. #I have no financial interest here - except if somebody grabs that A-4 you'll save me 2500 bucks! #Doesn't feel like there's much of a SoCal vibe on this board, so I thought I'd chime in here.

**Greenmando** · May-13-2005, 9:59pm

Oh, we are here!

Is that nice mandocello still in the hallway? Just hanging on the wall like it was just a unwanted mandocello. First hallway when you enter. Those sticky spots are from me

I always think a alarm will go off just taking it off the wall, and then some store employee walks by and states they can't keep their hands off it either. You are right - definitely no pressure from anyone there.

Everytime I am in Santa Monica I stop by to visit. Been a couple of months now, my work is in Palm Springs right now darn it.

**TonyP** · May-13-2005, 11:28pm

I was in there a couple of weeks ago, and had a totally different experience. I've not had the bum's rush put on me in years but it was in full force that day. I had a surprise visit down there because my wife had a conference and needed me to drive her down there and got to the room at 2am. So she went off to the conference that morning and I thought I'd hit a music store. McCabes is one place I've always wanted to go so I went for it. Out front I looked at the bill and not a single bluegrass band was scheduled, and no mandolin players, all guitar, mostly finger style. So I braced myself and went in. There were a ton of help wandering around and when I asked for a new Dawg pic the 4 guys behind the counter all pointed at the guy who was running the vac. I guess he was the manager. He gave me the idea he didn't think they were necessary because they had Golden Gates. So I bought one and looked at the mando's hanging. Tried the Bridger, ok, Eastman, ok, have tried Breedlove's, not my cup of tea so I passed. They had an A Collings and a F Collings that looked promising but were in a case. I was playing outside of the little room with all the guitars and noticed there was big lights and guys going in and out. The owner started talking to this guy right there and I thought I knew the voice, he turned around and it was Neil Diamond. He was there to shoot in the guitar room for the cover of his new album Wow. Seemed like a nice guy, way nicer than the people at McCabes. The owner started getting guitars out of the cabinet where the Collings were to give to Neal so I asked if I could play the A and he reluctantly said ok. I played it for a while and it was not as nice as one I played at the Inverness Comando meetup I went to last year. So I put it back and got the MF5 and now we're talkin, nice mando, by far the best I'd played that day. Feeling weird and pressured I put it back and as I was walking away I had remembered the F holes in the A weren't finished inside( I thought totally sloppy, especially for $3,500) and thought to look at the MF5 because I'd forgotten. As I turned around this long haired tatooed character nearly ran over my back, cut me off and closed the case right in front of me. He then went and found the owner who was a couple of feet away and told him he'd closed the case because there was "traffic". I looked around for little while longer and saw the 'cello and tried to play it but it seemed like someone had it in some kind of weird tuning. So I gave up wandering. Saw Neil on my way out and because I'm not the fan my wife is, just watched as he shook others hands and was nice. The best interaction I had was when I asked how to get back to the freeway(I'd gotten lost going there) and they obliged me with directions. That was the nicest anybody was to me there. I won't be back, been there, won't be doin' that again.

**WireBoy** · May-14-2005, 3:25am

Tony P,
#sorry you had a bad day at McCabes. #i think you may have got caught in the "star" vortex. #sure its LA and celebreties abound, but i suspect everyone may have been a bit distracted by the activity of turning their back room into a photo studio for a music industry icon. #on a day without this distraction, there would likely be a more relaxed vibe.

# i've had 'good' staff days and a few that were less so but never a bad experience. #The best part about a McCabes trip, of course is not just the mandos, but also the ukuleles and guitars and banjos and lots of other musical things that i've only seen at McCabes. #But i will admit their stock could go little deeper on the high end mandos. #

don't give up on em' tony. #just catch em another time.

**TonyP** · May-14-2005, 9:33am

I thought about that Eric, and hey it might be true. But they had me pegged when I came through the door. I'm sure I looked pretty rough from only getting a couple of hrs sleep. I was dressed for the beach(which in retrospect is where I should have gone). But from working in a music store I know you can't tell who's got money and who don't. There were plenty of sales people and not that many customers. The general buzz was, hey if you ain't going to buy, what are you doin' here ol beach bum? I don't get down that way much but the next time I'm shootin' through that whole mess and headin for Buffalo Bro's and see what they got. Since all I really wanted to see was some mando's ('cause that's all I play) and check out some makes people seem to like here at the Cafe, they semi filled the bill. Like I said, been there, caught the vibe, time to move on.

**Brad Weiss** · May-14-2005, 10:27am

Wow, Tony, it does sound like you got the bum's rush. And I have to say, that was just the exact OPPPOSITE of my experience. For me, the best part was the staff, who were genuinely helpful and interested. I looked pretty much like I was headed to the beach, myself. But when somebody heard me playing the mandola, they came to ME and said, hey look what we just got in, opened a small glass case, and handed me the A-4!! And they let me go get the Collings, also under glass, by myself. And showed me one o the worlds only left-handed F-4s (not even for sale, just in for repairs!) Granted the place wasn't packed - but it wasn't empty either.

It's true, the depth of their selection at the high end is thin, but the breadth of stuff - lots of octaves, a mandola and mandocello (yes, greenmando still there, still grrrrrowling) - to say nothing of quatroes, charangoes, and by far the best range of ukes I've ever seen (next on my list of tiny guitars to learn) was great. Anyway, as I say, I was just happy, as a former West Coaster, to see such a friendly place - Hope you catch the staff on a good day -maybe weekdays are better than weekends(?)- with an ecclectic stock, and wanted to spread the word.

**TonyP** · May-14-2005, 12:33pm

twas a Tuesday, go figgur. I guess my technique wasn't as pleasing

**rixter** · May-15-2005, 4:47pm

I went to McCabe's for the first time recently. I hadn't been to LA for 15-20 years and wanted to kill some time near the airport before driving across the city, so found McCabes as one of the local sites. I had nice time there, there was a salesperson who helped me try out a couple of things and even recommended a couple of other things that I wouldn't have otherwise4 tried. I played a Collings MF5 and I don't remember what else. Overall the visit was pleasant and they have a lot of educational materials. When I went to my car, I had gotten a $45 parking ticket though (apparently thursday morning is street cleaning day but not marked) and that kind of soured things for me.

Also on that visit I went to a folk music store/museum in Claremont (don't recall the name) - didn't have a large amount of mandolins but a few and I also found some charango and mandolin materials that were helpful, as well as a few oddities and curiousities.

**Rick Schmidlin** · May-15-2005, 7:57pm

I go to McCabes about once a month and know them all pretty well. Some are moody,jaded and others very very nice.
In recent months I have seen John Fogerty and John McEuen there. McEuen held audience in the guitar room and gave a mini clinic.

Thier guitar and mando prices are overpriced in general.John thier chief guru luthier/repair man is the only one in L.A. that would trust my mandos with.

**jasona** · May-15-2005, 8:39pm

Originally Posted by (rixter @ May 15 2005, 14:47)

Also on that visit I went to a folk music store/museum in Claremont (don't recall the name) - didn't have a large amount of mandolins but a few and I also found some charango and mandolin materials that were helpful, as well as a few oddities and curiousities.

That is the Folk Music Center. Its kind of a neat place.

TM: You wouldn't trust your mando with Larry Brown?

**Pedal Steel Mike** · May-16-2005, 12:53am

I've been going to McCabes since 1961, and I've never been displeased with them in all, that time for any reason. They have always been courtious, helpful and friendly.