How about places to shop? North Jersey and 60 mile radius

[bob_mc]

Looking for $5-600 mandolin and wonder if any of my neighbors have spotted or know of a good place to try and buy.

I am well aware of Lark Street and like Buzzy as a person; last time I was there, the instruments in my price range had factory setups (I hope they were factory anyway).

I want to get a good price (so that I can afford a setup if needed) and A/B some mandolins.

[mdttyler]

Looking for $5-600 mandolin and wonder if any of my neighbors have spotted or know of a good place to try and buy.

I am well aware of Lark Street and like Buzzy as a person; last time I was there, the instruments in my price range had factory setups (I hope they were factory anyway).

I want to get a good price (so that I can afford a setup if needed) and A/B some mandolins.

I'm in the same boat. Very limited in this area, even in the city. I'm going to check this place out. https://www.altomusic.com/locations It seems they have some of the entry level Eastman's on their website, I just don't know if they have them in stock.

[Capt. E]

Actually ( I hate to mention it ) you might find something at Guitar Center. Not the best choice by far, but they have a large footprint and sometimes have decent mandolins. I find myself going in one of their stores from time to time (probably morbid fascination).

Best value: I still like the Kentucky 270 line.

[Mandobar]

Go see Brian at AcousticMusic.org in Guilford, CT. If you buy a mandolin from him, or any other instrument he will have the shop luthier set up whatever you buy. I drive 3 1/2 hours to have my work done there by George Youngblood (who is not taking any private work at this time). George is one of THE best luthiers around., and having him as a resource makes this shop one of the best around. (he owns the building where the shop is located)
They carry Eastmans, and I believe Kentucky, and Loar. Brian is a mandolin player, and they have a nice selection of mandolins right now. The shop also carries Northfield.

[Jim Garber]

Actually ( I hate to mention it ) you might find something at Guitar Center. Not the best choice by far, but they have a large footprint and sometimes have decent mandolins. I find myself going in one of their stores from time to time (probably morbid fascination).

I have seen an occasional used Gibson at GC but I have never played any mandolins at the one closest to me. They do have some decent ukuleles and guitars but nothing in the way of mandolins.

There is Sam Ash but they are not much better. The one near me has had the same Epiphone on the wall for a couple of years and it still has not been set up to be actually played.

Alto Music is a good outfit but I have not been to any of their stores recently. Possible.

I second Acoustic Music. Other than the vintage shops in the NYC area and Buzzy's place I don't know of much for new mandolins. I miss Stan and Mandolin Brothers. That would have been the one I would have recommended, alas!

Otherwise, some of the established dealers like Elderly or Bernunzio would do you well and can even give you advice on the phone. Good luck.

[Capt. E]

I agree with Jim that you may be better off buying from one of the excellent dealers such as Elderly etc. They will give good advice, make sure the mandolin you get is properly set-up and back up the sale. I personally would vouch for Fiddlers Green Music Shop here in Austin. I know I am very lucky to have such a good shop nearby.

[Mike Herlihy]

Looking for $5-600 mandolin and wonder if any of my neighbors have spotted or know of a good place to try and buy.

I am well aware of Lark Street and like Buzzy as a person; last time I was there, the instruments in my price range had factory setups (I hope they were factory anyway).

I want to get a good price (so that I can afford a setup if needed) and A/B some mandolins.

I've been here (it's in Teaneck, NJ). Some mandolins in the $600 range

http://www.larkstreetmusic.com/

[Jim Garber]

I've been here (it's in Teaneck, NJ). Some mandolins in the $600 range

http://www.larkstreetmusic.com/

He mentioned Lark Street in the original post. He was looking for other possible places:

I am well aware of Lark Street and like Buzzy as a person; last time I was there, the instruments in my price range had factory setups (I hope they were factory anyway).

[bob_mc]

Go see Brian at AcousticMusic.org in Guilford, CT. If you buy a mandolin from him, or any other instrument he will have the shop luthier set up whatever you buy. I drive 3 1/2 hours to have my work done there by George Youngblood (who is not taking any private work at this time). George is one of THE best luthiers around., and having him as a resource makes this shop one of the best around. (he owns the building where the shop is located)
They carry Eastmans, and I believe Kentucky, and Loar. Brian is a mandolin player, and they have a nice selection of mandolins right now. The shop also carries Northfield.

Hey Mary, I do believe we know each other; I was Tom Barth's electronics guy. That name ring a bell?

[bob_mc]

Actually ( I hate to mention it ) you might find something at Guitar Center. Not the best choice by far, but they have a large footprint and sometimes have decent mandolins. I find myself going in one of their stores from time to time (probably morbid fascination).

Best value: I still like the Kentucky 270 line.

Thanks Capt., I had a lovely Kentucky that I foolishly sold (to make a bad investment in fixing my beloved old MIJ Epiphone). As a guitarist I favor the raidiused board and the fit and finish was very good.

[Mandobar]

Hey Mary, I do believe we know each other; I was Tom Barth's electronics guy. That name ring a bell?

Red knob Bob!

[bob_mc]

Red knob Bob!

Yep!

[EdHanrahan]

Coming from a Lark St. semi-regular:

You might give a shot at hundred-year-old O. DiBella Music in Bergenfield, near the GW bridge. They usually have a handful of vintage mandolins, ranging from poor to pretty nice. Often not quite in tune, with prices that rarely reflect flaws like warped neck or sinking top, but every so often there's something good. Once directed a Café member to, I think, a nice Lyon & Healy there. But mostly, they're into electric and band (brass) instruments, with Taylor guitars being their big acoustic line.

Actually, over the past year or two they've had 3-5 banjo mandolins in the $400 - $600 range, that seemed pretty reasonable if I actually wanted one.

Not to get expectations up, but if you were near Lark St. anyway, the add'l 10 minute drive would probably be worth while.

[Bob Clark]

Hi Bob,

Slightly beyond your mileage range but worth the drive is Todaro's Music in Lansdowne, PA (just west of Philly). Joe Todaro (the owner) is really into mandolins and usually has a range of them in stock. Here's the URL http://worldfrets.com/

Give Joe a call and ask what he has in stock. Let him know when you're coming and you'll be in for an interesting conversation in one of the most ususual musical instrument shops you'll ever find. It's a lot like going to a museum of ethnic instruments, but they are all for sale. What could be better than that?

Best wishes,

Bob

[bob_mc]

Hi Bob,

Slightly beyond your mileage range but worth the drive is Todaro's Music in Lansdowne, PA (just west of Philly). Joe Todaro (the owner) is really into mandolins and usually has a range of them in stock. Here's the URL http://worldfrets.com/

Give Joe a call and ask what he has in stock. Let him know when you're coming and you'll be in for an interesting conversation in one of the most ususual musical instrument shops you'll ever find. It's a lot like going to a museum of ethnic instruments, but they are all for sale. What could be better than that?

Best wishes,

Bob

My office is in Princeton, so that puts me about half the way there!

[Otis_Spunkmeyer]

I just drove an hour and a half to todaro music shop in PA from South Jersey since they sell tone gards. If you've never heard of one, search them up and buy one. Seriously. It'll take a low end mando and really make it shine as well as high ends. I just put one on my Kentucky km-650 and it brought it to life. I'll be going back there when I order a CA bridge and have it installed there. I've heard good things about that place. It's small and I got there 10 minutes before close so I didn't get to look around but give them a call.

[MikeEdgerton]

I live in Jersey and I've never been to Todaro's. I'll have to plan a trip there one of these days. I'm not sure about Retrofret. I don't know if they carry any mandolins in your price range as I haven't experienced that store yet.

Jim, I miss Stan Jay as well. I'm happy I was able to visit Mandolin Brothers. In about 10 trips over 20 years I can only recall leaving there one time without an instrument. I left the second time I was there with three.

By the way bob_mc, I work just down the road from you.