Any good mando shops in Connecticut?

Nov-10-2004, 10:27am

Does anyone have any suggestions of a good music shops in the Gilford Connecticut area, that'll be a treat to see.

**Mandobar** · Nov-10-2004, 11:18am

the area has one really good acoustic shop, although it is mostly guitars. #acousticmusic.org. #there are a few mandolins there, but most come and go quickly. #

pretty barren for mandolin shops otherwise. #there is g guitars, but they apecialize in electric instruments -lots of high end electric bass stuff and boutique amps(new haven). #guilford is a small beach town, lots of summer homes, etc.

**Dagger Gordon** · Nov-10-2004, 12:16pm

I bought a 1912 Gibson A model in Acoustic Music in 1995.

I've just checked their site. Great selection of guitars; not a lot of mandos, but what there is is quality. Collings, Givens , Monteleone.

**Mandobar** · Nov-10-2004, 2:30pm

dagger, i was there the other day. the collings sold the first few days it was there, the givens legacy is also sold. i believe they opened for business in august 2001, in 95 it would have been youngblood music workshop. but the monte's are still there and my montana made 93 flatiron a5 artist.

**Dagger Gordon** · Nov-10-2004, 3:26pm

Yeah, Youngblood -that sounds right. I was trying to remember.

I've only been there once. My wife's family live quite near.

**thistle3585** · Nov-10-2004, 4:02pm

I'll be in the Hartford/New Briatin area the week of Thanksgiving. Plus, I will be traveling to Bethel and Worcester(sp?). Anything mandolin related to see or do?

**Mandobar** · Nov-10-2004, 4:49pm

i travel through those areas to worcester. #no too much in the way of mandolins. #we are mandolin deprived in these parts. #in lexington mass there is the music emporium and in brattleboro, vt there is maple leaf music. #these have a nice selection of mandos as well as guitars.

**ootee1** · Nov-10-2004, 7:43pm

We are indeed mando-deprived. Aside from Acoustic Music there is nothing to speak of in the state. Another option aside from those mentioned already is Fretted Instrument Workshop in Amherst MA. Nice selection of Webers, and Gibsons (at least last I was there). Great acoustic guitar selection also - bought my Martin there.

**Larry S Sherman** · Nov-11-2004, 7:55am

If you're into driving up 91 North check out Maple Leaf Music in Brattleboro, VT. That's where I got my Weber...nice folks. The carry Rigel, Weber, Collings, Mids, and usually have some used ones as well.

The address is:

23 Elliot St.
Brattleboro, VT 05301
802-254-5559

Here's a link to their mandos: http://www.mapleleafmusic.com/instruments.cfm?sub=9

**Django Fret** · Nov-11-2004, 1:29pm

There is a music store called Caruso Music http://www.carusomusic.com
located in New London, Connecticut which is an hour or two up the coast from Guilford.

Every so often they have some mandos on Ebay, and they have some nice looking vintage guitars at their site including a Gibson guitar signed by Lloyd Loar. #Might be worth a phone call to see what kind of mandolins they might have in the showroom.

In New Haven, (about 15 miles south of Guilford) there is the Yale University Collection of Musical Instrument Museum, http://www.yale.edu/musicalinstruments/.
I don't know if they have any mandolins on display there, but they do have a lot of historical instruments including a Stradivari violin.

Connecticut doesn't have much of a mandolin history other than being blamed as the birthplace of both the mandolin-banjo and the Ovation mandolin.