DFW Players

[PCypert]

Hey all,
Where do you get your mando stuff? I assume most of it is from the internet, but where's a place I can go to get some strings if I need to get them now. I went to Michael's music in Lewisville, the Brook Mays there, and Guitar Center (last resort) and all anyone had was martin strings. Where can I get some D's or anything else? Thanks,
Paul

[Guitdolin]

Elderly's or Just Strings for me, but I'm way out in Abilene

Try Charlies, I understand they carry some.

Charley's Guitar Shop
(972) 243-4187 2720 Royal Ln # 100
Dallas, TX

[planoman]

Got my Mid-Mo at Charley's. They are great to work with, but really only carry Mid-mo. Occasionally some used Mandos. Other than that, Dale is the closest place to go (he lives in Mineola). He was gracious enough to let me come to his home and sample his wares.

You can't find many good strings in Plano, nor instruction material. Guitar Center carries some D'darrios. They also have Tacoma and Ketucky Mandos. Zoo Music in Garland is an MK dealer, but I was there 2 weeks ago and they didn't have any.
I order strings and instructional material from Elderly

This place is the Mando desert

Andrew Block
BTW, Steve Kaufman is doing a workshop on April 15 at Charley's. I'm signed up.

[Bluemando]

I am in Houston and dont know how far you are from Waco, but anywhoo, there is a store there named Waco Vintage Guitars, and they have a nice selection.

[beachbum]

Hey guys! I'm in Corpus and it's the desert down here too! There is a guy at Clawson's (great place, they just don't do much with mandos) that teaches the mando, piano, fiddle and guitar. He said at his peak of 85 students only 2 were taking mando. I go to Austin alot on business (I work for the great state of Texas). Are there any good places there? You would think there would be with 6th St. and all. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/cool.gif

[PCypert]

Hey Guitdolin,
Where do you live in Abilene? I was born and raised there. Just moved up here two years ago. Try finding some mandolin stuff down there http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif . My mom teaches at Abilene High. Small world.
Paul

[BenE]

I spent about four years in Abilene!
I REALLY miss Farolito's....Joe Allens BBQ and the Thai place in the Lamplight Inn!

Not to mention the best grocery store........HEB!
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[Hondo]

Austin's a great place for guitars, but I'm having a hard time finding mandos here. South Austin Music has a small selection, but I'm not sure what other stores, if any, stock them. I stopped by a chain music store in Austin yesterday (a Gibson dealer), thinking they might have a few Gibson mandos to play, but their stock consisted of ONE Fender. Arghhhh!

Does anyone know of any other mando stores in Austin, or perhaps San Antonio?

Ben, That's what ya get for living in Arkansas. A man won't starve there, but it ain't Texas fare! Arkansas restaurants are kinda like Texas hospital food.......... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[BenE]

http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

[Guitdolin]

PCypert & BenE, let me know if you're ever in town. Maybe we could pick a little. I've yet to find anybody to play with, but I've heard of a couple of bluegrass jams. Just havn't had time to go yet...

BTW BenE, my wife and I had a steak at Outback tonight. I know people in different locals rave over it, but it was like Golden Corral compared to Joe Allen's, Lytle Land & Cattle Co., or Perini's. Too many good steaks in Abilene, so little time!

[Doug Edwards]

Craig's Music, Weatherford 817-599-8021
Glenrose Music, Glenrose 254-898-8340
Waco Vintage Instruments, Mansfield 817-473-9144
Craig's and Glenrose have about anything you'd want in strings. Waco Vintage has several Webers, Closed on Monday and Tuesdays and limited hours during the week. Best to call on them first. I have a hard thing finding anything in Ft Worth or Arlington on a consistant basis.

[Bill Snyder]

It is not in the exactly in the DFW area but Ray Hennig's Heart of Texas Music in Temple carries a few different mandolin strings and they have stores in Waco and Austin as well.

[Coy Wylie]

Interesting thread. I live in Amarillo. We have one small mom & pop store that caters to BG musicians and has a jam twice each week. However other than a few vintage instruments, the lineup is small.

This week I visited three other larger music stores in town trying to find a guitar shipping carton. In talking with the guitar department salesman for a regional chain store, he told me he had recently been bitten with the mando bug. However the only mando in the place was a Fender. I asked him why he didn't expand his line to some better quality instruments, after all he's got a lot high end Taylor guitars on his wall. He said he had just come from the NAMM show and had looked at so many. But, by and large his mando customers were beginners who would only spend $250-350 for an instrument so that's all he would carry.

I suppose it is supply and demand.

I can buy several brands of strings locally. The only hitch is they cost about twice as much as on line retailer prices.

[Wesley]

I'm in Ft Worth but I buy all of my strings at www.elderly.com. Most of the good CD's I own too. Craig's in Weatherford does have some Webers - worth checking out. But I've bought both of my Webers out of town. Mandolin Brothers and Greg Boyd.com

[PCypert]

Strange there are so many of us DFW folk, but no descent shops. I was hoping someone would know a place I haven't tried. We should all pull together and open up a folk instrument shop. High end fiddles, mandolins, and acoustic guitars. Have a shed out back for banjos. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

Paul

Just make the short 90 minute drive to beautiful East Texas...... # http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Bowzette]

Lived in Dallas almost 30 years, now I'm in Huntsville. Dale is as good as you will get around the Republic of Texas. I go to Austin often and haven't found much there-you can go to Collings shop which I plan to do sometime. Houston has Fuller Vintage Guitars and they carry Gibsons. I have bought two mandolins from Dale and it is a 3 hr dirve one way to get to him.

[Wesley]

If I ever win the lottery Ft Worth will have a very nice mandolin shop. And who knows - I might even open it up so that customers can come in.

[Garyd]

There is a place in Garland. I think it is called Larry Morgan but can't remember right now. They usually have some nice Webers and they had a F9 and a F5G the last time I was in. They advertise in the Observer

[justwrite]

BenE -- Amen about HEB. When I moved from Austin to Dallas, it felt like going back to the grocery dark ages. And now I'm in Oklahoma, where the beer has no bite.

I suspect I will end up moving back to the DFW area fairly soon. I'd like to find a friendly jam that doesn't mind having a few mediocre/beginning players strumming along. Any suggestions?

[hotpick]

Charley's Guitar Shop probably has the biggest selection of mandolins and mandolin accessories in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. They carry Collings, Weber, Gibson and a host of used mandolins. And, they will special order any accessories you want. These are some nice people.