Buffalo NY area

[TC-in-NC]

Hello!

I'm going to be making a quick "shuffle off" to Buffalo NY the first week of October, and I was wondering if there are any shops in that area that would be worth paying a visit to should time allow.

Not really in the market for another instrument, but if it's "the right place at the right time" who knows what might happen

A search of the forum archives didn't provide much recent info about that area. The most recent post I saw was 1+ years ago.

My route has me going from Central NC up Hwy 52 / 77 / 19 and connecting to I95 in Erie and then on up to Buffalo. I've allowed for enough "wiggle room" in my plans that if there's somewhere along that route that's worth checking out I can do so.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions!

Tammy

[Sterling]

Bernunzio’s in Rochester. An hour away from Buffalo or so.

[Dave Sheets]

Yep, Bernunzio's. There is a good guitar shop in town now, the Fretted Buffalo, with some good acoustic guitars, but as far as I know nobody in town stocks good mandolins. They show up used or on consignment at various places in town, but it's just one at a time.

[TC-in-NC]

Thanks!! I don't know if I'll have enough free time to make it out to Bernunzio's but will keep them in mind.

Tammy

[EvanElk]

I agree that there isn't likely to be a shop with interesting mandolins, but get some wings at Duff's

[William Smith]

Years ago Buffalo had Top Shelf Music but since out of business. I used to find some rare parts there! Bernunzio has a nice place, also the House of guitars in Rochester "I never been to a shop like that where instruments were piled high on top of each other in glass cases!" Quality stuff for sure but that was 20 years ago! I do believe there are some of those guitar centers but those guys are mostly clueless! Not sure if Stutzmans is still in business but again that was in Rochester I believe?

[Dave Sheets]

Top Shelf was great, a really skilled and decent luthier. Stutzmans is also in Rochester, I think they are mostly guitars (?).

[MissingString]

Check out Sportsmen's Tavern while in town... local venue for quality live music.

http://sportsmensbuffalo.com/

Agree Bernuzio' is the closest for an assortment of instruments.

For wings try "Bada Bing" ... I know, I know, our corporate expense admins always look at the name (when I submit expenses) and think of the "club" from the Soprano's LOL. But it's just a local sports bar with awesome comfort food including great wings.

[TC-in-NC]

Thanks all for the suggestions!!

My sister (until very recently) was an attorney with the city of Buffalo, so I've been there a time or two (Anchor Bar - yumm!) but my last visit was well before I took up mandolin.

This trip is a combination family visit (even the folks are flying out from So Cal!) and family business meeting, so I'll have at least the folks in tow while in town most of the time. Unfortunately, no one else in the family is musically inclined / interested so trying to get significant time away to get to Rochester may be a challenge.


That being said, it's been a long time since we've all had a chance to get together so it will be a good trip regardless of mando content

Tammy

[allenhopkins]

Rochester suggestions:

Bernunzio Uptown Music
Stutzman's Guitar Center
Lehmann Stringed Instruments (luthier)

House Of Guitars is huge and chaotic, everything from a rack of 1,000 music T-shirts, to endless bins of CD's, to instruments (all the good ones locked in cases), mainly electric guitars, PA's, keyboards, whatever. Call themselves "The World's Largest Music Store," and I can't contradict them.

I've dealt many times with John Bernunzio, Dave Stutzman, and Bernie Lehmann, and they're all first-rate, honest businesspeople. The Schaubroeck brothers at House of Guitars are OK to deal with -- if you know your stuff. It's more of a teenage rock operation, thought they sure do have a major inventory of all kinds of instruments.

If you're loose in the area with time to kill (sounds like that's unlikely), check out Buzzo's in Geneseo, Livingston County. Not a major dealer, but pleasantly weird.

Scott Freilich closed down Top Shelf Music a while ago. He had much knowledge of vintage and collectible instruments; a real loss.