Detroit or SE Michigan Area

[drjlove]

Hi,

It's been awhile since posting on the forum. I've recently moved to the SE Michigan area from Missouri. Does anyone have any suggestions on good music shops / luthiers in the Detroit or SE Michigan region? I'm looking for some place or someone that is recommended for periodic setup work, etc.

Are there any other traditional music-related places to check out in this area? I've done some cursory searches on the web, but have yet to yield a whole lot in the way of what I'm seeking. Of course, there is Elderly over in Lansing, but they are about 3 hours away from me. I was hoping to get some advice from other Cafe members.

Thanks,

-Joe

[Bob byk]

Joe - I am a newbie so no recommendation on this one. McCourt Strings in Waterford services violins and I have seen Mandos for sale.

[bluesfanjp]

I'm not from the area so I can't recommend anything close. You already mentioned Elderly's and I just wanted to add if you've never been there you gotta go. Make it a day trip, its worth it. I was there a while back when I was in the area on business. I spent no less than 3 hours in the store playing every high end instrument I had only read about but never seen. No one bothered me in any way shape or form! Good luck with your search and get to Elderly's one day!

[Paul Merlo]

Hey Joe, Welcome to MI!

I don't know any specific mandolin setup men around SE MI, (I do my own adjustments thanks to Rob Meldrum and his ebook) but here are a few leads for you: (note: all mentioned are north of 8 Mile Road)

Huber & Breese in Fraser is a good guitar / music store.
Motor City Guitar in Waterford might be worth checking out.
Also try the McCourts in Berkley, as well as the Berkley Music Co next door.

There's a world class set-up guy named Mike Koontz who works out of Ferndale,
but I think he specializes in electric guitars and such.

Also, I don't know where exactly you are living, but a 3 hour drive from Lansing in any direction will put you in one of the Great Lakes or well into Indiana. You might want to give Elderly another consideration. And fwiw, a periodic outing there would be well worth the time and drive, IMO.
(edit: it could take you 3 hrs on a Fall Saturday if the Spartans are playing. #trafficjam)

Good luck,

[Paul Busman]

Elderly is about 12 hr from where I live in Upstate NY, but I went. OK, OK, so I was visiting family in Ypsilanti at the time, but Elderly was one of the real highlights of the trip. Do make a day trip or overnight of it some time, perhaps in the spring or summer when the weather is nicer.

[Timbofood]

This is a bit of an old saw for me but, I have been lucky to have had a relationship with Elderly and at the risk of sounding like a shill, Stan and his staff understand the desires of the acoustic musician with a sense of purpose like few other business's I have seen. I have been doing business with those folks for almost all of my musical life, pleasant in all weather, good advice on most anything I have needed, I will continue to sing their praises until I have a bad visit.
Information about jams, concerts, and lots of related happenings can be gotten from them without too much trouble.
Three hours for what you can find there is well worth the cruise, OK maybe not tomorrow, pretty cold this week. When you can spend some time, you will have a ball! More nice instruments than you will shake a pick at!

[Steve Roberts]

Are you sure Elderly is 3 hours? Maybe 2 hours at the most, but downtown Detroit to Elderly 1 1/2 hours, maybe a little less.

No matter, Elderly is worth the drive. I stopped there yesterday on the way home from Grand Rapids. They had 4 Gibson snakeheads hanging on the wall just begging to be played. So I humored them. Also picked up a set of Siminoff's new strings to try out.

And the repair work they have done for me has been first rate. Take the drive, you won't be sorry.

[Rob Zamites]

And, I'll chime in...I'm truly one of the most blessed here at the Cafe, as I live a mere 15 minutes away from Elderly...bar none, best stringed instrument store I've ever set foot in. Knowledgeable and friendly staff and you can play *anything* you see hanging on the walls, and I do mean *anything*. And I'd check your Google Maps, ain't no 3 hours to Elderly from SE MI anywhere, not even close.

[Timbofood]

Hey Rob, don't rub it in! It's the best part of two hours for me! You lucky dog!

[Rob Zamites]

Hey Rob, don't rub it in! It's the best part of two hours for me! You lucky dog!

I'll just leave these here for you Timbofood:

[Timbofood]

Hey Rob,, kind raspberries ad nauseum! You rascal!
Glad you had a good day there!

[drjlove]

Thank for the replies All! I've been to Elderly before back when we lived on the other side of the "Mitten" in Holland, MI. What an awesome place! At the time, I had not started playing mandolin or much acoustic music for that matter. I was mostly checking out the electric guitars and such. I recall taking my 64' ES 335 along for them to have a look at. It was pretty overwhelming! I'll definitely make the trip back soon. My wife and I have newborn twins at home right now, so travel is a little tricky. Can you say, "drinking from the firehose"?

Either way, I live in Waterford and just right up the road from Motor City Guitars. I've yet to stop by. Maybe I'll do that to see what they have in the way of mandolin-related stuff. Mc Court Strings seems fairly close too, over in Berkley. Maybe a 30 min drive or so. Certainly could be worth a look.

Again, appreciate your replies!

-Joe