Can anyone recomend a good guitar shop in New York?

I'm in NY Tueday & Wednesday this week and I'm going to try to buy a new SG as they seem to be way cheaper in the US.

If you are buying new there are three places.

On 48th street between (6th ave - Ave of the Americas and 7th ave-time square)

Manny's and Sam Ash - Both will have what you want. Some say Sam Ash bought Manny's at some point but I like Manny's better than Sam Ash to look at guitars but both are good and cheap. Sam Ash is national so may be cheeper also have web site for price quote

http://samash.com/

You will pay NYS/NYC tax on the item so that will be additional. In the Glory days you could go between manny's and sam ash and they would both beat each others prices. Drop by rudy guitars as well to see some beautiful guitars.

On 14th street (between 5th ave and 6th ave) there is a Guitar Center which is a LA store which moved into new york reciently they have a internet site which is related but not the same as GC

musiciansfriend.com

Don't like GC as much as Sam Ash or Manny's but they may be cheaper. You can reach all on the N train and check out the prices in a hour.

There are other stores but if you are buying new and cheap this is where to go.

Thanks for that. I'm only in town for a short time so this should help me out a lot.

I have to respectfully disagree with Big John. 48th St. is done. It is a street long Guitar Center now. Sam Ash owns Manny's. There is nothing interesting and the prices aren't particularly good. Rudy's has some nice pieces if you shit gold or something.

I recommend three stores. The first is Rivington Guitars on Rivington between Essex and Norfolk on the south side of the street. It is a small shop, but their prices are reasonable and they have decent turnover. The second is 30th St Guitars on W 30th St between 7th and 8th avenues. This is a much larger shop. The prices are higher, but unless you are looking for an early 60s SG with PAFs, they will haggle. Start at 75% of what you see on the tag. The last is in Brooklyn, Main Drag Music on S 1st St and Wythe in Williamsburg. They have a new space that's pretty huge. Very nice people and very fair prices.

If you are looking for real bargains, I would go to Cincinnati.

If you want to be really adventurous, I'd bring a metal panel Marshall 100w or 50w over from home and use it for trade bait. Any shop will take it and they go for a premium over here. You'd need a strong back, though.

Rivington Guitars, Ludlow Guitars, and Main Drag in Williamsburg are all stores I go to. Especially for good deals on used vintage gear. But not places I would recommend to anyone for a "New SG".

I agree that he would get a better price at Guitar Center, probibly. But if I was coming in from out of town I would want to vist Sam Ash and Manny's they do seem to be competive with GC in new gibson guitar prices. I do admitt that they are not as nice as they once were but at the same time I get the feeling that Guitar Center, treats their employees badly and wants to put all the other stores out of busness.

For electronic gadgets and Hi Fi check out J & R Music World which is downtown at city hall everyone I know from out of town loves the discount electronics that they have there. For Cheap Threads go to Century 21 down by the World Trade death hole.

Don't know where BML is staying but if you are into boutique gear or good vintage gear (probibly get a used SG at a reasonable price, check to be sure the neck was not broken and re set.) I would check out all the other places volkens recommeds as well. Main Drag is in Willamsburg Brooklyn though.

If you're considering looking at used gear, I'd also recommend Rogue Music. It's on 30th right across the street from 30th St. guitars. Their selection is eclectic, but they're about as fairly priced as I've seen in NY and they can be expected to have one or two very good items when you go in there. The staff is also better than anything I've seen in a chain store - that is they know something about the gear they're selling and they don't upsell you.

If, however, you're just looking for a particular new model product that Sam Ash/Manny's and Guitar Center both have in stock, you might as well figure out what both of them are selling it for and haggle them against one another. Unless one of them is running some sort of promo deal with Gibson, the difference will probably come down to something like $10, a bag or Tortex picks or "this sweet new cord from Monster". Go for the picks.

I don't like shopping at these stores for personal reasons. If you do go the used route, avoid just wandering into some Village place just because it's selling guitars. Those places are for Japanese tourists, ex-Hit Factory session musicians and Hard Rock Cafe yuppies. You'll get ripped off.

And on Tuesday, you can see the Wu-Tang Clan and wish Inspectah Deck a Happy Valentine's Day. NYC has everything.
= Justin

Rogue is good too. It is on the 10th floor of a building in the low thirties by M(adison)S(quare)G(arden). A bit hard to find. Good deals on effects pedals and rack gear though. The guitars are usally interesting used but reasonalbe prices. The salespeople are nice there too.

Thiere is a store across street from there which has a lot of older guitars and effects everytime I go in there there is a big guy behind the counter who looks like a heavy metal vikeing but is always helpful.

Mandolin Brothers in Staten Island -

http://www.mandoweb.com/

Fantastic for acustic stuff and usally have some odd electronic stuff too.

For good prices try to check out places out of town.

Avoid 48th Street.

Coming to NYC and going there is like visiting Little Italy and eating at the Olive Garden. (The only cool shop on 48th Street is Rudy's Music Stop, and that's more like a museum... $$$$).

The recommendations above are good and I'll add one, also in Brooklyn, just-opened:
http://southsideguitars.com/

I wouldn't be surprised if a $2 train ride to Brooklyn (just one stop) could save you big bucks compared to Manhattan prices.

There's also Chelsea Guitars on 23rd St between 7th & 8th.

By and large, the staff on 48th St are quintessential Guitar-Shop-Assholes who will happily make their commission selling you a piece of shit. I'd prefer a Vintage Shop that cares about their reputation and repeat business; I guess I'd just prefer a used guitar anyway, so feel free to ignore us all if your mind's made up. (A used guitar shop might also have an SG that's one or two years old and barely touched.)

It's true, I suppose, if you want a Factory-new guitar, you might find an OK price on 48th Street, but then you might as well just mail-order it. I'm sure there's a better price on the web somewhere.

double post

Can anyone recomend a good guitar shop in New York?

I'm in NY Tueday & Wednesday this week and I'm going to try to buy a new SG as they seem to be way cheaper in the US

B_M_L wants a New SG he is coming to NYC for two days from England where SG's are more expencive due to the fact they are imported.

With the good exchange rate for the Pound over the Dollar B_M_L should be able to get a new guitar his NEW guitar.

The reason I stress NEW is that almost all of the guitar stores besides Sam Ash, Manny's and Guitar Center all specialize in USED guitars and thus do not havewhat B_M_L is wanting to buy.

At one point Guitar Center had some crazy army camo flat green painted SG's that were really cheap but played nicely.

I realize that all the stores you guys are mentioning are "Hipper", "Cooler", "More Vintage", and are worth a visit but not to buy a new guitar at the cheapest price in NYC