NYC archtop guitar stores in 1 day

**spiral** · 06-01-2011, 11:52 AM

I am going to NY and will be in the city for a day. I've been to Golden Age and Guitars n Jazz (last year) so wanted to check out any archtop meccas in the city. Here is my current list, what would you add / avoid?

StreetSounds NYC
(in Brooklyn, Gretsch-focused)

Rudy's Music
(has an Eastman non-cutaway acoustic)

Manny's New York

Thanks in advance.

**kamlapati** · 06-01-2011, 12:15 PM

Rudy's Soho if you're up for playing a D'Angelico or D'Aquisto.

**JohnW400** · 06-01-2011, 01:00 PM

From what I hear, Manny's is no more. Got bought out by Sam Ash.

Go to Rudy's in SOHO. Check Out Matt Uminovs in the village. Sadowsky is in Brooklyn too

If you're in NYC for one day, where else will you be?

**Jabberwocky** · 06-01-2011, 01:09 PM

Sadowsky has moved to Queens.

Sadowsky Guitars Ltd.
2107 41st Avenue | 4th Floor
Long Island City, NY 11101
Phone (718) 433-1990
Fax (718) 433-1993

**uburoibob** · 06-01-2011, 01:24 PM

Matt Umanov's and, if you can get out to Staten Island, Mandolin Brothers.

Bob

**spiral** · 06-01-2011, 02:24 PM

Thanks for the suggestions. I had never heard of Matt Umanov. Rudy's SOHO is my #1 priority because there are a few guitars on their site i want to play. Do they care about people playing their big $$$ guitars even if they aren't buying? Good to know about Manny's. I'll investigate.

Originally Posted by JohnW400

If you're in NYC for one day, where else will you be?

Thursday NYC and then Fire Island the rest of the time. I am visiting my brother and always go a day early to just explore. Mirabella guitars is actually on the way, right along the LIRR, but i can't afford one.

Thanks for the tips so far.

**Jabberwocky** · 06-01-2011, 02:32 PM

Please check out the Eastman non-cutaway acoustic archies, particularly the AR810. I would really like your review.

**uburoibob** · 06-01-2011, 05:12 PM

Manny's was bought by Sam Ash about 10 years ago. I believe they kept the name and all the historical references, but it's owned by Sam Ash.

Matt Umanov has been there forever and he is a great guitar dealer.

Bob

**revlimitbounce** · 06-01-2011, 06:59 PM

Manny's is now Sam Ash both in name and mostly spirit. No more "Manny's."

While I've bought stuff at Umanov's years ago, haven't in at least five years. Very expensive, not a real wide selection and lately not all that friendly. With all the bread I've spent there, you'd think they'd cut me even a small deal or fake recognizing me. No more.

Rudy's SoHo is a mecca with an upstairs dedicated to the D'Angelico Gods.

Lately, I've been going to 30th Street Guitars (b'tween 7th & 8th) and been quite happy. Not super-clean, but that's how I like my guitars and music; just a little funky. The owner Matt is very laid back (and very good at repairs) and when not busy fixing guitars in the back, comes out to say hi once in a while. Some real NYC players go there, too.

Mostly vintage or pre-loved guitars, new and used effects, mostly used amps (services them, too) and bass gear upstairs. I've bought three guitars there in total, had two repaired (possibly a third imminently) plus several stomp boxes and never been dissatisfied.

**teleman3726** · 06-01-2011, 09:05 PM

Rudy's in Soho for the nice D'A's upstairs. I chatted with Rudy last time I was there. They also have a couple of Gibby's and a nice Anderson. Played all of them. Couldn't beat my Campellone.
Check out Larry Wexler's place, too. He's a good guy and has some nice pieces.

**spiral** · 06-01-2011, 09:16 PM

Originally Posted by teleman3726

Rudy's in Soho for the nice D'A's upstairs. I chatted with Rudy last time I was there. They also have a couple of Gibby's and a nice Anderson. Played all of them. Couldn't beat my Campellone.
Check out Larry Wexler's place, too. He's a good guy and has some nice pieces.

Thanks. I know Larry Wexler as the guy who has guitars that are more than my net worth ... didn't know he had a storefront.

**Loobs** · 06-07-2011, 04:39 AM

Fwiw, the people in Matt Umanov seems really rude when I was last in there in April. For jazz guitars you can't go wrong with Mandolin Bros or Golden Age (which you've been to). I do also like 30th Street Guitars. Also check out Retrofret in Gowanus, Brooklyn if you want to see some really mind-blowing instruments. It's down this sketchy looking street in an industrial district, you get buzzed into this nondescript building and go upstairs to their little place on the roof (seriously). Place is like a museum of wonderful stringed/fretted instruments.

**spiral** · 06-07-2011, 01:53 PM

Thanks for all the tips. I had a really nice day in NYC and was able to hit most of the places that people suggested.

Street Sounds was fun. They only had one of the guitars i wanted to play but it was the Gretsch G400JV Jimmie Vaughan. For $1500 this guitar is pretty great. I didn't bother with the piezo but the acoustic sound was really nice. It is made in Japan so it is the same quality as the G6040MCSS (another stunner) and it has a great acoustic sound. I was worried about the x-bracing but it sounds really balanced but still like an archtop. Rocky said they had discontinued them but he bought the last batch.

Rudy's was next and that was like walking into a fancy humidor or Mercedes Benz dealer. I played a few affordable guitars (i.e. under $10k) and thought the Eastman AR805 non-cutaway was a great deal and the best sounding not-behind-glass-guitar. It has that wonderful Eastman fretboard with the big frets and it sounded fantastic. I still prefer my Loar LH-700's sound and neck thickness by a tiny margin, but the Eastman is nicely made and is well worth playing. I played a real D'Angelico non-cutaway but couldn't hear the magic. Rudy's staff was very nice.

Matt Umanov's was on the way uptown so i stopped in. One of the staff was sitting there literally filing his nails and no one even acknowledged me ... it was like they read the Cliff Notes for every music store stereotype. Unless i knew they had something i want to play, i would skip this next time.

Best Guitars is near Times Square on 9th ave and is basically a private collector who is selling his guitars on the side. I only played a few guitars--gorgeous Stromberg, D'Angelico, L7, and Gretsch Constellation--but the Stromberg sounded world's beyond the rest. Joe was very generous with his time and a very nice guy.

Rudy's Uptown had no acoustic archtops & Manny's does not exist anymore (as others have said).

Thanks again for all the tips. Every time i have made one of these journeys, these ideas get more strongly reinforced:

Price and age have almost no relationship on how a guitar plays and sounds
Being vintage doesn't make it sound better, and often being old and/or neglect makes it worse
Guitars i think will be great based on research usually aren't (and vice versa); you truly do have to play a guitar to know its value to you

**Loobs** · 06-07-2011, 03:35 PM

Originally Posted by spiral

Matt Umanov's was on the way uptown so i stopped in. One of the staff was sitting there literally filing his nails and no one even acknowledged me ... it was like they read the Cliff Notes for every music store stereotype. Unless i knew they had something i want to play, i would skip this next time.

]

Sounds about right. When I was last in there a few weeks ago, there was a dude sitting on one of the counters loudly kicking his feet against the glass while someone was trying to try out a guitar.

**rschwa9966** · 06-07-2011, 07:17 PM

"Manny's" is gone in name only. Sam Ash bought it and has a pretty good selection of guitars, including old Gibsons and Fenders. Same location, same depth of inventory.