I did it, I went to GC this morning...

[fillmore nyc]

HEY! I have very fond memories of schlepping down to Sam Ash in Hempstead (you know, fill!) on my bicycle every Saturday to plug into a real live Marshall stack just like Ritchies and playing Smoke!

by the old A&S? Before they moved to Carle Place and starting acting as if just talking to you was doing you a favor? amazing when you consider they're working on comission!

Guitar center is far from great, but it's a damn sight better than samash these days!

Got us another homeboy, Chief!! Hey JB, welcome to the forum. You remember Sam Ash when they were near the old A&S?? Thats a long way back. You probably remember Gracins too, I would imagine. You're right... GC is a lot better than Ash these days, but I still prefer the smaller stores like Music Services (my boy Gary), and 30th St in the city (my MAIN boy, Matt). Cool to have another local on the forum, bro.

[NY Chief]

and a '79 Eldorado. The Metro pimpmobile!

I sincerely hope we are not "ho's" by association... I aint "biased" for those "tubes"... ( ) (Chief, is THAT what they were talking about when they said you have a firm, defined bottom end, a round, yet complex mid, and that you really screamed when opened up??? I thought they were talking about your amps, bro...) ( )

Don't make me go "Mideivil on your ass!"

[NY Chief]

HEY! I have very fond memories of schlepping down to Sam Ash in Hempstead (you know, fill!) on my bicycle every Saturday to plug into a real live Marshall stack just like Ritchies and playing Smoke!

by the old A&S? Before they moved to Carle Place and starting acting as if just talking to you was doing you a favor? amazing when you consider they're working on comission!

Guitar center is far from great, but it's a damn sight better than samash these days!

Got us another homeboy, Chief!! Hey JB, welcome to the forum. You remember Sam Ash when they were near the old A&S?? Thats a long way back. You probably remember Gracins too, I would imagine. You're right... GC is a lot better than Ash these days, but I still prefer the smaller stores like Music Services (my boy Gary), and 30th St in the city (my MAIN boy, Matt). Cool to have another local on the forum, bro.

That's the one, JB! And Gracin's, too. Remember Looney Tunes record store? I bought the first Bostin album there for $2.99!
They opened a Sam's Ass here in California a while back. It really sucks. A lot of low end, cheap shit and help that don't know dick....

Welcome to Metro!

[jbutler]

by the old A&S? Before they moved to Carle Place and starting acting as if just talking to you was doing you a favor? amazing when you consider they're working on comission!

Guitar center is far from great, but it's a damn sight better than samash these days!

Got us another homeboy, Chief!! Hey JB, welcome to the forum. You remember Sam Ash when they were near the old A&S?? Thats a long way back. You probably remember Gracins too, I would imagine. You're right... GC is a lot better than Ash these days, but I still prefer the smaller stores like Music Services (my boy Gary), and 30th St in the city (my MAIN boy, Matt). Cool to have another local on the forum, bro.

That's the one, JB! And Gracin's, too. Remember Looney Tunes record store? I bought the first Bostin album there for $2.99!
They opened a Sam's Ass here in California a while back. It really sucks. A lot of low end, cheap shit and help that don't know dick....

Welcome to Metro!

Thanks for the welcome!

can't say i remember gracin's. but i made the trek to looney tunes as a kid and some friends of mine did an in-store promo set there a few years back.

hate to tell ya'; looney tunes had a fire a few months back, lost everything i think. don't know if they're coming back.

as for sam ash: i don't expect everyone to know it all, but they're ridiculous; like used-car salesmen! and don't expect any real help if you're buying somethig there below a $grand.

[NY Chief]

You mean Looney tunes is/was still there??????
I thought they closed down years ago.

Yeah, Gracin's was great. Old man Bernie HATED Ash and would do anything to steal a sale from them!

Richie and Jerry Ash two aholes and the manager, Steve Jordan? A real attitude prick. They wouldn't talk to you for shit but if you came in with your Mom or Dad ($$$) they loved youuuu. Mike Christain was also a great guy, though. He makes acoustic pickups now, I see him at NAMM every now and then and years later he still remembers me. It kills me that they own Manny's now....

[fillmore nyc]

You mean Looney tunes is/was still there??????
I thought they closed down years ago.

Yeah, Gracin's was great. Old man Bernie HATED Ash and would do anything to steal a sale from them!

Richie and Jerry Ash two aholes and the manager, Steve Jordan? A real attitude prick. They wouldn't talk to you for shit but if you came in with your Mom or Dad ($$$) they loved youuuu. Mike Christain was also a great guy, though. He makes acoustic pickups now, I see him at NAMM every now and then and years later he still remembers me. It kills me that they own Manny's now....

Chief, would you believe that Steve Jordan went back work for them in the Carle Place store??!! He isnt a manager there anymore, the last time I went in there, he was in the horn department!! I dunno, he seemed like "busted down", or something... unusually mellow, like something wasnt right with him.
Mike Christian and I were REALLY good friends back in the day. I remember when he was first coming up with that idea for the piezo's in a tune-o-matic. He made me swear on my family that I wouldnt tell anyone about it, or that I wouldnt steal the idea!!! He was a great guy, and taught me a lot of simple, but useful stuff about intonation, wiring, etc., that I still use to this day. He had SUPER bad back problems, but had a number of back operations and is back to normal now.
Do you remember when Mike got a slew of guitars from Gibson that had a "BGN" designation on them? (which meant "bargain"). These were guitars that Gibson deemed unsellable because of some cosmetic flaw, which was usually undetectable anyway. I bought 3 Firebirds, an SG Custom, a 335, and a Les Paul out of that batch. I think all 6 of them cost me under $500.00. None of them had electronics or hardware, but thats where I cut my teeth on wiring and generally working on guitars. Brings back a lot of memories!!

[jbutler]

You mean Looney tunes is/was still there??????
I thought they closed down years ago.

Yeah, Gracin's was great. Old man Bernie HATED Ash and would do anything to steal a sale from them!

Richie and Jerry Ash two aholes and the manager, Steve Jordan? A real attitude prick. They wouldn't talk to you for shit but if you came in with your Mom or Dad ($$$) they loved youuuu. Mike Christain was also a great guy, though. He makes acoustic pickups now, I see him at NAMM every now and then and years later he still remembers me. It kills me that they own Manny's now....

well, it IS still there! turns out they're rebuilding!:
http://www.looneytunescds.com/rel/v2_ho ... deptnr=210
good thing not ALL the small shops are gone!

Where was Gracins?

[yngwie308]

I went to the Hempstead store in the seventies, early, and it was truly wierd, Sam Ass it's called..
You guys need to start a seperate NY, NY thread
yngwie308

[jbutler]

I went to the Hempstead store in the seventies, early, and it was truly wierd, Sam Ass it's called..
You guys need to start a seperate NY, NY thread
yngwie308

don't mess with the new york boys yngwie!

[NY Chief]

Yngwie Dave is cool. He "did time" on Long Island!

I can't believe Jordan is back at Ash!!! Wonder how the Jordanaires are doing

Why am I surprised that you know Mike Christian well, fill?!?!?!?!?! He told me about the piezo's years ago , too!. never heard about the BGN's. Private stock, eh??? Ahhh, all the better for the health of my Visa!

jb, I think Gracin's was on North Franklin a block or so south of Hempstead Turnpike. you're late to the party. Filland I already went over the 3am White Castles runs! (And I mean "runs"!)

[fillmore nyc]

!
jb, I think Gracin's was on North Franklin a block or so south of Hempstead Turnpike. you're late to the party. Filland I already went over the 3am White Castles runs! (And I mean "runs"!)

The gastro progression after White Castle: / / / ~~~Go out next night and repeat, cause we used to be stupid like that!!

[Flames1950]

!
jb, I think Gracin's was on North Franklin a block or so south of Hempstead Turnpike. you're late to the party. Filland I already went over the 3am White Castles runs! (And I mean "runs"!)

The gastro progression after White Castle: / / / ~~~Go out next night and repeat, cause we used to be stupid like that!!

Hey, I used to practice that "gastro progression" out the other direction mixing beer and liquor, and it did take a few years before I suddenly realized it wasn't quite as fun as I thought it was..........

[fillmore nyc]

Hey, I used to practice that "gastro progression" out the other direction mixing beer and liquor, and it did take a few years before I suddenly realized it wasn't quite as fun as I thought it was..........

Makes one wonder why it takes a few YEARS to realize that "Hey... SOMETHING about this is not as cool as my mind (and my friends) are telling me it is!!! Maybe its that dull pain... isnt that where they say my liver is supposed to be???"

[Bluesgeetar]

I love GC. Never had a bad experience with them. I have gotten 2 MK319 and 1 MK219 and one ML52 all for under $250 total. Plus sold off all my vintage junk that didn't work and was dying for big money cause they are stupid. I have nothing but great stories on my GC visits. They all involve me taking advantage of them cause they are, well, less than knowledgeable.

[Billy Batz]

I love GC. Never had a bad experience with them. I have gotten 2 MK319 and 1 MK219 and one ML52 all for under $250 total. Plus sold off all my vintage junk that didn't work and was dying for big money cause they are stupid. I have nothing but great stories on my GC visits. They all involve me taking advantage of them cause they are, well, less than knowledgeable.

Funny. I tried the same thing a number of times and I couldnt get half of what the going ebay rates are. Not because my GC guys are really knowledgeable gear guys but because they pay shit for any used gear even vintage.