but the staff is knowledgeable, friendly, and
ready to satisfy customers with good equipment and prices to match.
First Flight Music ( firstflightmusic.com) is
a downtown shop that has been in operation since 1995. Owner Dan Wollock commented, “I’ve always been a part of the NYC
music community, and I’ve always loved cool
vintage guitars, so I put the two together.”
Asked about the prospect of being a musical
instrument merchant, he says, “It’s absolutely
tough to maintain a retail store here. Space is
expensive, and now there’s real competition.
However, New Yorkers are pretty savvy and recognize something unique. Reputation is everything, so we just try and offer folks great deals
and great service. Our amp repairs are fast
and reliable. People come here knowing they’ll
find something unique. Also, I’m fairly sure we
have the biggest new and used parts selection
around. Plus, we have a rock music school that
goes beyond the typical guitar and bass lessons to include drums, keyboards, woodwind,
and vocal instruction too.” And when queried
about his specialty, Dan replies, “We change
with the times. Right now, it’s what I call ‘proto’
guitars—the 1950s solidbodies by US makers
like Kay, Harmony, Orpheum, and Airline, plus
some of the Japanese Guyatone and Teisco
models that play and sound amazing.”
Street Sounds’ Rocky Schiano—New York City’s go-to Gretsch guy. Photo by Carianne Cianci
BRooklyn Big Hi TTERs
to bring in the Jackson line, so the FMIC sales
rep came in with all her catalogs. I noticed the
Ludlow Guitars ( ludlowguitars.com), at 164
Ludlow Street in Greenwich Village, has been
in business since 1999. They specialize in new
Gibson and Fender instruments, but carry an
eclectic selection of new, used, and vintage
guitars. They also claim to offer the best selection of pedals in NYC. According to co-owner
In Brooklyn—“the garden spot of the world,” Gretsch catalog and ordered two or three. I
according to Art Carney’s character of Ed Norton had always liked Gretsch guitars. It was hard to
on the old Honeymooners TV show— Rocky get up and running at first, but then Gretsch
Schiano claims his Street Sounds shop ( street- sales began to take off. I sold a lot of guitars to
s oundsnyc.com) is the largest Gretsch guitar guys on gretschpages.com—people who are
dealer in the USA, if not the world. Schiano extremely passionate about Gretsch. I’ve built
started in the retail compact-disc business in this business on word of mouth and reputation.”
1988 and had three locations at one point, but
when CDs started to die out in favor of digital
downloading he made the switch to musical
instruments, and decided to focus on Gretsch.
Kaan Howell, “We’re here because New York “I started by bringing in a few guitars, and sales
is the greatest city in the world, although it started to rise as CD sales declined,” Schiano
certainly has been tough in the recent eco- explains. “In 2005, I went to guitars only. I was
nomic climate. But we have no reason to open full-time, but as I no longer have a full-
believe that New York City is any more difficult time store manager, I’m only open two days a
to do business in than any other region of the week. I do about 90% of my business online.”
United States. It’s been tough going, but if we
can survive this, and it seems that we will, then At any given time, Street Sounds has 200 to
we will be able to survive anything.” 300 Gretsches in stock. Scanning the store,
one sees Gretsch boxes literally everywhere.
Consequently, over the last couple of years
Schiano has developed a sterling reputation
as one of the go-to-guys for anything and
everything Gretsch. However, Street Sounds
also carries Guild acoustics and the entire
Fender Musical Instrument Corporation line.
Have the big boxes cut into Street Sounds’
business? Schiano smiles, “It’s so easy to kick
their asses! I use them as a model of what
not to do. We give customers great guitars at
great prices, with outstanding service. We can
always beat the prices the big boxes charge.
The average Gretsch player has three or four,
so we’ve been able to earn their repeat business by taking care of them. Gretsch sales
comprise about 50% of my total business.”
Howell also stresses that Ludlow is all about
customer service. “We are a friendly local
store where you can try anything and everything for as long as it takes to find what you
are looking for. We are staffed by gigging
musicians working on a non-commission
basis, and who know the product inside and
out and can provide solid advice so customers get what they need as opposed to what
they might have thought they wanted.”
“The people who run Gretsch are very passionate about what they do. Fred Gretsch
personally took me down to where the old
factory used to be here in Brooklyn. It was an
amazing experience.”
Southside Guitars ( southsideguitars.com)
When asked how he started with Gretsch,
Schiano says, “It was really by accident. I was
handling mostly low-end guitars and decided
is owned and operated by brothers Ben and
Sam Taylor, both lovers of what they call “wild
and weird” electric guitars. Here, guitarists
find oddball makes like Eko, Wandre, and
Guyatone, as well as used and vintage guitars by Gibson, Fender, Martin, Epiphone,
