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Topic: NYC steel guitar store? |
Josh Yenne
From:
Sonoma California
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Posted 22 Jul 2010 8:31 pm |
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| Going to NYC this week. Any good stores in the city that stock steels? Just wondering. |
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mike nolan
From:
Forest Hills, NY USA
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Posted 22 Jul 2010 8:42 pm
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| Not really any pedal steel stores in NYC. Some of the vintage places will have a steel occasionally.... usually wildly overpriced. |
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Bill McCloskey
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Posted 23 Jul 2010 5:02 am
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| A few carry some overpriced lap steels. But that is it. |
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Mickey Adams
From:
Bandera Texas
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Posted 23 Jul 2010 5:42 am
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I have been conferring with a local investor that has asked me to open just such a store. The store will be selling Mullen Guitars primarily and expansion to repairs, trades, instruction is planned as well...No word on the time-frame but the money and the idea is there...Now If I can just find the T I M E!
_________________
ARTIST RELATIONS: MSA GUITARS
2017 MSA LEGEND XL D10, S10, Studio Pro S12 EXE9
Mullen G2, Rittenberry S10, Infinity D10, Zumsteel 8+9
Anderson, Buscarino, Fender, Roman Guitars, Sarno Octal, Revelation Preamps, BJS BARS, Lots of Blackface Fenders! |
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Jim Cohen
From:
Philadelphia, PA
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Posted 23 Jul 2010 6:05 am
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| Mickey Adams wrote: |
| ...the money and the idea is there...! |
Not to be cheeky, Mickey, but are the customers there to support it (enough of them, that is)? I would imagine that you might need to carry a broader product line, including a range of less costly lap steels (which are fairly popular these days), to make a go of this. Are you planning to move to NYC yourself to run it?
_________________
www.JimCohen.com
www.RonstadtRevue.com
www.BeatsWalkin.com |
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Kevin Hatton
From:
Buffalo, N.Y.
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Posted 23 Jul 2010 6:13 am
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| If you plan to move to N.Y. City bring money. Lots of it. You're gonna need it, and then there are the taxes. My home town. |
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john widgren
From:
Wilton CT
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Posted 23 Jul 2010 7:29 am Steel in NYC
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See below. I'm just outside NYC. Glad to help if I can.
_________________
Steel Guitar Services:
Live performance and recording. Instruments, repairs and lessons. Fresh bait/discount sushi.
(203) 858-8498
widcj@hotmail.com |
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Jeremy Steele
From:
Princeton, NJ USA
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Posted 23 Jul 2010 10:13 am
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| I recently saw a Carter Starter in the Guitar Center on 14th Street, and there used to be one in Umanov's on Bleecker...that's about it for steels in NYC music stores....good luck if you follow through with your idea to open a place specializing in steels. |
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Bill McCloskey
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Posted 23 Jul 2010 11:00 am
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I think everyone in New York who plays steel has seen that Carter Starter at the Guitar center at 14th street.
As far as opening a store, I would suggest looking in the east village. There are a number of specialty guitar stores here, the rent is about the best you will find in the city, and it is a great place to live.
Plus I'd be able to walk over and give you some money now and then. |
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Jim Cohen
From:
Philadelphia, PA
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Josh Yenne
From:
Sonoma California
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Posted 23 Jul 2010 1:17 pm
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Wow. Not enough people in NYC to support selling steels.
The definition of a nitch instrument!! |
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Bill McCloskey
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Posted 23 Jul 2010 1:32 pm
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I'm not so sure. You could build a mail order business and certainly a good store could draw people in from PA, NJ, CT, and upstate. Have to sell lap steels.
Great to see a store have a new york flavor: jazz, sacred steel, robert randolph, blues instore concerts to build interest in the instrument.
Depends on how deep the money guy's pockets are. |
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Bob Carlucci
From:
Candor, New York, USA
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Posted 23 Jul 2010 4:25 pm
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NYC??? nah. Not enough players... Even if most of the players from 4 states visited on occasion, there would never be enough foot traffic to be able to maintain the strore with the massive operating costs in NYC.. There is a reason why a Big Mac costs 30% more in NYC than anywhere else...
_________________
I'm over the hill and hittin'rocks on the way down!
no gear list for me.. you don't have the time...... |
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Bill McCloskey
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Posted 23 Jul 2010 4:36 pm
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| That is certainly the conventional wisdom. But since moving to the east village a few months ago I've seen some specialty stores making it that wouldn't exist in other parts of manhattan |
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Philip Sterk
From:
Nashville, TN
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Posted 23 Jul 2010 5:28 pm
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From what I've seen, I think the general consensus for admirers and players of steel guitar along with its varied musical applications played in the NYC music scene is that it (steel guitar) is certainly supported here, much like the rest of America and it cultural/musical scenes, big and small.
In regards to a steel shop; like most business' in NYC (and the rest of America) you need to work in high volumes (supply), move people through the door (demand), and keep overhead (rent) low to subsist and make that profit and keep it going...even the higher priced boutique shoppes are committed to this concept. Unlike the rest of America, the NYC real estate and tax codes are simply "different" than say, many other places.
The passion, creativity, along with the curiosity is here, but the demand and shear numbers of players of all ilk, just isn't as bountiful.
good luck to any entrepreneurs...I will swing by your shop. |
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Ron Castle
From:
West Hurley,NY
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Posted 24 Jul 2010 2:44 am
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| some years ago the was a nice new Fessenden PSG in Rudys guitar shop on 48th st in NYC ( a high-end "boutique" )- Don't know if it's still there or if it was ever sold, but I think the prices would have to be prohibitively high just to pay the rent. |
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Herb Steiner
From:
Spicewood TX 78669
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Posted 24 Jul 2010 6:21 am
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JMO, but opening a steel guitar specialty store in the heart of Manhattan is a fool's errand.
Bob Dylan said (probably paraphrasing him here) that you may have a dream; but if you're dreaming, you've gotta be asleep.
_________________
My rig: Infinity and Telonics.
Son, we live in a world with walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with steel guitars. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinberg? |
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Frank Ortega
From:
New York City, NY USA
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Posted 24 Jul 2010 7:28 am Pedal Steel Shop in NYC
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I think it would be worth a shot. It would be expensive as already mentioned doing business in NYC but with support from the steel playing community it could work. Especially helpful would be to hook up with the Pedal Steel Guitar Association who could reach out to it's local members. Also, the already mentioned in-store clinics and seminars would be a great way to attract potential players to the instrument.
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GFI Ultra SD-10 |
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Bob Hoffnar
From:
Austin, Tx
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Posted 24 Jul 2010 7:49 am
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I think its a great idea but for it to work it may need to be a front for a mafia money laundering operation, tax shelter for a Wall st guy or some other criminal activity.
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Bob |
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Rob Segal
From:
New York NY
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Posted 24 Jul 2010 11:16 am
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| If combined with a coffee/croissanterie it could perhaps stagger along for a while. The issue is the cost of rent; too high in central Manhattan typically to be supported by selling picks, bars, and a few steels. |
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John Sluszny
From:
Brussels, Belgium
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Posted 24 Jul 2010 11:26 am
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| ...and square neck resonator guitars? |
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Rob Segal
From:
New York NY
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Posted 24 Jul 2010 11:31 am
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....true reso guitars might draw some; but those aren't real steel guitars  |
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Jonathan Lam
From:
Brooklyn, NY
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Posted 24 Jul 2010 6:00 pm
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| Bob Hoffnar wrote: |
| I think its a great idea but for it to work it may need to be a front for a mafia money laundering operation, tax shelter for a Wall st guy or some other criminal activity. |
Exactly |
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Mickey Adams
From:
Bandera Texas
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Posted 25 Jul 2010 7:37 pm Manhattan
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Well...the space is being donated...Now do you think it could work?....Could be a different ballgame huh?>.
_________________
ARTIST RELATIONS: MSA GUITARS
2017 MSA LEGEND XL D10, S10, Studio Pro S12 EXE9
Mullen G2, Rittenberry S10, Infinity D10, Zumsteel 8+9
Anderson, Buscarino, Fender, Roman Guitars, Sarno Octal, Revelation Preamps, BJS BARS, Lots of Blackface Fenders! |
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Bill Howard
From:
Indiana, USA
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Posted 25 Jul 2010 7:46 pm Figure this
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OK this will spark a debate usually anything I write someONE always will find a fault in it:).
Lets say that .25 percent of New Yorkers had an interest in Pedal Steels 9 Million People. 1% of a million is ten thousand so 2500 per million times 9 this would be over 20 THOUSAND People even HALF of them would still be over 10 THOUSAND, Not a lot of places can beat those numbers if you look at it like that, OK go ahead now tell me everyone in New York HATES Steel Guitars:),I Played in Maryland not far from New York I had People from there really interesed one guy even ask me where to buy one,I gave him Scottys name told him about ZUMs Mullens Franklins,so there is an Interest, far as high prices New Yorkers are like Canadians their used to paying more its the way it is there, This is only my HUMBLE Opinion |
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