LA Guitar store recommendations

[MBee]

I'm going to be visiting LA next week, on a trip down from Canada.

I'd be interested in checking out a guitar store or two while I'm there. I have an interest in new or old high end Japanese guitars: Yamaha or Alvarez Yairi. I'd also be interested in having a look at other guitar lines that are not available in my neck of the woods: Collings, Waterloo, Iris, Boucher, etc.

Looking forward to your recommendations.

[LAPlayer]

Since you're visiting Los Angeles you'll need to be in Hollywood so Sunset Guitar Center and Sam Ash should be on the list. I would add McCabe's in Santa Monica to the list. There are smaller, more discrete places like L.A. Guitar Sales but some aren't really set up for used guitars if that's your primary interest. How long are you there and what part of "LA" will you be in? It's a very large county with lot's of time-eating traffic at various times.

[warfrat73]

Never been there, but looked at their website a lot... L.A. Guitar Sales on Sunset has a bunch of cool stuff.

[MBee]

Originally Posted by LAPlayer

Since you're visiting Los Angeles you'll need to be in Hollywood so Sunset Guitar Center and Sam Ash should be on the list. I would add McCabe's in Santa Monica to the list. There are smaller, more discrete places like L.A. Guitar Sales but some aren't really set up for used guitars if that's your primary interest. How long are you there and what part of "LA" will you be in? It's a very large county with lot's of time-eating traffic at various times.

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll be in Santa Monica. Just to be clear, I'm not necessarily just interested in used. Any guitars in the broad categories that I described above, would be great.

[rllink]

My son's friend took me to The International House of Music in downtown LA. It is a real cool huge funky place with walls full of guitars. Lots of atmosphere. When I was there some Mexican band that had come up from Mexico to do a concert in LA was in there putting on an impromptu show.

https://ihomi.com/about-us

[LAPlayer]

Originally Posted by MBee

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll be in Santa Monica. Just to be clear, I'm not necessarily just interested in used. Any guitars in the broad categories that I described above, would be great.

Ted (L.A. Guitar Sales) is a great guy and I've purchased guitars from him. He is mostly new and his stock varies. I would call him before going over to make sure he's in and open. I don't remember for sure but I think he's on here at times.

[Corndog]

LA Guitar Sales doesn't have a store front. I wouldn't recommend just dropping by. Make an appointment and tell Ted what you're interested in so he'll have them out for you to try.
Mostly Eastman and Martin.
Probably not a good place to find the guitars the OP mentions.

[tomcstokes59]

I have heard a lot about it, but never been there - Norman's Rare Guitars in Tarzana. It seems to be filled with the unusual.

[Charmed Life Picks]

Norm's Rare Guitars in Tarzana is the closest thing L.A. has to Gruhn or Carter Vintage. Limited store hours. See their site before visiting.

sm

[Corndog]

Originally Posted by tomcstokes59

I have heard a lot about it, but never been there - Norman's Rare Guitars in Tarzana. It seems to be filled with the unusual.

Originally Posted by Charmed Life Picks

Norm's Rare Guitars in Tarzana is the closest thing L.A. has to Gruhn or Carter Vintage. Limited store hours. See their site before visiting.

sm

The OP is unlikely to find much in the way of what he/she are asking about, at Norman's.
Think collectable. Martins, Gibsons, Fenders, Gretsch, usually old and desirable.
You might find the odd old Japanese guitar or maybe a Collings traded in.

But hey, call them. You never know. Certainly before you drive there.

Added:
Out of curiosity, since I hadn't been there in while, I went to their website and saw some pretty pedestrian guitars that were likely trade ins.
Whenever I'd been in there you wouldn't see anything like them in the showroom. Maybe they're in the back.

I can tell you I once took two Martin Dovetail 000-16s ca1990/1992 in mint condition in there for possible trade/sale and they turned their nose up at them.

[Charmed Life Picks]

Originally Posted by Corndog

The OP is unlikely to find much in the way of what he/she are asking about, at Norman's.
Think collectable. Martins, Gibsons, Fenders, Gretsch, usually old and desirable.
You might find the odd old Japanese guitar or maybe a Collings traded in.

But hey, call them. You never know. Certainly before you drive there.

Added:
Out of curiosity, since I hadn't been there in while, I went to their website and saw some pretty pedestrian guitars that were likely trade ins.
Whenever I'd been in there you wouldn't see anything like them in the showroom. Maybe they're in the back.

I can tell you I once took two Martin Dovetail 000-16s ca1990/1992 in mint condition in there for possible trade/sale and they turned their nose up at them.

Hi, Corn. Even though I live only about 30 minutes away, I haven't been in Norm's in several years. Some reports have come back that they've gotten quite snooty and only want to deal with the Joe Bonamassas of the world. The store is not open to the public nearly as much as it was in the early days (and I've been shopping there over 40 years).

Also, if anyone follows their IG account, Norm has been quite ill recently. I understand he has a son, but I don't know how involved he is with the business, and it's unclear whether a clear succession plan is in place. Since NRG is a legacy dealer and a guitar institution, one would have to believe that either the employees will pool together to acquire it, or that an outside buyer might come in.

Anyway, yes, call before the long drive (and the joys) on the 405 freeway.

Scott Memmer

[nootis]

+1 for McCabe's in Santa Monica. They have a ton of guitars and many other instruments. You can easily get lost in there for an hour or two.

[Rockysdad]

+1 For Norman's Rare guitars in Tarzana. It's worth seeing.

[Corndog]

Originally Posted by Charmed Life Picks

Hi, Corn. Even though I live only about 30 minutes away, I haven't been in Norm's in several years. Some reports have come back that they've gotten quite snooty and only want to deal with the Joe Bonamassas of the world. The store is not open to the public nearly as much as it was in the early days (and I've been shopping there over 40 years).

Also, if anyone follows their IG account, Norm has been quite ill recently. I understand he has a son, but I don't know how involved he is with the business, and it's unclear whether a clear succession plan is in place. Since NRG is a legacy dealer and a guitar institution, one would have to believe that either the employees will pool together to acquire it, or that an outside buyer might come in.

Anyway, yes, call before the long drive (and the joys) on the 405 freeway.

Scott Memmer

Norman's looking pretty good in recent videos (last I saw was from 2 weeks ago with Eric Johnson) and he looks and sounds pretty good.
I never had an issue with access to his store and it's always been a bit of a blow mind for me how one could walk in and play anything you could see. And it was comfortable. You'd sit on the couch and play whatever you wanted and the staff just went about their business.
One of the best guitars I've ever played was in that store, on that couch, and I still regret not buying it at the time.

It is an iconic place, especially considering what a hole in the wall strip mall location it is.

[pagedr]

Caveman Vintage in DTLA and Old Style Guitar Shop in Silver Lake often have funky vintage Japanese/import guitars