San Jose GC != Bongo

[soniq]

So I went to the Guitar Center in San Jose, CA so I could see, touch and hear a Bongo in the flesh since I'd never actually played one. Scanned the racks from floor to ceiling and guess what...not a single Bongo in the house . Out of frustration I grabbed the $$$$$ replica distressed Pastorius bass and spent the next 30 minutes playing it ... well it wasn't for me. Took a sweet looking sunburst SR5 HH and aahhhh what tone! At this point I can only imagine what a Bongo would sound like. They must be a pretty popular bass in Silicone Valley .

 

[phatduckk]

its a bit far but i saw a few Bongos at the SF GC

 

[soniq]

Thanks Mr. Phat. I'll ride down there and check 'em out .

 

[phatduckk]

Thanks Mr. Phat. I'll ride down there and check 'em out .

sweet... also try B St. Music in San Mateo... they have MM's on occassion too. Probably be worth callin em both tho so you don't take the trek for no reason

i used to like teh SJ GC better than the SF one but snce they moved locations the SF GC's bass section has gotten quite a bit better IMHO. If you go to the SF GC try and get Sergio to help you... he's a good guy, so is the assistant manager (think his name is Scott)... In San Jose I always deal with AJ... dunno if he still works there but hes a great guy

 

[Steve Dude Barr]

That wouldn't be the same "Sergio" that used to manage guitar sales for Frank Hayhurst at Zone Music in Cotati, CA would it Phatty???

 

[phatduckk]

That wouldn't be the same "Sergio" that used to manage guitar sales for Frank Hayhurst at Zone Music in Cotati, CA would it Phatty???

no clue. i dont know him well or anything like that. hes helped me a few times while i was at the GC and he was great. ive also overheard him help other folks (mom's buying their kid the first guitar ever etc) and he's super patient, explains everything and doesn't come off as "selling"... he's helping.

FWIW: he's kindof a shorter guy, not white, not skinny and has glasses

 

[Steve Dude Barr]

Not him...the one I was talking about was a "Mr. Hand" type dick..I used to call him the "Bass Nazi"....."No Sadowsky for you..."

He never stocked anything even remotley high end....had to drive all the way down to Gelb Music from Santa Rosa or maybe Bananna's

 

[phatduckk]

had to drive all the way down to Gelb Music

Gelb is my favorite LMS. those guys are great. Their bass guy, Ed (does bass sales, ordering etc), is the man. I wish they carried MM instruments cuz their store and staff rock.

 

[soniq]

In case you haven't been to the new SJ store it looks so much nicer and cleaner than the old place. The inventory is quite fresh too.

 

[Steve Dude Barr]

Gelb is my favorite LMS. those guys are great. Their bass guy, Ed (does bass sales, ordering etc), is the man. I wish they carried MM instruments cuz their store and staff rock.

Always a good experience at Gelb....good guys there! But I'd always wind up blowing my wad at Fat Dog's on the way down on weird crap...

Stuff like this...

 

[phatduckk]

In case you haven't been to the new SJ store it looks so much nicer and cleaner than the old place. The inventory is quite fresh too.

the sj GC moved from the steven's creek location? hmm, maybe ill check em out this weekend.

 

[soniq]

I agree totally that Gelb is awesome...it's my favorite BA store. I've been going there for about twenty years. Just to age myself I bought my first guitar at Don Wehr's Music Center in the late 70's .

 

[soniq]

Steve, I used to go to Bananas at Large in San Rafael too when I lived in SF.

 

[Steve Dude Barr]

I bought my first guitar at Don Wehr's Music Center in the late 70's

Ever buy anything from Bobby Vega when he worked at Wehr's in the 70's??

He's headling my school this October...see link below...

 

[Steve Dude Barr]

Steve, I used to go to Bananas at Large in San Rafael too when I lived in SF.

They were better than Zone and Star's Music in Petaluma where I worked for a minute in '99....I mostly bought vintage gear from Bruce Day (R.I.P.)...and Bay area vintage collector Marvin Mahler back then...that's about the time I first met Musicman Nut...Dave at The Cow Palace Vintage Show...

 

[Big Poppa]

Here is why Bongos are getting scarce.....Since we only make so many instruments and
large customers like gc get an allocation of our production that isnt enough things like 2 pu basses and 30th's eat up their allocation pushing Bongos and some other stuff back for awhile then they realize they are out of Bongos and beg for increased allocation...to summarize Its our fault...we dont make enough

 

[soniq]

Thanks for your enlightenment BP. I'm going to have to go on a Bongo safari. Luckily we've got a few GCs in NorCal so I can hit the San Francisco, Concord and finally Sacramento stores on my way home this Friday .

 

[maddog]

you could always ply a nearby board member with good alcohol in exchange for a zip around the block.

 

[PeteDuBaldo]

Here is why Bongos are getting scarce.....Since we only make so many instruments and
large customers like gc get an allocation of our production that isnt enough things like 2 pu basses and 30th's eat up their allocation pushing Bongos and some other stuff back for awhile then they realize they are out of Bongos and beg for increased allocation...to summarize Its our fault...we dont make enough

Yeah it's your fault you don't sacrifice quality for quantity.

That being said, I have 3 Bongo HHs here which are looking for good homes

 

[0557]

Bongos are scarse in Atlanta right now. I've called all three GC metro stores and there are only 4 in the metro area as of today.
Makes me kinda happy.