San Francisco Record + guitar shops

[imJonWain]

I'm taking a semi-last minute vacation to SF from late tonight till early Monday morning. I haven't been out there since ~2009 and I'm staying with my old roommate who lives in the Castro now. I know Amoeba and Aquarius (which I guess is gone?) but anyone have any personal recommendations of record stores or gear stores to check out there? I assume the guitar shops will all be kind of high end these days but ya never know. Bar recommendations are cool too, I'm gonna try and catch CCR headcleaner at Slims on Sat night (how is this place?).

[repoman]

I lived near one called Rocker Guitars that was super bizarre, they were almost never open and you had to ring a buzzer to get in and the dude at the counter often pretended to not notice you trying to patronize their store. They had some cool stuff in there though...I went to buy a dark cherry gibson firebird there one weekend but the guy wouldn't let me in lol. I moved the next week so I didn't get a chance to go back and buy it.

Real Guitars is kind of cool...I think thats the one with the 'coolest cred'

[Chankgeez]

Aquarius (which I guess is gone?)

That sucks. I really liked that store.

Doesn't bitchpudding work at one of the Amoeba locations? Just go visit him and he'll give you the scoop.

[echorec]

Haight-Ashbury is a dreadful tourist trap, but ROBOTSPEAk is a cool spot to play synths.

https://robotspeak.com/

[waltdogg]

once again, real guitars. only cool and fairly priced shop left afaik. gc killed everyone off except for starving musician and a few techs that operate as shops.

[Mudfuzz]

once again, real guitars. only cool and fairly priced shop left afaik. gc killed everyone off except for starving musician and a few techs that operate as shops.

Is black market gone now? what about Bluenote? Thinman? or guitarorama? or Tall toad [up by mesa]? I haven't been back there since 04/05

[waltdogg]

bluenote is closed. i don't go up to the north bay much but there are shops up that way.

if getting to alameda isn't a problem thinman is still around apparently.

[imJonWain]

Holy shit real guitars is awesome! Prices are shockingly fair and the guys working there are wicked nice.

[doommeow]

Subway Guitars in Berkeley. If you're cool/lucky/weird enough, you might get an invite to FatDog's private ranch/mountain/vineyard/autograveyard

[echorec]

Subway Guitars in Berkeley. If you're cool/lucky/weird enough, you might get an invite to FatDog's private ranch/mountain/vineyard/autograveyard

Haha. I wanted to mention this, but I didn't know if it was still open.

[waltdogg]

fatdog is still around. please stay away from him.

[doommeow]

fatdog is still around. please stay away from him.

He's definitely an odd guy, but I don't know if I'd go so far as to say "stay away"

[Mudfuzz]

fatdog is still around. please stay away from him.

He's definitely an odd guy, but I don't know if I'd go so far as to say "stay away"

They one time they had a jetglo Ric 4003 body there, and it HAD A FUCKING PRICE TAG ON IT! I take it up to the counter and I get naw man Fatdog is going to customize it and will sell it for $600.00".. DON"T PUT PRICE TAGS ON SHIT ON THE FLOOR AS IF IT IS FOR SALE AND WASTE EVERYONES TIME!!!

[waltdogg]

at fatdog and his "custom" work. i can't tell you guys how many times i've had to fix up shit people bought from him.

[BitchPudding]

I've never even heard of this dude fam. Sounds like hes....eccentric?

If you come by Amoeba Music in Berkeley Monday or Wednesday, you can say hi. I work the front security check.