Any must-see guitar stores in New Orleans?

[bho]

Hi,

I’m headed to New Orleans for a work trip. Any guitar stores I should visit?

Thanks.

[SprintBob]

The Banjo Store is a Collings dealer as well as Deering banjos but they are appointment only. About 60-90 minutes southwest of New Orleans in Houma is a new establishment called Southern Strings that looks to have a lot of nice higher end stuff (www.southernstrings.com). I've not visited but hope to in the near future. The only other mom/pop store in the New Orleans area is C&M Music (near the New Orleans airport in Kenner, LA) and they do stock some nice Martins but mostly low to mid level offerings of anything else. Very friendly folks. And there is a Guitar Center but in terms of acoustic guitars, I don't bother.

[ripdotcom]

I never found anything interesting over there.

[Laughingboy68]

There are so many better things to do in New Orleans. The music store offerings are pretty slim. Everywhere I go, I try to check out local music retailers, but New Orleans has never wowed me with the guitar shops. It’s my favourite place in the whole world, just not for music stores.

[handers]

Sadly, not. I have lived here my whole life. Vintage Guitars was sort of interesting 10y ago. I have also noted the Southern Strings place but never visited.

There is a new place on magazine st which has all sorts of showey guitars. They came from a large collection. I walked thru a few months ago just be they opened and the manager was hanging around. He brought me in. No focus, just fancy, in some cases celebrity instruments. I played an old Washburn flattop that seemed to me to be nothing more than a museum piece. I couldn't find the voice. Mandos, classical or two, electrics. But not what I think of as a player's shop. Have a look called Inlow Guitars. They have a website. Not far from downtown.

hans

[ManyMartinMan]

Originally Posted by Laughingboy68

There are so many better things to do in New Orleans. The music store offerings are pretty slim. Everywhere I go, I try to check out local music retailers, but New Orleans has never wowed me with the guitar shops. It’s my favourite place in the whole world, just not for music stores.

+1. A great place to walk and sit around experiencing the flavors and sounds.

[Athens]

Nothing there to go out of your way to see. Kinda disappointing, really.

[handers]

Couple of interesting listings at Intl Vintage Guitars and it’s not far from Inlow Guitars and Central City Barbq
http://internationalvintageguitars.com/

Don’t miss an afternoon/evening at Bacchanal a backyard winebar/good food/daily outdoor jazz lounge n Bywater
A weekend evening stroll down Frenchman St and in first 3 blocks is a hoot
City Park sculpture garden is lovely
Euclid on Chartres one of the last great vinyl stores
French 75 is world class trad bar in Fr Quarter
Enjoy food and vibe and avoid Bourbon St

Hans

[Tomb0]

My wife is a native New Orleanian, and I am there several times each year. The best guitar shops in NOLA are the pawn shops. Some very good musicians have traded some very guitars for quick cash for exploits that hopefully will lend a song or two down the road!

So many great things to do. Get out the Quarter and spend some time in Uptown - a stroll on Magazine Street on the Audubon Park side of Jefferson is a GREAT way to spend an hour or two. While not a guitar store, Octavia Books is a locally owned bookstore just off of Octavia and Magazine. Some great local history, including fascinating books on New Orleans music (When Not Playing is a look at the lives of area musicians when they are offstage).

Check out the Maple Leaf Bar - if you have a chance to catch George Porter or Rebirth Brass Band or Johnny Sketch or...DO IT.

Lastly, with no necessary relevance, I cannot urge you strongly enough to visit the World War II museum. It is SPECTACULAR on all levels. There's a reason the WWII museum is in NOLA, but it's fun to discover that for yourself. GO!

[BT55]

+1 For a trip to Frenchman Street for the great Jazz Clubs! If you’re hungry there’s a really good hidden Italian Restaraunt on the second floor across the street from the Tattoo parlor.