What music stores on Oahu?

[Linkmeister]

Re: What music stores on Oahu?

Dick, when did acoustic guitars acquire the self-amplification (or whatever the controls are for) on the side of the body? I've got a 31-year-old Spanish Hofner, and it's your basic gee-tar; no slide controls, no nuthin'. What are those things?

[pzarquon]

Re: What music stores on Oahu?

A write-up on Harry's in Pacific Business News:

Harry's Music Store has been described as a "vintage treasure trove" by magazines in New York City and Japan. The gaudy, 10,000-square-foot store, with its chipped green paint and holes that appeared in the ceiling in the 1950s but never got fixed, has somehow made a name for itself in places far from old-town Kaimuki.

[oceanpacific]

Re: What music stores on Oahu?

Dick, when did acoustic guitars acquire the self-amplification (or whatever the controls are for) on the side of the body? I've got a 31-year-old Spanish Hofner, and it's your basic gee-tar; no slide controls, no nuthin'. What are those things?

Those are tone and volume controls for amplification. There's an acoustical pick-up in the body and an output jack at the bottom of the body doubled up with the strap button. These are two-way guitars with acoustic and electric capabilities.

I first remember seeing them in the mid-1980s. Prior to that, acoustical pick-ups were available as an add-on rather than a built-in accessory.

[jdub]

Re: What music stores on Oahu?

i just had my strat and my les paul looked after by my buddy kilin (kai-lynn) at a music store in kaneohe...i can't remember the name of it, but it's something like "Hawaiian Island Music" or some such similar thing...from what i gather (i haven't been to the place, i just handed him my guitars after a recent gig he sat in on), they have a great selection of current and vintage gear, as well as a full service repair and maintenance shop...there's also a ukulele luthier involved...

the guys at island guitars at ward warehouse have always been cool to me...unlike the pantloads that work at places like guitar center on the mainland...you can have those warehouse stores...buncha kooks!

[Linkmeister]

Re: What music stores on Oahu?

Those are tone and volume controls for amplification. There's an acoustical pick-up in the body and an output jack at the bottom of the body doubled up with the strap button. These are two-way guitars with acoustic and electric capabilities.

I first remember seeing them in the mid-1980s. Prior to that, acoustical pick-ups were available as an add-on rather than a built-in accessory.

Yeah, I remember the acoustic pick-ups. Weren't they clamped into the sound hole?

Hmph. No honest-to-Odetta folkie would ever do such a thing.

And don't you tell me about Dylan!

[LocalMotion]

Re: What music stores on Oahu?

Yeah, I remember the acoustic pick-ups. Weren't they clamped into the sound hole?

Hmph. No honest-to-Odetta folkie would ever do such a thing.

And don't you tell me about Dylan!

you can get them that way or preferably installed where you can't see them at all. with a volume control up under the side of the hole. very discreet. my friend has his gibson hooked up with a LR Baggs model and you can't even tell it's there unless you start looking around inside the hole for it.

[jayvinton]

Re: What music stores on Oahu?

I find that my favorite musical instrument store in Oahu is Hot Licks in Aiea. They carry most of the bigs. Fender, Gibson, PRS, Breedlove, Kamaka, Lanika'i.

They have an asssortment of amplifiers by the same big makers, Fender, Marshall, Dr. Z, and a huge variety of pedals and accessories. They are friendly, let you hang and play if you want and are informative. Their pricing is par for the islands, that is more expensive than the mainland.

My worst experience by far was at Music Mac. This is a mall oriented store that basically lets you touch nothing with out a sales person hovering over you, killing the buying experience, and they are not knowledgeable.

Dans is a wonderful store if you like and can afford high end gear, PRS, and the like.

My personal experience is that we don't really need a Sam Ash or a GC on the islands, the little guys have plenty of great gear and will work with you. I miss the GC's I used to go to on the mainland, but the din of 50 people playing bad riffs gets to you.

Musicians Friend online is great, but by the time you figure in shipping you are paying right at or above what you can get locally, course if your really gassin for that Goldtop with P-90's, there might not be another place to get it..

In all fairness, I brought all of my guitars with me from Texas when I relocated. But I have bought pedals, accessories and amps at Hot Licks. As a musician, I feel comfortable there. That is important to me.

[Pomai]

Re: What music stores on Oahu?

I find that my favorite musical instrument store in Oahu is Hot Licks in Aiea. They carry most of the bigs. Fender, Gibson, PRS, Breedlove, Kamaka, Lanika'i.

Good to see Hot Licks is still around. They sure moved around. Back in the 80's they were located in this small upstairs cubbyhole in an obscure building across the street from Tower Records on Makaloa st. I remember back then after school, I'd stop by every now and then and drool over their entire line of Charvel Jacksons, the "modern lust" of Strats' back then.

Easy Music Center was purchased in 2005 by Peter Dods, son of FHB banker Walter Dods. According to their website they've relocated to 1314 S. King St. where they re-opened this past Monday. Their "swap meets" were really popular when they were located at the Victoria Ward location on Auahi st. on the east end near the Hokua condo.

[Steven]

Re: What music stores on Oahu?

I bought a lot of good CD's and sheet music at a shop called *Tunes.* Can't remember exactly where it is but itis near the centre of Honolulu.

[dick]

Re: What music stores on Oahu?

Musicians Friend online is great, but by the time you figure in shipping you are paying right at or above what you can get locally, course if your really gassin for that Goldtop with P-90's, there might not be another place to get it..

In all fairness, I brought all of my guitars with me from Texas when I relocated. But I have bought pedals, accessories and amps at Hot Licks. As a musician, I feel comfortable there. That is important to me.

That's the thing about the online places, they can get you what you need, although you have to pay shipping. I just bought a new rig which is not available here in Hawaii (Ashdown Engineering). So I got it online. It took some shopping around, but I ended up with good deals for the head and cab (bought at different places).

I do buy some stuff (strings, etc.) locally, and do all my repairs/set-ups at Dan's. Little things like strings and cables often end up being about the same price... plus you have instant gratification.