Trip to West Coast - store recommendations?

R

Redan

Junior Member
Hi everyone,

This is Javi from Spain. I will go with my girlfriend to California this May/June. And I would like to bring a good souvenir from there. I was thinking in a nice Snare drum (my girlfriend doesn't think the same....) :)

I would like to ask you about nice stores where they can help me to choose the perfect snare.

I have some ideas and how much I would like to spend. One of the snare I am interested is the Ludwig Supra Phonic, but for example, I don't know which one, the 400 or the 402. I nether know if I want a new one of one from 70's...

So, someone from this area (San Francisco, Las Vegas and Los Angeles) could help me to find "THE STORE"?

Thank you in advance and sorry (very sorry) for my English.

Regards,
Javi
 
In Los Angeles, it's Professional Drum Shop (Pro Drum) on Vine Street in Hollywood.

Not far from there is one of the nicer Guitar Center stores on Sunset Blvd, and in the same building, a big Sam Ash drum shop!

And I agree on Bentley's in Fresno, a great, big store with really good pricing!

Bermuda
 
ditto on the hollywood stores. there's not really alot of "drum shops" in l.a./hollywood anymore.

there's also jammin' jersey which is a used instrument shop north west of hollywood off the 101 fwy. its jam packed with stuff (they have a website) but they can be over priced, usually on the vintage stuff. but last time i was down there they are a ludwig deal (as is guitar center and i think sam ash)

like many out of towners, they do a craigslist search when in town, you can find some deals that way to. or perhaps post a want list on here and someone might have what your looking for and be able to meet you.

and as a side note, check out amoeba records on sunset blvd. pro drum is just down the road from it. its a massive music store filled with cds, dvds, vinyl, posters and other stuff.
 
bermuda said:
In Los Angeles, it's Professional Drum Shop (Pro Drum) on Vine Street in Hollywood.

Not far from there is one of the nicer Guitar Center stores on Sunset Blvd, and in the same building, a big Sam Ash drum shop!

And I agree on Bentley's in Fresno, a great, big store with really good pricing!

Bermuda
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That would be about the only reason I'd go to Fresno. Haha!
(Sorry, Fresno)

If you go to Fresno, you might as well go to one of our National Parks in the area. We have Yosemite, of course, for a day hiking trip, or Sequoya and King's Canyon National Parks.
 
bermuda said:
In Los Angeles, it's Professional Drum Shop (Pro Drum) on Vine Street in Hollywood.

Not far from there is one of the nicer Guitar Center stores on Sunset Blvd, and in the same building, a big Sam Ash drum shop!

And I agree on Bentley's in Fresno, a great, big store with really good pricing!

Bermuda
Click to expand...

Don't forget to get a t-shirt from Pro Drum. Those always make great souvenirs. I always bring something you can only get from L.A. if I'm gifting friends out of state. In fact, Pro Drum might be your one stop if you're shopping for a snare. They always have a huge selection of new and used Supras to choose from!
 
Wow! Thank you so much for your answer! I knew the stores that you mention, Sam Ash and Pro Drum in L.A.

But I have a problem... Imagine that I like a snare that I have seen in Fresno, then I go to S.F. and I see a snare that I like but... not as I like the snare from Fresno. How can I get the first one? It is a one way trip!

So, the problem is that I only have one chance. Well, maybe I could go to 2 or 3 stores, but in the same city.

As you say L.A. is the city with more options, isn't it?


About WHICH snare I want, I know there are a lot of options, I was talking with my teacher and the Supra is a save choice. I mean, it is very dificult that I don't like that snare...

About new or old, well, I'm not a vintage fetish. In fact I use to enjoy much more a "new package" thing. And I think it would be more dificult to me to choose an old snare than a new one. I have only 4 years of experience and my english is not good enough to talk and "discuss" to the guy from the store...

My idea is to try the Supra 400 and the Supra 402 and choose one of them after the trial.

Once again thank you so much for your help!

About the trip I will go to Yosemite aswell xD It is a 14 days travel which I am enjoying a lot while we are preparing... I can not imaging how much I will enjoy during the trip!!

Sorry again for my english...
 
I live not too far from San Fran, and don't see too many really good shops around this part of CA. I usually buy most of my stuff from a small chain with a few stores in the area. They're called "The Starving Musician".

You should be able to look one up if you want to. I like it because the store is very well stocked with great used gear. They don't tend to take the crap kits like you see in guitar centers. You can always haggle a bit on the used stuff which is probably 70% of the stock there. Breakables and consumables are all new, of course.
 
Bo Eder said:
In fact, Pro Drum might be your one stop if you're shopping for a snare. They always have a huge selection of new and used Supras to choose from!
Click to expand...

This is really dumb, but I actually had a nightmare last night that I was about to go to Pro Drum Shop to finally choose my dream snare and when I got there someone had stolen all the racks and racks full of snares.

Talk about the most worthless anxiety dream ever.
 
julius said:
This is really dumb, but I actually had a nightmare last night that I was about to go to Pro Drum Shop to finally choose my dream snare and when I got there someone had stolen all the racks and racks full of snares.

Talk about the most worthless anxiety dream ever.
Click to expand...

Well, to be honest, that could happen!

Actually, funnier story is how I went there looking for a cool snare and couldn't find one. But my friend found the Paiste alloy snare drum and bought that. Along with a snare stand that could handle it.
 
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