The Steel Guitar Forum

Hey guys,

I'm heading to the Bay area later this week for work (specifically Berkeley, then room for a bit of leisure time elsewhere)...
Are there any particularly cool music shops worth checking out? They don't need to be steel-specific (does such a thing exist?), but getting to play a couple wouldn't hurt either!
I don't suppose there's anywhere in town that would carry an Asher Junior or similar?

thanks!
james

Check out Fat Dawg's place in Berserkeley. He isn't steel specific but he has a TON of cool old odd ball guitars. Jackson Browne and David Lindley hang there a lot.

Berkeley Music has acoustic lap steels (the "Superior" brand). You might try Gryphon in Palo Alto but it's not real close to Berkeley. I'd call there first to see what they have if you are considering making the drive. Fat Dog has lots of oddball stuff but nothing that was of interest to me when I checked it out (about a year ago).

Fifth String Music (Adeline at Ashby, across the street from the Ashby BART station) carries Regal and National resonator guitars among others.
Starving Musician (2474 Shattuck Avenue) may have something in their inventory.
I bought my pedal steel from Blue Note Music on 2556 Telegraph, but there's no guarantee they'll have another one. Good store, though.
Just outside of Berkeley there's Thin Man Music in Alameda and Guitar Center in El Cerrito.

I would also highly recommend you visit Down Home Music in El Cerrito. It's one of the best CD stores around.

Gryphon Stringed Instruments in Palo Alto will have eight or ten lapsteels at any given time. More high end acoustic guitars and jazz boxes than most anywhere.

I've added a few links in there, since this is the Bay Area and everything's on line. :)

I'd agree that Gryphon Stringed Instruments is probably one of the two best guitar stores in Northern California (the other one being Schoenberg Guitars in Tiburon (Marin County). Gryphon carries the Asher line of lap steels (including the Asher Electro Hawaiian Junior) regularly and has a few lap steels at any one time (13 currently listed, including this Fender Deluxe 8).

http://tinyurl.com/ldsumj for their inventory (scroll down to Lap Steel).

hi James, I have about 15 electric vintage laps that are for sale at very reasonable prices and I am about 30 minutes from Berkeley in Fairfax [Mayberry on acid] across the bay, and usually available to try some out [lap steels, not acid] and general goodwill. regards Rob 415 518 6074 also Players Guitars in San Rafael,on the way has a few funky laps.

You gotta stop by Amoeba Records in the Haight, and say hi to Joe Goldmark. Joe's a great guy and killer steel player.

Amoeba has a "pickers" section loaded with CD's that will make any steel player go ballistic. If you prefer vinyl, there's boat-load of it.

If you're going to Amoeba, slide down the hill and stop at Real Guitars at 15 Lafayette St. No guarantee of any steels, but it's a cool store with some good alternative vintage stuff.

Wow, thanks for all the tips guys!
I'm not particularly in the market to buy anything, just thought it would be fun to browse a few cool shops -- looks like there are plenty!

Thanks again.