Near Religious Experience

[ChrisK]

I'm happy to report that Manny's in NYC is still doing and looking fine.

I had some time to kill during the ASHRAE convention, so off to the candy stores I went (and, uh oh, I drove to the Big Apple - the Camry has a nice trunk). ;D

I also brought my wife, so tempered is.

Saw some mighty fine used/vintage instruments. I guess I'll have to find some time to kill tomorrow as well.

I'm staying just off of Broadway and 42nd, so Manny's is on the way to everywhere!

[mlrpa]

Oh God, Manny's. What a heavenly place!!!! I had forgotten about that slice of guitar pornography. Thank you for the reminder.

[gfxbss]

uh oh, i have a feeling i may be shunned here. but ive never heard of manny's is there a URL that could be involved? ive been meaning to go to NYC for years now, maybe ill make it this summer ;D

Tyler

[mlrpa]

You've *GASP* NEVER heard of Manny's? Where EVERYONE from the Beatles to Zappa got their gear at. Townsend would go there first, after getting off the plane, and get all the SG specials they had. They would "lend" Hendrix amps and guitars, and months later, he would come in, and pay. Before there was a GC, Manny's ruled the guitar world on the east coast.

www.mannysmusic.com

[sumgai]

www.mannysmusic.com

That has got to be the poorest excuse for a web presence I've ever seen! And all the more so, having come from the premier outlet for music gear.

One link (to a map) and three email addresses? And they want my money?

Not this broomstick cowboy!

So, not to be a flaming asshelmut, I decided to google Manny's, thinking there may be other websites for them. Nope. But I did learn that Sam Ash has bought them out, lock and stock, but not the barrel. Meaning, they didn't take on the debts that have piled up over the last few years. Meaning that Manny's effectively went bust. Which quite certainly explains the above scenario.

So what did Chris see? Sam Ash says they'll keep the place open for awhile, at least. Since they didn't get the debts, they're essentially operating just another branch of their own chain of stores. But the pretty pictures and posters remain on the walls, retaining that ambience that one expects from a 75 year old institution.

Pricing policies, and any changes thereto, remain to be seen.

HTH



sumgai

[gfxbss]

yeah, im sorry. like i said, ive never been to NYC. i personally hate GC. it feels like its nothing more than wal-mart, which i dont shop at either. GC has been in town for maybe two and a half years here, since then, all but 3(not including GC) have closed. it makes me sad......

Tyler

[ChrisK]

that Sam Ash has bought them out, lock and stock, but not the barrel

The "asset sale". We used that mechanism in our last two acquisitions.

I went back two more times before I came back Thursday. I visited the Sam Ash as well in its three co-locations around Manny's.

While the MannAsh store had the odder stuff, Sam Ash had the better stuff (a wonderful Fender hollow rosewood Tele for only $4,300). MannAsh had the Leslie West Dean sig guitar.

BTW, Leslie's new CD "Masters of War, a cover of Dylan tunes is seriously good IMHO (and, on the title track, Ozzy helps out).

I didn't like it at first listen, but it quickly grew on me (I never did forgive Dylan for going electric, but I do love his electric work).


BTW, MannAsh is on 48th and Broadway/7th. More or less just east of Broadway (at that there Times Square thingy).

I stayed at the Hotel Mela (Apple) at Broadway and 44th for only $239 a night (convention discount ). That was the rape.

Parking at $14 for 1/2 hour, $36 for up to 10 hours, and $44 per 24 hours is the pillage part.

However, Virgil's BBQ next to the hotel had a more than passable "all you can eat" BBQ meat plate. It wasn't an "all you can order" thing, but it was definitely all that you (I) could eat......

Also, there apparently is a 24 hour state inspection station nearby, they kept testing car horn's all night long.


If you're feeling a little out of place or odd, NYC is a good place to visit. There is no such thing as average there, only median and outliers.



P.S. We drove past 425 Canal on our way to the Holland tunnel, Heath Ledger's gone but the media trucks were still there.......................