Sad day for North Jersey Music Shop

[ElmerJFudd]

Sam Ash on Route 4 in Paramus, NJ - best keyboard show room in the region, well maintained sheet music library, band and orch instruments from beginner to pro, killer pro sound, huge guitar and bass section.   
 

https://www.nj.com/business/2022/08/a-longstanding-sam-ash-store-in-nj-has-shuttered.html

 

[DJkeys]

Wow, sad news.

 

I hope Robbies Music City on route 46 is still there.  I grew up in north Jersey, and that was the place we got most of our stuff. 

 

-dj

[Mills Dude]

I was gonna post about Sam Ash this weekend but forgot.  Drove by on Rt 4, heading to NYC, on Friday expecting it to be there but, alas, it's gone.  That was my go to place as a teenager in the 80s first discovering the ins and outs of gear.  But like most of the music stores it had become a shell of its former self.  On my last visit a few years back there were hardly any keys on display. 

 

The GC up the road on 17 isn't fairing much better.  I dropped in there about 2 months ago, there was a MODX and a used Kronos on display amongst the Williams pianos.  

[ElmerJFudd]

11 minutes ago, DJKeys said:

Wow, sad news.

 

I hope Robbies Music City on route 46 is still there.  I grew up in north Jersey, and that was the place we got most of our stuff. 

 

-dj

So far so good at the Wayne and Hackettstown locations (the one in Htown always has a few Rhodes in various states of needing restoration on the floor. 

[D. Gauss]

i miss rondo on rt 22 the most.

[The Real MC]

None of the brick-n-mortar stores have any good stuff on the floor anymore.  A store owner years ago told me if a vintage item comes in for consignment, he makes better money selling it on eBay than from consignment in the store.

When any GC gets a vintage item in a store, it is shipped to another store in a major music metropolitan ares (LA, SF, Nashville, etc).

 

New keyboards and synth modules make better money online than in brick-n-mortar stores.  The stores LOSE money when keyboards sit unsold on the floor.

 

Guitars and amps used to be the guaranteed revenue generator, but even that market has been saturated since 2016.

 

This is why stores have been closing.

[Reezekeys]

My daughter went to a private school near the NJ border from 4th thru 12th grade. I would drive her there then spend the day in the north Jersey area waiting to get her, since the school was an hour from our house. I would often drop into that store, and pretty much every time I did, the salespersons outnumbered the customers by a large margin. I always wondered why it bothered staying open. This was about five years ago.

 

My earliest musical instrument purchases were at the White Plains NY Sam Ash store, another longstanding store that's still around – for now.

[ElmerJFudd]

If I’m looking to try out something now that GC doesn’t have nearby (like Kurzweil or Crumar what have you) it’s Sam Ash in Manhattan or Alto in Middletown - an hour and change to get to either way. I’ve never been to the Alto in Wappinger Falls, how’s the keyboard department? 

[KuruPrionz]

55 minutes ago, The Real MC said:

When any GC gets a vintage item in a store, it is shipped to another store in a major music metropolitan ares (LA, SF, Nashville, etc).

 

This is why stores have been closing.

AND, it gets listed in the Vintage and/or Used section of Guitar Center's website. They do still have the return policy, which is pretty good. 

I saw a Gibson Les Paul Studio listed for what I considered to be a low price so I called the store (back east somewhere) and asked an employee to take a careful look since I did not want a guitar with a repaired headstock (you can only fix that properly, once). The employee told me it was fine so I bought it. When it arrived at our Guitar Center, I told the employee there about my phone call and that I didn't want one with a repaired headstock. Then we opened the box and sure enough, a repaired break in the headstock. I left it there after getting my money back. Since I was mis-lead and made myself clear prior to opening the box I got my shipping back too. So at least they make good in the end. 

[drawback]

Having lived my life outside of the US, my introduction to Sam Ash and the other major music retailers began when online shopping did. There’s a heartwarming history of the company linked in the last paragraph of the story. Like thousands of others, it’s a good reminder of the value of enterprise, family and decency, and well worth a good Sunday morning read. 
 

 

[Docbop]

Hate to hear about brick and mortar closings everyone loses especially locals.   

 

I wish things could go back to like when I was a kid and there were no big chain music store it was all local store.  Some big but a lot of medium and small stores (and pawn shops).    The internet is never going away so those days won't come back.  Coming from a guitar and bass background the only good thing is use of CNC machines to make instrument has created consistency in instruments reducing need to play the exact instrument you want to buy. So if you can play one somewhere at a store, friend, someone in a club you know the one you order will be pretty much the same.   

 

Life go on not always better but keeps on. 

[Anderton]

What I miss about brick and mortar (and big studios, for that matter) was interactions/discussion with other musicians and store personnel. The main music store I went to during my touring days was Manny's in New York. You could spend a couple hours trying out the different instruments and talking with the sales people, who were totally into what they were doing. Not only did they not mind, it was part of the music store ethos. I think I played about half-a-dozen Ric 360 12-strings before I found the one that was perfect for me. 

 

For keyboards, one of the Ensoniq dealers in Colorado had an incredible keyboard selection. A guy named Dave (forgot his last name) knew his boards inside and out. IIRC he ended up being hired by Ensoniq.

 

Store closings have a ripple effect. Frankfurt Musik Messe is no more a B2B event because with almost all sales being online, there aren't enough dealers to make a trade show viable. There's talk that the show is going to transition to B2C but I haven't seen anthing definitive about where they're going with it.

 

Hopefully shows and an opportunity to play with new gear hands-on will live on in events like Synthplex and Superbooth. 

[Bobbo Fett]

3 hours ago, D. Gauss said:

i miss rondo on rt 22 the most.

Bought my first Leslie 145 there way back in '73.....

[Shamanzarek]

That part of New Jersey has had what is known as Blue Laws for many years. It requires stores that sell "non-essential" merchandise to be closed on Sundays. A big reason for the Blue Laws is to reduce heavy traffic on Route 4 and Route 17 in the Bergen County area for one day a week allowing nearby residents to have a somewhat better quality of life.  I doubt if this had much effect on the Paramus Sam Ash as they have survived there under Blue Laws for many years. I don't know about other states but NJ also requires auto dealerships to close on Sunday statewide.

[DJkeys]

39 minutes ago, Bobbo Fett said:

Bought my first Leslie 145 there way back in '73.....

I bought my first (and only) Leslie 145 and combo pre amp at a place in Belleville, forgot the name.  Probably not there anymore-

 

-dj

[kaptainkeys]

As someone who lives in the area I'm very sad to hear.  I didn't even know that it was closed, I've been traveling abroad for the last 6 weeks or so.

15 minutes ago, Shamanzarek said:

That part of New Jersey has had what is known as Blue Laws for many years. It requires stores that sell "non-essential" merchandise to be closed on Sundays. A big reason for the Blue Laws is to reduce heavy traffic on Route 4 and Route 17 in the Bergen County area for one day a week allowing nearby residents to have a somewhat better quality of life.  I doubt if this had much effect on the Paramus Sam Ash as they have survived there under Blue Laws for many years. I don't know about other states but NJ also requires auto dealerships to close on Sunday statewide.

Blue laws are annoying, and they do very little to relieve congestion on 4 and 17 from my experience (I've lived in the area for many years) and are just a general hassle.  It basically prevents businesses in the area from being able to make money on a day when lots of people shop, it is not uncommon for people in bergen to travel to Wayne, NJ or Nanuet right over the NY border on Sundays to buy stuff like electronics and clothing.

4 hours ago, Mills Dude said:

The GC up the road on 17 isn't fairing much better.  I dropped in there about 2 months ago, there was a MODX and a used Kronos on display amongst the Williams pianos.  

That GC has never had a good selection, the most exciting thing I ever saw there was about 7 weeks ago when I was in there to get a quote on a repair for a friend (he was too busy to get to the store and had an issue with the wiring in one of his basses) and I saw the new Akai MPC Key 61.  I gave it a quick whirl but found the interface a little counterintuitive (that is coming from someone who likes Korg and Kurzweil interfaces).  The sounds were fine, on par with what I would expect from something in a similar price bracket to the MODX, Fantom-0, and Nautilus, although I only heard them in mono through a cheap wedge.

[LarsHarner2]

The last few purchases I made were without trying the keyboard out as a result of items not being shown in stores. I miss 30 years ago, trying out boards such as the Ensoniq KT 88 and Korg T series, and the stores that had 20+ keyboards on display. Also fond memories of 48th street in NYC

[Mills Dude]

5 hours ago, GotKeys said:

As someone who lives in the area I'm very sad to hear.  I didn't even know that it was closed, I've been traveling abroad for the last 6 weeks or so.

Blue laws are annoying, and they do very little to relieve congestion on 4 and 17 from my experience (I've lived in the area for many years) and are just a general hassle.  It basically prevents businesses in the area from being able to make money on a day when lots of people shop, it is not uncommon for people in bergen to travel to Wayne, NJ or Nanuet right over the NY border on Sundays to buy stuff like electronics and clothing.

I live right over the border from Bergen pretty much my whole life.  So I'm used to the blue laws.  Every few years seems there's some noise about repealing them but they never do.   My new go-to area for quick shopping is Butler, NJ right off 287 on 23.  I can hit all the major box stores and its never hectic like trying to shop in Nanuet.   If I want to hit a mall, I can head down 23 to Willowbrook.  

 

The older GC location on Rt 4 had a decent selection but that was like 10 years ago when a lot of the GCs had good selection. 

 

I'm planning a trip to Alto in Middletown very soon.  My son wants some new drum hardware so I suggested we take a trip there to see what's available.  Checking the Alto website, they're asking to make appointments.  Not sure if this is Covid hangover or if they're also suffering from the retail-pocalypse.   I'll make a report after my visit to Alto and try to take some pictures of their KB section.  They've been my retailer of choice for a long time and I like to give those local guys some business.  

[LarsHarner2]

The Sam Ash in NYC isn't the same since it moved from 48th- I was actually told there I had to wear headphones as there were office buildings- I didn't buy it and walked out on them.

[ElmerJFudd]

42 minutes ago, Mills Dude said:

I live right over the border from Bergen pretty much my whole life.  So I'm used to the blue laws.  Every few years seems there's some noise about repealing them but they never do.   My new go-to area for quick shopping is Butler, NJ right off 287 on 23.  I can hit all the major box stores and its never hectic like trying to shop in Nanuet.   If I want to hit a mall, I can head down 23 to Willowbrook.  

 

The older GC location on Rt 4 had a decent selection but that was like 10 years ago when a lot of the GCs had good selection. 

 

I'm planning a trip to Alto in Middletown very soon.  My son wants some new drum hardware so I suggested we take a trip there to see what's available.  Checking the Alto website, they're asking to make appointments.  Not sure if this is Covid hangover or if they're also suffering from the retail-pocalypse.   I'll make a report after my visit to Alto and try to take some pictures of their KB section.  They've been my retailer of choice for a long time and I like to give those local guys some business.  

Last time at was at Alto in Middletown which is just before Covid they had CP88, P515, Crumar Seven, various Kurzweil, Sequential/DS a few others I had trouble getting my hands on to try elsewhere, so was worth the drive. When I was at Sam Ash in Manhattan probably a year before that they had a very good keyboard section - especially for digital pianos, but also Montage, Kronos, Dexibell, Hammond, etc.  

 

Side note: I can’t believe how much time has passed since that first wave in March of 2020.  Surreal.  

[counterpoint]

Spent a lot of time in the Paramus Sam Ash.  Bought a Korg Polysix there back in 1981 and few keyboards after that. Of course you took your life into your hands trying to get back onto Rt 4.  Worked in Manhattan then too and used to go to Manny's and the Sam Ash then right across from each other 48th street. 

 

I was back up in Northern NJ a few months ago, drove by Robbie's on Rt 46...it was still there.  A couple weeks after that...was driving back from down south and stopped at Chuck Levin's in DC...definitely cut from the same era.  Anyone been to Three Wave in Hawthorne NJ recently?

[Shamanzarek]

I used to shop at the Paramus Sam Ash quite frequently in the 90s when I lived closer. The keyboard department manager at the time Bobby Colonna was a great guy and always gave me great deals. The first time I met him I was trying out a Kurzweil PC88 and he asked me to put on headphones. After a few minutes he offered me a deal I couldn't turn down. Later on I moved closer to the Edison, NJ store and went in there one day and there was Bobby. Last I knew he was managing the Carle Place, NY store. I also live fairly close to the Springfield, NJ store on Route 22 and there is GC right by it.

[Bobbo Fett]

8 hours ago, DJKeys said:

I bought my first (and only) Leslie 145 and combo pre amp at a place in Belleville, forgot the name.  Probably not there anymore-

 

-dj

Might have been Muscara's Music? I think they were in Belleville......Gene Muscara owned it. He sold me and my dad (I was 15 at the time) a Farfisa VIP 345 and a Leslie 825 (?), and that started my keyboard journey (I was playing trumpet up until that time). That solid state Leslie was a dog though.....

[kaptainkeys]

3 hours ago, counterpoint said:

Of course you took your life into your hands trying to get back onto Rt 4.

 

Anyone been to Three Wave in Hawthorne NJ recently?

 

Getting onto Rt 4 hasn't gotten any better in recent years, and soccer moms with their iPhones surely haven't helped.

 

I tried to go to three wave once, but they don't have very flexible hours (they're open like 11am-6pm Monday-Friday) and they still require you to make an appointment even though Covid has been thankfully fairly nonexistent in the area for at least 6 months.

[RABid]

Every time I go through downtown Lexington KY I look at the empty building where Carl's Music was for years and remember my first trip to a music store back in 1978. When I travel to Louisville I still thing about taking a side trip to Far Out Music in Indiana, then think "Nope. Too late." There are no music stores in my state that I enjoy visiting any more. Those that survive do so by focusing on guitars, lessons and guitar repairs.

[ElmerJFudd]

6 hours ago, GotKeys said:

Getting onto Rt 4 hasn't gotten any better in recent years, and soccer moms with their iPhones surely haven't helped.

 

I tried to go to three wave once, but they don't have very flexible hours (they're open like 11am-6pm Monday-Friday) and they still require you to make an appointment even though Covid has been thankfully fairly nonexistent in the area for at least 6 months.

The location was always a tough one to pull into.  If you weren’t switching onto route 4 with the ramp just before Sam Ash’s  building you had to cut across that ramp’s lane to make it into the parking lot.  I pulled in many times going highway speed with little deceleration space.  

[DJkeys]

10 hours ago, Bobbo Fett said:

Might have been Muscara's Music? I think they were in Belleville......Gene Muscara owned it. He sold me and my dad (I was 15 at the time) a Farfisa VIP 345 and a Leslie 825 (?), and that started my keyboard journey (I was playing trumpet up until that time). That solid state Leslie was a dog though.....

That's it!!  Thanks for the memory.  I bought the 145 there for my Farfisa Combo Compact.  

 

-dj

[Lou_NC]

Wow I grew up in Garfield NJ in the 70's and spent many hours in Sam Ash on Route 4 drooling at the keyboards I couldn't afford, but longed for.  I even visited there a couple of years ago when I was in town for a funeral, and I got to check out a used Mojo in person, something I haven't been able to do in Raleigh NC forever!  That place was great......sad to see it go.

[Mills Dude]

Getting in and out of that place was a treacherous experience, especially on a Saturday.  The onramp for merging traffic from 17 north was always backed up, so trying to get over and merge in to get in the parking lot was crazy.   Trying to get out wasn't much better as many of those mergers would ride up the shoulder.  Many times it was just roll the dice, pray and go.  I'm sure there were a lot of fender benders, thankfully I never had one.  

 

That whole area, Rts 4 & 17, are all just accidents waiting to happen.  I drive on 17 almost daily so I'm well seasoned.  Congested 3 lane roads with shopping centers on both sides and the typical Jersey overpass with no left turns.   I don't drive as much on Rts 46 or 3 but I'm sure they're similar.

 

[counterpoint]

It was even worse before they rebuilt the 4/17 interchange about 20 years ago.  They are finally rebuilding the 3/46 merge after talking about it for 30 years.