Although this isn’t directly about Moog stuff, I thought I’d give it a go. I’m going into NYC soon and was trying to find a store there that had a wide selection of synths (Moog, Access, Korg, Elektron, etc). The only things I’ve been able to find so far via google is Rogue music (which I get the impression is way small) and places like Guitar Center…which why would I drive into NYC to go to GC?
Does anyone no of any NYC based places that are like Analogue Haven or comparable (I’ve never been but I can imagine), there’s got to be a place where professionals/musicians go to demo equipment/buy it.
First off: Welcome to New York City! Personally, I’ve been dealing with the fine folks at Rogue for about 20+ years now. I bought my Voyager, Murf, CP-251’s (3 of them) and VX-351 from them (among many other items over the years). Personal relationships are important to me and I enjoy walking into a place where they know my name! Short aside: I paid $3000 cash for my Oberheim Xpander back in '86 from one of the shops on 48th Street. I went back the very next day and bought a magazine and was given major grief over my request for a receipt! I haven’t spent a dime with that establishment since.
Well as for L.A. you mean NoiseBug don’t you. I don’t think Analogue Haven has a retail space any more and I think Big City is by appointment.
That’s about it, there just aren’t a lot of retail places like NoiseBug or Schneiders Büero and only a couple more places that are online ordering, I mean even in Japan even FiveG only carries a few of the boutique brands.
Okay… NYC…
Rogue doesn’t have the vintage stock they once did before Ebay, Craigslist etc. but it’s not a bad place and not that small. They are now at street level on the same block.
On the same block is Armen’s which some people like. I’ve never dealt with them and their hours are a bit short and store sort of frightening. I see all sorts of unpriced vintage gear in the window. That’s one thing that can be said about Rogue, the prices are right there and up front.
Also 30th St guitars has vintage pedals etc. They are a Moog dealer as is Rogue.
In Williamsburg Brooklyn you have Main Drag music who are well liked. Also a Moog dealer with a smattering of esoteric gear. I’d say they have a certain community helpfulness you don’t usually encounter.
Why go to Guitar center in NYC?.. well not all guitar centers have Moog and Dave Smith gear you can check out. They also have some ultra high end mic and recording gear in back. I suspect it once was an AES trade show display or something? I don’t think all of it is actually for sale. Weird display stuff like the history of Eventide in a rack with tags like a display.
Sam Ash on 48th Street has some Moog and DSI too. Sam Ash also owns Manny’s on the same block which I guess means the prices will be exactly the same but the vibe slightly different.
East Village Music generally has a few pieces of vintage analog gear. I don’t know if it’s changed but their site used to be notoriously out of date as to what they have. I’m sure you could call. They once had a bunch of analog gear in the basement, not sure how much they have these days.
I’ll definitely check out Rogue, I found their website and item list and it’s everything I could possibly want at the moment. I was glad to see they stock Elektron products as that’s where I’m leaning (as well as the Virus Snow/Blofeld).
I’ve been to and bought a dirt cheap 12 string bass from the Sam Ash in NYC and wouldn’t object to going there again if they stock DSI stuff, but yeah, I don’t see the point of going to a Guitar Center in NYC when there’s one 45 mins from me in NJ.
I guess the manhattan guitar center point is that one has a few things that the average guitar center doesn’t have, like high end mics & lunchboxes, trade show displays of historic gear, usually a Moog or DSI to play in the regular showroom, very rarely something used and vintage, once saw an arp axxe there, another time a lexicon 224, but they don’t usually have much of anything used.