elec. guitar and used cd stores suggestions?

hello. just moved to DC and am looking for music gear stores (elec. guitar/fx/amps etc., new and used) in a 5+ mile radius. i found a mostly acoustic store in TP and passed a guitar center(?) sign near Dupont which i'm going to track down this week. can any music vets here weigh in on this and make suggestions? if there's someplace that's awesome but farther away than 5 miles, go ahead and list it; i'll check it out if none of the closer stores pan out.

as for recorded music, i found Melody in Dupont within a mile's walking distance. any tips on used cd stores?

i scanned the first 10 or so pages of the forum to see if any other newbies recently requested this info, but didn't see any related gear threads. any suggestions appreciated!

ps-great site, great club! went to my first 930 show in spring when i made a DC visit to scout out the area/apts./music scene and got to see Kraftwerk. Unbelievable!

If you're into high end and vintage gear definitely take a trek across the river to Action Music in Arlington. They get amazing guitars in there. Some folks, not me, like the Guitar Shop on Connecticut Ave.

By far the best used CD shop in the area is Cd Cellar. The closer location to DC is on Wilson Blvd. in Arlington near the Courthouse metro stop.

You might also try Crooked Beat Records on 18th Street in Adams Morgan, they have a decent stock of used music.

Avoid CDepot in College Park, despite their enticing ads, they have a very large stock of CDs you probably don't want. CD Cellar by comparison has a medium-sized stock of very well-selected CDs.

For a big box gear store there's Music Emporium aka Veneman, sorta near the Twinbrook metro in Rockville.

For high-end vintage gear, there's also Southworth Guitars near the Bethesda metro.
Speaking of CDepot, there is or was a used gear store next door, but that place creeped me out.

Did I mention that I have a mint 1990 Strat Plus to sell? I'm considering it a milestone of maturity, to be able to admit to myself that I'll never be able to play it.

Atomic Music in College Park (right next to the CDepot) is great. It is used gear, not really vintage, but they do get vintage. Great staff, and great prices. Guitars on the wall that you can just pull down and play.

Southworth is worth going to just to see the guitars he has and the back wall of tweed, white, and brown Fenders. He has some other killers (Marshall block logo and one with a metal logo). Prices are wow, but it is worth a drool.

CDs? I like the CD and Game Exchange. Several locations, and I find lots of good stuff in the $1 section.

all, thanks for the recommendations so far. good list, as many of these didn't turn up on my initial googling of the matter, and obviously didn't come with valuable user feedback. much appreciated.

Are you crazy? Cd cellar is terrible. Sure, it's great for picking up that $2 springsteen cd that your dog ate, but try to find a new release in that store and you're more likely to locate Jimmy Hoffa.

My opinion.

I find new-ish stuff at (the Falls Church) CD Cellar all the time.

I find a good used selection at the Record and Tape Exchange, I believe that's the correct name, in Fairfax. It's a bit of a drive but usually worth it. CD Warehouse in Georgetown has a limited selection but it's good quality. For new stuff, Crooked Beat.

What about Ebay & Amazon..? If they don't have it…you can't get it.

Originally posted by edbert:
I'm considering it a milestone of maturity, to be able to admit to myself that I'll never be able to play it.

never give up! I am moving guitars across the country that I will never be able to play, hang on to the impossible dream :D

Originally posted by Lost Soul:
Are you crazy? Cd cellar is terrible. Sure, it's great for picking up that $2 springsteen cd that your dog ate, but try to find a new release in that store and you're more likely to locate Jimmy Hoffa.

My opinion.

Why would you go to a 'used' cd store to look for a 'new release' cd??

…doesn't that defeat the purpose of a 'used' cd store??


Just wondering..

Originally posted by p011@rd:

Originally posted by edbert:
I'm considering it a milestone of maturity, to be able to admit to myself that I'll never be able to play it.

never give up! I am moving guitars across the country that I will never be able to play, hang on to the impossible dream :D

I moved three violins across the Atlantic telling myself I'll take it up again when I get settled….knowing full well I most probably wont…..and haven't as of today!

Most CD stores have new releases AND used discs. CD Cellar is only used. I look for a store that can cater to all of my music needs, not just what I've needed in the past.

Originally posted by Roadbike Mankie:

Originally posted by Lost Soul:
Are you crazy? Cd cellar is terrible. Sure, it's great for picking up that $2 springsteen cd that your dog ate, but try to find a new release in that store and you're more likely to locate Jimmy Hoffa.

My opinion.

Why would you go to a 'used' cd store to look for a 'new release' cd??

…doesn't that defeat the purpose of a 'used' cd store??


Just wondering..

Er, the original poster asked specifically about used CD shops.

And in any case, I often see brand new "used" releases at good prices at CD Cellar. Now I wouldn't count on them to have every new release, but hey, Olsson's is just a couple blocks away to fill that need.

What's more, if you comb through their $1.99 bins, you often find pre-release promos.

Originally posted by Lost Soul:
Most CD stores have new releases AND used discs. CD Cellar is only used. I look for a store that can cater to all of my music needs, not just what I've needed in the past.

Originally posted by Roadbike Mankie:

Originally posted by Lost Soul:
Are you crazy? Cd cellar is terrible. Sure, it's great for picking up that $2 springsteen cd that your dog ate, but try to find a new release in that store and you're more likely to locate Jimmy Hoffa.

My opinion.

Why would you go to a 'used' cd store to look for a 'new release' cd??

…doesn't that defeat the purpose of a 'used' cd store??


Just wondering..

Oh, okay…it's just that, for me anyway, the fun of a used cd store is having a good old search finding that hidden treasure or guilty pleasure. May as well just go to Virgin, HMV or even Best Buy for the new stuff.

Agreed.

Though it's better to buy new albums off of the artist's website, if they're not on a major label, so that the money goes directly to the artist instead of HMV, etc.

Originally posted by Roadbike Mankie:

Originally posted by Lost Soul:
Most CD stores have new releases AND used discs. CD Cellar is only used. I look for a store that can cater to all of my music needs, not just what I've needed in the past.

Originally posted by Roadbike Mankie:

Originally posted by Lost Soul:
Are you crazy? Cd cellar is terrible. Sure, it's great for picking up that $2 springsteen cd that your dog ate, but try to find a new release in that store and you're more likely to locate Jimmy Hoffa.

My opinion.

Why would you go to a 'used' cd store to look for a 'new release' cd??

…doesn't that defeat the purpose of a 'used' cd store??


Just wondering..

Oh, okay…it's just that, for me anyway, the fun of a used cd store is having a good old search finding that hidden treasure or guilty pleasure. May as well just go to Virgin, HMV or even Best Buy for the new stuff.

Yes, completely agree. I would rather give cash to the bands than to their labels, or another distro outlet (ie. Best Buy, Amazon, blah blah).

Originally posted by Xavier Bush, Power Forward:
[QB] Agreed.

Though it's better to buy new albums off of the artist's website, if they're not on a major label, so that the money goes directly to the artist instead of HMV, etc.

Originally posted by Roadbike Mankie:

hey all, thanx for the extra info.

per the music buying subdiscussion: yes, there are the HMV/tower/et al biggies which i mostly avoid. and there's amazon/ebay, but i need the ritual of browsing, as some of you have mentioned, whether it's a 1.99 bargain, a rare treasure or guilty pleasure (well put, rbmankie) or even leaving empty-handed. thus the request for used cd or small indie shops in my new locale.

i've got Melody and crooked beat nearby, cd and game xchange, cdepot in DC/Md, and sveral cd cellars in Va. that's a great list, thanks!

per the instruments stores, i've got: ME/Veneman, atomic, southworth, guitar shop, action music. also a great list!

per the unused instrument thread- i loved the 3 violins across the atlantic tidbit.

quote:
——————————————————————————–
Originally posted by edbert:
I'm considering it a milestone of maturity, to be able to admit to myself that I'll never be able to play it.
——————————————————————————–
Originally posted by p011@rd:
never give up! I am moving guitars across the country that I will never be able to play, hang on to the impossible dream :D

great stuff!

if you think you might resume it as a hobby or destressor, keep the ole axes around. if you think your subconscious is holding on to the dream, keep 'em around. hell, fresh off a big move, i wonder why i'm carting around 8 large boxes of books that i've had forever and prob'ly won't get around to reading or re-reading.

anyway, thanks for the great list of places in the area!!

CHUCK LEVINS!!!!! in Rockville/Gaithersburg/Kensington. Chuck's is like…Jesus. i mean they have everything. they have like three or four different stores…i get lots of guitar gear there, and as well my PA system and junk. they really do have everything.

and Atomic has already been mentioned, i believe? Atomic Music rules, though. lots of really cool stuff there if you're into collecting and whatnot. and even if you're not…they have a ton of awesome gear, good prices, nice staff, etc. etc.

there's also a Guitar Center in Rockville; which i would check as a last resort…but the first two are definitely better.