San Francisco acoustic guitar shops

[wodka]

I'm in SF for a few weeks and was wondering if there are any recommend acoustic guitar shops. Thanks.

[wodka]

When you say in SF, I am not sure if you can swing down to Gryphon in Palo Alto. It's maybe 20-25 minutes from SFO and they have a great acoustic selection (most of the store is acoustics).

Guitar Solo has some. Mostly classicals.

Thank you. I'm in Redwood City so that isn't far.

[martyncrew]

The back room at Gelb has some decent Gibsons, Guilds, Tacomas, etc

[karmadave]

Gryphon Stringed Instruments, in Palo Alto, has the best selection of acoustic guitars in the Bay Area period. Their staff is super knowledgeable. They deal in entry-level and used to high-end and vintage. They also carry amplifiers, books, sheet music, DVD's, etc. They are located on Lambert Ave, just South of El Camino Real and Page Mill/Oregon Expressway.

-KD

[Rusty]

I'm in San Carlos bro and sometimes go down a little further south to Campbell and check out Guitar Showcase. Takes about 30 minutes to get there. They have about 30 different Martins to choose from, about 20 Taylors, some Gibsons and then some less expensive stuff. Ya, check out Gryphon in Palo Alto too. They are kind of neslted away in the back corner of a dead end street, but you'll find em'.

[enr1co]

Gryphon is one of the best shops for acoustics. Of late, they hav also been beefing up their electric inventory also to include, Suhrs, Vinettos, Robins, Hamers, and Collings.

Be sure to stop by Gelb since you are in Redwood city and check out
their Andys- If you are in town Thur nite, they are having their big
annual sale. They close the store at 1 pm to put sale tags on
everything and then the open up the shop from 6pm-12 mid. The shop
is pretty small size wise so the line is usually out the door as they
have to limit the folks in the store at a time.

Im hoping to get liberty tomorrow to attend :)

[bbocaner]

schoenberg guitars in tiburon, right across the bay from the city -- you can take the ferry from the city there.

I wandered in on my last vacation and was suprised to see an amazing collection of vintage martins and gibsons, and a couple of their "house brand" instruments I tried were, by far, the finest acoustic guitars I've ever played!!

[enr1co]

Gryphon is one of the best shops for acoustics. Of late, they hav also been beefing up their electric inventory also to include, Suhrs, Vinettos, Robins, Hamers, and Collings.

Be sure to stop by Gelb since you are in Redwood city and check out
their Andys- If you are in town Thur nite, they are having their big
annual sale. They close the store at 1 pm to put sale tags on
everything and then the open up the shop from 6pm-12 mid. The shop
is pretty small size wise so the line is usually out the door as they
have to limit the folks in the store at a time.

Im hoping to get liberty tomorrow to attend :)

I looked at a sale mailer/ postcard received for the Gelb sale and it
says that the postcard is needed for entry for tonites "private" sale-not sure how strict they are with this?
However, the sale does continue thru the Fri Sat and SUN if you dont
make it on Thur nite.

e

[PaulM]

it
says that the postcard is needed for entry for tonites "private" sale-not sure how strict they are with this?

They aren't strict about it at all--just show up and they will let you in. Be prepared to wait a very long time in line, though. I usually show up late, like after 9 p.m. and the line goes way down... of course, lots of stuff is gone by then.

[nmiller]

+1 for Schoenberg. A pretty small shop, but every square inch is filled with remarkable instruments, both vintage and new.

[justonwo]

Guitar Showcase and Gryphon are the best I've seen for acoustics. Guitar Showcase, Gelb, and Rocker Guitars for electric.

[skrzyp]

Steve Swan Guitars in Burlingame has quite a few vintage Martin and Gibson acoustics. He shows them by appointment only.

[googoobaby]

There's also Schoenberg in Tiberon. Never been there personally though, just looked at his web catalog.

[Fred McMurray]

Schoenberg in Tiburon is small, but definitely worth the trip. Plus, Tiburon in general is worth a peek, fo' sho'! Do the ferry. Or, if you have a car and end up driving over the Golden Gate Bridge to Marin, in addition to Schoenberg you may as well hit Bananas at Large in San Rafael just for kicks. It's a decent shop but very general; you will find some acoustics of the Taylor and Breedlove variety, but nothing particularly earth shattering. I like having those guys as my local go-to shop for strings and all that sorta stuff.

+1 on Gryphon, and I really like Gelb...but when I hit Gelb it's mostly for good electrics and good amps. :D

Good luck,

Fred

[Big White Tele]

If you are going accross the bay Bridge, head over to the 5th String in Berkeley. Great selection as well. Another vote also for gryphon. http://www.5thstringberkeley.com/

[A-Bone]

Gryphon Stringed Instruments, in Palo Alto, has the best selection of acoustic guitars in the Bay Area period. Their staff is super knowledgeable. They deal in entry-level and used to high-end and vintage. They also carry amplifiers, books, sheet music, DVD's, etc. They are located on Lambert Ave, just South of El Camino Real and Page Mill/Oregon Expressway.

-KD
+1 for Gryphon. Great selection, uber-knowledgeable staff (one of the owners literally wrote the book on vintage Martin guitars), and outstanding service in the times I have been there.

Gelb and Showcase are also great music stores in their own rights, as is Rocker in SF, but none of these holds a candle to Gryphon when it comes to acoustic instruments.