Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Have you been to Reel Guitars on Lafayette Street? I isn't to far from the old GC on S. Van Ness. I bought my first 4001 there in 1980. It was a 75 in fireglo. So GC moved to Van Ness between Sacraento and California. Is the Hard Rock still there? I can't imagine two anti-christs on the same street.

Thanks for letting me share memories from the old neighborhood.

No prob, Bri...

I want to see if Reel is still around. Rents here are ridiculous and a lot of storefronts are becoming vacant...

It is a little hole in the wall off of either Mission or S. Van Ness. I forget which. It has been a number of years since I've been there. I have been away from SF for about 11 years. Although I come back every year, I don't always have the opportunity to shop around. I still have a home in the Sunset.

Real Guitars is still there, on an alley called Lafayette between Mission and Howard, not too far from South Van Ness. They regularly advertise in the back of Vintage Guitar. I got an amazing deal on a super clean '62 Gretsch Tennessean there back in 2001. It was only $1400!

Rocker Guitars is not in the Mission - it's South of Market, on Folsom and, I think, 10th or so.

When I first moved here in '88, the GC was on Mission and South Van Ness. Then it moved down to Mission and 9th in '90, before relocating to Van Ness and California last year. The new store is very slick and "Hollywood," but the location sucks because parking is nearly impossible to find. As a result, I rarely go there.

Thanks Glen. Like I said earlier, I purchased my first 4001 from Reel Guitars. I loved that place. Nothing "Hollwood" about them.

Rocker is on Howard and 9th. The GC feels like a kiddie shop. All sorts of ****** generic guitars. Noisy. Rude salesmen.

Rocker Guitars has a lot of interesting stock, a bunch of ricks, even ric strings!! Lot's of boutique amps, and salesmen that actually know stuff.

I got a GC gift certificate and I bought picks. There wasn't much else I wanted. I suppose if I needed a mic or some recording gear but even then it's tempting to go elsewhere.

Especially in SF since you have to spend more than $75.00 to get parking validation for the lot in the building where GC is located. I also lost any faith in GC when I found my old '74 4001 at the hollywood store being sold as a "vintage 60's ric". For over 2 grand. Rip off artists.

Well, John, now I'll be heading to Rocker this weekend. I need Rick strings and to get the needle on my Ric-O-Meter up above 2.

Rocker guitars is an OK store (I prefer Real Guitars, but they're a bit more pricey), but I have heard major horror stories about the rehearsal studios they rent out.