New Music Stores Are Popping Up In Musician-Heavy Seattle, Giving Picky Axmen More Choices

You'd be hard-pressed to find a Seattle-area musician - young, old, working or retired - who didn't or doesn't have an American Music store bumper sticker attached to something he owns.

Not that American Music is the only instrument store around, or even the oldest. Kennelly Keys, Band Aid, Dan's Green River, Trading Musician and a slew of smaller stores have all plied the instrument trade in this musician-heavy market. But with four outlets and a lot of history, the American Music crossroad was one musicians eventually came to.

"It's like they were the only Clydesdale, and there were some other horses running around," says Dave Coran, a former AM employee who now manages the new Musician's Friend store in Totem Lake.

In the last few months, however, those few horses are beginning to look like a stampede, and the musical-instrument landscape is starting to get crowded.

Musician's Friend, which began as a catalog merchandiser in Medford, Ore., opened in April. It's 20,000 square feet, with a lot of variably priced equipment. It services a suburban market that in-town stores can't reach as readily.

But the biggest, newest player is the long-anticipated Guitar Center on Westlake. It's the newest store in a national franchise with 34 outlets. This is the second time Guitar Center has come to Seattle: There was an outlet at Eighth and Virginia in the early '80s that became Guitars Etc. It later closed.

This time the operation is easily four times as large. Where American Music has $3 million in stock spread over its four stores, Guitar Center has $2 million in a single 21,000-square-foot space.

For a musician pro or amateur, a good instrument outlet is like FAO Schwarz: the ultimate toy store. Guitar Center has a wall of electric guitars 20 feet high and three times as wide. There are also three humidified acoustic guitar rooms, a drum room, an effects chamber.

"We try to keep the buyer in the store for as long as possible," says manager Tod Eriksson.

How, then, does one decide what store to favor? American Music has longstanding community ties, Guitar Center has its stock in one place, and Musician's Friend is an extension of its catalog - so you can shop at home first. Other stores offer convenience and used equipment.

So is all this competition paying off for buyers? A Gibson Les Paul Classic was listed last week at Musician's Friend for $2,600, on sale for $1,519. At American Music the same guitar was on sale at $1,859, with no list price given. At Guitar Center, the Classic listed at $2,530. However, other Les Paul models were knocked down around $1,000, so the Classic probably could be coaxed lower as well. Most of the larger stores will also match prices.

And like car dealerships, everyone has his their favorites.

"Our biggest strength is knowledge," says Andy Aldrich, owner - with Reese Marin - of American Music since 1980. The company was founded in 1972 by musician Ray Hartman. Hartman - he still plays with bluesman Dick Powell - wanted a store owned by musicians for musicians. Aldrich played in Hartman's band.

Aldrich and Marin have thrived. They opened a Bellevue store in 1985, at Southcenter in 1988 and in Tacoma in 1993. A fifth Northwest store is in the works.

American Music also does rentals, presents clinics with top players and is starting a school for instrumental and technical understanding. In its "Weekend Warrior" program, former players, for a fee, team with other musicians, receive rehearsal space and equipment and then play a concert at Pier 70's Iguana Cantina.

"It's people getting to do what they used to do without a hassle," says Marin, "and it's fun."

At American Music, guitarist Dan Strange was dropping off his instrument for service.

"I've been coming to this place since 1973," he said. "I've always liked it because they do their repair work in house, they don't send it out. I like that. And they seem to be just good to musicians. I checked out Guitar Center last week. It was a pretty impressive display, but they're out of California, aren't they? Yeah, I lived in L.A., I don't like it."

Likewise, Musician's Friend has its own in-house stage and features an eclectic showcase every Tuesday. "It's a great outlet for players," says Coran, "and for people who maybe couldn't see the bands in a club."

At Musician's Friend, Mike Rossi was trying out an Epiphone. He was visiting Kirkland from Rhode Island.

"This is a really accessible store," he said. "They let you touch the instruments, play what you want. Other stores won't. And the prices are really good, especially compared to the East."

Guitar Center, open only since May 28, hasn't had time to make inroads into the community but is working on it, says Eriksson.

"Wherever a Guitar Center has gone up, our clientele has become very loyal to us. A lot of people are happy to see us here."

Martin Hayes, a guitarist and bass player who recently moved from Chicago to Seattle for a new job, was in Guitar Center because he shopped the Guitar Center outlet in Chicago.

"This is a nice one," he said. "The service was very good, very friendly. Back east you've got to chase the guy down. And the prices here are much, much better."

The original Guitar Center began as an Organ Center in Hollywood owned by Wayne Mitchell.

"Wayne went out one night in the early '60s and saw Dick Dale play," says Eriksson. "He came back and said, `This is it!' The Hollywood Organ Center became the Guitar Center. Then he opened one in the Bay Area and then tried Seattle. It just went from there.

"I think this time around things are going to go much better (here)," Eriksson said, adding that other local stores are in the works.

The customers are out there, no matter what the outlet. There are players with dreams just beginning and players with dreams that will never end.

"Over here we get the people just starting," says Coran at Musician's Friend, "but we also get a lot of people who were musicians but finally got real jobs.

"Now they can finally afford to buy all the equipment they ever wanted."