Food. Water. Shelter. Taken alone, these requirements for basic survival aren’t sufficient to ensure genuine happiness. For many of us there would be little joy in living without music. Stevie Wonder said it best in 1976: “Music is a world within itself, with a language we all understand.” Join the conversation.
The Folk Shop, 2525 N. Campbell Ave., carries high quality instruments new, used and vintage. Since 1986 they’ve tracked down and traded in banjos, dulcimers and all manner of other acoustic music-making devices. Need a doumbek or djembe? A ukulele? Zither? Look no further. Owner Paul Blumentritt is always seeking out quirky “musical treasures” to fill his store with. “We’re glad to be here for you,” says ten-year Folk Shop employee James Tanguay. Many working musicians rely on The Folk Shop’s skilled luthiers for repairs too. Doors are open Tuesday-Friday 11am-6pm and Saturday 10:30am-5pm. For more information and links to organizations hosting musical jam sessions held around town, look online at TheFolkShop.com.
Across the street at 2550 N. Campbell Ave. is Rainbow Guitars with its 15,000 square feet of (you guessed it) guitars, but also keyboards, drums, basses, amps and sound equipment. Gibson. Fender. Neumann. Here friendly service helps you find the best brands at budget-minded prices, as evidenced by several five-star reviews on Yelp.com attesting to Rainbow salespeople’s expertise and professionalism. Impersonal corporate giant chair store this ain’t. Visit the showroom Tuesday-Friday 10:30am-6pm and Saturday 10:30am-5pm or shop online, with free shipping on most orders over $99, at RainbowGuitars.com.
Nestled in the back of 17th Street Market’s warehouse structure at 840 E. 17th St. you’ll find 17th Street Music & CDs, which traffics in fine instruments including National Resophonic guitars while housing an astonishing selection of Putumayo and other world music albums. Picking up organic produce and a $79.99 mandolin in one stop? A glorious scenario! A Saturday concert series has also proven itself popular. Music store manager of five years Frank Sanzo provides free beginner guitar lessons Thursdays from 4pm-5pm (ages 6-12) and 5:15pm-6:15pm (ages 13 ). “I’m learning more than they are!” claims the patient Sanzo. Mandolin Club meets 4:15pm-5:15pm on Saturdays. Sign up! 17th Street Music & CDs is open Tuesday-Friday 10:30am-7pm and Saturday 10am-6pm. The grand opening of an in-store Tucson Musicians Museum featuring 80 photographs shot by Arizona Blues Hall of Fame member George Howard takes place Nov. 19. Learn more at SeventeenthStreetMarket.com.
