Guitar Hunting In NYC | You Wont Believe What I Found! 

My first video course, The Tone Course is now available check it out below! flatfiv.co/collections/rhett-shull/products/the-tone-course

Making a guitar from the charred wood of a burned temple is the most rock n’ roll thing I’ve ever heard.

I went to Rudy’s a few years back when I was out in NYC. I was way out of my league in terms of cost but the guy in there gave me a full tour, showing me some really cool guitars and a bit of a history lesson. I was really impressed that I wasn’t just kicked out of such a high end shop and they had the time to just show a guy around.

dude that "not, not serious" moment was one of the most golden moments ive ever seen hahahah

I'm not even a guitar-geek, but BIG thumbs-up, just for all that fascinating wood discussion with the luthier. Cheers.

Wow that firebird through that tweed was unreal even through RU-vid.

Plan B = "I mean I'm not not serious". The wife ALWAYS wins when that "You're serious" comes out not as a question but as a statement and accusation. Hahaha. Thanks for taking us on the tour and then the tour of the shops. Very cool.

Nice guitar. What wood is that? "Serbian Orthodox Church"

Best use of a church I have seen. We should make all of them into guitars.

After seeing Carmine Street's workshop, i don't feel bad about never cleaning my studio/workspace!

So cool to see my neon strat in the window is still lit up! I made that for Rick over 25 years ago.

Not sure Rhett saw the no Mr. Sandman sign. :)

Hi Rhett, I'm 69 years old, I can remember one of the best times of my life when I was around 15 and I would go to Down town Portland, Oregon on a Saturday and go through every pawn shop music store, and play and touch everything they had, and knowing I couldn't afford to buy any of them, until I got a job. My first guitar was a Gibson ES-335 with a bigsby I wish I had it back, I put money down for 6 months washing dishes at the Oyster Bar, until I could buy it. I quit the job the day I got it, played all through High School and later, but the magic of going through those shops will always be with me, I met some really great people and made some great memories. The Guitar Magic Spell I still have, and probably never die as long as I'm walking this earth. Thanks for the memories.

After I'm dead, I'm afraid my wife will sell my guitars for what I told her I bought them for..

That’s awesome that these people are so open and happy to have people film and ask question. I know quite a few places are quite snobby and just want you to buy something and get out. So good on these shops

Thanks for taking us along on your VERY COOL guitar shopping adventure. I loved it and yes, That Firebird through the Fender Tweed sounded incredible!

I really like how the first place repurposes the wood and I can't believe they let you play the first Sunburst ever made that's amazing

No guitarist should ever go into a high end vintage guitar shop with his wife and without a pocket full of serious cash.

That look at 14:45! LOL! "See if we can't go home with something". Love your videos. Great channel, very inspiring to my guitar playing.

Rhett takes his jacket off. That's because his last name is not Agnesi.

Thank's for the tour. Awesome display's of vintage gear. A player's dream day! Thank's!

Bro, you've made two cardinal mistakes. 1) Never, ever, ever, ever bring the wife with you to the guitar store; and 2) you are hunting for guitars in the most expensive city in the country. If you want to find vintage guitars or amps, you have to go where they live in the wild. As Joe Bonamassa says, you have to on "guitar safari." The best places to hunt for these treasures is in the small town classifieds and swap sheets. You live in a great part of the country for these sorts of hidden gems. Last month, I drove over 100 miles to visit a man who was selling what he advertised as "old Fender bass amp." Turns out that it was an original 59 Fender Bassman combo amp. Not a reissue. It belonged to his brother who was killed in Vietnam. He kept it all these years and occasionally used it as a voice amp at the local BINGO hall. I couldn't make this crap up if I tried. The amp was in great shape. The tubes were all original and none had gone microphonic. The speakers and cones were all in great shape. The circuitry was all in good shape as well. It just needed a good cleaning. But wait! There's more. I asked if he still had his brother's guitar. It turned out that he did.....an all original 52' Les Paul Gold Top complete with P90's and a Trapeze Tail Piece. It was in great shape all things considered. Very playable. He wouldn't sell it, though. I even offered him a respectable price consistent with the the going rate for such a treasure. He still wouldn't part with it, although he admitted that he was very tempted. It had too much sentimental value for him, which I completely understand. If he changes his mind, I'll be the first person he calls. I think that offer that I made is going to fester in his mind and he'll call in the next couple of weeks. Watch and see. *fingers crossed*

Blown away. This is how it's done. I'm in my 60s now when you opened the door I swear I know the smell of this shop.... Rhett dude I love how you just keep brining the magic. My favorite episode along with that Nashville amp you picked up......

There are no real rock chicks around anymore Cindy: *"Hold my humbucker"*

That little taste of "Mr. Sandman" was worth the whole video. Nice job, Rhett!!! :D

Great video, Great playing. Great vintage gear, Love it.

Playing "Mr. Sandman" on the Chet Atkins 6120. Wonderful.

13:40 - 14:14 my favorite part was the strum on the chord changes. The tonal melody warm and pristine. Those chords make a great Gibson sound like no other guitar. Nice playing.

LMAO " I mean I'm not not serious" Dude I felt the daggers shooting at you from her eyes , OUCH!!!

Love that reclaimed wood studio

Great video! My favorite was the reclaimed wood shop...and your rendition of Mr. Sandman! Thanks!!!

That 56 LP sounds amazing, and it has got a player that understands and an amp that is perfect for it. Pretty damn good.

Rhett’s playing has really gotten better over the last year.

Thank you Rhett...I'm a native born NYC lifer who now lives in HK for the last few years - I haven't had a chance to go back yet so I am a bit starved for home. Your vid was so terrific, seeing the old hometown again. Indeed, no shortage of amazing guitar shops in NYC, though you may have missed out on the heyday of 48th street Music Row back in the day. Only one thing you didn't do on camera - have an NYC dirty water dog...you walked right by the Sabrett cart at 14:44 and didn't even stop to smell the onions. XD Thanks man...superlative vid as always!

Thanks once again, dude. I enjoyed ‘hanging out’ with you in New York. You certainly do those guitars justice.

More, more guitar store tours when you hit NYC again. Please 🙏. Thx Rhett. This was great.

Awesome video, love this. I live in NY and never knew of all of these boutique guitar shops... amazing..

love this, as a teen I used to hit the guitar stores all over NYC.

Would have loved having that orange Gretsch from 1965! Sooooo beautiful.... 👏👏👏🙌

I completely understand why you'd want a great sounding, wonderful playing, beautiful looking guitar with such an amazing history. I get it like every other guitar nerd would. Yet, I'd probably spent my money on some great, but much less expensive gear. Not because of the fact that you can get more stuff (which could be a good enough reason for lots of us), but mainly because I'm pretty sure I could never take such an expensive and wanted guitar to a gig and relax. I mean, I'd be terrified something bad might happen. Breakage or theft (!!!). I'd be losing a lot of sleep and it wouldn't be good for my heart. I had an old Vox AC30TB. Best amp I've ever heard. And I had it for 25 years. Nothing could beat it. And old iconic amps are actually reasonably cheap, compared to old iconic guitars. But guess what? It got stolen and it still hurts like hell. 😢

When I started playing guitar in 1965, I could have bought used vintage Gibsons and Fenders everyday of the week for $100 to $125. My best friend was given (Free) a 1960 Cherry Sunburst Gibson Les Paul by one of the neighbor mother's after her son was killed in Vietnam and never made it back home to be with the rest of us. He, 10 years later, sold it for $1200. I had vintage early 60's SG's, 335,'s 345's, Stratocaster's and Tele's go through my hands over the years. Every time I see you make these guitar hunting trips to guitar stores and hear the prices, I go for the scotch whisky and remanence as I ease my pain.

"I saw you at Rudy's..you were very high"... Great vlog, loved that Firebird + Tweed combo. 🤘😎🎸

Any one else pause the video to check out Cindy’s guitars? Pure art.

But that Firebird sound was serious, indeed. And I love Rudy's SOHO store.

One thing I love about Rudy's is that they don't just sell and trade, they drop knowledge which helps more than you know.

I've watched this before. and I WANT SO MUCH MORE. This is purity in craftsmanship. And learning...

I don’t care what my wife says I’ll take that LP and the tweed!!!! Mortgage the house, sell the kids! The tone!!!!

That tweed deluxe and the Firebird was the best I’ve ever heard you play. Just the most natural and most loose playing I’ve heard from you. You sounded straight out of the late 1960’s. Serious Clapton/Beck vibe going on.

I look at these ancient guitars and I can’t help but wonder to myself “Imagine the heart attack a collector would have if someone popped those pickups out and put them in a $250 Ibanez”

I can't believe how casual that dude was as he pulled THE first burst out from under the counter.

14:20 0-3-5 In RUDY'S shop Coincidence? I think not

All of 48th, which is where Rudy's used to be, street music shops have closed or moved, and Rudy's was the last one to move, the hold out. But I would also recommend checking out 30th Street Guitars when in NYC as well...which is now on 27th Street off between 7th and 8th Avenues, but still called 30th Street Guitars. The store on 30th street was fantastic, had a huge amp collection too. Unfortunately, this being NYC and everyone having to downsize, it moved to a smaller location on 27th street so it no longer really carries those amps. They still have a great boutique pedal selection as well as vintage guitars.

That '64 Firebird was just screaming for some Johnny Winter to be coaxed out of it. The Stones was cool though... Rock n roll!

I love how you take your family to watch you play guitar and riff! That's the ultimate rock star dream! Those Les Pauls and especially the Gretsch were outstanding.

New T-shirt: “I’m not NOT serious.”

The new TR Crandall shop looks great! That Firebird V and Deluxe combo sounds divine. Thanks for sharing this guitar shop tour Rhett!

Interesting thing to see pro musicians like Rhett also getting the "are you serious?" treatment when considering a big purchase. Great video, dude, and great playing too!

Street strole footage really gives a true sense of Manhattan.

Alright..... I absolutely howled in laughter at the end bit. "Four thousand?"

The only time I was ever in NYC, October 1987. This was the only place I wanted to visit and I played my first '57 P-Bass! At the time, I was a bassist since '75 and hadn't started playing guitar yet but was wanting to do that also and I was hooked. Wasn't able to buy anything but some bass strings but it was a great experience seeing all of these instruments that I'd only seen in magazines.

We’ve all had the “are you serious.” From our wives” 😂

Rudy's is so far the best guitar store I've been to, lots of vintage gorgeous guitars, passionate and helping staff......

OMG -- the tone of that Firebird through that tweed deluxe!!

Carmine's is at the top of the list for me on this tour. Thanks Rhett!

I remember back in the early 1980's lower Manhattan was full of pawnshops that had rows and rows of old guitars. Nice ones and beat up ones. If I knew then what I know now, I would have bought so many at dirt cheap prices back then. I could have been rich reselling them today. Gibsons, American Gretsch, Fenders, old Epi's.. etc... Back then Guitar collecting wasn't a thought. All those pawnshops are gone now because rents are through the roof.

Terrific Vid Rhett!!!

"I'm not, ... not serious..." I love it.

NYC is a great place to find old guitars . I remember going to a lot of music stores In NYC and NJ back in the 70s with my older brother . I still love this stuff to this day .

I love Cindy's guitars. She makes cool guutars

Very cool! Thanks for sharing your experience! I sold Rudy a ‘61 DuoSonic at a show in NC....and it was fun “haggling” with him on my final price... his shop is so awesome. Sad that W 48th Street is no longer the “Mecca” of guitars stores. Time marches on.

16:08 The Rolling Stones! ‘Slave’ from Tattoo You. Cool riff from a Great album!!

LOL!!! Your last.....errr...... Tilly's last statement,.. said it all!!! It's nice to have that moment of clarity... at least from the boss! Great playin!! and a successful tour. I'ts good to be Rhett Shull .

Most of New York's best guitar stores have been closed for 20 years now. Rivington Guitars is kinda nice on East 4th

That pine Tele at Carmine Street sounds fantastic and looks great, too. But the Firebird is IT.

Agnesi wouldn’t have taken his jacket off 😉

I chuckled there at the end. I popped in Hanks in Denmark street about 15 years ago for a set of strings. Left with a Collings . Similar reaction when I met back up with my missus. We’re still together. Me and Collings that is.

Back in the day we had W48 St- one shop after another- I had Rudy build me a partscaster- wish I still had it. Carmine St and Southside in my opinion are the only real deal guitar shops left.

Great video, Rhett. It was nice to watch you jam out and very cool to see some of those guitars!

"You're Serious" That sounded like my wife when I take her guitar shopping! HA

I went to Rudy’s music back in January and got to sit down and talk to Rudy for a solid 30-45 minutes as we played together, it was so co such a great staff and helpful people

Goodness do your lifestyles pay off! It can be chaotic and stressful. but you get to have some of the biggest opportunities because of it! I definitely envy you haha. Awesome to see!

Yeah, that last amp was pretty special. Great guitars! Fun vid, and I liked the way you ended it.

So much mojo in this video. I love new guitars but old guitars make me weak in the knees.

Nothing like Mr. Sandman on a 65 Gretsch! Love it Rhett!

The Firebird through the Deluxe was my favorite. That Deluxe must have been wound up pretty high.

"I'm not not serious." Great ending. Loved the whole video.

WOW, The firebird through the tweed was rich man.

I been there, spent an hour or two chatting with Cindy and Rick. Wonderful people, great shop.

Boy that old Gretch had a nice tone

The shops are cool and all, but I ended up watching the whole video just so I could hear you play. You have the touch, man.

I still think the best tone you’ve ever had was when you were running through that 20w hiwatt

bahahaha the look on your face when you drop the "can we do that" is priceless

You need that Firebird. Even my wife could hear how good it sounds, and she wears a hearing aid.

What a talented woman and crew! Awesome stuff. Best of vibes to you💫

Lol, i played the 295 from 53 at rudy’s last week 😁 such an amazing guitar!

Firebird at the end! Wow. I would’ve bought that one.

A Firebird looks good on you Rhett!

Guitar shopping in NYC...Yay! ☺

wife-"what are you gonna do today?" me-"go to NYC and play the first LP burst ever made" Someday I'll get to say that...

Yes! So much Yes in this video. I'm glad my hometown treated you well.