That's the back...and a hairy one at that.

Well, you just never know what you’re going to see in our store or the repair shop, and this month brought us an Armadillo Charango. The Charango is an Andean instrument with 10 strings – 2 sets of 5, with 4 sets in unison and one set an octave higher. Traditionally the back was made from an armadillo though most no longer are. The one in our shop was a getting a crack repaired (the top, not the armadillo shell).  Here’s what a charanago sounds like in the hands of an expert…or a ninja.

Mike R who fixed this charango questioned if Ovation got an idea for their rounded backs from this perhaps?

We sent our  Boss Flynn back into the studio to get down some more tracks in an effort to share just how beautiful some of our Taylors, Martins and one very special Collings sound for our out of town customers. Flynn recorded the tracks at Lawrence’s own Art House Recording Studio and we think they sound pretty wonderful and are a true rendition. Check them out and let us  know what you think, and what other instruments you’d like to hear recorded in the future (comment here below, or email us at info@massstreetmusic.com). For Eastmans, Bourgeois and more Collings, check out our blog post last September. You can check out the sound files on our Mass St Music website as a blue button at the end of a guitar’s description, or check out our account on SoundCloud. Look for more soon!

Taylor Sound Files include:
Taylor Baritone
Taylor GC8
Taylor 814CE

Martin Sound Files include:
Martin GPCPA1
Martin DCPA3
Martin OM-21

Collings Sound Files now include:
CJ G Maple SB Custom

We have loads of great new gear in the store and some killer used items as well. Here’s what’s been turning our heads at the store lately…

John Flynn – Tungsten Buckwheat Amp
Phenomenal for performance or the studio. And at a great weight, it’s 30 watts but still grab-and-go.

John says this Tungsten Buckwheat 112 Amp is 'phenomenal'

Jim Baggett – Collings D2H VN Custom
Beautiful sound on this – we’ve really been pleased with the no tongue brace combined with Adirondack bracing – a small change that makes a big difference with Collings’ already exceptional build.

Another custom Collings with no tongue brace and Adirondack Spruce bracing - we love these.

Tim Nelson – Collings 01 SB
The sunburst on this guitar is just gorgeous. I really like the subtle light 1 style ‘burst Collings does. The woods they picked to build this guitar are unique and beautifully figured. This guitar is surprisingly warm for a single 0 size. A lot of fun to play.

"Surprisingly warm for a single 0"

Matthew Khomsi – TC Electronics Hall of Fame Reverb
There is a reason this pedal has been so hot even though it has been out for over a year – it’s awesome! I use this pedal all the time and I haven’t even taken advantage of the cool Toneprint feature yet, where you can replace the last patch on it. This is my favorite reverb pedal by far.

Matthew's favorite reverb pedal!

Alek Nelson – Music Man Stingray 4 HH Bass
This may be the most gorgeous bass I have seen in the store! The “roasted Maple” neck is beautiful and is similar to naturally aged woods with a lower moisture content. Great tone. Just look at the pictures, they do all the talking.

Alek's favorite is this Music Man Stingray 4 HH Bass

Mike Horan – Repair Shop – Posch DM
This vintage-styled Mahogany dreadnought delivers on so many levels. Aesthetically, the hand-rubbed sunburst Adirondack top is stunning. Leo Posch’s method highlights the depth in the Spruce that you don’t get with a spray-on burst. And the lighter stain that he uses on the back really highlights the Mahogany grain as well. As for the sound, this guitar has a broken-in, super responsive sound that is rare in new guitars. The bass end is big, without being tight, and balances well with the treble strings. The fret work is exceptional, and plays true up and down the neck. I’ve had a Posch DM for 5 years now, and continue to be inspired by it. My only regret is that my life doesn’t allow me more time with it.

Mike H says the Posch DM 'delivers on so many levels'. Agreed!

Ted Kritikos – Takamine EC132SC
I love the warm presence that the “cool tube” preamp adds to the sound of this guitar.  It’s a great player too, with a nice low action from our shop.

Ted's pick, this Takamine EC132SC, comes with 'cool tube' preamp...

Jesse Roberts – Collings UT-2K Koa Tenor Uke
This is simply the cadillac of ukes. Great sound and it’s gorgeous too.

Jesse's calls this Collings UT-2K Koa uke the 'cadillac of ukes'.

Anne Tangeman – Anderson Short T Classic
I’m not normally a tele person, but there’s something about the feel of this one I really like. The pickups too are out of this world – I think it’s a real workhorse that can do just about anything.

Anne says this Anderson Short T Classic is 'a real workhorse'.

Eric Putnam – Electro Harmonix Big Muff Pi
The BM Pi is a total classic with good reason – one of the best distortion/sustains out there.

Eric's pick is a 'total classic'.

Isaac Flynn – Fender Modern Player Tele Bass
Seriously cool. This has a great retro feel, is loaded with two killer humbuckers and sounds amazing.

This Fender Modern Player Tele Bass caught Isaac's eye

Zach Mehl – Nord Stage 2 SW73 Keyboard
Sigh….

This Nord Stage 2 SW73 Keyboard rendered Zach speechless...yes, it really is that cool.

Chucho – Rocktron Chromatic Tuner Pedal
Even Chucho can operate this puppy with one paw. And it’s only $50.

You think it's cool Chucho can use this tuner? You should see him tune his autoharp...

Mass St. Music co-owner Jim Baggett explains the next steps in the restoration of the 1939 Martin D-18 that is our latest ‘On the Bench‘ project. It should be finished and ready for sale in June or July 2012. From Jim:

The '39 Martin D-18 before we began work on it.

We recently acquired a 1939 Martin D-18 (serial #73525). Always one of our favorite guitars. This is one of the dirtiest guitars I have seen in a while but, though worn through in the expected normal areas, the original finish remains intact.  The bridge is not original and the neck has been previously reset and is in need of a fresh reset and refret. Since the bridge would not be reused and there was no way of knowing the type of glue that was used, we elected to plane the bridge down very thin before removing it. This can be done with a small hand plane or a router and jig. I had just reset and sharpened my planes, and was not all that interested in spraying the shop with ebony dust, so I decided to do it the old fashioned way.

Jim (very carefully!) shaves the bridge down on the Martin before removing it.

The bridge shaving in process...

The bridge shaved down as low as Jim would go before heating and removal.

Once I had the bridge down to about .080″, very little heat was required to free it up. It came off slowly, but not a splinter of Spruce came with it. The surface should clean up nicely, and even though the bridge that was removed was a tiny bit oversized (as is common), I don’t think it will be much of a challenge to make a new bridge that is the correct size and profile. The fact that the original bridge plate is clean and nice should make for a great tone sandwich.

After heating, Jim gently brought the bridge up with no damage to the soundboard.

Success!

The next step was to remove the neck. The previous neck set was a bit sloppy and had excess glue, requiring patience, but it has paid off as the beautiful heel of the 30s Martins remains uncracked. The original finish, though chipped and scratched, has a great look that goes with the rest of the guitar.

A little patience helped Jim remove the neck, which had excess glue from a previous reset.

Off and ready for a reset...

The neck pocket

The guitar and neck are now ready for our Repair Shop Manager and luthier Mike Horan to get busy on. Making a prewar style bridge is harder than one might imagine, but having lots of original prewars at the shop and having made dozens, Mike has it down. We also have a secret stash of beautiful, naturally dark Ebony set aside for these special and deserving instruments.

The lower bass bout is just one of the areas on this '39 Martin that definitely needs a little TLC cleaning!

The lower treble bout is another area that will get some TLC clean up!

I wanted to share some pics of the guitar in the dirty phase and will try to remember to update with more photos as the cleaning goes along. We have learned that patience pays off in this process. There is just no easy, quick way to get through 70 years of sweat and dirt, but I have always found the end result of a worn, honest finish to be worth all the effort. – Jim Baggett

Fender has some great new gear for 2012 headed our way including some new amps and guitars that we guarantee will knock your socks off, plus some special editions that we’re really looking forward to. Our lips are sealed at the moment, but you’ll be the first to know in just over a week. Now if someone else were to let the cat out of the bag about the new tube amp and new guitars…

From Dr. Z we’re getting in more Maz 8 amps, plus Dr. Z Maz 18 112s (both an NR, a regular, and an NR Head), a couple of 110s, a 112, a Carmen Ghia 112, and a 210.

The Egnater Rebel 20 Head, at Mass St Music soon!

Egnater!!! Yes, we’re adding Egnater Amps to our line up. After checking them out thoroughly, we know they’ll be a great addition. These are killer tube amps, competitively priced and they offer some nice alternatives. Here’s a few Egnater sound samples to give you an idea of just what these powerhouses can do.

Collings is sending us an amazing Pete Huttlinger Signature OM1 (due in any day now – will be #8 of 50!  This will have an Adirondack top and a 13/4″ nutwdith.  We’ll also be getting an MF and an MT mando soon, as well as a Collings I-35 LC with a sunburst finish (love these!). We’ll also be receiving several D1 acoustics, as well as OMs and a killer short scale C10 which will have a burst finish. A few spectacular ukes are also headed our way.

From our friends at Grosh, we have several ElectraJets coming including one in a Gold finish, and several RC standards and Classics – one in Candy Apple Red loaded with Grosh Fat 60s pickups, which should be astounding. There are two other very cool NAMM guitars we’ll be getting from Grosh including the very first NOS Retro with single coils, in Mary Kay Aged White finish, and the first RC Standard with an Ash body and Maple neck (also in Mary Kay White).

We’re also pleased to be expecting a few new Andersons including an Anderson Short Mongrel (24 3/4” scale), Alder with a Charcoal Metallic finish, loaded with Anderson’s SFR1, SF1 and an HC2. We’re also getting in a Crowdster Plus in Burnished Orange Burst on a Flame Maple top (Mahogany body) – this finish from them has been one of our favorites for years. Also coming is an Anderson Classic in the very cool Mellow Yellow finish, this one loaded with an SC2, SC2 and SC3 (plus Add Bridge and VA Boost). Just shoot us an email at info@massstreetmusic.com if you’d like more info on any of these items.

Just two of the cool new books we recently received

We’ll soon be adding books to our website lineup, but we thought you’d like to know about some new titles we just added to the store – swing by the store at 14^th & Mass to pick one up, or just give us a call at 800-747-9980 if you’d like to order one. One of the coolest is Baritone Uke from Scratch by the incomparable Bruce Emery – who also penned our favorite Guitar From Scratch series. His books really make it easy for anyone to learn, and he has corresponding sound files on his site now, so it’s a breeze to learn. There are plenty of soprano uke books out there, but few on the bari, so this book is a welcome addition to our book selection.

Also new in our ‘stacks’:

The Black Keys – A Collection

Elliott Smith – Songbook

The Beatles – Complete Easy Guitar

Glee – for piano, guitar, vocal

Jaco Pastorius – Bass Method

Tony Rice Teaches Bluegrass Guitar – back in stock

…and back in stock is one of our all-time favorites…the 30 Day Guitar Workout. If you’re just getting back to playing, or want to develop better technique, this is a great day by day guide that really works. Again, you can find these books in stock at our store now, and they’ll be added soon to our website!

We’ve got a nice roundup of new gear this month and this is the cream of the crop, in our humble estimation:

John Flynn – Seuf OH-19
This Seuf is remarkable in every aspect. Extremely resonant and a complete joy to play. It also is some of the best relic work we have ever seen. Dave Seuferling may be a bit under the radar, but his instruments are as nice (and in most cases nicer) than the best relic builders out there, and they come in at prices that are unmatched.

The Seuf OH-19, 'Remarkable' says Boss Flynn

Jim Baggett – 1921 Gibson A Junior Mandolin
This shows its age (you would too after 91 years), but it’s a great player with a really nice, full sound.

Jim's pick turns 91 this year but still sounds sweet.

Tim Nelson – Bourgeois Vintage Mahogany Dread
I love this guitar. It has a nice open quality to it with plenty of volume – it sounds like a good dreadnought should. The bass response is tremendous without sounding tubby.  The folks at Bourgeois always build a nice guitar. I’ve been very happy with the quality coming out of their shop.

Tim's pick 'sounds like a good dread should'.

Matthew Khomsi – Mono M80 Bass Guitar Case
I am so impressed with the quality and reliability of these cases.  They’re durable, lightweight and not cumbersome like some cases that offer the same amount of protection.  Ever since I got my Mono bag, I haven’t wanted to use any other case.

Matthew bought one of the Mono M80 Hybrid Cases for himself

Alek Nelson – Fender Pro Junior III Red October 1×10 Amp
The tones you can pull out of the Fender Pro Jr. III Red October are sweet! Even at lower volumes you will hear that beautiful tube breakup! Ideal for getting huge recorded sounds and equally great as a practice/performing amp.

Alek chose the Pro Junior III Red October in part for its 'beautiful tube breakup'.

Ted Kritikos – Nord Stage 2 SW73 Keyboard
This Nord is just so powerful.  I love that you don’t have to sort through menus to make the sounds you want – there’s a knob for everything.  And the waterfall action makes this baby play just like a B3!

When you're next in the store, ask Ted to demo this keyboard (ask for his rendition of Booker T's 'Green Onions', it's amazing).

Zach Mehl - Zvex Instant Lo-Fi Junky Pedal
This is sweet. It sounds like an old tape deck or record player, with a real vintage sound.

'Sweet!', to quote Zach.

Eric Putnam – Fulltone Plimsoul Pedal
The first time I plugged into this pedal I loved it. The two gain stages are great – allowing you to get any tone from a light blues to an over-the-top high gain sound. If you’re looking for a solid, versatile overdrive/distortion box, this is it.

Eric's pick: solid yet versatile distortion/overdrive with the EH Plimsoul

Isaac Flynn – Seuf OH-20F
This Seuf plays incredibly well. It’s one of the nicest teles I’ve ever played, with a super light weight and a great neck. The finish looks incredible too. Dave is truly a master craftsman.

Isaac calls the Seuf OH-20F 'one of the nicest teles I've ever played.'

Josh Baldridge – Repair Shop – Eastman T186MX Thinline
Lately I’ve been comparing a lot of pedals and tubes and this Eastman T186MX Thinline has become the humbucker guitar that I have gone to again and again.  The Duncan 59s are wonderful for tweaking til you get just the right tone. Full-on this guitar drives an amp the way you need to rock. Turn down the guitar volumes to pull back the drive and it gives you a smooth, clean sound without the biting treble. To really darken things up for your jazz gigs, the pickups respond well to the tone controls. I’m going to have to get one of these soon because it is too much fun to miss out on.

Josh loves the Duncan 59s in this Eastman T186MX Thinline

Jesse Roberts – Electro-Harmonix POG 2 Pedal
Crazy cool. This POG 2 sounds fantastic. Welcome to octave town. Dial up everything from lush, organ sounding tones, to harsher synth-esque sounds, to a subtle touch of depth on the back end of your playing. It has plenty of presets to save your favorite effects, and is extremely simple to use. It even works well with an acoustic.

'Welcome to octave town'

Anne Tangeman – Gold Tone Banjitar
I’m not really a banjo player, but with this crazy Banjitar, it’s ok. You’ve got a banjo guitar with six strings, a pickup and a sound sure to drive the neighbors away. I kid. This is a total blast to play.

This Gold Tone Banjitar is 'a blast to play'.

Chucho – Mass Street Music Microfiber Polish Cloth
Chucho doesn’t really clean guitars here at the store – tough to do with paws, but if he did he’d use this cloth to do it, and it also does seem to double quite well as a chew toy, which he can actually attest to. It’s super soft and won’t scratch delicate guitar finishes. We use these around the store and in the shop, and wouldn’t have put our name on it if we didn’t think it was the best polishing cloth around.

If we could just get Chucho a pair of people hands we could have him help clean the guitars...

(We just received our annual shipment of Blazer and Henkes acoustic guitars – usually all spoken for before we even get them out of the box, but we had to share them. Check out all our Blazer and Henkes guitars here or check the links below. Also below, boss Jim Baggett shares why we love these guitars and what makes them such amazing instruments…)

The Blazer and Henkes D-18 Burst

The  much anticipated arrival of Blazer and Henkes guitars has finally happened. It was a like a great holiday gift opening these up the other day. Normally the Blazers we order show up one or two at a time, but this year all five came the same day. This year’s batch includes D-18 style with a burst top, a D-18 with a natural finish, a Rosewood dreadnaught with a burst top, a Rosewood dread with a natural finish, and lastly a beautiful Rosewood OM with natural finish top.  Knowing the high standards to which Rudie Blazer and Willi Henkes hold to, it’s no surprise that all five guitars are delightful to look at and to play.

The Blazer and Henkes OM-28

My original association with Rudy and Willi was a result of our common interest in the great guitars of the 1930s. When they build guitars they have the great advantage of having access to a number of the finest vintage Martin and Gibson guitars. Their keen eyes, depth of understanding of wood, and high standards of craftsmanship result in new guitars that stand proud with the best of the 30s icons. I know that they compare their new guitars to great vintage guitars they have on hand – and when we receive them, we do the same. I come away thinking that the sound and feel of the new Blazer and Henkes must be very close to what players heard in 1937 – the sound that ended up giving these “Golden Era” guitars the reputation that they deserve. The sound and feel is automatically recognizable to  anyone who is a fan of that era.

Check out the beautiful back on this Blazer and Henkes D-28!

I feel that as players today we are so fortunate to have such a wide array of fabulous builders from our current era, making great guitars in many different styles, from the very traditional to the ultra modern. The Blazer and Henkes are definitely from the traditional style, and they have done an exceptional job.

The Blazer and Henkes D-28 Burst finish - simply stunning.

(For more info on Blazer and Henkes guitars, check out Fretboard Journal’s 2011 interview with Rudie Blazer and our 2009 interview with Rudie.)

Here’s the December roundup of gear that has captured our staff’s attention most recently at Mass St Music!

John Flynn – Grosh ElectraJet MH
These pickups are incredible. Plenty of humbucking power but with a really sweet chime. They did a fantastic job on these mini humbuckers and the guitar is perfect.

This Grosh EJ with mini humbuckers is 'Perfect' says Boss Flynn.

Tim Nelson – Collings CJ Customs (yes, all of them)
CJ MH SS SB – Sitka top – this one is warm and sweet sounding.
CJ MH A SS SB – Adirondack top – this one is very punchy and a little brighter than the Sitka CJ.
CJ Maple G SB – German Spruce top and Maple back and sides – this one has the brightest trebles of the three. Even though it is bright, I don’t find the trebles distracting and the upper mid range on this guitar is stellar. It’s a very forward sounding guitar and is really responsive to even a light touch. I am so excited to have all three of these guitars in stock at the same time. All are killer sounding guitars and have a new (for Collings) bracing pattern based on the vintage J-35 that our own Jim Baggett sent to Bill Collings – which has non-scalloped X bracing and three transverse braces. (Note: Gibson also made some J-35s with scalloped bracing and two transverse braces as well). I was hoping for an even responding guitar with a nice natural compression and I am very pleased with all three of these CJs.

Tim's favorite? All three of the custom Collings CJs!

Jim Baggett – Collings CJ MH SS SB
It sent me home with tired fingers – I just couldn’t put it down!

Jim's pick of the litter was the first to sell.

Matthew Khomsi – Fender 60^th Anniversary P Bass
This is my favorite passive P bass Fender has made in a long time. The pickups are very balanced and the neck feels comfortable and fast. It’s also got the Fender tuners I really like which stay in tune, their new high mass bridge and the new washer underneath the “a” string tuner which keeps it from buzzing. I really enjoy playing this bass.

Matthew's favorite is this Fender 60th Anniversary P Bass.

Alek Nelson – Mono Guitar Strap
The new Mono straps are great – they have a wide design that distributes the weight evenly and a thin memory-foam core that makes it really comfortable whether your instrument is heavy or not. Plus they look awesome. This is on my Christmas list for sure!

Alek's pick is the coolest guitar strap we've seen in a long time.

Ted Kritikos – McPherson 5.0 XPW
I absolutely love the low-end projection on this guitar. It’s tone is crisp and defined, plus the workmanship is impeccable! The braces are like modern art!

Ted's pick, the McPherson 5.0 XPW, has a 'crisp and defined' tone.

Isaac Flynn – Squier Vintage Modified J Bass
Cool design – not what you’d expect from Squier, and the Duncan designed pickups sound great. Nice price too.

Isaac's pick is the Squier Vintage Modified J Bass - super cool.

Zach Mehl – Squier Joe Trohman Tele
I love the H/S/H pickups in this and it has a great, classic look. It’s a lot of guitar at a decent price.

This Trohman Tele is another cool surprise from Squier.

Matt Harmon – Repair Shop -  Xotic EP Booster
Awesome tones in such a small package thanks to the internal dip switches. My favorite setting was with the gain knob set at 12 o’clock with dip switch 1 off and switch 2 on.

Matt Harmon's favorite - the Xotic EP Booster

Mike Horan – Repair Shop – Collings CJ MhA SS SB
We’ve just received three new very special Collings CJs.  They all share several custom features and my favorite is the CJ MhA SS SB.  Based on one of Jim Baggett’s favorite Gibson J-35s, Collings has mimicked the bracing pattern, tonewoods, short scale length, and the straight bridge with a cut-through saddle of a vintage Gibson.  This may be the ultimate modern slope-shouldered D guitar—uncharacteristically dry-sounding  for a Collings, each note has a really strong fundamental tone with volume to spare.  I wish it were mine….

Mike H.'s pick of the Collings litter is the CJ MhA SS SB: 'This may be the ultimate modern slope-shouldered D guitar'.

Jesse Roberts – Collings MT Custom GT Mandola
As a viola player, I was really excited to see this Mandola on the wall. Of course, it’s visually perfect (it’s a Collings), but more importantly its sound is truly unique. The lower range creates a very interesting timbre, and it is rich, rich, rich. It has a full, resonant, even booming tone, yet still finds a way to be pronounced and clear. It does stretch out the hand a bit, but is easy to play and hard to put down.

This Collings Mandola is 'easy to play and hard to put down', says Jesse.

Anne Tangeman – Gretsch G5122 Semi Hollowbody
I’ve been thinking about replacing a hollowbody I had stolen a few years back – it sounded great live, but was also a lot of fun to just play around the house. This is a real contender for a replacement, with a nice weight and great pickups.

This Gretsch G5122 has a nice grrrrrrowl when you want it, plus a Bigsby style vibrato.

Chucho – Fender Folding Guitar Stand
Chucho hasn’t quite picked up that this isn’t a bone just yet, but he can demonstrate how portable it is. You go Chucho.

Ok Chucho, where did you bury it?

Here’s our annual Mass Street Music end-of-year list of  the best music accessories and gift ideas around for your favorite guitarist, mando or banjo player. These are totally essential items that make great gifts for friends, family, or for you!

The Bargains: $13  – $50:

String Swing Guitar Wall Hanger
A classic. We’ve been carrying the String Swing for years and use them here in our store too. They’re built well, priced right and around the house keep your acoustic or electric guitar or bass out of reach of the dog and kids. Plus we like looking at our guitars on the wall, sort of ‘instant art.’  Also available for mandos and banjos. $13

The String Swing is total classic for good reason!

Fender Folding Electric Guitar Stand
These are brand new, but have quickly proven themselves to be totally indispensable! Super compact (just 12” long when folded up), it’s also really lightweight and perfect for gigging musicians since you can pack it in your gig bag or just about anywhere, even your back pocket. Super smart design and a nice price. $20

A stealth fighter? No, it's this year's coolest guitar stand, from Fender!

Snark Clip On Tuner or Tuner and Metronome
The Snark really took center stage this year and quickly became a favorite for a variety of musicians. The Clip On Tuner is super compact, really easy to use and priced well. Perfect for your guitarist, mando or banjo playing buddy. The Snark Tuner and Metronome is also chromatic and perfect for a variety of players, but really great for those starting out. It’s easy to operate and to read plus the metronome function is invaluable for folks starting out. $20

This Snark is the coolest clip on tuner of the year - hands down.

One Spot Adapter by Visual Sound
We’ve carried this crazy cool adapter for several years now and haven’t found anything that beats it on reliability, price and design. It makes a great replacement for that lost Boss PSA (and many other adapters), but even better it takes up just ‘one spot’ on your power strip instead of hogging it up. It can power up your pedal board too. One of the coolest, cheapest and most useful items for any electric player. $25

The One Spot Adapter - a favorite of ours for several years now.

Quantum CSQI 18 Foot Instrument Cable
This cable has been one of our favorites for years – it’s super reliable (lifetime guarantee!) and oxygen free assuring you of great tone, but it also has a great retro vintage vibe with the colored wrap which comes in different colors. Also no hassles trying to suss out whose cord is whose after a gig as they’re unique too! $26

These Quantum cables are sharp looking and guaranteed for life!

Blue Chip Pick
These are, granted, not cheap picks – but they’re truly different and superior, so much so that this is the second year we’ve put them on our Top 10. They’re relied upon by many musicians including Chris Thile of the Punch Brothers as well as our own repair shop manager, Mike Horan of the Midday Ramblers. Super durable, perfect feel and practically indestructible. One of these makes a supremely thoughtful gift for your favorite picker. $35

Is a $35 pick really worth it? Heck yeah, just ask Chris Thile or our repair shop manager, Mike H.

Planet Waves Acoustic Guitar Accessories Pack or Electric Guitar Accessories Pack
The folks behind D’addario Strings have made a super cool pack of some essentials every guitarist needs, whether starting out or a gigging pro. There isn’t a guitarist around who wouldn’t want these goods…10 medium picks, a pack of the most popular strings (same brand our shop uses too!), a compact guitar stand, and one of our favorites, the PW clip on chromatic tuner –  accurate, easy to use and compact. You can’t go wrong with this one. $42.95 Acoustic/$39.95 Electric

This Guitar Accessories Pack is perfect for both new and veteran guitarists.

The Splurges: $90 – $130

Pitchblack Tuner
Whether on stage, the studio or at home, this Pitchblack Tuner has made a real difference for musicians with a ultra super accuracy that can’t be beat, plus true bypass – something other stage tuners often lack. $90

Deadly accurate, priced right, and built for the long haul.

Kala MK-B Baritone Uke
We carry a good deal of ukes, because simply put, they’re a heck of a lot of fun for both beginners looking to move to guitar down the road or players just looking for something new to try. This baritone has only four strings and is tuned to the high four strings of a guitar, plus its size is slightly bigger than a soprano or concert uke. It’s perfect for smaller hands not ready for a full-on guitar, yet it’s easy to transition to one when you’re ready. Lots of fun. $90

This Kala MK-B Baritone Uke is easy to learn and incredibly fun. Great for newbies to strings instruments too.

Fender Mustang I Amp
This 20 watt Fender amps is one of our go-to amps for those starting out and those wanting something for home practice that won’t break the bank or the walls. You get a heck of a lot of amp for $99 including classic amp presets and effects built right in – and the best part is it’s easy to use. Seriously. From classic sounds to creating your own – this is a blast and enables you to do so much. Has a headphone input too so you can rock out anytime of day or night. $99

Fender's Mustang I amp is an incredible amount of amp & effects for just $99

Yamaha JR1 Acoustic ¾ size
Doesn’t every kid want to try their hand at guitar at some point? We checked out a lot of guitars before choosing this JR1 for one of our introductory acoustics for smaller hands. One of the biggest reasons kids give up guitar is that some just aren’t really playable – or fixable! The action is wrong or the tuners won’t stay put or it’s just constructed poorly. But this Yamaha is awesome and delivers great playability for smaller hands and great sound, so as the hands develop, so does the ‘ear’. It’s priced low, but built really well and we’ve for seen for ourselves how it has started many folks out on a lifetime journey with music. $130

The Yamaha JR1 is no toy - it's a 3/4 sized real player with great sound.

Of course, a gift card is always a great idea, and we’ve got those too at Mass Street Music.

What the staff would gift themselves from our store if the sky was the limit:

Collings CJ MhA SSSB – perfection
Collings SJ Acoustic – best appointments, perfect amount of ‘flair’ – not too much but perfect.
Bourgeois Vintage OM Custom
Nord Electro 3HP
Grosh RCHT – really any Grosh!
Eastman E10 OM