Matt Umanov - NY Dealer to call it a day

guitars4you

One of New York's long established and firm favourite for many customers has decided to call it a day - Granted many UK customers have probably not visited or heard of Matt' s store, but he is an old favourite and very much an old school dealer who has decided to call it  a day  - http://www.umanovguitars.com/

Further more Matt is/was one of the last guitar dealers to survive in NY with only Rudy's Music Shop now the last of the old guard independents still in/on or around 48th Street

Times are a changing

Legionreturns

Sad times. 

But... Paging @HarrySeven ...

http://www.umanovguitars.com/news/2017-10-01/

stickyfiddle

Oh shit. I was hoping to go there for a few minutes in the spring. A real shame.

earwighoney

Sad times for sure.  His guitar shop was a NY City landmark for the guitar nerd.  

darcym

does he suggest why he's closing ? 

it was a nice shop to visit.

Strat54

Sad? Not for him. He's off to enjoy life and spend his money. He's not gone out of business nor thrown in the towel but just easing himself into retirement because he's of that age. That's not really 'calling it a day' 

ourmaninthenorth

Strat54 said:

Sad? Not for him. He's off to enjoy life and spend his money. He's not gone out of business nor thrown in the towel but just easing himself into retirement because he's of that age. That's not really 'calling it a day' 

Completely agree, he's put a big shift in, time for a rest.

"....it is finally time for me to close this chapter of my life, relax some, travel some, play with the grandkids, all that kind of thing..." 

Good for him, like anyone else after a lifetime of work, he's earned it. 

JohnPerry

Rudy's left 48th St some while ago. It's in Soho now at Broome St. I went in there a couple of months ago and was underwhelmed.

Main Drag Music in Brooklyn was a let-down too. 

Neither can hold a candle to Coda or Peach. 

guitars4you

ourmaninthenorth said:

Strat54 said:

Sad? Not for him. He's off to enjoy life and spend his money. He's not gone out of business nor thrown in the towel but just easing himself into retirement because he's of that age. That's not really 'calling it a day' 

Completely agree, he's put a big shift in, time for a rest.

"....it is finally time for me to close this chapter of my life, relax some, travel some, play with the grandkids, all that kind of thing..." 

Good for him, like anyone else after a lifetime of work, he's earned it. 

that's the way I see it and heard it

sorry I did not mean 'calling it a day' as in having to for financial reasons, just 'calling it a day' based on years served and a retirement program taking over

Not sure if it has been placed on the market for sale or not and if so you assume no potential takers

ourmaninthenorth

guitars4you said:

ourmaninthenorth said:

Strat54 said:

Sad? Not for him. He's off to enjoy life and spend his money. He's not gone out of business nor thrown in the towel but just easing himself into retirement because he's of that age. That's not really 'calling it a day' 

Completely agree, he's put a big shift in, time for a rest.

"....it is finally time for me to close this chapter of my life, relax some, travel some, play with the grandkids, all that kind of thing..." 

Good for him, like anyone else after a lifetime of work, he's earned it. 

that's the way I see it and heard it

sorry I did not mean 'calling it a day' as in having to for financial reasons, just 'calling it a day' based on years served and a retirement program taking over

Not sure if it has been placed on the market for sale or not and if so you assume no potential takers

Don't be getting any ideas young 'un...you've still got a few years left to do..

Nose, grind stone...

Hee Hee. 

guitars4you

ourmaninthenorth said:

guitars4you said:

ourmaninthenorth said:

Strat54 said:

Sad? Not for him. He's off to enjoy life and spend his money. He's not gone out of business nor thrown in the towel but just easing himself into retirement because he's of that age. That's not really 'calling it a day' 

Completely agree, he's put a big shift in, time for a rest.

"....it is finally time for me to close this chapter of my life, relax some, travel some, play with the grandkids, all that kind of thing..." 

Good for him, like anyone else after a lifetime of work, he's earned it. 

that's the way I see it and heard it

sorry I did not mean 'calling it a day' as in having to for financial reasons, just 'calling it a day' based on years served and a retirement program taking over

Not sure if it has been placed on the market for sale or not and if so you assume no potential takers

Don't be getting any ideas young 'un...you've still got a few years left to do..

Nose, grind stone...

Hee Hee. 

I'm content now with the set-up I have, so with health pending then yes a few more years to go - and looking forward to it - I  can now enjoy what I buy and sell and can 'ignore' the rest - May 2018 will be my 40th year at it full time

ourmaninthenorth

guitars4you said:

ourmaninthenorth said:

guitars4you said:

ourmaninthenorth said:

Strat54 said:

Sad? Not for him. He's off to enjoy life and spend his money. He's not gone out of business nor thrown in the towel but just easing himself into retirement because he's of that age. That's not really 'calling it a day' 

Completely agree, he's put a big shift in, time for a rest.

"....it is finally time for me to close this chapter of my life, relax some, travel some, play with the grandkids, all that kind of thing..." 

Good for him, like anyone else after a lifetime of work, he's earned it. 

that's the way I see it and heard it

sorry I did not mean 'calling it a day' as in having to for financial reasons, just 'calling it a day' based on years served and a retirement program taking over

Not sure if it has been placed on the market for sale or not and if so you assume no potential takers

Don't be getting any ideas young 'un...you've still got a few years left to do..

Nose, grind stone...

Hee Hee. 

I'm content now with the set-up I have, so with health pending then yes a few more years to go - and looking forward to it - I  can now enjoy what I buy and sell and can 'ignore' the rest - May 2018 will be my 40th year at it full time

40 years in any profession is something to be admired...and with years in the guitar game counting as dog years, you've been at this 280 of the buggers.... have next Tuesday off, I'll clock you in. 

Strat54

guitars4you said:

ourmaninthenorth said:

Strat54 said:

Sad? Not for him. He's off to enjoy life and spend his money. He's not gone out of business nor thrown in the towel but just easing himself into retirement because he's of that age. That's not really 'calling it a day' 

Completely agree, he's put a big shift in, time for a rest.

"....it is finally time for me to close this chapter of my life, relax some, travel some, play with the grandkids, all that kind of thing..." 

Good for him, like anyone else after a lifetime of work, he's earned it. 

that's the way I see it and heard it

sorry I did not mean 'calling it a day' as in having to for financial reasons, just 'calling it a day' based on years served and a retirement program taking over

Not sure if it has been placed on the market for sale or not and if so you assume no potential takers

He's 70 now and actually owns the premises which is rare is this day and age. I would guess they will have a lot more value being sold for another purpose. That's how I retired before 50....owned premises M&S came and gave me a big cheque! Like me Matt was working 60 hours a week and there comes a point when you realise that actually you don't need to anymore. The customers were gutted though. Hey ho....

I'm hoping for a closing sale reduction on this Alan Hamel Tele, 
http://www.umanovguitars.com/category/old-stuff/solid-body-electric/1995-fender-telecaster-custom-shop/

Apparently they sold 30 guitars the first day they announced closure!

DrCornelius

I lived close to them in the 1990s , God knows how I didn't blow every penny I had in there . 

I went in there once to buy an LP standard and he talked me into buying a PRS custom 24 instead. He must have realised I wasn't a proper muso and just a city boy with money to burn - very astute chap :-)

fandango

Bullox. Especially as I was in NYC last week, but I did go widdle in Guitar Centre instead ('cos it remains open until 11pm), where I witnessed a couple of NY Police bashing out some Jimi Hendrix.

Had Sam Ash on my list, but did too much of the typical sightseeing to worry about not going.

However, I did get to see Chick Corea & Steve Gadd at The Blue Note and their guitarist from Benin called Lionel Loueke - who was an living exercise in minimalism, but steamed his jazzy-blues solo when he got the nod to let rip.

Hey ho.

dcg

Yes, sad about Matt Umanov's; always a great store, with a good stock of lovely things.  So too was Ludlow Street Guitars - which is now no longer on Ludlow Street, but has moved to Brooklyn, which seems to be the new centre of gravity for a lot of NYC musicians...

However, Rudy's 'new' shop in Soho is a must see; if you're in New York, please take some time to visit this spectacular split level treat for the ears and eyes.

57Deluxe

Brexit to blame no doubt...

xpia98jf

57Deluxe said:

Brexit to blame no doubt...

Why would Brexit be to blame? It's all going swimmingly isn't it?

Loobs

About as over-priced and snobby as any guitar store I've ever set foot in. Resembled more a museum than a guitar shop. Same could be said for Rudy's. Still, it is NYC. 

I like Southside Guitars in Williamsburg or Ludlow Guitars. 

fandango

dcg said:

Yes, sad about Matt Umanov's; always a great store, with a good stock of lovely things.  So too was Ludlow Street Guitars - which is now no longer on Ludlow Street, but has moved to Brooklyn, which seems to be the new centre of gravity for a lot of NYC musicians...

However, Rudy's 'new' shop in Soho is a must see; if you're in New York, please take some time to visit this spectacular split level treat for the ears and eyes.

Plectrum

fandango said:

where I witnessed a couple of NY Police bashing out some Jimi Hendrix.

Don't you mean bashing some poor fellow who looks a bit like Jimi Hendrix?