Whenever anyone asks me about buying an instrument, I always recommend Todaro's Music in Lansdowne, PA. Especially if it's a slightly offbeat instrument. Every music store has guitars and basses, and now everyone has ukuleles. You can even buy them online, but trying to find someone who knows something about instruments from off the beaten path, well... good luck.
Just check out Joe's selection, he's got Eastern European Instruments like the tamburitza, Middle Eastern instruments like the oud, and the baglama. If you want instruments from South America, well then Todaro's Music is the only place to go. He's got charangos, ronrocos, quenas, zamponas, bombos...the list could go on and on... (Disclaimer- I went to Bolivia on instrument buying trips with Joe a couple of times) And when I say he knows the instruments, well when we were in Bolivia, he took charango lessons from several Bolivian musicians.
Did I mention ukuleles? Well Joe has his own line of ukes made in Bolivia by the same craftsmen that make the charangos that he sells in his store. Check them out here.
Anyway, I was asked about a folk harp once, the person wanted to see them, not just pictures on the web. Who had a couple in stock? Todaro's.
My nephew needed a tuba or sousaphone for band, who had one at a reasonable price? I'll let you figure that out.
Nephew with Waldorf Sousaphone
Any store has your basic guitars, but if you want something a little funky, well you have a couple of options, Pawn Shops, or Todaro's Music. Check out some of the things hanging on his wall.
Fender Coronado (if this was a bass I would have bought it, not that the thought didn't cross my mind, but...empty wallet)
Possibly Japanese made, maybe a Teisco in between a Gibson, and a Strat style
Japanese Decca (Made by Teisco)in between a pointy shred guitar and a Harmony (possibly an Archtone H1214)
Check out this little beauty. a turn of the century, Bruno guitar, what is today called a parlor guitar.
Check out those tuners and headstock overlay!
Bruno stamp on back of headstock
Just look at that back!!
Another nifty item that caught my eye, a Ditson mandolin.
Martin Guitars made some instruments for Ditson.
Ditson mandolin in front of some middle eastern percussion
Ditson stamp on back of headstock.
Here's a view of one of the walls of instruments, you'll see some of what's in stock including classical guitars, mandolins, and electric and acoustic guitars.
Another view of the Harmony, next to a Jackson.
Here's a cool little guitar, possibly a Kay. It looks similar to one I've seen in a pic of Lightning Hopkins see here.
Cool old Bass Drum
Old Silvertone Mandolin
Here's some more stuff
Loar and Recording King
Palatino Electric Upright and Ashbory Bass plus banjo
Anyway, I didn't get any shots of the exotic Latin American, Eastern European or Middle Eastern Instruments, maybe on my next trip to Todaro's Music.
