Heritage Hunt in Paris

[111518]

My wife and I have been in Paris for the week with the kids on the university program. Most days have been pretty packed, but we had a free morning/early afternoon today so I went to the Pigalle area, which is sort of like the 54th St. of Paris. (at night PIgalle is the red light district --lots of sex shops and peep shows etc. --but not uncomfortable in daylight.) It was a fun couple of hours of guitar tourism --probably twenty guitar/guitar-related shops (including bass specialist shops, an effects shop, a boutique amp shop, a cable shop, several guitar and amp repair shops) in the span of a couple of blocks. Ironically, I saw a lot of US-made guitars that, given my rural location in northern NY, I've never seen new in a shop before --Collings, etc. Mostly, I just looked in windows; having worked in a shop, and knowing I wasn't going to buy anything, I wasn't going to take up time and floor space (many of the shops, esp. the used/vintage shops, were very small and very packed with instruments.) I saw some pretty neat guitars --a very nice later L-5s with 'buckers, in great shape (4,200Euros); a very nice old es350, more Guilds than I expected. There were several Gibson dealers, with lots of high end stock, within those couple of blocks, so I saw more new Gibsons than I probably seen in one morning in my life --and,to be honest, I wasn't very impressed.

 

I did go into a couple of vintage/used shops, and, in French tradition, tried to speak to the shop keeper in my not-very-good French. In each case, I asked about Heritage, and two shop keepers responded immediately --"yes, made in Kalamazoo," or, "made by the Gibson guys." So, I didn't find any Heritage guitars, but I did find some knowledge. Oh, and it was easy to look through windows and check for Heritage ...just had to look for the headstock.

[FredZepp]

In each case, I asked about Heritage, and two shop keepers responded immediately --"yes, made in Kalamazoo," or, "made by the Gibson guys." So, I didn't find any Heritage guitars, but I did find some knowledge. Oh, and it was easy to look through windows and check for Heritage ...just had to look for the headstock.

 

To spend some time like that in Paris would make for a wonderful day. It is a great city.

 

And it is a great thing that they know who and what a Heritage is..... it would be great to put some of them in the hands of those good people that can appreciate them.

[pegleg32]

Must be a lot of guitar interest in Paris if all those guys are making a living. I can tell it was a neat "tour". Glad to see you are enjoying your job too!!!

[fxdx99]

Yikes, that's a lot of guitar stores concentrated in that small area. How fun. Glad you're having a great trip, Larry.

[111518]

Thanks for kind comments. This is proving to be a busman's holiday ... a lot of work. But, it is a great opportunity to see another country. I only took one picture in the Pigalle area, of a high-end tube amp store (Badcat, Mesa, Marshall, Fender custom stuff...). Not a very good picture, but gives some sense of the neighborhood. Most of the shops were not this fancy, just a door and a window and lots of guitars.

[Gitfiddler]

Thanks for the great French tour! Enjoy your time in gay Paris.

 

That didn't come out the way I meant it. I need to say it in my best Pepe Le Pew accent.

[FredZepp]

Here's a vid that I did in Paris , walking around etc. .. nothing spectacular, but maybe gives a vibe of the city.

 

[Wolfi]

Yes, Paris is a wonderful place. From where I live in Germany, it's closer to Paris, than to Berlin or Munich. Just 4 hours somethin by car.

 

I'm glad you enjoyed you trip.