Vacation in Portland Oregon means music store tour.

[Gearjoneser]

Portland Oregon is a city known for two things I love.....guitars and bicycles.

So, yesterday and today I've been driving around Portland with my phone's GPS, locating all the best stores.

So far, I've hit....
Pro Guitar Shop. It's the physical location for the famous online store with all the videos. Awesome stuff! The best of the best. They have the best pedals, Fender Custom Shop guitars, Deusenberg guitars, Reverend, Divided by 13, Vox.....all the high end toys.

Guitar Crazy - good new stuff
Trade Up Music - used
Old Town Music - used
GC - same old stuff we know

I allowed myself a budget of $100 for whatever I found. Cheap, I know, but a family vacation cost big bucks, so $100 was it. I didn't find anything till today.....at a Vancouver Wa. pawn shop.

Here's what I got.
A mint 2005 Barber LTD. silver version. This is an incredible sounding OD. So rich, natural, and amp-like. It's sustaining yet open sounding, which isn't easy to pull off. I've got a lot of OD's, and this one is a keeper like my Klon. It's got the same things going for it, meaning you could leave it on and use it as an extension of any amp. $75.

Also picked this up for $12. A Fender tin sign about a foot in diameter.

 

[Hoss]

Re: Vacation in Portland Oregon means music store tour.

Portland Oregon is a city known for two things I love.....guitars and bicycles.

So, yesterday and today I've been driving around Portland with my phone's GPS, locating all the best stores.

So far, I've hit....
Pro Guitar Shop. It's the physical location for the famous online store with all the videos. Awesome stuff! The best of the best. They have the best pedals, Fender Custom Shop guitars, Deusenberg guitars, Reverend, Divided by 13, Vox.....all the high end toys.

Guitar Crazy - good new stuff
Trade Up Music - used
Old Town Music - used
GC - same old stuff we know

I allowed myself a budget of $100 for whatever I found. Cheap, I know, but a family vacation cost big bucks, so $100 was it. I didn't find anything till today.....at a Vancouver Wa. pawn shop.

Here's what I got.
A mint 2005 Barber LTD. silver version. This is an incredible sounding OD. So rich, natural, and amp-like. It's fat yet open sounding, which isn't easy to pull off. I've got a lot of OD's, and this one is a keeper like my Klon. It's got the same things going for it, meaning you could leave it on and use it as an extension of any amp. $75.

Also picked this up for $12. A Fender tin sign about a foot in diameter.

Nice!!! Sounds like a super fun trip!

Great pedal pickup...NEW STUFF ROCKS!!! :headbang:

 

[Laughing Kookaburra]

Re: Vacation in Portland Oregon means music store tour.

Cool score! Portland is on my radar for getting the eff outta Phoenix.

 

[aleclee]

Re: Vacation in Portland Oregon means music store tour.

Nice. Those Barbers are nice pedals and a crazy value to boot. I have no idea why he didn't sell a metric crapload of 'em.

 

[ratherdashing]

Re: Vacation in Portland Oregon means music store tour.

Cool! PGS is a wonderful place - such a classy store.

 

[AlexR]

Re: Vacation in Portland Oregon means music store tour.

You going to hit the trails??

A mtb friend of mine raved about the quality of singletrack in Portland.....even the central park area was riddled with it he said.

 

[Boogie Bill]

Re: Vacation in Portland Oregon means music store tour.

Would love to get together...I love talking gear. PM me if you're here over the weekend.

If you like vintage, the Portland Music store on MLK has a jaw dropping collection. Their store on Broadway carries a fine selection of acoustics. Five Star Guitars in Tanasbourne may have some cool stuff, too.

You could check out Mount Saint Helens in Washington state...the destruction from the 1980 eruption is awe-inspiring. The Oregon Coast is beautiful this time of year. And Multnomah Falls, east on US 84, is pretty cool too.

Portland is also known as "Beervana" due to its many craft breweries. If you don't do beer, you might want to try Stumptown Coffee, a local specialty roaster.

And the Waterfront Blues Festival is going on this weekend.

I hope you enjoy your visit!

Bill

 

[DankStar]

Re: Vacation in Portland Oregon means music store tour.

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Sounds fun! Yeah, great coffee and beer up there! I saw QOTSA at berbati's pan many moons ago - good times.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Vacation in Portland Oregon means music store tour.

I've been on vacation and brought my Godin LG90 with Duncan SP90's and the Vibro Champ I actually won at the User Group Day Picnic. It's a great travel rig, and now this Barber LTD has me so excited because it sounds utterly amazing using the P-90 into Fender Blackface type tone. So much sustain and a perfect amount of dirt. The LTD has a very neutral impact on the EQ, and just adds a beautiful subtle grind......just like turning a good tube amp up.

I can't wait to hear it on my main amps....the Pro Reverb, Matchless Chieftain, and XTC.

 

[glassman]

Re: Vacation in Portland Oregon means music store tour.

Awesome! I'll be in Portland near the end of July and I can leave my spending money at home since I now know all of the best stuff will be gone. I don't need any more stuff anyway!

 

[Van Noord]

Re: Vacation in Portland Oregon means music store tour.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Vacation in Portland Oregon means music store tour.

^^^ hahahaha. So true!

I'm surprised there's not a giant statue of Kurt Cobain next to the Welcome to Washington State sign! LOL

 

[erksin]

Re: Vacation in Portland Oregon means music store tour.

Trade Up Music gets some decent stuff from time to time too - in both locations.

Best for used is Old Town or Centaur though - those guys have consistently good stuff in there.