Vinyl vacation in Southern California...

Wrapping up a stressful first quarter and my bossman told me to take some time off (10 days... woo hoo). It's too late notice for my girl to go anywhere, so I decided to just pack up the dog in the car and do a Southern California road trip. We'll probably do a bunch of hikes and beach days, but I'd also like to mix in some HiFi fun.

I'm meeting up with Ron from Music Matters next Thursday in Ventura for the day and will probably spend another day at my Shindo dealer's shop listening to the Latours and Western Electric 300b's. I'm sure I'll hit up Amoeba again, but I probably shouldn't hit more than a few record stores or I'll end up broke.

I'll be all over Southern California with no real set agenda. Maybe even head down to Mexico.

I don't want to spend time in any other HiFi shops unless they have some esoteric horns or vintage gear. I'd love to tour some recording studios, pressing plants or similar things like that. And I'll definitely want to catch some live music in the evenings.

Anyway, pretty blank slate so let me know things you think I should do or places I should try to hit up. Thx!

 

Amoeba Records in Hollywood.

 

The Record Parlour is small but cute, really grate if your a crate diver ( I am not). Selection will vary as they have a great knack of winning bids on big lots from estate sales. Some vintage equipment for sale, too.
There is also Record Surplus 12436 Santa Monica Blvd. that is real good.

 

CD Trader in Tarzana, on Ventura Blvd.

 

Appreciate the record store referrals, but what I'm really interested in doing is more music related experiences like visiting a pressing plant or touring studios. I don't know. Stuff like that.

Any ideas?

 

I hear there some nice gentlemen's clubs in Mexico

 

We should meet up for a listening session at my place!
Any excuse to share music with friends.

 

All good choices here! A store not mentioned here that I would also recommend is Rockaway Records. They're just off Interstate 5 off Fletcher Drive.

ALSO---if you're traveling through near the end of the month check out the Orange County Record Swap in Buena Park. It's always held on the last Sunday of the month. The only months in the year that it's NOT held is August and December.

 

im in Santa Barbara today, but headed to Ventura in a bit. Where are you?

 

You guys would be proud to know that the first thing I did in the RV was hook up a decent 2-channel setup with some Audio Engine A5 speakers.

Jammed out all night to The Dead. Now I'm working on setting them up to play while I'm driving, since the stock speakers in the RV sound like ****e.

 

Maybe buy our host lunch?

 

Two great record stores in Ventura. Salzers (a really cool record store, but pricey) and Grady's Record Refuge on Main Street. That place is a gold mine for cheap classic rock. Forget about $20 for Led Zeppelin, try $7 or $8. If you don't go the Grady's you're going to miss out on the best cheap record deals in SoCal. Go to Salzer's for the glitz and vibe. It's like stepping back to the 70s when record stores were a social hub. Just records and cds downstairs; its also got an upstairs with wacky fashionable stuff, trinkets, and bongs galore. A real throwback to the heyday of record stores. Immaculately run. Owned by a wealthy SoCal concert producer of the Doors, Jimi Hendrix, Jopin -- lots of original concert posters for sale from his concerts at tempting prices. A very, very solid large store. Lots of RSD leftovers. He buys hundreds on RSD. His new record bargin bin is the place to hit. Mainstream for $12, odder but excellent records $7-$9. A few. Just one good record store in Santa Barbara -- the one on the main street sucks -- go to Warbler for beautiful records. Medium to higher prices, though. But for buying used classic rock for a bargain .... Grady's Record Refuge. I pick up nice Jerry Lee Lewis records for $4 or $5 bucks.

Salzers"

 

RTI pressing is in Camarillo 10 miles down the road from Ventura.

 

I'm in Anaheim Hills, Orange County...I've actually been sick since tuesday, so sorry for the delayed response. If you are around this weekend, I should be better by then! The worst has passed

 

I'm already headed north up to Yosemite. Maybe next time.