Looking for a junkyard of musical instruments

June 1, 2008 2:05 PM

Where in New York City or the San Francisco Bay Area can I buy dirt-cheap used/wrecked musical instruments? I want to dig through bins of dented trombones and xylophones with missing bars. Is there such a place? Preferably near public transit.
posted by moonmilk to Shopping (4 answers total)

Best answer: Try the flea markets in Chelsea and Hell's Kitchen. Also, swap meets. Also, Salvation Armies, or, more frequently, actual consignment stores. You might also trying asking at the Guitar Store on 14th St. - I don't know if they have second-hand instruments, but they no doubt get that question all the time either way.

Also: post on Craigslist that you're looking to buy used/broken instruments on the cheap, and see who responds. Someone might have a rusty trombone lying around.
posted by Sticherbeast at 2:24 PM on June 1, 2008

Best answer: Urban Ore in Berkeley? You may have some luck contacting some of these folks in Oakland, who accept musical instrument donations for reuse. Or maybe you could find a listing in Rummaging through Northern California. (who knew?) You could also just try any of the dumpsters in the trombone district.
posted by HE Amb. T. S. L. DuVal at 8:53 PM on June 1, 2008 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Thanks, those are great suggestions. I once stumbled on a block of stores selling almost nothing but used china cabinets on (I think) Astoria Blvd, so I can believe that there's a trombone district out there somewhere.

While I'm in the Bay Area I should find out if the flea market at Ashby Bart still exists. I got a nice accordion there 20 years ago...
posted by moonmilk at 8:45 AM on June 2, 2008

Ashby BART flea market does indeed still exist. We should go used instrument shopping while you are here. Oh, and Urban Ore is worth a visit although I rarely see used acoustic instruments in there.
posted by ctp at 4:56 PM on June 2, 2008