DFW Area Shops

[TX2AK]

Does anyone know of a drivable shop with a great selection of high end mandolins, banjos and other acoustic instruments from the DFW / Wichita Falls area? My wife plays fiddle, and we have heard of a good violin/fiddle shop in Oklahoma, but they don’t seem to have anything else; and I have yet to find, after a lot of internet searching, a shop in our area for banjos, mandolins, and other bluegrass instruments. I am currently playing a Collings MF and a couple of Stelling banjos; all great instruments, and no complaints, but we’d like to make a weekend trip of really trying a lot of instruments for the whole family (boys are playing some guitar and bass too). Is there anything close, or are we looking at Missouri or Nashville being the closest places to find a great acoustic / bluegrass instrument shop -that is what I am finding on the internet? We will make a pilgrimage, if we need to, but Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas are big states with a lot of musicians - it seems like there has to be something we can do in a weekend, unless internet shops have just completely killed the brick and mortar stores.

[TX2AK]

Along the same lines, while we are at it: Is there still a brick and mortar Mecca of acoustic instruments? I have had in mind for a couple of years to take my boys, who’d have always shown interest in playing, to a store on their 12th birthday, and let them play until their hearts were content; then, letting them select an instrument (obviously within a reasonable budget) that I bought for them to play which would become theirs upon graduation from high school, if they still played; but if they didn’t at any point, it was mine to sell - basically as an incentive to stay with it, and a fun thing for us to do together, etc. (my parents didn’t play, and I have never found a place where I could play Gibson, Stelling and other great banjos and Gibson, Collings, and other great mandolins all side by side and do the same thing for myself). Maybe that’s dumb or a bad idea; and if you think so, I’m open to that criticism, but I thought it could be a really cool experience for us; and if they stick with playing, a memorable part of their journey. Mom fiddles, so if there is a place with all of the bluegrass instruments, that would be the coolest - seems like fiddles/violins are always apart from the rest, for some reason. We are near that 12th birthday for our little guitarist, so it’s on my mind.

[Bren]

I considered this when I was in Houston for work earlier this year.

The only option I could see was Fiddler's green near Austin and it didn't seem like they had anything in stock at that time to make it worth the drive for me. However they do get some great instruments in at times, so do check out their website.

The great mandolin makers of Texas that I know of, Ellis, Collings, Pava (other luthiers that I don't know of may be available) seem to have their order books full this year but I have seen some of their instruments listed on Fiddler's Green now and then.

[Mark Gunter]

DFW to Wichita Falls covers a lot of ground … all well north of the real Texas music Mecca, Austin. Fiddlers Green is your best bet in Texas. Don’t rely solely on the website, though, their entire inventory doesn’t always make it to the website.

A couple years ago the business was sold to a worthy employee, then moved out of Austin proper. Then came COVID. I haven’t visited since before the sale, so I don’t have up to date intel. But Fiddlers Green has long been the best shop in Texas for a decent selection of new and used mandolins from $$$ to $$,$$$

I’d suggest you give them a call. If you plan a trip, also call the Ellis and/or Collings shops and ask about touring their facilities. You’d love it.

[Caleb]

Sometimes Charley’s Guitar Shop in Dallas has some Collings and Gibson mandolins on the wall. That’s a great shop to visit. Really good folks.

[TX2AK]

Good deal, I’ll try those two. Next time we are in Austin, I’ll definitely holler at Collings, Ellis and Pava. I have liked the idea of a Collings, which I had no shot at affording, when I was in undergrad at UT Austin. I played more guitar than anything then, so they were more on my radar than Ellis; which I have never played, but the ones I have heard were killer; and the only Pava I remember being in contact with was at Camp Bluegrass last year, and it was incredible. Like I said above, I love my Stelling banjos and Collings MF; but I’ve never lived anywhere as an adult where I could play a wide variety of instruments. Straight out of law school, we moved to Alaska, and there are some cool shops there, but nothing large; and then to Nocona, Texas - about 45 minutes to Wichita Falls, 1.5 hrs to Fort Worth or 2 hrs to Dallas +/-; that’s why the area I mention as reachable is pretty large. When you live up here, nothing is “close,” by ordinary standards. I would consider Oklahoma City and Stillwater all the way to Houston, Austin and San Antonio within “easy reach” for me. 6 hrs is probably the longest trip I would consider weekendable; which puts most of Arkansas in play too. The big shops of which I know in Missouri, the Acoustic Shop and Morgan Music are probably a stretch for a regular weekend; but I’d be willing to go to them or all the way to Nashville, and like I said, make a pilgrimage of it, if that is what it takes to get some real selection. Even looking at the ones in Missouri, I only see a few on the web pages that would be the sweet spot for me - I’m not in the market for an Eastman or Kentucky, and I am not in the market for a $20,000+ mandolin either. With a 12 hour round trip to play 3 in my range, I feel like I would be better off just trying the ones I think I am most interested in from sellers with 2 day return policies and that sort of thing; but that leaves out the prospect of something unexpectedly wonderful.

[ccravens]

Since you asked for DFW, actually it is in north Dallas, the place I'd recommend is:

The Guitar Sanctuary
6633 Virginia Pkwy, McKinney, TX 75071
http://https://www.theguitarsanctuary.com/

Heavy on high-end guitars, mandos are hit-and-miss. One of the best new guitars I've ever played (Collings D1 Trad) was there. Loads of high-end guitars.

[Caleb]

Since you asked for DFW, actually it is in north Dallas, the place I'd recommend is:

The Guitar Sanctuary
6633 Virginia Pkwy, McKinney, TX 75071
http://https://www.theguitarsanctuary.com/

Heavy on high-end guitars, mandos are hit-and-miss. One of the best new guitars I've ever played (Collings D1 Trad) was there. Loads of high-end guitars.

That place really has to be seen to be believed. Tons of high-end guitars everywhere. And it’s a really cool place (the actual room) all by itself.

[Caleb]

FYI - This weekend is the big Dallas Guitar Show at Market Hall. There are usually at least a handful of good mandolins on display, and it's always fun to walk around and see all the cool guitars.