…or “How Do These Busy Professionals Have Time for This Much Fun?!”

I cannot believe that it’s been over 14 years since I last (and for the first time) stepped into the showroom of Retrofret:

Above, from my 2012 trip: New York, Part 3 | Gregg’s Blogg

And now I had a whole new place to visit as they moved eight years ago to a new Brooklyn location.

I’ve kept in touch with the gang through the years, enjoying Peter Kohman’s articles on harp guitars and other obscure topics in Vintage Guitar Magazine, and recently engaging restorer (and fellow harp guitar aficionado) Amy Mills for my own instruments.  Both of them also visited the Miner Museum (this last April):

And just this last June I ran into founder/owner Steve Uhrik at the MET for their new exhibit opening:

Without really spending any time together, Steve and I have long had a connection – largely from mutual respect for our respective accomplishments, along with so many similar interests.  Age-wise, we’re only a year apart.  A bigger connection has been ex-repairman Renaissance man Bill Fiorella.  Bill and Steve started out doing instrument repair side by side; this must’ve been AGES ago as it was before Steve opened Retrofret which was over four decades ago now.  MUCH later, Bill moved to southern California and became my restoration guy for several years on dozens of unusual, challenging instrument projects.

Cut to earlier this week: I wanted to make sure the whole gang was there (and Steve was often traveling), so was finally able to book an appointment and made the trek from CT.

As you can imagine, it was kid in a candy store time!

A nice selection of diverse harp guitars

Fine banjos

A super cool and rare electric Vivi-Tone mandolin, wonderful to see in person…

…along with two guitars.  Wonderfully wild & wacky historical inventions by the one and only Lloyd Loar.  They also brought out the ultra-special 1932 solidbody:

A fine D’Angelico

Rickenbacker electrics, but with full acoustic bodies – these were a total surprise to me!  1936 & 1937.

The ’37 was fitted with a whammy bar!  This was extremely cool – a vibrato bar like we commonly use on electrics, but (without plugging in) you’re hearing a normal acoustic guitar.  I would love one of these…

A wall of rare-to-classic lap steels

OK, pardon my ignorance, but I had never heard of the weird and wonderful world of Wandre electric guitars from1960s Italy!  The variety, colors, designs, materials and inlays had no end, and I just fell in love with these wacky things.  Wood, with painted plastic (with what process, I have no idea).  Flat aluminum headstocks, those distinctive soundholes – it went on and on.  See next pic.

Here’s their page upon searching for “Wandre.”  Some have sold; many were there.  With an unlimited budget, one could have quite the collection of futuristic-retro-mid-century modern fantasy…or however one could possibly describe this world.

The staff pulled out several special favorites to share with me; here’s Amy with a super clean and wonderful Bigsby tenor.

Not to be outdone, store manager Shira Goldberg materialized with a giant Travis Bean bass.

I barely had time to say “strike a pose!” before Amy was back with something else and the women gave me a free photo shoot.

What a place to work!   While I was there for a few hours (with a break for a great Thai lunch down the street), I saw the staff running around, busy as beavers, handling all sorts of professional tasks with deceptively casual aplomb.  A serious business, handling these rare and often pricey vintage treasures.

But then, at any moment, one would stop what they were doing and pull out some new toy, sharing its specs and history with you, or just relishing in the vibe and awesomeness of just being able to see and touch it.  Let alone test drive on the couch or in the amp room.

Truly, they have entirely too much fun to call any of this “work” (though they all work their asses off).  Asking for a simple pic of my pals as I headed out through the garage/storage room, Amy dug out still another Wandre – a crazy upright bass with sides covered with some sort of industrial upholstery.  OK, sure – you Peter (center) and Steve stand behind it and smile – or…OK, entertain me.

After all, I’m the VIP this time!