Buzz

Reviews From Around the Web:

“Awsome Music Store I first heard of this place when I was at Guitar Center. Some guy told me to check it out because they had guitars as good as Martins but cost half as much. It is a great little store, and they also have a lot of vintage stuff.”‎ – Ivan T. ‎ – Dec 20, 2008

www.insiderpages.com/b/3718270567
“Owner Buzzy Levine has been repairing stringed instruments since 1968 and supervises our repair shop. With this facility we are able to provide customers with very accurate instrument evaluations. We want you to be happy in dealing with “‎ ‎ – Jul 1999

www.yelp.com/biz/lark-street-music-teaneck
By The – Mar 1, 2010

Rated 5.0 out of 5.0 best guitar shop in NJ‎‎ If you like vintage guitars, this is the place to be.

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Telecaster Forum
Old January 14th, 2010, 07:04 PM   #1 (permalink)
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Lark Street Music, NJ – Tele Content

I travel East for business often and I always have the intention to visit some of the shops in NJ and NY. Well, today I finally had a little time and I stopped in Lark Street Music in Teaneck, NJ. What a great little shop with both new and vintage guitars (solidbodies, hollowbodies, archtops, acoustics, etc). A really cool selection plus some really vintage & boutique amps.

I had a chance to check out three teles; a LSL Pine Bodied Tele, (2) Ron Kirns and a wicked 1953 Telecaster that had me contemplating how I could justify the purchase. I did not plug them in just played acoustically.

  • LSL Pine Body Tele - nice, lightweight, resonant, great aging job, & great neck profile. 
  • Ron Kirn Teles – I was really blown away by the fit and finish of the guitars, they both were lightweight ash and very resonant. 
  • 1953 Telecaster - once again, perfect weight, finish worn on back of neck, neck profile was nothing like current Fender CS guitars I own. The neck was full but not over-the-top and the guitar rang like a bell. 

Also, had a chance to pick up one of Duke Levine’s CDs (blackguard player) who also is store owner Buzzy Levine’s brother.

All-in-all it was a great visit and everyone at the shop was great. Definitely worth the time if you are in the Northern NJ area.

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Old January 14th, 2010, 07:31 PM   #2 (permalink)
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Lark street is great. I bought a bogner shiva there (they are only one of three bogner dealers in NJ), nice guys. Great gear–lots of old strats, boutique amps, Old strombergs and killer Rics, etc… Small place but awesome! They also have a real 1959 flamed les paul, its beautiful, looks like its brand new. I never saw one of those before in the flesh (er, wood) before. That whole day was a good experience for me, although the drive sucked.
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Old January 15th, 2010, 11:35 AM   #3 (permalink)
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Originally Posted by fendertastic View Post
Lark street is great. I bought a bogner shiva there (they are only one of three bogner dealers in NJ), nice guys. Great gear–lots of old strats, boutique amps, Old strombergs and killer Rics, etc… Small place but awesome! They also have a real 1959 flamed les paul, its beautiful, looks like its brand new. I never saw one of those before in the flesh (er, wood) before. That whole day was a good experience for me, although the drive sucked.

The shop definitely has real character that is missing from a lot of shops! 

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Old January 15th, 2010, 11:47 AM   #4 (permalink)
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Lark St Rules !
Buzz is da’ Bomb !
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Old January 15th, 2010, 12:01 PM   #5 (permalink)
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cool I gott check this place out. south or north jersey?
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Old January 15th, 2010, 12:13 PM   #6 (permalink)
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Northeast
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Old January 15th, 2010, 12:14 PM   #7 (permalink)
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ah ok, might check it out next time i head to the big city. thanks!
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Old January 15th, 2010, 12:20 PM   #8 (permalink)
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Lark street’s great. It’s only a few miles from New York City.
Great selection of acoustics, too.
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Old January 15th, 2010, 04:34 PM   #9 (permalink)
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I used to visit Lark St. Music when it was on Lark St. – right here in Albany, NY. That was back in the mid ’90s, and I remember Buzzy had a ’58 Flying V hanging behind the counter from a piece of twine.

We have a great Mom & Pop in the area, but Lark St. is missed by most of the local old timers.

Buzzy had a great reputation around here, but I think he must be doing a lot better where he is now. Albany’s a small town when it comes right down to it.

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Old January 15th, 2010, 09:58 PM   #10 (permalink)
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I used to live in Albany (SUNY graduate, 1977) and used to love going to Lark Street. I was a broke college student and couldn’t afford any of the guitars, though–too bad!

Drome Sound on Central Ave. used to have some good stuff also (I remember a rack of used Teles for $150 and under–those were the days), but not as good as Lark Street!

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Old January 16th, 2010, 06:21 AM   #11 (permalink)
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Yeah, I used to go to Lark St. whenever I was in Albany. Later I moved to Albany but they’d already moved out by then.

They had great stuff but I could never afford it.

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Old January 16th, 2010, 08:56 AM   #12 (permalink)
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It’s good to know that there are still shops like that around. I went by Legends Guitars in Tampa yesterday and they had one of those LsL guitars. It was very nice and Kent and his guys all said it was a superb guitar.
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Old January 16th, 2010, 09:02 AM   #13 (permalink)
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That is a great store. I was there last year when he a cool 1951 tele which I too seriously debated (and made an offer on later). He had a nice 1959 burst hanging behind the counter when I was there.
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Old January 16th, 2010, 10:55 AM   #14 (permalink)
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Originally Posted by poorplayer View Post
That is a great store. I was there last year when he a cool 1951 tele which I too seriously debated (and made an offer on later). He had a nice 1959 burst hanging behind the counter when I was there.

Yep….still thinking about that ’53 Tele I played and contemplating how close I might be if I sold everything else I own as a down-payment…..argh! 

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Old January 16th, 2010, 03:45 PM   #15 (permalink)
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Buzz wanted to do a barter if I do some artwork for his web site. Hmmm…..maybe when the work load slows down…

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  • Jun 18, 2008 7:38 p.m. Daddy-O:

    Just returned from a fab trip to NYC and New Jersey.Took two days just to do the shops on 48th St. I got to play everything from vintage Stromberge and D’angelico to the new Gretschs. Sam Ash has a vast selection of new stuff I bought a new Roland AC-90 amp there, my friend a nice Epi Howard Roberts model at a great price ! Next was Rudys Music. Millions of dollars worh of vintage stuff you name it you can find it at Rudys. I got a chance to get a good look at vintage Harmonys ,Kays, Goyas that I have been looking at on Ebay. This fall Rudy will be bring his new book out and will have about Fifty Dangelico’s and Deaquistro’s along with Grant Green’s Epi with Mcarty pickup. I will be there for this gala event. Next stop 30th St. Music not only a HUGE amount of guitars but about a hundred vintage amps too vast to mention. Lark St. Music in Teaneck Nj. may be my favorite of all lots of killer vintage and about five or six brand of hand wired amps.The music scene was stellar six B-3 players took the stage at the jam at the musicians union local jam session. I can not await my return to The Big Apple

 

 

From our deceased MySpace Account:
myspace.png
WINTERCream
WINTERCream
Apr 22 2008 4:11 PM
Hey Buzz-
Thanks for your friendship, that really cool gear, and your support of our music.

Source: http://www.myspace.com/larkstreet#ixzz0zQt2115h

Marylou Ferrante
Marylou Ferrante
Aug 19 2007 11:50 PM
Hi Buzzy,
Thanks for the add! I found the guitar of my dreams right at your most awesome shop last year. Hope to get out there again some time soon.
Best,

Deena Goodman
Deena Goodman
May 2 2007 8:10 PM
Thank you for the add! A teaneck native who was fortunate enough to have your dear brother play on my first record! See you soon!

Source: http://www.myspace.com/larkstreet#ixzz0zQtYksdR

Jim Costello
Jim Costello
Aug 31 2006 10:13 PM
when i was 15 my parents asked a family friend to help them pick out a guitar for me. he went down to lark street and sat and played for an hour until he decided on a basic yamaha with very low action. and thus it all began…

Source: http://www.myspace.com/larkstreet#ixzz0zQtiMO2M

Reva L’Sheva
Reva L'Sheva
Aug 31 2006 9:57 PM
What’s up Buzzy. when you comin for a visit to the holyland. Bring Eliezer a couple guitars… he’s going through withdrawal.
Peace,
Chanan

Vintage Guitar Magazine Dealer Profile:
VG: Tell me a little about yourself.
Buzz: I was born in 1948 in Worcester, Mass, and grew up with the Bomb. Most vivid early guitar memory is watching my 3rd grade classmate bring in an old archtop for show and tell, AND play it. This must have been 1957 and Wayne was a greaser. Blew me away, though as a 3rd grader it was more like a deep impression. I loved music. My parents played Gilbert & Sullivan a lot, and every day after school I’d listen to Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis, Fats Domino, Everly Brothers, Little Richard and Danny and the Juniors on the radio. At a weekend camp in 7th grade an older kid had a 00-17 and said “Yeah, THIS is a Martin”. My first guitar was a Harmony Sovereign that my brother and I chipped in for $69 at Union Music in Worcester.

I was taking cello lessons from Bedrich Vaska in 5th grade. Mr Vaska was a very old 80 year old Hungarian hunchedback cello master living in Worcester. His apartment was time machine 19th century Europe. His teacher was Dvorak. Dropped the Cello in 8th grade in favor of 5-string Banjo, inspired by the Kingston Trio and the Beverly Hillbillies. A year later, ’61, started guitar, got a Harmony Sovereign dreadnought and learned by ear. Had a band, the “Freewheelers” in 8th grade. I loved John Fahey, New Lost City Ramblers, Pink Anderson, Gary Davis, Mississippi John Hurt, Koerner Ray & Glover, Spoelstra, the Kweskin and Van Ronk jugbands, and Flatt & Scruggs . A friend, Walter Crockett, taught me how to Travis pick – that was really hard to do- that alternating thumb thing.

Every summer I hitched down to the Newport Folk festivals from ’63-’66, they were awesome. Seeing Howling Wolf up close and Dylan go electric w/ Bloomfield & Butterfield were highlights. I have 3 younger brothers and a sister. My youngest brother is Duke Levine who is at least one of the best guitar players in the world. He plays with Larry Campbell, Peter Wolf, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Lucy Kaplansky and many others.

VG: How did you get started working with guitars?
Buzz: In 1968 while at U-Mass Amherst I was in the “Petroleum Jelly Jug Band”. A Fiddler named Jerry Weene ( he has a violin shop in the Boston area- The Royal Exchange) joined us. He was repairing violins and guitars outside of Amherst at the Leverett Craft Center, a rambling old mill that had space rented out to a sculptor, a blacksmith and Jerry. After dropping out of Umass with a Judo injury, Jerry asked me if I wanted to help him out. Wow, are you kidding?? I managed to hitch out there everyday on crutches. Jerry taught me guitar repair.

VG: How did you come to get in business as Lark Street Music?
Buzz: A bunch of us were living communally on 200 acres of land outside of Albany NY in 1979 as a sister community of The Farm in Summertown, Tennessee, where I’d lived from ’76-’77 Had a great time on the Farm, but we all did much better after we broke up. Through all this I always carried my guitar tools with me and took on repairs from whatever stores i happened to be near. After our Farm fell apart I realized the only skill I had that put me ahead of the pack was guitar repair. I teamed up with a guitar builder in Albany, but after 6 months opened my own store on Lark Street in Albany NY- Lark Street Music -in 1981.

VG: When did you begin advertising in Vintage Guitar magazine? How does it work for you?
Buzz: I began right at the beginning with a display ad, and then switched to the current full page ad which has been a real good way to connect with all guitar freaks.

VG: What are some thngs that you would like our readers to know about you? What makes you different from other guys or shops doing the vintage thing?

Buzz: I may be different from most dealers because I’ve been setting-up & repairing guitars for 33 years. It’s helped me immensely in being able to figure out what’s really going on in a guitar. I don’t put great weight on cosmetic condition. It’s a major consideration on one level, investment, and a relatively minor consideration otherwise. I buy stuff that I like, and I try to sniff out fatal flaws to avoid them. I’ve seen a lot of guitars where People are funny. I once had a ’59 burst with no serial number on the peghead. Guys were afraid to buy it was thinking that it could have been refinished. How can this be they said. Well it was perfectly original and once you’ve seen enough Gibson necks you can just tell. It’s how violin appraisers can tell you everything about a fiddle that has no label or mark. I tend to put high value on instruments that are good players. After all, they can make a billion re-issues but it’ s hard to “make” a good guitar . I like Gene Baker’s work a lot and Dominic Ramos’ of Catskill NY.
VG: Do you offer any on-site repair, refinishing, warranty work, set-ups, appraisal, or consignments?

Buzz: We’ve been doing Martin Warrantee repair work for CF Martin since 1986. We do all aspects of stringed instrument repair and restoration and set-up. Neck sets, refinishing, custom building, even manufacturing some impossible parts. We do take consignments, and will write appraisals for a small fee. Verbal appraisals are free.

VG: What is your philosophy of guitar shows? How many do you do each year?

Buzz: Generally I don’t get to many of them since I can’t attend on Friday night or Saturday because of Sabbath observance. I go to 2 or 3 a year. I love em and hate em. I get emotionally weird at guitar shows; there’s just too much going on. I go for dealer load in and try to buy a few things, meet with old friends and make new acquaintances. After 6 hours I’m ready for the trip home.

VG: I note you have a website. What has your experience been in doing business on the Internet? Is it better, worse, or the same?

Buzz: I’ve been doing mail order since 1981 and have had a website since 1996. The website generates about the same response as my print ads. My website has a “Just In” page which allows you to visit every day and check on just the new arrivals so you can get in and out quickly.

VG: I see you moved your business in the past couple of years. Has that been successful for you?

Buzz: Being from Massachusetts, this was enemy territory, Yankees, Knicks and all that. New Jersey’s image was like  ‘last place I’d ever want to be, let alone live’ but we needed to leave Albany for schools for our 4 kids. Teaneck is a small town with lots of trees and feels really good. You’d never know that we’re 4 miles from the George Washington bridge. Many customers have been really supportive during the transition, and it’s great to get into the City so quickly and easily. Lots more people with access to the store down here.

VG: Where is the future of the vintage market headed? For you? In general?
Buzz: I hate the term “market”, even though I’m in it. To me it connotes too much attention paid to investment in a tradable commodity. But for sure that’s a good thing and I am into value. I get enough customers poking at the guitars that sometimes it feels like a market. But you don’t go into the local Stop & Shop and trade old food in and get to hassle about price. I don’t make predictions. I do believe in the essential and intrinsic value of musical instruments though, and feel that these are far safer investments than most others. For starters, they are beautiful and useful. What a concept. If the market crashes today, you ‘ll have something that’s just as nice as it was yesterday. For me I’m really happy that Aaron my 14 year old is into working in the store. He’s been helping out for years but this year he “got” the vintage fever so who knows where that’ll lead.
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