March Dealer Spotlight Interview

BLVD-Music – Boiling Springs, SC

This month we’re heading south to South Carolina – the weather’s unseasonably chilly this year, but the people are as charming as can be. Just 2 miles north of Spartanburg – home of the recent Spartanburg Guitar Show (now called the South Carolina Guitar Show) is Boiling Springs, SC. Here you will find BLVD Music, a great local music store filled with some of the coolest guitars and gear you could ever hope to find. Let’s check in with John Dannert to see how the state of the uni………er confederacy is going with good ole’ BLVD Music.

Gbase: John – good to talk to you again. It’s been some time since we first met up at your first location over in Spartanburg (that was Spartanburg, wasn’t it?). So let’s start from the beginning of this new endeavor. How did you get started with BLVD Music?

John – BVLD: Trevor Isetts, the owner of BLVD Music was the house sound tech at my nightclub for almost a decade.  Over the years, we’ve done tons of guitar deals.  Shortly after he opened BLVD Music, he asked me to come on as the vintage/used gear buyer.  It’s a perfect fit for me because I get to do my own thing, as well as participate in the store while working alongside one of my best friends.

Gbase: How long as BLVD Music been in business?

John – BVLD: Just over two years.

Gbase: What’s the local music scene like in Boiling Springs? Do players have to venture out to Columbia or further?

John – BLVD: There seem to be plenty of cover bands out there, but there doesn’t seem to be much demand for original music right now.

Gbase: Your collection of gear is really amazing. You’ve got a couple of ’47 Gibsons – an ES-150 and an L-7 – both in great shape. Does BLVD Music specialize in one area of vintage and used gear?

John – BLVD:  Not really.  We’re as equally stoked over a pre-war Martin as we are an original San Dimas Charvel.

Gbase: What about on the amp side of things?

John – Blvd: We’re all over the Vox Nighttrain. Amazing tone on the cheap and it looks cool, too.

Gbase: Have you found anything recently that isn’t up on your Gbase page as of yet that you’d like to share with us?

John – BLVD: 1955 Gretsch Duo-Jet without a neck.  Otherwise, it’s perfect.

Gbase: Without a neck – now that’s a bonus. I know a few players I’d like to give that guitar to. On another note, has the downturn in the economy dramatically impacted your sales efforts? And have you done anything special to help get thru this situation?

John – BLVD: There’s no way to be completely unaffected by the economy; however, there are lots of great deals out there, and we’re scouring the dirty south for them!

Gbase: What about taking your store on the road? Do you take in many of the guitar shows out there?

John – BLVD: No more than six a year and all in the Southeast. The rest are either too far, too expensive or too cold.

Gbase:  Too cold? What are you from Florida? Although it’s been cold down there too – just this past week, Savannah, GA got some snow. Dealers are always on the prowl for something special. Are you currently in the hunt for something that you just can’t seem to locate?

John – BLVD: The Marshall Tucker band is from Spartanburg, and as the legend goes, Toy’s Burst went missing a number of years ago.  I would love for it to come up for air.

Gbase: Well this is as good a place to put people on notice – keep a look out for it. If you want to provide more detail in that regard, let us know and we’ll do what we can on our end.

Everyone has one of those “one that got away” stories – care to share one of those? Mine was a ’59 Jazzmaster that I sold for no good reason. It’s too painful to go on…..

John – BVLD: I had a huge neck ‘64 Les Paul Jr. SG that was the best sounding P-90 guitar I ever heard.  It absolutely destroyed a world famous burst in a tone shoot-out one afternoon.  The owner had just paid a record price and looked like he wanted to jump off the roof.  I sold the SG for no good reason as well.  The new owner however, is “glad” that he has it.

Gbase: I’m sure he is – almost as much as you’re pissed that he has it, I’m sure. John, as always, it’s great to chat with you. We’ll see you out on the road sometime in the not-too-distant future. Care to share anything we might have missed? Sales specials? Promo’s you’ve got upcoming? Something special in your Gbase store that people should absolutely not miss?

John – BLVD: We’ve got a hot lead on a large collection of guitars, so stay tuned…

Gbase: We’ll do – HEY GEARHEADS – be sure to check out BLVD-Music’s Gbase store – http://www.gbase.com/stores/blvd-music – as well as their own website – BLVD MUSIC – it’s chock full of all sorts of goodies and as John indicated – check back as they’re hot on the trail of large covey of guitars. They’re sure to be posting some new inventory in the not-too-distant.