Hello guys!
Great forum!

I was wondering if you guys have some tips for me, let me explain the situation
I’m from Brazil, and have been planning a trip to USA, probably in July. I will be my 1st visit.
I really want to go to Texas (Dallas and Austin), mostly because I really like the blues, specially Stevie Ray Vaughan. His music changed my life. I want to go to Blues bars and places like that, also buy another guitar and amp, probably a used guitar (Another Strat) and a new amp (Blues DeVille 410 or Reverb Reissue). Where should I search for used guitars? Little stores or big ones like GuitarCenter? Do you guys have some store indication? Also, I want to visit SRV’s statue in Austin and pay my respects to him in Dallas. Is there others SRV related locations?
Well guys, that is what I can remember for now.

Thanks in advance!

I know you cant go everywhere but if you get the opertunity to viset SEATTLE dont pass it up. The waterfront, the mountiams, the city itself, the night life. not New York But no other like it in the world. even fishing out of your window at one famous overnight spot. the comunity is a combination of 3 larger cities Tacoma to the south, yah that is where tacoma guitars are crafted out of the finest timber. Seattle to the north also the largest by far, and Everett to the far north.There are towns farther north and still have a lot of tourest intrest. If you travel East about 100 Mls. you cross the Cascade Mountians, Mount Ranier 14,700Ft. or so, verry cool, lots to see if you have about 3 maby 4 days to see it all. 2 days for Seattle alone. Most of the used guitar market that are not over priced are on craigs list or e bay. I lived in Austin and Sanintonio as a kid. Love them both, it was so long ago that I have no real knolege of eather town. Have a nice vacation. .
-------------------------Danny,

Def go to Austin theres great music, and a couple good vintage guitar shops, I was there acouple mnths ago and can,t wait to go back.

Thanks guys, really appreciate the tips
keep 'em coming

Up and down Lamar street in Austin is where you'll find quite a few of the better guitar shops in town--a lot of them have great deals and unique instruments. You can ask them about good SRV-related sites, especially if you find a guy in his 40s or 50s...they might have "been there"...

Ray Hennig's Heart of Texas Music is where SRV bought his battered "#1/First Wife" Stratocaster...it's on Lamar street, too.

Go to Antone's on Fifth street; although Stevie didn't play at this particular location of Antone's (it's moved four times or so in its' long, storied history), it was designed in his spirit and vibe...

Definitely go to Antone's Records on Guadalupe Street...cool shop. In fact, that whole strip of shops where Antone's Records is located is awesome, especially the used clothing and musical instrument store to the right.

Go across the street from Antone's Records to Milto's Mediterranean Cafe...some of the best Pizza in Texas.
Behind Milto's was one of the former locations of Antone's (second or third location, the first one I went to, and in my opinion, the best location). It is (sadly) an office building of some sort now. I met Buddy Guy there in 1990. He bought me a beer and signed a dollar bill for me.

Go up in the UT Tower. Yes, there's the creep factor of Charles Whitman's rampage, but from the top of the tower you can see most of Austin and it's very pretty. Don't take a pocketknife, if you are a carrier (most Texans are, and you'll see half a dozen guys walking out to their car to drop off their pocketknife so they can go up in the tower...myself included). Guns, crossbows and cannon are not allowed, either. They might allow spitwads.

There's some cool shops and restaurants on Guadalupe street and a LOT of pretty college girls, so if you're married and your spouse is with you, be cautious.

6th Street is not the hotbed of blues it once was. Unfortunately, in the last few years it's more DJ and acoustic music since the *blanking* Yuppies bought the lofts above the clubs and then griped about the noise (idiots built their houses on top of a nightclub and then wondered why it was so loud at night), but there's good music to be found down there, you just have to search.

On 6th street is the actual "Paradise Cafe", which inspired the song by the Arc Angels...if you know the lyrics, it's eerie how perfectly they described a Friday evening in that little cafe. The food is so-so, but the ambience is great.

Check out: the Continental Club,
SRV statue on Lady Bird Lake,
and if you get a chance, go watch the nightly migration of the world's largest urban bat colony that lives under the Congress Street bridge...it's really cool, and there's usually good looking girls hanging around there, too.

While you're down in Austin, check to see if Lincoln Durham is playing anywhere.
http://www.lincolndurham.com/
He's my cousin, and he's a really good Ray Wylie Hubbard-style blues/country/rock/Texicana musician/singer/songwriter. He has a really cool amp made out of a Bell & Howell film projector speaker. If you do go see Linc, tell him that Screamin' Armadillo sent you. His wife is cool, too...but don't offer them meat. They're vegans.

If you make it up to Dallas (200 miles away from Austin, about 3 hours without traffic), His grave is in the Laurel Land Memorial Park off of I-35E (make sure you go on I-35E, not I-35W, because you can't get there from there... ).

If you have time, go to Charley's Guitar Shop. It's off Harry Hines blvd...they were long-time friends/suppliers to SRV & Jimmie Vaughan, so there's some history there. SRV's song "Life Without You" was written about Charley when he died. You can get a t-shirt and cut the sleeves off like Stevie did!

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Good Vibes To Y'all!



Screamin' Armadillos
Texas Roadhouse Music
Guitar/Slide Guitar/Harp/Vocals

Wow, that is great Screamin' Armadillo!
In the matter of used guitars, is Austin the best place between Austin, Dallas and maybe Miami? Texas is a sure destination, I'm still thinking about Miami.
I will check out your cousin's website and see one of his shows if I can, for sure.

Thanks a lot!!

I haven't ever been to Miami, and Dallas is hit or miss, so I guess Austin would be the answer. The shops on Lamar in Austin have some pretty unique/boutique stuff (and the things that you read about but never find in person).

_________________
Good Vibes To Y'all!



Screamin' Armadillos
Texas Roadhouse Music
Guitar/Slide Guitar/Harp/Vocals

Do yourself a favor and pick up a National Rifle Association ball cap and wear it while visiting major metropolitan areas. Also, be sure that any rental car you drive does not have the company's name or any fleet identification visible on the exterior of the vehicle. Maintain some situational awareness at all times and try to limit your sightseeing activities to daylight hours. These tips may help prevent you from becoming a crime statistic.

Arjay

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"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY

Ok, I'll take care
Thanks!!

If that freaks you out a bit, there's been some problems in Miami in recent years with tourists being the target of violent crime/theft, so it's good to try to not stick out as a non-native...

Such problems will not likely be found in Austin; people will probably just detain you so you can talk about your culture and the like.

In Dallas, it's hit or miss. The Harry Hines area (where Charley's Guitar is located) is a combination of bad and good. There's a large concentration of Asian-immigrant-owned businesses (clothing, jewelry, etc.) and sexually-oriented businesses (strip clubs, "modeling" shows, massage parlors) in the region...one of the many reasons I avoid taking my daughter to Charley's.

_________________
Good Vibes To Y'all!



Screamin' Armadillos
Texas Roadhouse Music
Guitar/Slide Guitar/Harp/Vocals

great info retro and armadillo.
i'd spend more time in austin.
i live here in the dallas area and of course it's kinda boring to me. theres lots to do and see but not like austin. i lived there for 2 years.
armadillo should be a tour guide. i can only add a few things that i dig alot.
the state capitol (if it's open) and the bats at the congress street bridge. (if they are there).
my dad lives in downtown austin. you won't be bored for a second.
the motto is "keep austin wierd". they do, but in a cool way.

Thanks guys! really appreciate it.

I was in NYC a couple of weeks ago. Went to the Iridium room on Monday night, Les Paul's regular venue for his last 20 or so years. They are keeping up the tradition. The night I went Steve Miller showed up, Lou Pollo gave him a copy of the Les Paul / Lou Pollo custom, then Jane Weidlin, (GOGO's guitarist and singer) showed up. It's a very small venue, maybe 60 to 70 people. Highlight of my trip, very memorable.

NYC, wouldn't miss it, but not for everyone.
I'd check ticketmaster to see who is playing when and where.
Have a great trip.

#1 Rule in coming to USA ===== bring a whole bucket full of $100 bills and pass them out to every person you see. When the bucket runs out--- refill and repeat process.

Another cool place to check out in Austin is Waterloo Records. They have a great selection of CDs and Vinyl. Also, when it comes to food the restaurants off of 6th street tend to be cheaper and serve better food. Try the tortas the Taco Shack at Brazos and 4th.

Unfortunately as Screamin' Armadillo already pointed out, Austin isn't the hotbed of blues it once was. So to see a good show you have to know who to look for. If Carolyn Wonderland is playing, you ought to check her out. http://www.carolynwonderland.com/calendar.html
Also, you should try to find out where Alan Haynes is playing. Honestly Alan is one of the best guitarists I've ever heard in my life. I'd go as far as to say that he's in the same league as SRV, really. http://www.alan-haynes.com/index.php?cont=home.html And of course, there's Jimmie Vaughan, Derek O'Brian and other Antone's regulars that really capture that Austin Blues sound.

I've only been to Dallas a few times and usually for only a day at time, so I don't really know that area very well. But if you get the chance to swing by Houston, I do know all the blues hot spots around here.

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