Daves Sound Repair - Whippany, N.J.

[Johnny Q]

I live in the Northern, NJ area. I am looking for someone new to service my guitars and amps. I would appreciate any feedback regarding Daves Sound repair.

Thanks!!!!

JQ

 

[Swill]

Dave's is a quality shop in North Jersey. He has worked on several amps for me and has always done a great job. I never had him work on a guitar for me, I do most of that stuff myself, but I have friends that have used him for guitar work and have also been very happy. He is always busy (or so he says) and things take longer than I think they should. However, I would recommend them highly in terms of quality of work.

 

[jerseydrew]

I live in the Northern, NJ area. I am looking for someone new to service my guitars and amps. I would appreciate any feedback regarding Daves Sound repair.

Thanks!!!!

JQ

I too live in northern NJ, Rockaway to be exact. At any rate, Dave has worked on many of my amps. He really knows his stuff and I would highly recommend him. I never had any guitars worked on by him, I thought he only does amps. Maybe a co-worker does the guitars? How far away do you live from Ritchie's Music in Rockaway? There's a gentleman named Frank that works on all my guitars. Tell him Drew sent you

 

[gadzooka]

I live in Parsippany (next to it's rhyming partner, Whippany).

I have brought guitars to Dave's for minor things, like putting my old 355's pickups into phase. Bill is the guy who has done the work for me. Great guy, and I have no complaints about the work he's done.

Hey Drew, speaking of Ritchie's, I just bought an American Series Stratocaster there. Grrreat guitar!

 

[jerseydrew]

I live in Parsippany (next to it's rhyming partner, Whippany).

Hey Drew, speaking of Ritchie's, I just bought an American Series Stratocaster there. Grrreat guitar!

The guys at Ritchie's are great. Nick is the dude that I see for gear. These guys really know their stuff and they stand behind everything they sell. If you have a problem, they take care of you. The also offer free setups when you buy a guitar. I don't think people realize how important a set up is. Most of the time when you buy a guitar at Guitar Center or Sam Ass, they just put it up on the rack straight from the box. This is how a guitar should be.

And no, I don't work at the store or anything like that.

 

[Johnny Q]

I live about 30 minutes from Rockaway, I am going to follow your suggestions and check them out.

My initial impression of Dave was not a good one - very arrogant and rude. Tried to overcharge me for things, badmouthed every other amp tech in the area and basically talked to me like I was an idiot. I would rather flush my hard earned money down the toilet than fork it over to someone like that. Dropping gear off for simple maintainence should not be a painful experience.

 

[shinebox]

I've had nothing but positive experiences with Dave's sound.Great work on amps and Bill is great with guitars.I would highly recommend them:dude

 

[Johnny Q]

And this is precisely what everyone else says, so I must have caught him on a bad day, or perhaps there are two "Daves!!"

 

[jmp2204]

WOW!

It's cool to hear that both stores are still in business after all these years (I left the area 20 years ago)!

I remember Dave's in Morristown, they did all the repair work for Star Music, he fixed a Fuzz face for me one time. He was kinda odd, but I bought a nice Strat neck and other bits from him, too.

I bought an acoustic at ritchies and used to pass his place all the time while making a shortcut to work in parsippany (lanidex plaza). Also got a dimarzio paf there & remember him as good dude to deal with.

Is Star Music still there and wasn't there a Long & McQuade's out that way, too? Like I said, this was all a LOOONG time ago!

 

[gadzooka]

Re: WOW!

Is Star Music still there and wasn't there a Long & McQuade's out that way, too? Like I said, this was all a LOOONG time ago!

As of a couple years ago, Star Music was still in Morristown. They seem to have some good vintage amps, but I was there when I knew NOTHING about amps (now I know next to nothing).

If I am getting this right, there was a Long & McQuade on US-46 in Parsippany, but when I moved into the area in 1999, it was The Music Den. They have since moved west to Long Valley or Ledgewood...somewhere out there.

 

[Omega]

Re: Re: WOW!

As of a couple years ago, Star Music was still in Morristown. They seem to have some good vintage amps, but I was there when I knew NOTHING about amps (now I know next to nothing).

If I am getting this right, there was a Long & McQuade on US-46 in Parsippany, but when I moved into the area in 1999, it was The Music Den. They have since moved west to Long Valley or Ledgewood...somewhere out there.

Funny you mention LV, that's where I grew up. L&M I believe bought the Music Den in Landing, near Lake Hopatcong (enough "L" towns?)

Star Music is still there. There is nothing there that floats my boat and I found the place to be kind of dingy and the people aren't too friendly.

Dave has done some work for me on my amps and did a good job. He also converted a 4x12 to stereo, very well done. If he's curt with the customers it is because he's busy, not because he is unfriendly or anything like that.

I know Bill the guitar tech but haven't had him work on any guitars. He did some work on one of Ace Frehley's guitars and has the photos to prove it but I wouldn't mention Ace to him as that may be a bit of a sore subject.

 

[jmp2204]

coool

thanks, gadzooka, that's where it was. I grew up in Sparta, Lake Mohawk, in fact. It was cool just to see those names again after all those years, glad they are still with us. All the stuff I bought at both is still with me!

Dingy is how Star Music was in 1982!

Lake Mohawk was a beautiful resort-type community that was beginning to get get overrun by NYC/North Jesrey commuters in '83. I heard there was a huge flood there a while back. wonder what that all looks like now?

 

[gadzooka]

Re: coool

thanks, gadzooka, that's where it was. I grew up in Sparta, Lake Mohawk, in fact. It was cool just to see those names again after all those years, glad they are still with us. All the stuff I bought at both is still with me!

Dingy is how Star Music was in 1982!

Lake Mohawk was a beautiful resort-type community that was beginning to get get overrun by NYC/North Jesrey commuters in '83. I heard there was a huge flood there a while back. wonder what that all looks like now?

You guys are right, Star Music is indeed a grimy joint!

With the exception of a jaunt to Florida in the 90's, I have always lived in northern Jersey (I'm 35). I haven't been through Sparta in a while. It's probably a lot busier than it was in '83. When I was a kid, either my Dad or my brother said that "the city" would eventually reach westward all the way across NJ to Pennsylvania. We're getting damn close.

 

[patrickjp]

I live about 30 minutes from Rockaway, I am going to follow your suggestions and check them out.

My initial impression of Dave was not a good one - very arrogant and rude. Tried to overcharge me for things, badmouthed every other amp tech in the area and basically talked to me like I was an idiot. I would rather flush my hard earned money down the toilet than fork it over to someone like that. Dropping gear off for simple maintainence should not be a painful experience.

I've been doing business with Dave for years and I stopped going to him because of his arrogance and constant rudeness. I don't want to get into details and I don't want to slander anyone.. this was just my experience.
You may not see it on the first trip there, or maybe the second for that matter. But Johnny is right, he makes you feel stupid, even belittles you at times, and has nothing but bad things to say about other techs in the area.
Bill is a really nice guy, but after going back and fourth with him about something really stupid, he refused to setup my guitar the way I wanted.. so I stopped bringing my guitars there as well. He will charge you alot fo $$$ compared to other places.. Check around and compare.. no bs

 

[Johnny Q]

I knew it wasnt just me.....the guy was a first class a-hole when I spoke to him.

 

[outlaw_biker61]

Re: Re: Daves Sound Repair - Whippany, N.J.

How far away do you live from Ritchie's Music in Rockaway? There's a gentleman named Frank that works on all my guitars. Tell him Drew sent you

I've been a customer of Ritchie's Music for 25 years. Everyone there is awesome. In fact, I just picked up a Marshall DSL-100 half stack from them yesterday.

Frank is a very good guitar tech, who does his magic for a very cheep price. Tell him Kenny recommended him.

Kenny

 

[Omega]

Ritchie's is a very good place to buy gear. I bought a 4x12 there and a pre-owned Gibson J100Xtra. The owner Jim, Nick and all the staff are very nice, helpful and friendly. Highly recommended place.