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MoreWelcome! Please create an account to create a want list and receive the Vintage News e-mail newsletter! If you already have an account, please Gibson ES5 ( used, 1950 ) Gibson Lloyd Loar signed F-5 Master Model ( used, 1924 ) Danelectro Electric Sitar ( used ) In a modest, brown, nearly windowless building in the heart of Staten Island is a store which many consider to be the center of the American fretted instrument world. Mandolin Bros., located at 629 Forest Avenue in Staten Island is home to some of the world's best guitars, banjos, ukuleles, and, of course, mandolins. For the last 36 years, Mandolin Bros. has become the authority not only for the purchasing of vintage equipment but of appraising and buying for over 200, 000 players and collectors. Moreover, the showroom has become widely known as, among other things, "The Best Guitar Store in New York" ( New York Magazine ). Having sold instruments to some of the top musicians of the 20th century ( Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, George Harrison, among others ) Mandolin Bros. has become a fixture in the New York City music scene, and a world authority in the appraising, buying, and selling of fretted instruments. Mandolin Bros. was founded in 1971 by friends and partners Stan Jay and Harold "Hap" Kuffner, and moved into the store's present location on Forest Avenue in 1976. Thinking that mandolins could use some publicity, and wanting to poke fun at music store owners who often name their stores after themselves, Stan and Hap became the Mandolin Brothers. Kuffner left the store in 1982 ( though staying in the music business ), but Mandolin Bros. continued on as one of the "largest dealers in the world of vintage and new fretted instruments." ( Vintage News ) Owner Stan Jay remains the active voice of Mandolin Bros., with his office situated at the entrance of the store. Still playing a dominant role in day to day business affairs, Stan receives emails from all around the world, most of which are questions concerning the value of a particular instrument from potential sellers, or the specifications of a particular vintage item. Stan is more than happy to oblige, and his background in writing ( Stan has a Masters Degree in Education/English from Wagner College and was a doctoral candidate at Columbia University's Teachers' College ) has helped his now-famous instrument descriptions which, besides providing honest and detailed information about each instrument, are usually good for a laugh or two. The somewhat unusual shape of Mandolin Bros. showroom provides ample space to display its collection of American fretted instruments, with the store's rooms divided by instrument type. The banjo, mandolin, and ukulele room for example, boasts not only a fantastic selection of instruments, but one of the best sounding rooms around -- the skins of the banjos provide unparalleled acoustics! While the Mandolin Bros. showroom displays a wealth of fretted instruments, Stan does not carry just anything. He is careful to choose only the best instruments from the best manufacturers, and he has frequently turned down companies trying to sell at his store. Mandolin Bros. is one of the largest dealers of C.F. Martin's in the world. They are considered a Five Star dealer from Gibson and a Marquee dealer from Martin, the highest distinctions that can be obtained by each. In addition to these world famous manufacturers, Mandolin Bros. carries a collection of smaller dealers who create top-notch instruments. The smaller dealer's room inside the store carries instruments from Santa Cruz, Macpherson, and Huss and Dalton, among others. Other display rooms in the store include the "B Room" -- basses and banjos -- and the "G Room" -- Gibson, Guild, and Gretsch instruments. In addition, the store has a "High End Room" which contains the best and most expensive instruments Mandolin Bros. has to offer. From D'Angelico -- a type of archtop guitar -- to a 1954 Fender Stratocaster and a 1963 Telecaster LessPhone: (718) 981-8585
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629 Forest Ave Staten Island, NY 10310 470.24 mi
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