Carmel Magazine

104-107 Rumbleseat Music_152-161 Garcia story 4/26/13 3:54 PM Page 4 sories, there are guitars in stock suitable to everyone from the weekendwarrior to the working pro. "Our typical customer is a player who is taking the next step up," Michael says. Aside from Gibson and Fender, other manufacturers represented include Ribbecke, Paul Reed Smith, Rickenbacker and Taylor. Ostensibly, Carmel-by-the-Sea may seem an odd choice for a guitar shop of this caliber. But these gems of the musical world truly are works of art, worthy of inclusion in any art museum. From that perspective, Rumble Seat is right at home among the many galleries and jewelry stores that line the surrounding streets…with a difference. These are pieces of art you can dance to. Rumble Seat Music is located on Dolores between 7th and 8th Avenues. Visit www.rumbleseatmusiccbs.com. 831/293-8299. (Top)1959 Les Paul, "Goldie" exhibits a coveted highly flamed grain pattern in its Lemondrop-finish maple top. (Bottom left) Blues rock guitarist Joe Bonamassa inscribed this Les Paul to his friend Eliot Michael and presented it to him at the grand opening of Rumble Seat Music in February. (Right)The shop also deals in rare and collectible acoustic instruments such as this 1941 Martin D45, obtained by Michael from its original owner. are plenty of high-quality acoustic instruments as well. And yes, many of these are sought-after examples. Case in point: a 1941 Martin D45 guitar, considered the acoustic version of the 1959 sunburst Les Paul in terms of collectability. Bass guitars are also represented on the walls, and while it's an obvious necessity to have a few amplifiers around for test-drive purposes, "they aren't going to be a specialty," Michael says. Rumble Seat also caters to that player who is seeking a finer quality guitar than might be available at a typical local music store or online mass merchandiser. While this is not a place to buy strings, picks and accesC ARMEL MAGAZINE•SPRING/SUMMER 2013 107

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