Later this month I'm lucky enough to be taking a short trip to San Francisco for work. I reckon that I might just be able wangle a day or so of digging while I'm there. Can anyone recommend some good places to start?

Thanks.

A pick and a shovel are mighty handy for digging.

Went to Frisco bout 4 years ago on travelling around saw lots of vinyl shops Found a lot of shops on a street called height street which is quite long Also found a couple of shops off height street fond stuff like ruby andrews ray pollard

dident venture over the bay to beverly so might b stuff round there happy hunting.

There are several stores around Haight st, its a good place to start. Dont discount Ameba records, its a massive shop full of all kinds of stuff but there is sometimes some great soul in there if you fall lucky.

Also, go across the golden gate to Marin county...there is a great store in the hills where we found some great stuff. We were pulling some nice stuff from the racks, so i thought id better ask the owner how much the 45s were "Usually they are $2.00 each but its our 10th anniversary so they are all half price"!

Make sure you go to Alcatraz, its fantastic!

Chris

Went to Frisco bout 4 years ago on travelling around saw lots of vinyl shops Found a lot of shops on a street called height street which is quite long Also found a couple of shops off height street fond stuff like ruby andrews ray pollard

dident venture over the bay to beverly so might b stuff round there happy hunting.

I nearly got in to a fight with a crack head in SF,while I was at there hunting about.

Have a look into Castro,district

Happy hunting,Kev

Great Gospel shop in Oakland, nice guitar shop with basement chock full of tunes in North Beach - was 10 years ago mind...

Thanks NKsouldude, and thank-you Chris. Haight Street seems the place to head for.

There was a piece on Amoeba records broadcast on NPR (National Public Radio) last night. It seems that the recession has led to a glut of people off-loading their old CDs. The SF branch now has a warehouse full of old CDs that they are exporting to their other outlets. Lets hope that they also have a glut of old vinyl.

Pikey's Dog: I think you may have mis-understood (with hilarious consequences)

I nearly got in to a fight with a crack head in SF,while I was at there hunting about.

Have a look into Castro,district

Happy hunting,Kev

The Castro sounds like fun: drugs, street fighting, Harvey Milk. What's not to like?

The Castro sounds like fun: drugs, street fighting, Harvey Milk. What's not to like?

Depends on your sexual preferences - it's the gay district

Try the Mission after dark for drugs and street fighting

Good shop in Lower Haight - Rooky Ricardos - packed full of 45's

Good shop in Lower Haight - Rooky Ricardos - packed full of 45's

Edited May 13, 200916 yr by glynthornhill

Good shop in Lower Haight - Rooky Ricardos - packed full of 45's

was in this shop around four years back . Purchased lots of 45s around 200 - think they were $2 each or 3 for $5.

Shop s opening hours are very hit and miss - but the old lady behind the counter is a character..

loves Walter Jackson tunes - she had his lps up on the wall when I was there, and knows her 60 soul well.However, very underpriced on the 70s

yep there are tons of record shops on Haight street, I stayed in china town when I was there in viewing distance of Coit tower, and there are a couple shops on the hill there... also Golden Gate records is very much worth a visit....

https://www.goldengaterecords.com/

Great town, as you can see from the Avitar, the rock is really worth visiting, fabulous day out.

mal

Thank you for all the responses. I can't wait to get there now. It's a shame that it's just a 3 day "working" visit. Sounds like this will be hardly enough to scratch the surface.

Thank you for all the responses. I can't wait to get there now. It's a shame that it's just a 3 day "working" visit. Sounds like this will be hardly enough to scratch the surface.

sure is a long haul, just for 3 days,... but well worth the visit, and its unlike any other U.S city ( got a European feel to it ),. and as already said " Do Alcatraz, headphone tour"

Definately go to Rooky Ricardos 448 Haight St (between Fillmore and Webster) they are always getting new stock in, although they know prices on the known stuff. Ask to look behind the counter at the slightly more exspensive stuff (from 5 bucks and up) also if Dicks in the store he keeps a "good box" of stuff thats not been sold on the bay.......you may get lucky.

Unfortunatly Glynn the nice old lady behind the counter passed away a couple of years ago.

Amoeba Records is at the other end of Haight St near the park and is also worth a look lots of 45s from a couple of bucks

Theres also an LP shop just accross the road from Rookys (the name of which escapes me) specialising in soul/funk/jazz.

Chris if the shop you mean was in Mill Valley I think its closed now

You can catch the BART(underground) to Berkley (& Oakland) where there is another Amoeba and a shop called Rasputins in the same street, I found the Amoeba shop there was a lot cheaper for LPs than the one in San Fran

Near China town on Green St and Columbus is a store that sells instruments and audio eqiupment that also has a basement full of vinyl, again they're always getting stuff in so you may get lucky.

Good luck

Cheers Paul

not many bombs dropped there so should be safe.. watch out for san andreas fault..... don't want to upset that

Definately go to Rooky Ricardos 448 Haight St (between Fillmore and Webster) they are always getting new stock in, although they know prices on the known stuff. Ask to look behind the counter at the slightly more exspensive stuff (from 5 bucks and up) also if Dicks in the store he keeps a "good box" of stuff thats not been sold on the bay.......you may get lucky.

Unfortunatly Glynn the nice old lady behind the counter passed away a couple of years ago.

Amoeba Records is at the other end of Haight St near the park and is also worth a look lots of 45s from a couple of bucks

Theres also an LP shop just accross the road from Rookys (the name of which escapes me) specialising in soul/funk/jazz.

Chris if the shop you mean was in Mill Valley I think its closed now

You can catch the BART(underground) to Berkley (& Oakland) where there is another Amoeba and a shop called Rasputins in the same street, I found the Amoeba shop there was a lot cheaper for LPs than the one in San Fran

Near China town on Green St and Columbus is a store that sells instruments and audio eqiupment that also has a basement full of vinyl, again they're always getting stuff in so you may get lucky.

Good luck

Cheers Paul

Aw that's such a shame to hear about Glynn. The last time I was there she was playing poker with all the local boys and winning a fortune by the sounds of it. Spent most of her day making tapes for folks for a small price. Bless her.

Make sure you put a full day aside to look round cos it's pretty intense when you start. Rooky's was/is always my favourite record store. So friendly and you can literally sit in there all day and play sides to your heart's content. A bit like an American version of Beatin' Rhythm. Super cheap LP's and I'm sure inflation has taken its toll but it was 3 for $5 on ALL front of shop 45's. A mint Showmen 'Wrong Girl' was in the 'expensive' box at the time for $30.

Also put space in the diary for Saturn records in Oakland because they had one third of the massive Oakland haul years ago. Last time we went we were picking up mad stuff that they'd hardly sorted for $4/5. Not least a signed copy of the Buddy Rich live lp (the Beat Goes On cut) for $5!

There's an amazing LP basement in the Mission though i'd never be able to find it again. Don't go if you're even slightly portly though. To get to the back of the basement past the pillars is a real push for even Victoria Beckham!

Have fun. It's a beautiful place...

M

Whoops sorry to confuse you Matt, the nice old lady wasn"t called Glynn I was clumbsily replying to Glynn Thornhills post.

Love it at Rookys ..............last time I was there (Sept 08) a young guy was working there joined soul source during my trip on here as "jackspratt" if I remember rightly.

Cheers Paul

Edited May 13, 200916 yr by soul shrews

Whoops sorry to confuse you Matt, the nice old lady wasn"t called Glynn I was clumbsily replying to Glynn Thornhills post.

Love it at Rookys ..............last time I was there (Sept 08) a young guy was working there joined soul source during my trip on here as "jackspratt" if I remember rightly.

Cheers Paul

No worries Paul, I always referred to her as 'Mama' like everyone else who came into the shop. Don't think I actually knew her real name!! It could even be Geri? But cheers for clearing that up. Does that mean she's still about? I do hope so...

the nice old lady that worked in rookys was called JERI THOMPSON . she was also the lead singer in a blues band called JERI THOMPSON and the TEXAS TWISTERS.i went to SF a few times in the late 90's early 2000's and always went to see her in rookys for a chat and buy some records.when i was out in SF in 2001 i went and saw them play at the boom boom room on filmore st . so sad to hear that she has passed on, she was a lovely lady and she sure knew her 6ts soul .

Yeah the shop i was refering to was Mill Valley...sadly closed now it seems.

I found my copy of Troy Dodds on El Camino in Rock Ricardos...for $1.00!

Great store, a good place to start, and you will find something in there for sure...

Chris

Big Chris: It's not such a long haul for an ex-pat like me, but living in the midwest (and thus being entertainment starved) I'm sure to check out Alcatraz and any other sights that I can.

Soul Shrew: Thanks for the inside information. It's amazing how many places will have a "little box tucked away" for the right customer isn't it? There was an interesting thread on here a while back with people swapping tips. My favourite was the "KFC and a six-pack" approach.

Matt B: Not sure that I'll be able to go missing for an entire day without anyone noticing, but if I start making finds like Chris A. then it will just have to be done

Again, thank you everyone for some great info. I'm sure that you have saved me days and days of effort trekking around the city.

101 music at grant and green (like the jazz lp cover) has $5 recs in the basement. that is an all weekend adventure. if you have little time this is not the store to go to. however cross the street and go to the $10 location and you will have better LP luck (no 45s).

saturn is closed im pretty sure. i think scott is just selling on ebay now. that huge oakland score is now just mediocre pieces on ebay.

the gospel spot in oakland is closed as well as is most other stores in oakland. not the best place to go dig these days.

golden gate records is an online store that is run by my firefighting pal joe. him and barry wickham used to run it and im not sure if barry is part of it anymore. anyway joe lives way out in marin (cross the GG bridge) and im not sure if he lets folks come over to dig.

amoeba in sf is okay if you get there when they open. the new arrivals and the $1 section are great. plus if you go to the jazz/classical room in the far corner under the cds there is some great oddball/misc LPs that ive gotten great soul out of.

berkeley (on telegraph ave) has amoeba and rasputins. both are worth the time and theres plenty to eat there as well.

groove merchant is always a good stop if you have a few bucks and are looking for quality vinyl.

rookys is great and the owner, dick, is great. hes sure to help you out with anything you like. hes a teen/girl group collector so if you have something in trade he might help you out even more. cheap LPs plus a decent gospel section.

ummm... there are a few flea markets but being there by 6a or so is best. one in SF at the Alemany Flea Market (south side of town right off the 101/280 freeway interchange).

oakland has the Colisseum (where the raiders, a's, golden state warriors) play their sports but weekend stuff is new mexican toy and plastic spinner crap. during the week tue-fri is good. also Laney college has saturday and sunday flea. good for vinyl but lots of buyers.

berkeley has ashby flea at the BART station so its easy to get to. find art at the milk truck and start INSIDE the truck where the new arrivals are.

good luck... if you want some cheapy soul 45/lp stuff give me a shout. i have a few thousand records for sale. have fun!

Wow, thanks JINX74.

I'll be sure to bring my teener swaps down with me. I can't do anything with them locally.

I'm sending you a PM.

Well worth a visit to ole Jinx74es Martin (Hi Justin!!! )

Cheers Paul

Well worth a visit to ole Jinx74es Martin (Hi Justin!!! )

Cheers Paul

Too right, Paul. Did you see how fast I PM'ed him as soon as I read, "cheap soul 45s"

He don't live too far from The Haight either Martin......................hopefully going myself later in the year so ........................leave a few for me will ya?

Cheers Paul

Like pretty much everyone else I found Rooky Ricardo's the best shop and the most friendly. Looks like you've got most of the references you're going to need with limited time, but if you want to check out some photos of many of the shops mentioned:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/seanosullivan...57600068849250/

Have a great time!

Best,

Sean