The following is an informational list of music stores and venues in the New York area.

[If you would like to contribute your opinion, please email me. The opinions currently reflect mine and those of anonymous members of the Rockerchick listserv.]

STORES
•30TH ST. GUITARS (236 W. 30th St, NYC)
PRO:
*If you have a problem with your instrument, the man who repairs guitars, Matt, is quite friendly and will explain what is wrong with your guitar/bass and will give you an honest estimate of the time it will take to repair your instrument. Also, he charges fair prices, unlike some people in town who will try to rip you off. Another note on the staff: they will always tell you that Matt will take a few days longer to repair your guitar than he actually does. So always ask to talk with him to get the best estimate.
*30th Street is one of those rare places where service is helpful and non-patronizing. It's the only place I've ever encountered staff giving honest opinions even when it meant lesser profit. Beginners, both male and female, are given the same treatment as seasoned veterans -- and encouraged every step of the way. The employees are all incredibly knowledgable and willing to make countless phonecalls and in-depth searches in order to find that pedal/amp/guitar that will make you, the customer, sound better.
CON:
*The staff in general are unfriendly and unresponsive to females, particularly beginners. A male friend of mine, however, insists that the staff is unfriendly to all beginners regardless of sex. So, obviously this is not the place to go if you are just starting out.
[If you go to 30th Street, ask for Jennie Sparandara.]

•DRUMMER'S WORLD (141 W. 46th St, NYC)
SUCKS. They are rude, expensive, sexist and condescending.
"I haven't been back there in about 2 years, but I've had enough bad experiences there not to want to give them any business again."

•LUDLOW ST. GUITARS (164 Ludlow St, NYC)
Poor service, over-priced

[Response from the management!]
"Have you ever actually BEEN to Ludlow Guitars? The reason I ask is because, as manager of the joint, I take great pride in offering great service to EVERYONE who comes in here, regardless of gender, race, playing ability, sexual preference, religion or body odor. Our prices on strings and some accessories might be a little bit more than Sam Ash, Manny's or Guitar Center, but then we can't order in the same bulk quantities that they can. As for new guitars & amps & vintage gear, our prices range from competitive to unbeatable. Stop by when you're in the neighborhood!"

Check their site.

•MAIN DRAG MUSIC (207 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn)
Super nice, super mellow

•MANNY'S MUSIC (156 W. 48th St, NYC)
Poor service, over-priced, condescending

•MODERN DRUM SHOP (241 W. 30th St, NYC)
They are professional and respectful to anyone who comes into the store, regardless of gender. They're always helpful and knowledgeable and Joe Cusatis (who's written drum books that most people study from) is often manning the counter. Old school drum geeks, they assume that if you come to the store you are their "people" and are happy to share what they know.

•MOJO GUITARS (102 St. Marks Place, NYC)
Friendly, reliable service at reasonable prices, always eager to answer "stupid" questions and to support local chick rockers! [Editor's note: my favorite place to get guitar supplies.] Owned by a woman, but Chris rocks, too. Check their site.

•SAM ASH DRUM STORE (159 W. 48th St, NYC)
The store is okay -- it depends on who's working there. The guys (invariably guys) are pretty helpful and sweet, but it's sometimes hard to get their attention when you need help. No one is snotty or condescending but neither will anyone fall all over himself trying to see if you need help with anything. Nice drum DOODS but don't go in there without at least an inkling of what you need because you can't really be guaranteed an expert opinion.

•SAM ASH GUITARS (155 W. 48th St, NYC)
Poor service, over-priced, condescending


VENUES
•THE CHARLESTON BAR (174 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn)
Awww...the Charleston. Definitely one of the funnest places to play. The ambience makes up for the lack of sound quality (drums aren't miked and the house kit is on its last screws) but the owner will flick lights on and off and shine a laser at you in a makeshift lightshow.

•CBGB (313 Bowery, NYC)
CBGB is a good place for beginning bands to start out, however, it's really difficult to get through on the telephone with them to sign up for the audition showcase (which you have to do months in advance) and the employees are kind of snarky, but the club has a good sound system and you have the bonus of adding onto your resume that you played at CBGBs and once the club owners take a liking to you, they can give you better gigs to play.

•DOWNTIME (251 W. 30th St, NYC)
Great sound, cool venue but heavy on attitude. Definitely worth playing once but spiky music-snob vibe.

•ELBOW ROOM (144 Bleeker St, NYC)
Great stage, great sound but if you're playing on a weeknight (likely in a lineup of at least 5 bands) you feel like stagemeat; lights and house music come up as you hit your last chord. Otherwise great venue.

•L'AMOUR (1545-63rd Street, Brooklyn)
L'Amour is a rock club in Brooklyn that had its heyday 20 years ago when national metal and hard rocks would play there. They expect the supporting bands to sell at least 40 tickets ahead of time (they print out the tickets for you, and you're supposed to sell them yourself, but the band only gets to keep $2 out of a $12 ticket, and you don't get a percentage of the bar nor does the band get credit for bringing people in if they buy tickets at the door). However, if you're a new band and want to get a chance to open up for a headlining band and don't mind hawking lots of tickets to your show ahead of time and getting paid squat for your efforts, then L'Amour is the place for you.

•MANITOBA'S (99 Avenue B, NYC)
Old Handsome Dick is a big fan of chick rockers

•MAXWELL'S (1039 Washington St, Hoboken, NJ)
Great venue, great sound, good bills, free dinners!

•MEOW MIX (269 E. Houston, NYC)
Good sound, nice comfy space but a little bit of East Village "cooler-than-thou" attitude can make it a drag. If you're pierced, tattooed or impervious to condescention or audiences standing with arms crossed, it's a fun place to play.

•MERCURY LOUNGE (217 E. Houston, NYC)
Professional booking and sound, top-quality bills

•ORANGE BEAR (47 Murray St, NYC)
Awww...the Orange Bear. Like your drunken uncle who lets you use his car that breaks down. Very laid back bar with a fun stage, so-so sound (the drums are not miked), earnest but loopy Russian soundman who always asks if he can come jam with you sometime. A great place if you're looking for a first gig or trying out new material plus one of the few places you actually get paid (you get to keep the door).

•SPIRAL (244 E. Houston, NYC)
Pretty good sound, nice crowd, friendly and low-key.


ETC
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Click here for a comprehensive chart detailing recording studios in the New York City area.

•THE FEMALE DRUMERS WORKSHOP (718-486-8147)
Founded by Paula Spiro, the Female Drummers Workshop in Brooklyn was created in 1983 out of the need for female drum set players to be in a music environment which promotes quality drum instruction, playing, and support.
"After playing for 20 years, I started taking lessons with Paula a few months back to sharpen my skills. She has helped me get rid of the bad habits I've developed and get out of a rut I found myself in. Holistic attitude, causal atmosphere, treats the drummer as a whole and not as a pair of sticks. Reasonably priced and she absolutely rocks."

•GUITAR SCHOOL FOR GIRLS (201-659-5172)
Founded and run by Karyn Kuhl (former guitar player for Sexpod), the Guitar School for Girls was created to provide an environment for girls who might not otherwise feel comfortable picking up a "boy's" instrument. Rock on!

•BUDDY BOOKER (212-677-8827)
My bass teacher. Unbelievable. I can't recommend him more highly. Totally reasonable, unintimidating, and especially dedicated to chick rockers. Check out his website.