The Folk Shop

[jim stone]

Found this neat place in Tucson. The owner makes whistles and repairs woodwinds
and has a good number of new and used whistles, including some chieftains.
Also a really nice blackwood sweetheart piccolo and a nice de Keyser (sp?)
flute. Swell store, nice people, http://WWW.THEFOLKSHOP.COM

[Doug_Tipple]

I lived in Tucson for many years, so I am aware of The Folk Shop. For a few years I repaired fiddles for them. I would pick up a group of old fiddles that they had bought (over the counter usually), and I would return them repaired, setup, and ready to hang on the wall to sell. Jim, I wasn't aware that Paul, the owner, made whistles, and I don't see them listed on the website. I would be interested in knowing the name of the whistles and a website, if available.

[Denny]

Doug the only mention is at the bottom of
http://www.thefolkshop.com/wind.htm

where it sez:
Miscellaneous Wind Instruments

Recorders, Tin Whistles, Harmonicas, Pan Pipes, Kenas, Kenachos, Bagpipe Chanters, Shakuhachi, Kavals...you get the picture.

[jim stone]

There are two people there now. One is doubtless Paul, but the fellow I talked to about woodwinds is James
and he really knows his stuff, as far as I can tell. Produced a huge basket of whistles, many used,
including low Ds. Lots of interesting stuff, including flutes and piccolos. I haven't seen
any of James's whistles yet. I was too interested in the Sweetheart blackwood piccolo and the
de Keyser. The piccolo is remarkably good. Very musician-friendly store.

Neat you remember it and worked for them, Doug.

[jim stone]

Here's an interesting history of the place (definitely the right spirit):

The Folk Shop has been in business in Tucson, Arizona since 1986. The store was originally founded by B.L. Anderson and was situated in a small, humble location in the 4th Avenue Shopping District (well known for their two annual street fairs and ex-Bohemians-turned capitalists). In 1991, the store was purchased by its current owner, Paul Blumentritt. The next few years brought growth to the business and by the time 1995 was over, we found ourselves in a big, bright, beautiful setting in mid-town, where we currently reside.

We've since been able to disguise the odors of new carpet and fresh paint and replace it with the wonderful aromas of vintage cases, old calfskin heads, and dust bunnies the size of golf balls. We've also managed, quite successfully, to fill the store from top to bottom, and side to side, with just about every imaginable instrument. We pride ourselves on the diversity of vintage and world instruments in stock. Paul's poison is banjos (more than 250, most for sale!) but we are constantly looking for old guitars, mandolins, fiddles and any old musical treasures no matter how eclectic. We travel a lot and have many friends helping us bring these treasures back to Tucson.

We buy; we sell; we love interesting trades and consignments; and most of all, we love talking about music, the instruments, and the people who play them.

[aderyn_du]

I remember The Folk Shop when it was on 4th Ave.! How cool that it is still around... I have fond memories of browsing their store.