About Us

Who

We are Ludlow Guitars based in the lower east side of Manhattan. We are the premier 'local' guitar store in the city. We carry a unique range of new and hard-to-find guitars and basses and we have the best selection of effects and boutique amplifiers on the island. We have true expert staff, people who play out regularly and who really know their stuff. We have been around since 1999 and are a family owned business.

Where

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Driving - From the FDR drive on the East River or the Westside Highway on the Hudson, take the exit at Houston Street. Ludlow Street is towards the eastern end of Houston and we are one block south of Houston on the east side of the street.

Subway – You can get to us on the F, J and M subway lines. On any of these trains, you can get off at Delancey/Essex. You then walk north on Essex Street two blocks to Stanton Street, turn left onto Stanton, and then go one block to Ludlow. We are the next-but-one store north from the corner of Stanton and Ludlow on the east side of the street. If you are coming south on the F line, you can get out at the 2nd Avenue stop. Exit the platform at the front of the train and walk two blocks east on Houston. Then take a right onto Ludlow Street and we are one block down on the east side of the street.

By Bus – There is no bus that runs down Ludlow Street but there a good number that run close. The 15 Stops a couple of blocks west of us on Allen. The 21 runs along Houston, one block north of us. The 14A runs down Essex Street, one block east of the store. And the 39 runs along Delancey, a couple of blocks south of us.

When

Our store hours are:

1:00pm to 8:00pm Mondays to Fridays

12:00pm to 8:00pm on Saturdays

1:00pm to 5:00pm on Sundays

Why

Although we are just a local store, we compete on price with all the major vendors. You should not find a lower advertised price anywhere else. But beyond this, we will allow you to try out any of the gear that we have (aside from harmonicas and kazoos, etc.) and work through until you find the sound that you are looking for. Our sales stuff all play in local bands and they know the gear. They will be able to help you find what you are looking for because they have played the stuff. We know how things sound in combination and how to get the best out of individual bits of kit. Let us help you get the most bang for your buck.

Policies

We don’t really have much in the way of formal policies.

Staff

Jim Kimball – Manager

Jim Kimball. was born March 6th 1973 in Salt Lake City Utah and grew up in Park City Utah. His interests are family, friends, music and BMX. In Utah he was involved in the local music scene working at Raunch Records, Cashmere Booking Agency and he operated a small record label called Ear To Ground Records. Jim moved to NYC in 1997 with Jeff Johnson to pursue music on the east coast. He started working at Ludlow Guitars in 2000. Since then he has made records and/or toured with the following artists: The Stella Brass, The New Rising Sons, J. Majesty, Geometry, The Birdwatcher, Retisonic, Cub Country, and the mighty Rig 1.

Jim is our resident bass player and runs the store on a day-to-day basis. His dedication is such that he is available to answer any question you may have a about the store and its products 24/7. Just ask for his personal cell number when you come into the store.

Kaan Howell

Kaan Howell, lord of all he surveys, was born in England but grew up in the heart of New York City. He has been playing music for about six years though only in the last few years has it become a real passion. He has been an integral part of Ludlow Guitars for nearly four years. During that period he took some time out working at the boutique effects pedal company Death By Audio where he learnt to build effects and developed a love for sound effects for guitar. He had originally started out as a bass player but has recovered almost completely and is now a fully fledged guitarist playing in the band Trouble & Strife. He is an Arsenal supporter. This barely affects his work other than not being able to help Chelsea fans - and he can have a bit of trouble with Spurs supporters. We hope they don’t take it personally.

Kaan is our resident Tele and Les Paul expert with an extensive knowledge of effects pedals and rubbing people the wrong way.

Robert Stewart

Robert Francis Stewart was born and raised in upstate New York. After studying art at Bard and Purchase Colleges, he made his way downstate to New York City. He has held such diverse jobs as farm hand, little league baseball umpire, construction worker, gallery assistant and art handler. His musical life began as a drummer, playing in a number of upstate punk bands, but soon his attention was captured by the guitar following his desire for a more prominent position in the band. He has played in such groups as the N.Y. Wrecks and Class, Doppelganger & Prospector. His interests include vinyl, kitsch and the N.Y. Yankees.

Rob is our resident lefty and manages photography for the web site and all our eBay transactions.

J. E. Smith

J. E. Smith is a professional luthier with 20 years experience building, repairing and restoring guitars basses and related stringed instruments. He is also a conservator of fine art objects and rare period furniture pieces. His education and background in the industrial arts includes all aspects of wood metal and plastics fabrication as well as electronics and industrial design. His client list has included several major guitar manufacturers and an impressive list of celebrated musicians and actors.

Coming from a family of engineers who were also musicians, J. E. Smith always had a vast array of materials and tools at his disposal and began his foray into experimental guitar building at an early age. By middle school he was building playable instruments with the help of his father and the school shop teachers. He has also been playing music since early childhood, starting as a pianist and switching his focus later to the guitar. Since then he has built over 200 guitars and basses from materials as diverse as wood, aluminum and carbon fiber.

Check out the Ludlow Guitars bass that was designed in-house and which J. E. Smith built from scratch. He is truly a repair master. If it is possible for something to be fixed then Mr. J. E. Smith can do it.