SJRS News

02/04/2011

In Pursuit of Better

We had an excellent holiday season and were fortunate enough to spend the end of another year with close family and friends.  2010 was definitely challenging, but in retrospect, we learned and advanced more in those 12 months than we ever had before.  SJRS found a home, The Metropolitain expanded studio room counts, we introduced our first 'finished' line of pickups and preamps, we started South Bay Music Collective and began organizing several events each month in downtown.  A personal accomplishment of bringing Jana on full time was realized.  There are many things to be grateful for.  Nothing has been accomplished without the ongoing support from you.  You've proved that music is important... again.  You've proved that the people that make music are important.  Thank you for your passion, feedback and support.  Not just to us.  When you play your own music, encourage another to play music, introduce your children to music or go to events and live shows, you carrying on an age old tradition that makes the world not suck so much.

Over the last year, I've rolled up my sleeves and gotten into one project after another; some successes, some failures.  As the shop has grown and become more efficient in making its little goodies for musicians all over the Bay Area and beyond, I've still felt like I was 13 with a soldering iron and no clue as to what was about to happen.  I've realized the feeling had more to do with the fact that the shop was very organic and 'old school' in regard to tooling and layout.  Well we're changing that.  SJRS is spending the first quarter of 2011 cleaning house and upgrading hardware to maximize efficiency  in every part of our design and repair operations.  This means faster turnaround times for repairs and better, brand new products.  Speaking of which...

This spring we'll release our second line of guitar and bass pickups.  The Hostile series of pickups are available for most guitars and basses and are high output monsters dedicated to really, really pissing people off who don't like loud guitars! Before Spring we intend to formally release our analog reverb box which comes HUMONGOUS just like they used to.  You can actually test it out along with our Moskow Sludge Fuzz pedal with germanium 'weel wussian twansiters' from the late 60's deep, ..deep inside.  This summer we announce a defining moment in what we do and what we are capable of.  In the winter, we'll do it again.  2011 sounds pretty, pret-------ty full, but we have tons more to do!  For now, you should consider coming to our Grand Opening Feb. 20th @ 3pm at SJRS headquarters.  There'll be Vultures Await, Beerijuana, Beer, Ijuana, BBQ, Friends, seating, Mr. Tee's, and me!  This is also a great opportunity to come and meet with other like minded individuals you may not have have met yet.  Join us and celebrate!  Until then...

 12/22/2010

Happy Holidays!

We're settling in to our new location in Downtown San Jose and have enjoyed a warm welcome from the community!  We share our location with Mr. Tee's Screenprinting which offers a wide selection of printing services and promotions highly beneficial to local bands and artists!  Contact Ryan or Matt for more information and special offers.  

We have established South Bay Music Collective.  Since its launch only a few weeks ago, we already have 354 members as of the writing of this update!  This simply shows that there are some that are concerned and interested in progressing the local music community and creating a better network to communicate within.  The goal of the collective is to identify members that are like minded and are willing to give of themselves through time and communication with one another to solicit availability for playing shows and shows that are available to additional players.  The only real rule, aside from the 'golden rule' is that participating members must attend shows they participate in in their entirety.  Whether opening or closing an event, members will attend and socialize with the public, other bands and acts, service staff, managers of venues etc.  This rule only creates additional opportunities and provides goodwill for individual efforts.  There are also links to local independent businesses that are offering promotions for members only.  Visit the site today, sign up, and be apart of change for the better within our budding music scene.

SJRS is now providing a education course for beginning guitar lessons!  The course spans six months with 26 thirty minute lessons that are designed to advance beginners rapidly and foster a desire to continue to learn their craft.  The program includes a guitar pack, 26 lessons, a binder that is populated after each lesson with materials designed for reference and additional study guides and a certificate at completion of the course that outlines what the student has covered and what areas they excel and and/or need to focus in.  The sessions are held at our 4th St. location and at least one lesson is supplemented with a live drummer for the student get their 'feet wet' playing with another musician.  We are very excited about this program and will continue to find ways to bring music to the public in  positive and valuable ways!  For more information about our study program click here. 

10/28/2010

SJRS has now relocated from the garage to 1585 N 4th St #R1 San Jose, Ca  95112.  This professional facility provides for additional space as well as power requirements and that have hindered both repair turnaround times and production line needs.  Speaking of production, we'll be rolling out Black Fire Pickups this year as well.   Our first model is The Heritage Series that is almost a full line of pickups that are conducive to nearly every production body style on the market.  These pickups are 100% handmade and right here in San Jose, CA USA ta-boot! Look for them in the coming weeks and months on our website at our shop and in fine quality music stores all around the San Francisco Bay Area and Central Coast.  

08/29/2010

This month was preparation for things to come.  Next month we have a new Guys Baseball T shirt we'll be releasing as well as a very special custom made guitar.  We have raised prices in our pro shop to stay up with demand.  Michael Rowan is now doing guitar setups for SJRS and will also start teaching guitar lessons at a time TBD.  We have discontinued the Dio windbreaker but will have a windbreaker that is similar, available in October.  We are sold out of our girl hoodies that Jana designed!  We are making more, so please be patient!  Thanks for your ongoing support! 

07/06/2010

SJRS is now housed at its address of 1587 Burrell Ct in San Jose.  This is a home address as we have modified the garage to host SJRS until further notice.  This location allows for pick up and drop off of instruments and gear for repair.  SJRS and Band merch are also available for purchase meaning you can come by during the day, anytime and pick up one of our shirts, hoodies, undies, jackets or equipment any day of the week at your convenience.   We also will have products from our Music Makers Exchange website available for purchase as well.  This location is essentially open to the public Monday through Sunday from 11a - 6p or by appointment.  Make a note of our location and feel free to come by as we're still setting things up.  Support us as we strive support South Bay musicians and local motive. 

06/21/2010

San Jose Rock Shop has been in an on going tug of war with landlords, municipalities and down right shady characters over the last year and half on many topics, but one in particular is whether or not it can operate in a facility with all of the different services we want to provide.  Our business has been realized and validated through our sister company in Palo Alto, CA for being a friendly, clean and safe environment for fostering music makers and providing multiple services they want and cannot find anywhere else.  The business model has provided jobs and created a community within a community for all things music shared by 34 bands consisting of over 120 musicians.  San Jose Rock Shop aims to take this model developed in August of 2008 and amplify it many fold by providing production services, quality brand name products, lessons, workshops, band camps, unique hourly rehearsal options, live events open for all ages, and much more.  San Jose is a fantastic city filled with culture and incredible talent.  We want to change the perceptions that have riddled the city's fight with itself as to who it is and allow music listeners' and players to decide for themselves as to what they like and want.  Music and culture is alive and well under the city's lights, but it isn't given the same rights as developers and others in the 'if we build it, they will come' category.  We are working actively to resolve the issues of getting settled in a new location and defined a time line to achieve that goal for the rest of the year.   Juggling of resources to when opportunity presents itself is still something we aim to perfect.  This year will definitely include at least one live event and several sightings at local and charitable events. 

For those that didn't know, Greg Brodick had partnered with San Jose Rock Shop early this year, but had to leave the partnership due to necessities beyond anyone's control.  We miss Greg and anxiously look forward to a day when we can pick up where we left off. 

This year we have opened a e-commerce division of SJRS entitled 'Music Maker's Exchange'.  The site is available to musicians interested in purchasing volume levels of music instrument accessories and necessities and a large discount.  Music Maker's Exchange carries the entire line up from DR Strings, D'addario, Evan's Drum Heads and Accessories, Rico, Strukture Cabling, Reunion Blues, Rock N' Roller and many more brands.  There are only a few items listed on the actual site due to content restrictions, but we aim to expand what is featured as well as create heightened awareness, as the products available are at a tremendous discount and truly benefit professional musicians.