RocaJewelry Music — Local services in Belleville

This place is like finding a treasure chest. As a musician, I like all the musical instruments, and there are many surprising finds. In addition to the usual guitars, band and orchestra instruments, amps, and accessories you find in a music store, they have a large selection of Latin instruments, and even some very exotic and rare instruments. If you're not into music, the front of the store has jewelry, knickknacks, old vinyl records, and everything is really fascinating. It's a great place to shop for gifts, especially if you want something unusual and really special. The owner is great, friendly, and always ready with a joke. He's an experienced musician himself, so don't expect to find a steal among the instruments -- he understands the value of what he has. But you will find good, fair prices, great quality and excellent customer service, he stands behind his products. I've bought a bunch of things there, gotten my watch fixed, and it's one of my favorite places to visit. If you're lucky, you'll walk in when there are visiting musicians from anywhere in the US or Latin America, jamming with the owner -- that's...

This is a sign of the times I suppose. This was once a hub for local musicians to meet, chat and talk shop so to speak. Bill from the legendary Mascara music was head of the guitar store. The other store on the next corner was headed by Stephen Spinosa, one of the nicest people you could ever meet, the store was primarily a drum shop with some keyboards. These mom and pop music stores were the cornerstone of meeting other players, trying out new gear without a pushy 19-year-old kid hovering like a vulture. The store now sells cheap equipment along with (drum roll please) jewelry hahaha, ridiculous. Like Thomas Wolfe said so eloquently...."you can't go home" how true those haunting words ring out...

One Friday I called Spinosa to order ebony tuning pegs for a full-size cello. The guy took my name, said they'd cost $20 (yes, I confirmed: ebony pegs, $20), and they'd be in on Monday, so I told him to hold them until the following Saturday. I got there when they opened, but they opened late. When I got in, the guy there, supposedly another one, contradicted everything: no one had my name written anywhere, no one could have place any order without payment -- "You should know that", he said -- and ebony pegs are not $20. So I told him, "That's not how you do business. YOU should know THAT."

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