Clockwise from above, Adrian De Mones, 11; Tim Gruber, 8; Ann Tran, 12; and Elizabeth Perley tried out instruments at the new Guitar Center, which opened two weeks ago on the first floor and basement of 25 W. 14th St. The two-story building, with Clay spa on the top floor, formerly housed employment agencies. Billing itself as one of the largest music stores in the world based on showroom size, The Guitar Center is bound to give Sam Ash and Manny’s on 48th St. competition. The Guitar Center features separate departments on the first floor for electric and acoustic guitars, basses, amps, drums and percussion instruments and, on the basement level, keyboards, sound mixing boards and deejay equipment. There’s also an extensive selection of vintage guitars ranging from a few thousand dollars up to $100,000 and customers are allowed to play most of the instruments as long as they are careful with them. With everyone — including a plethora of budding young rockers — trying out guitars, basses and drums, a better name for the store might be the “Decibel Center.” Comic Dan Akroyd reportedly stopped by recently to check out the goods.
