On a mobile device? Try our mobile site, optimized for faster browsing.
For those who aren't wiling to make the trek out to Amoeba in Hollywood, this is the perfect place to go. Thanks to Google and a failure to resist the record buying temptation, I stumbled across this place and instantly got hooked. Upon entering, my jaw dropped as I desperately tried to contain my excitement -- I knew that I found a home away from home -- and I could've sworn I heard a chorus of angels singing "aaaah" as a bright light shined down on me from the heavens.
After about 30 minutes of digging, one of the guys asked if I needed some help, so I told him I was mainly browsing for some Soul records. Next thing I know, he pulled out a few boxes that I completely overlooked (they don't have the best organization methods) and ended up finding a ton of gems.
The only downside is a lack of pricing on a lot of the records, so you'll only find out at the time of purchase. I didn't want to look like a cheapskate and put some of them back, so I left having spent more money than expected (which seems to be a common occurrence), but it was well worth it.
Even though I've only been here once for a brief time, it was enough to have me dreaming about my next visit whenever my wallet will allow it. If you're looking for an alternative to Amoeba or Fingerprints, this is the spot! Just make sure to bring cash since they don't accept cards.
i really like this place. Steve is a crack up, and so is the random record-store banter you'll hear while digging in this place. Prices are fair, but condition is sometimes a little suspect. I have found many, many gems here, but you have to be willing to DIG! There is stuff stacked all over the place. Best part is I walk in the door and Steve knows exactly what I look for and will let me know if they have anything new worth checking out. I'm in here a couple times a month. Turnover is pretty high, which is great, so you're not digging through the same junk every week.
Remember, Cash only!
music is one of the other most important things in life besides delicious foods, and there is an abundance of goodies in this place if you are able to spend a nice long day in here going through everything. It's so nice to find a record store here in socal where you can listen before you buy-that's probably the biggest difference between places like these where more random discoveries of hidden gems are made than in someplace like amoeba where you're better off heading in with a list of pre-determined purchases in mind/hand. My only wish is that they move stuff around more because I was trying to get to the one lone blues section on the wall but two rows of records were in my way :( but LOVE this place regardless. I don't know about the cds there but the prices for vinyl are very reasonable and if you're buying a scratched up record (dunno why one would) you can probably get it for much cheaper.
That's the shitty thing about the internet. When you look up The Tornados you don't accidentally bump into Triumvirat's Sparticus.
So yeah, self directed learning and access to information is grand and all but running into some top notch stuff at places like this is what it's about sometimes. It's not like you get stoked when you see a diamond at the jewelry store is it?
My comments won't be adding much to what has already been said.
However, I found exactly what I was looking for here at a very reasonable price.
I was looking for a mint/near mint record of Thelonious Monk to frame above my piano. Vinyl album covers are a lost art. You just don't get that when you purchase digital music online. I've been looking for a Thelonious Monk record this for quite a while. Went to the section for Monk, found exactly what I was looking for. Mint condition. $7. Went home, framed it, put it in the house. Nuff said.
I also was interested in finding the same for Miles Davis, but didn't find that kick-a$$ record I found of Monk.
The owner seriously knows records and is flexible on price.
Also found some great Elton John and Stevie Wonder records here as well.
As stated by fellow Yelpers, LOTS of records, definitely a place for records collectors and place to just go through the boxes and squeal with delight (for those serious music fans that appreciate the great music of yesterday -- 50's, 60's and 70's). Very impressive jazz record selection.
Recommended.
I've always heard of this place yet never took the time to figure out where it was... until one day, minding my own business riding down Third St. and Oh! There it is!
What a neat place. What a SHIT LOAD of records. Seriously, there are records everywhere. Like, don't worry about tripping over that box of records laid precariously on the floor because you would probably just fall safely onto another one. I think it would take me three hours to even look at half of the selection.
Last time I went I hadn't taken my Ritalin, so I confined myself to the 45s and went to it. An hour later I came up with some great finds for mostly $1 each. They weren't in great condition, but there are listening stations so you can make sure your shit doesn't skip.
And no, nobody on staff is winning Ms. Congeniality anytime soon, but if you're as much as a smart ass as I am then you'll have no problem holding your own.
Definitely my new favorite place to waste money.
This is definitely not for the casual music fan. This is a vinyl mecca for major music geeks, like myself. Before you head down to see if they have that CD or rare vinyl gem you've been looking for, you may want to ask yourself the following questions:
Can you spend endless hours looking thru box after box full of records while being constantly bumped into by other record nerds?
Did you enjoy the smell of your grandparent's house?
Can you handle complete chaos, giant clouds of dust, and getting your hands covered in black mystery crud?
Can you maneuver around huge stacks of boxes and handle REALLY cramped, tight spaces?
Do you enjoy listening to grown men drone on and on incessantly about some rare jazz record that nobody bought or gave a rat's ass about when it originally came out?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, you, my friend, are most certainly a major music geek. If you answered yes to ALL, you may want to seek professional help.
Now, if I could just figure out a way to get this black nastiness off my hands...
Don't go there. Really, I don't want you to buy those rare ass records that I have been looking for.
Be prepared to dig and dig through boxes of potential. Sometimes I have come out with nothing and other times the things I have found made it necessary to rush home for a change of undies. Yep.
The only downside is that a lot of stuff isn't priced, but the prices always end up being fair or ridiculously low. Don't go there.
Warning: record snob review commencing. (using "comic book guy" voice)
Bagatelle is one of two record shops in Long Beach. It's your typical neighborhood spot, worth a peek, but don't get your hopes too high. They have a lot of hip-hop 12"s and rock LPs but other sections are a little sparse. In general stock is pretty thin. They don't even have a new arrivals section, which means you need to be in the mood to sort through ALL of an entire genre just to see if anything new came in.
want to correct andrew's way off base review, if nobody else has:
first off: bagatelle is one of at least five record shops in long beach. others include: dyzzy on vinyl, fingerprints, tape and record room, and VIP. read up, dude.
second: there are new arrival bins at bagatelle, admittedly they don't say "NEW ARRIVAL" on them but if you ask any of the employees they'll point you to the giant cardboard boxes filled with totally worthwhile records. all these are new arrival records that have only been sorted by genre, not by name or title.
third: selection is huge. don't expect a perfectly alphabetized collection of records BUT if you have an hour to kill it's completely worth digging through. the two guys have organizing systems that occasionally conflict (IE one would file leonard cohen under folk, the other rock. one would file van dyke parks under "V", the other "P". don't feel afraid to ask!
Say what?! All of a sudden this place got yelped 12 times? I wanted to be the first to review it, but then I thought that I should keep this place a secret. So now that the word is out, yes, this place is the bomb. Dude, I forget his name, is extremely helpful. You'll find a lot of gems for the cost of cubes. I think he said that his shop has been around since the 60's/70's? Looks like he didn't change much of it since then except that he has a small cd section. As I walked out of that place, he mentioned that I should tell my friends cuz he has kids he needs to put in college. I hope he's getting the help he needs now.
Best spot in Long Beach for records. Excellent selection, fair prices, and free shit talking old man service while you shop. It's a little more expensive here than most record stores but the selection blows everybody else out of the water. This is where I go when I have money to spend or decent records to trade
The General descriptions of this place below are perfect so I'll just add my couple points. This place is a vinyl mecca, I really wouldn't waste the time looking for CD's here as you can get them anywhere and you'll need that time to search the stacks. Second, the vinyl jazz selection here is second to none from Blue Note, CTI, Atlantic, they have it or have had it pass through these doors. I have never found a better collection of jazz vinyl than Bagatelle. Finally, you really can't beat the scene in this shop from the secretive nervous records nerds who try to hide what they're buying, the random street person wandering inside, to the vinyl old timers who have been visiting this place for years this is definitely a unique and special place. Make sure and bring cash...
Just ignore this place it's no good. ;)
Where do I begin? For almost 30 years, Bagatelle Records has been supplying vinyl junkies like me with a truly stellar selection of used vinyl (and used CDs) at very (sometimes very VERY) fair prices. But, be prepared to dig. Give yourself a good 2-3 hours of time (minimum) and just treat your experience there like a treasure hunt. There are records EVERYWHERE. I never come here with a game-plan. I just find things that look interesting and listen (yes, they have listening stations). I've found the majority of my gems this way. I've been shopping here for years and this place is like music school to me. The owner, Steve Mintz, may come off as a tiny-bit gruff when you first meet him, but he has a heart of gold, as does his lone employee, the very smart-assed "little" Steve. I could go on at length about this place. I will say this: it's not the most user-friendly spot. It's organized fairly loosely and it's hard to maneuver around the store, but I don't go there expecting a Sam Goody-like experience. I love this place.
As much fun for the people coming in trying to run scams--i.e. trying to unload boxes of water damaged lps from their grandma's basement, trying to flip boosted R&B cds--as for the records. Well, maybe the records are more fun than that. Even though Bagatelle's organization/alphabetization may be "loose," I was impressed that they managed to keep up some semblance of order, despite vinyl covering every square inch of the place. I was also impressed that no matter what artist I thought of (keeping in mind of course to think of artists making music in the vinyl era), they seemed to have something by them and in many cases (Nilsson, for instance) almost complete discographies. My only complaint is that I wish that all the albums that are on the shelf were priced, rather than having them priced at the counter. Almost everything is less than $8, but I don't want to seem like a skinflint and have to put things back once I'm already up there.
if you enjoy digging through boxes and boxes of appropriately priced records to find inexplicably low priced rarities this might be the place for you. if you like overpaying for your records go to Black hole. they'll take care of you.
Long Beach, CA
Category: Music & DVD's
Long Beach, CA
Category: Music & DVD's
Long Beach, CA
Category: Books, Mags, Music and Video
Long Beach, CA
Category: Antiques
Los Angeles, CA
Category: Music & DVD's
Um, yeah, that's pretty much most of them. My…
Loading...
