Sol Betnun Music was at the center of the Hollywood music scene from the 1960’s to the ‘90’s. Rock and Roll was evolving and morphing like crazy, from Chuck Berry to the Beach boys to the Beatles and beyond. Helping fuel the revolution was a new breed of music store. Not the old formal music stores where salesmen wore suits. The new stores were funky places, selling both new and used instruments particularly electric guitars and amplifiers. They were part music store, part pawn shop and part hangout.
Sol, Lil and their family bought and sold new and used guitars, amplifiers, keyboards, saxophones and whatever at Betnun Music in an old house on N. Larchmont in Hollywood. Their customers were the likes of Neil Young, Tom Petty, Eddie Van Halen and countless famous musicians along with many up-and-comers. It was always a crazy experience whether you were buying or selling “old gold” as Sol use to call used instruments. This website is a remembrance of that time and the contribution Betnun Music made to Rock and Roll.
Share your experiences at Sol’s by leaving a comment below (at the very bottom). Don’t forget to upload pictures of the gear you bought there. Be sure to read other people’s stories in the comments.
A Short History of Betnun Music
Partial list of musicians who frequented Betnun music
An Appreciation by Wolf Marshall
Around 1978 my bandmates and I went to LA looking for gear. We did the usual, Guitar Center, other places. Betnun’s was my favorite. As we walked in, Jeff Baxter was sitting on the front porch playing several different guitars. I wanted to purchase the cheapest guitar that they had, so that I could throw it around, ala Pete Townshend, on stage during our final song (the Time Warp). Sol showed me an old Thrifty guitar in the bathroom with a loose neck. It was $20, and an immediate buy. I fixed it up with safety tape and a chain for a strap. It used to have a couple small vise gripes on the tuners. Very nice for the chaotic ending of our set.
I Loved Sol and Lil, Mel too, but not as much as Sol. They were the best. I bought damn near all of my stuff from Sol. We would hang out and he even had a picture of my band hanging on the wall in the ‘dining room’. I still even have all of my receipts Sol Betnun and Betnun Music.
Check it out: https://www.sessiondays.com/2023/04/matt-bragg/
Sol was always proud to tell his loyal customers:
We have the lowest prices, and the highest salesmen!
If you’d jam with Sol out of his fake book of jazz standards, that would almost always guarantee you a purchase price that was tax included, out the door!
I can still hear Sol, tooting his Selmer sax while walking around the store, telling everyone within earshot:
I’m not here to work…I’m here to jam!
and
We’re big! Very Big! Bigger than Big!
I’ll never forget the Betnuns.
I bought a Gibson EB-3 from Sol in 1968. Short scale. I should have taken Sol’s advice and bought the ’62 Fender Precision instead for $25 less…..
My band mates and I went to Betnun’s music in the late’60s just to look around. The one thing I remember was a sign in front of the house “NO SMOKING. VERY ALLERGIC.” We ended coming back a few more times. I did later buy a beautiful Gretsch drum set from Sol. Best prices anywhere. Though our band was not very good, and that we all went our separate ways, I kept the set. Later when I was shipped out in the military, I stored the set in my parent’s basement. While I was gone, the basement was flooded and the Gretsch set was ruined! All I can say is “THANK YOU SOL!”
I moved to California from Toronto in late 73. In late 74 I moved to Hollywood and was immediately caught up in the rather vibrant “music scene”. I worked for a short time at Studio Instrument Rentals rehearsal studios on Santa Monica as I live a block away. I had spent a lot of time in my early teens going from my home in Connecticut to the music stores and pawnshops in Manhattan.
57 Strats were $875 which seemed crazy high priced. I discovered Sol’s store by accident driving past it one day. I was in Heaven!!! I bought a Twin Reverb from him and later a non reverse Firebird with 3 P-90s. He was always so friendly and patient and had any model guitar or bass you ever dreamed of. His store reminded me of one of the first music stores I went to in Connecticut: guitars packed to the gills and hanging from the ceiling. And always a deal to be made. Thanks for the wonderful memories and Sol’s dedication to our passion for cool instruments !!!
Guitar legend Mike Landau just did a video showing his new signature Fender Strat he calls “Coma” – In this video he mentions buying that 1959 Strat at Sol Betnun’s music store on Larchmont in Hollywood……a very historical guitar he played on tons of sessions and live shows since he bought in 1974…….
My dad took me to Sol’s in the early 70’s. Sol sold me, well actually my dad, a Martin “The Martin” tenor, that I still have today. I will never let it go. Just keep getting it controlled and it has a wonderful sound. I will always remember the “Drawer O’ Mouthpieces!” You could go in there and noodle around with various mouthpieces and find a cut you liked. I continued going to Mel’s when turned it over to him. The Larchmont location was wonderful, but Mel’s also had a wonderful feel.
Someone in a band I was in turned me on to Betnun’s in the very early 1980’s. I rehearsed in the Fairfax area, so I made the rounds of the guitar shops on the way to or from. One of the instruments on my bucket list was a Gibson Thunderbird bass, since I saw one in UFO, the Runaways, and pre-Crue London. Couldn’t believe my luck when I saw a white one hanging in Betnun, about my 2nd or 3rd visit. It was a Bicentennial model. I immediately put it on Lay Away. Fantastic price, too. Turns out the first owner bought it new there, and later traded it in.
About a year later, a guy in the Recycler wouldn’t sell me the old Gibson SG 3PU that he had listed, because “you aren’t a guitar player”. Dejected, I paid Betnun a visit ASAP, and they had a ’77 black beauty Les Paul Custom with 3PUs. About the same price as that guy’s SG. Betnun didn’t judge me thankfully, and I left there a happy customer!
Love reading all these stories. I spent more $$$ at Betnun’s than elsewhere in L.A….!
Back in 1977 I was looking to purchase a Flying V. Went to Guitar Center on Sunset they said they could get me an Ibanez 2387. Well Guitar Center failed.
I told my friend “Let’s go to Betnun’s. They have 2387 Rocket Roll Senior”. Sure enough that day I walked out of that store with it, $400 dollars poorer. They didn’t have a case in for it that day so I had Lil order me one.
I loved Betnun’s Great selection of guitars they there, and were fairly priced. They even had an old Musicraft Messenger (like Mark Farner used to play.
To this day I still own that Ibby. It was my main stage guitar when we played Hollywood in the early 80s.
Must’a been 1973 when I drove down from Lancaster and popped into Betnun’s looking for a pedal steel guit’. I got the bug after seeing Garcia playing w/ New Riders. What do you know? He happened to have a Showbud for what I remember was $250’ish. Thanks to him for having one which parlayed into a career in music playing steel. And then eventually starting an amp business building exclusively for the steel market; “Stereo Steel Amplifiers”. Memories of the 60’s/70’s and Sol Betnun’s music. Fun times.
I loved going to Sol Betnun’s shop/house in the mid sixties. I bought and traded instruments with him and it seemed like he was often more interested in just doing anything with me, whether he made money or not. He traded me a 62 Jazz bass for a semi-hollow Epiphone bass, no money changed hands. One time I was visiting around 9PM; I’m amazed he let us in. We were there for a half an hour or so, when the closet flew open and his two sons came rolling out! They had been in the closet the whole time, probably shooed in when we got there so Mr Betnun could do business.
Was your faithful customer since the early days of the ‘70. What a place, Sol’s shop was like a play room for musicians mostly young musicians. You can pull anything off the wall and give it a whirl and on your lucky day Sol will get his clarinet out and jammed with you. I bought and traded so many great guitars and amps at Sol’s. Attached is a photo of me with a late 60s Gold top Gibson Les Paul. Wish I still have the guitar today.
Neil Young bought his VERY famous Fender tweed Deluxe amp here in 1967. That amp is on every album and concert he’s played since the 70s, and he says he has 10 spare ones, but none sound like that original. Possibly the most-important sale of the shop…
When I was 16 years old, my Mom and older Brother took me to Betnun’s Music Store. I was getting all new gear and Sol was right there advising me all the way. I asked him why the new Black Stratocasters were $525.00 and yet the old beat up white one was $600.00…? He said, “Son, this is an original pre CBS L series Strat. Even though the saddles were rusting and the nut needed replacing, it did sound better…way better. I have that Guitar to this very day.
I Love You Sol! Thanks for all The Sax’s. One time Sol sold me a Sax that use to be David Sanborns – it was Silver. I bought lots of Sax’s since 1977, I was only 17 at The Time Now I am 61 living in the Sacramento area I have a brand new Copper Alto now. Still Rockin Champ !!
I started playing saxophone in 1956. I got a Conn C-soprano from Sol Betnun. At the time, he was a well-known band instrument seller in LA. It came with a Conn hard-rubber mouthpiece, which I later concluded was for a C-soprano. I played that mouthpiece for several years, even after trading the C for a Bb Conn soprano. It is long gone.
I bought a Standel Super Imperial XV Model SI15RA Signature Series in 1966 at Sol Betnun’s in Hollywood. CA. In the late 70’s I sold it to another bass player and then bought it back a few years later. This amp is loud! 140 watts, old school germanium transistors. Super loud and SUPER CLEAN! I never turned it up in clubs over what would be a 3 on a scale of 1-10
I treasure my memory of Sol Betnun Music. Sometime before 1972, a friend told me about a great music store that he found. He drove me to Sol Betnun Music. Hanging on the wall was a cherry red USA Epiphone Wilshire, serial number 30603. Being a Steve Marriot fan, I had to have it. I scraped together $200 and bought the guitar and original case. It was like new and I played it through college. Attached is the only picture I have of the guitar.
I bought my 63 SG Jr around 1980 from Mel at Betnun’s. The store had such a good feel to it- less like a store, it felt more like being in someone’s house. When the Gibson Moderne was reissued 1982/83
I’ll never forget picking it up on Halloween day 1983. Such great memories.
Fond Memories
The other day I picked up my old Martin D-28 and remembered the day I bought it a very long time ago (over thirty-two years ago!). I had forgotten the name of the store (age does that) but the memories of me picking it up for the first time and playing it in the “old house” on Larchmont flooded back to me. In the case was a small yellow receipt that said “Betnun Music”. How I loved visiting that place! I was in the studio business then (Baby’O Recorders) and then founded Matchless Amplifier Company, now I own Royer Labs. It was So unlike to music gear buying experiences of today. All thanks to a love of music and great places like Betnun Music.
Thank you and we miss you!
Best Regards,
Rick Perrotta
I bought a 1960’s Selmer Bass Clarinet from Sol Betnun Music here in Hollywood. The original receipt dated 1964 is still in the case. The Clarinet was previously owned by noted player Edmund Chassman who played with the Boston and Philadelphia Orchestras. It was in perfect shape with good cork and nicely working adjustable sleeve.
Subject: my es 335, Ampeg rocket in 1974. still have em.
In 1974, I finally rounded up the $$ and went over to Sol’s on Larchmont. I chose the ES335 TD sunburst over a red one, picked an old beat up case, an Ampeg rocket w/ 12″ speaker. squeezed it all in my VW bug. have em all still. burglars did not see it one time. what pickups. bass setting is like honey. drives the Maestro fuzztone real hot. but does any style. still amazing. great action. now I am 70 and it sits for almost 40 years, maybe time to pass along to enjoy for someone else. Never forget that store. It felt so cool to snake around in there and see a surprise at every turn. what a diff compared to GC; too cool for me. I would take Betnuns anytime.
Subject: Good Memories at Sol’s
My childhood sweetheart Randy (Rhoads) and I would go down to Sol’s as often as possible. Never knew what you’d find – I think I got my Dan Armstrong bass from there. Good memories.
Making my way to Sol’s
I grew up in the San Fernando Valley in Sherman Oaks . I started playing guitar in be 1962 when my parents got me a 3/4 size Marco Polo nylon string guitar . After about a year I acquired a full size classical guitar . At this time I didn’t even know that electric guitars existed . That all changed on the night of February 9 , 1964 when this band from England played on the Ed Sullivan Show . I remember that Ed was saying something about them and then swung his stiff body and outstretched left arm to the left and yelled out ” The Beatles !”. These guys just looked so cool ! They weren’t doing any of those goofy dance steps that so many bands did back then AND they sounded different …. They sounded really good ! And the girls were going nuts ! I thought to myself , ” I have got to do this ! What a great way to make a living !”. I then learned about electric guitars and basses and that you used an amplifier along with them . There were two music stores in my area , Baxter Northup and Gordon’s Music Center . The very first Gibson Les Paul that I hesitated on buying and missed it by 5 minutes after it had been sitting in Gordon’s Music Center for about a month and a half , was this beautifully faded 1959 Sunburst Les Paul for $ 350.00 . I could have traded my violin shaped Orlando electric guitar along with $200.00 but I hesitated …. Woke up one Saturday morning and had this feeling that I need to go down and get that guitar . I ran down as fast as I could but was 5 minutes too late . That one haunted me for years . Anyway , I was learning about the guitars that Fender, Gibson , Gretsch, Rickenbacker, Martin and more had been making and that the one’s made during the 1950’s up until the mid 1960’s were the ones to try and find . I was talking with a good friend one day and about the different shops that I knew about and my friend asked me if I knew about Sol Betnun Music in Hollywood and told him that I hadn’t even heard of it . He said “It’s this really bitchin store that is run out of this old house! “. That sounded really cool … So the next day I took a bus to Highland and Hollywood Blvd. I then walked down to Vine and hung a left turn and walked down to Larchmont where Sol’s store was located . You walked through the front door and there was a room filled with guitars to your right First one that caught my eye was a ’57 two tone maple neck Strat in it’s original case for $ 250.00. A few Les Paul’s and some Teles, couple more Strats … I ended up buying a ’62 SG Les Paul Jr. for $ 125.00 I believe …. Later purchases were a 1956 Tele , ’56 Les Paul Standard, 1959 ES 330 blond finish ….. Sheesh ! And a really nice guy who worked there by the name of Chris who I believe went to work for Roland. Great person ! Sol and Lil were always so pleasant and accommodating . They always remembered my name and would greet me with a smile. One time when I was there Chris showed me a Marshall Blues Breaker combo just like the one Clapton had used for the Mayall Bluesbreaker ‘Beano ‘ album. Great shop with a lot of fun memories. I’m very glad that I got turned onto those guitars back then before they went into the stratosphere price wise. Funny , I remember when the Sunburst Les Paul’s went above $ 1,000.00 it just seemed crazy ! Little did we know ….
Tonight Sunday April 19 2020 at around 10:45 p.m. – I found my friend of long ago tenor sax player + Betnun Music store owner SOL BETNUN listed on a website called familytreenow.com – I noticed that he had passed away back on Wednesday April 24, 1991 which was the night that I was playing at an open mic night at the Coven Cafe in Nyack, New York – And I am glad that I did because I met a drummer named Billy Rankin there who was interested in my singing and guitar playing and when he overheard the owner Vivian Chek ask me if I had a band she could hire to play her club he budded in and said yes he does ! Wow what timing magic ! So within days I got together with Billy Rankin’s band the Motorvators who had recently lost their lead singer because his throat was in bad shape – and started to do shows at the Coven Cafe as well as other local Rockland County, New York area clubs and even down in New York City – I really want to tell everyone that I know that magically – SOL BETNUN’s spirit got me that connection – I am excited to feel HIS magical spirit even though it is many years later that I found out the connection ! – And with that tonight Sunday April 19 2020 I called Sol Betnun’s son Mel Betnun on the telephone at his home – I found him to be very cordial – and I asked if he remembered me at all – He said he certainly did and recalled all the times his dad and I jammed right there in the store – We agreed on us speaking again in the week about good times at his father Sol’s shop Betnun Music, 403 North Larchmont, Hollywood, California
Sol Betnun’s was a great used gear place in L.A. – You won’t believe, I picked up, a Marshall FULL DOUBLE STACK for 650 bucks, that’s right, the bottom 4×12″ non-slant cab as well as the top slant cab. He got them from a pro amp rental company that went out of business, and they were in primo condition! And he gave me $250 trade-in for my Fender Super Reverb against that $650. That should give you a clue about the catch (only $250 for a like-new condition Super Reverb): It was 1971! (but still that was a very good deal!) Yep, I’ve had the Plexi half-stack since then. I eventually sold the bottom cab, along with a later model broken 100 watt Marshall head that I bought cheap and fixed, for a good price that more than covered the initial $650. 2 of those big cabs was just too much to haul around, and I don’t need that kind of speaker power. The half-stack is a very loud amp as it is. For a variety of distortions (and clean), and stereo fx, I use a programmable pre-amp, midi controlled, into the Marshall (and another of several amps for true stereo).
I started going to Sol’s in the early days, to the place on Larchmont near Melrose before he moved to 403 N. Larchmont. This was 65’ or 66’. Les Paul guitars were just starting to become a “thing”. He has just gotten a Gold Top in trade and was looking to turn it around quickly. I didn’t quite know what it was, but I bought it anyway for $50!! That was cheap even for then. It was a great guitar, but as musicians do, I traded it for something else a year or two later. Here is a picture. What would it be worth now!! Sol’s was a one of a kind place, that’s for sure.