Behind the Music
BRINGING GUITARS AND MUSIC SUPPLIES TO CHESTER
By Eileen Majors
Interview with Mark McColm, Sierra Wisteria – Chester, CA
Eileen MajorsIf you play music, finding a simple set of guitar strings or a cord for your amp is sometimes a necessity, but not always an easy find in a place like Chester.
“This is not the case anymore,” states Mark McColm, proprietor at Sierra Wisteria in Chester. “We have strings, cords, and supplies, plus amps and instruments as well.” Just then, the phone rang with a question from a guy about buying a mandolin. Word is getting out fast.
There is now a guitar-shaped sign attached to his home furnishing sign, displayed on Main Street, next to the Pine Shack Frosty. Mark says he has sold quite a few guitars already, as well as ukuleles.
Mark first told me about the brand of Luna guitars when we spoke a few months back. I knew he was interested in bringing those in for sale. A long time guitar player himself, Mark really liked the Lunas for their quality and surprising affordability. Many have inlaid art built into the guitar, but the sound and quality were what impressed him most.
The Luna Trinity Series for example, feature a dreadnought style, a parlor and a twelve string. Each top is crafted with a solid Stika spruce top, with their extraordinary knot work sound hole crafted of Rosewood with Mother of Pearl borders. Mahogany back and sides show off these elegant instruments. Luna’s Mother of Pearl logo and signature moon phase fret markers add finishing touches.
He showed me around the store, where many brands of instruments sit on couches and within the settings of their luxurious furniture and accessories, which the store was founded for. In one section, there is a line-up of fine instruments hanging on the wall beside a nice stool for playing. I ask him to show me how it sounds. Mark takes a seat and plays a pretty melody, “Something you wrote?” I ask. Still strumming, Mark indicates yes with a nod and adds, “I just like to play.” Both the music and the sound of the guitar were very nice. With decades of appreciating a family of musicians myself, I enjoyed this interview very much.
He also has models from Dean for sale, “an American company,” he adds. There were other brands also like Martin and Washburn. Mark says he has access to a majority of the top brands. He has Marshall amps in stock and many music supplies, along with his great line-up of instruments including ukuleles and mandolins. He can special-order violins, too. It was easy to tell that music is Mark’s passion, and he was excited about being able to offer pricing on everything that is the same or lower than the ‘big box’ music stores. You can call him or come by and ask him for any specific information, or just to compare prices. There is now more than one reason to shop locally for music instruments and supplies.
My gut feeling is that as more people stop in to check out the music, more will discover the shop’s elegantly comfortable home furnishings, too.
Sierra Wisteria is located at 325 Main Street and you can also reach Mark by phone at (530) 258.4205.