Middle Tennessee is definitely within driving range of the Bay Area.
That said, the Bay Area shows are somewhat under-whelming. Not at all like the shows in Texas. Still, there are pretty things to look at and some deals to be found. Mostly if you're looking for 70's-era Martins and Gibson flat-tops, the occasional 60's Strat or a new-ish Gretsch or Hamer.
I'll be going up and looking around on one of the days, along with my partner and maybe a few old friends. Ya never know whatchamightfind.
(Hell, two years ago, one dealer had an old sort-of Alembic employee bass: vaguely Fender-ish one-piece body, Alembic pups and a primitive home-brew preamp system. I think it may have been Peter Mundy's old DIY beastie. The dealer wanted about $450 for it, which would have been an okay price, but the neck was huge and pretty much unplayable, and the preamp was shot, and I didn't have the money anyway.)
Last year, I almost bought a late-80's Les Paul for $650. Probably should have; it would have saved me a project later this summer, building one for my wife.
Bill - are you going up this year?
