History of Strings West

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The Timeline of Strings West Locations 

by owner Larry Briggs

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Our bedroom store. My dad and I surrounded by very early inventory selection inside his house, 1970.  Dad played guitar until his death at age 88 in 2005.  He loved the Carter Family style and full chord finger picking.  I used to tease Shirel Cummins that this was Guitar House of Tulsa County.


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My second location on a lot next to my parents’ home, circa 1973 in Sperry.  One of Dad’s many talents was sign painting.  He painted all the signs you see in this photo. He retired from the Corps of Engineers survey division in 1980, and dealt in used guitars as a hobby.

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Inside my second location in Sperry circa 1973.

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Outside my third location at 12th & Memorial, circa 1975

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Me holding a rare Martin. In front of my shop in 1974.
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Me in front of the shop, 1974.
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Gordon Garrett lettering the 1968 Dodge van

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Inside my third location at 12th & Memorial, 1975

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My fourth location 1133 S. Memorial Drive in Tulsa, 1976

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Connoisseur of classic cars and guitars.  I miss this old 1940 Buick.

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Inside my fourth location at 1133 S. Memorial Drive in Tulsa, 1976.

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My fifth location at 1129 S. Peoria in Tulsa, 1977.

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Inside my fifth location at 1129 S. Peoria in Tulsa, 1977.  I hauled oak planks from an old barn in Twin Oaks, OK,

on a 1936 Chevy truck, 90 miles each way on Labor Day, to do the walls in this neat old house.


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My sixth location at 1305 S. Peoria in Tulsa, 1980.

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Inside 1305 S. Peoria in Tulsa, 1980.

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My seventh location at 301 E. Archer in Tulsa, 1995.

which was a 44,000 ft warehouse near present Driller Stadium.

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Inside my 301 E. Archer location, 1995.

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My eighth (and current) location, in my hometown of Sperry, Oklahoma, 2005.

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Inside my eighth and current location, in my hometown of Sperry, Oklahoma, 2005.

Below are links to our Facebook picture albums with more photos of our locations through the years.  Also see shots from the first national guitar show, held in Dallas in 1978 and Larry’s interviews by media outlets.  Other albums feature photos of former employees and many of our friends.

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Strings West Inside and Out Album #1

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Strings West Inside and Out Album #2

 

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Strings West Magazine Interviews, etc.

 

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Country Day filming at Strings West

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First National Guitar Show Dallas 1978

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Longtime Employee Richard Boerstler

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Larry Thomas, great guitarist and friend