Guy in the Groove

Guy in the Groove on Cerrillos Road is a well-curated Santa Fe record shop with a long buying and selling history and a strong preference for evaluating records in person. The interview below keeps the owner's answers exactly as given, while the FAQ section preserves a few practical selling details that are still useful on the page.

Interview with Guy in the Groove

Santa Fe is art, tourism, and a real local scene all layered together. How does that mix show up in what people look for?

I get customers from around the U.S. and world. Their interests are as wide as can be and being in an art community doesn't seem to be a factor.

Do visitors and Santa Fe regulars end up buying the same records, or do the two groups dig differently?

See above. No pattern .

What New Mexico or Southwest music do you wish out-of-town collectors would notice?

They notice the genres that interest them...oddities and garage 45s.

Do the collections people bring you carry that old Santa Fe arts-community flavor — records shaped by travel, radio, a certain era of the town?

Many of my "suppliers" have relocated from elsewhere so there's a lot of variety. I have purchased records with my written price tags from my previous store in E. Lansing, Michigan!

When someone wants to sell, what helps you figure out quickly if a collection fits — a list, photos, a phone call?

The best thing is to inspect them in person. Lists rarely tell the whole story...original vs reissue, insert included?, gatefold cover or not, etc.

How much does condition matter for your crowd — audiophile-clean, rare pressings, or good affordable players?

I'm quite particular about condition. That being said, if a title is scarce and sought after, I will note condition and price accordingly. I'm generally underpriced as confirmed by the number of dealers who load up from my stock. I like to keep things moving and make people happy. I often say that I'm not running a museum!

What's the most memorable local collection that's come through?

LPs that had belonged to the producer of the Shindig TV.

How do you keep a shop personal in a city with so many people just passing through?

My shop is a well-curated, modest operation. People appreciate that. I get to meet all my customers and Word-Of-Mouth is the best promotion.

FAQ

What types of records are you interested in?

Having reviewed your list, there are many titles of interest along with others that hold little market value. We see a wide variety each time, and I'm pretty fast at assessing them in person.

Are you willing to make house calls to evaluate collections?

Yes, I'm happy to come to you if you'd like. I do what I refer to as "house calls" quite regularly, but am also happy to discuss other options.

What form of payment do you offer for records?

I pay cash for records.

For more details or to arrange an evaluation, please contact me at 505-699-3332.

Last updated: 2026-07-16