At Your Service

Blue transistor graphic

UNPARALLELED EXPERIENCE FROM
OUR STORE TO YOUR DOORSTEP.

YOUR VISION, OUR KNOWLEDGE

Relic Music is a concierge music shop – carefully curated for musicians and artists offering a vast selection of both classic and hard to find pieces.  We are a collective of individuals here to provide a personalized experience to everyone by treating people the way they want to be treated and by our unending motivation to be the premier musical instrument shopping experience both in-store and online.

TRUSTED EXPERTS

MICHAEL NICOSIA

OWNER/OPERATOR/LEAD ACCUMULATOR

Michael’s obsession with the world of musical instruments and gear originated the first time he heard an Electro Harmonix Memory Man self-oscillate back in 2002. Although he had owned guitars, amps, and pedals for many years before that, it was that moment that truly made him hooked. He was building his first pedalboard(s) for himself and fellow musicians/friends out of wood before there were options to purchase them readily made. His philosophy was (and is still) if there is something out there that can make one second of one of your songs sound better, then go for it.

That’s one reason he has owned well over 400 pedals throughout the course of his life. He is also very much a self-proclaimed “amp person” (he has only one tattoo…and it’s of a tube). When he was actively playing shows, be it in basements, bars, or clubs, he never put convenience ahead (or equal to) the quality of sound. He currently has several vintage amps and cabs, with his favorite being his trusty 1971 Hiwatt DR103. His infatuation was only furthered and accelerated by collaborating with fellow curious-minded musicians, and delving way deeper than anyone probably should into the world of guitars, amps, and pedals; ultimately leading to decades of experience in the music industry.

It was the day-to-day interactions with these fellow curious (and eventually engrossed) musicians as well as their personal connections that incited Michael’s propensity to unite musicians and sound, consequently leading to the inception of Relic Music. His goal is for Relic to be a place where everyone is welcome, everyone can feel free to ask questions without anxiety, and to be a place where experts and novices alike are treated like friends; and each of their individual questions/needs are met with the same attention to detail that we use on our own journeys. This is the store that Michael has always wanted to shop in.

Someone very close to him once said, “nobody is happier than Mike when one of us gets a new piece of gear”. For Michael it’s not just about selling gear— it’s providing an irreproachable, one-of-a-kind experience for each individual journey unrivaled by all others.

Mike Nicosia profile picture
Matt Ramiz playing guitar

MATTHEW RAMIZ

GEAR NERD & CAT ENTHUSIAST

A self proclaimed gear nerd & cat enthusiast, Matt has 5 years experience working in the industry, and is extremely excited to be a member of the Relic Team. He has been playing guitar for about twelve years & has been a part of the local music scene for a majority of that timeframe. Over those years, he has amassed quite an odd collection of instruments & pedals that come and go in the endless pursuit of tone chasing; and remains interested in anything from defunct attempts to break into the guitar market as well as guitars primarily based out of Japan, Italy, or the US from the 60s/70s. 

In recent years, Matt has noticed a shift and has come to appreciate the care & innovation of the craft from many luthiers dedicated to putting out beautifully built instruments. Primarily you’ll find him wielding an Island Galo or Ovation Breadwinner through a lovely assortment of strange pedals into an old Ampeg V4. Extremely inspired by improv jazz, shoegaze, no-wave, & other experimental styles of music, Matt’s philosophy is the gear we pick as musicians helps to shape our own individual identities, sound and style. He is constantly on the lookout for these new luthiers & pedal builders who are truly pushing the boundaries of what a guitar, amp, or pedal is capable of in a way that is inspiring & promotes creativity in any way possible. He’s hoping to help folks at Relic find the gear that helps with the creative process in the same manner & inspires them to be the most true to themselves musically. Most likely if you start picking his brain you’ll hear some rambling about pedals being the creative colors; and praising brands like Death by Audio, Mid-Fi, Dwarfcraft, & way too many more to list. Regardless, he encourages everyone to come by and chat about gear/guitar history and to plug in some new exciting equipment that could inspire.

MARC TAPPAN

IN-HOUSE LUTHIER

Marc is our in-house luthier and is a true master of his craft. His attention to detail behind the bench and excellent customer service makes him the perfect fit to our team. With his 20+ years of experience behind the bench and on tour for some bands you have definitely heard of, he specializes in repairs and modifications of all shapes and sizes including set ups, fretwork, humidification therapy, restorations, and electronics work.

Man fixing guitar at Relic Music Shop

INTERESTED IN A CUSTOM BUILD?  LET’S TALK!

VIDEOS

RELENTLESSLY UNITING MUSICIAN AND INSTRUMENT, WE ARE A SOCIETY OF SOUND SEEKERS
AND ALWAYS LOVE PUSHING OUR GEAR INTO NEW TERRITORY.
FOLLOW ALONG WITH US ON YOUTUBE OR INSTAGRAM BELOW.