The Nethercutt!

Whatever you’re doing, stop.

Get off your computer, quit playing with your cell phone, and get on your motorcycle. Your destination needs be the Nethercutt. It’s nestled away in an industrial park here in So Cal (in Sylmar, about 30 miles north of Los Angeles) and it’s magnificent.

I’ve been to a lot of museums. None compare to the Nethercutt. It’s that good. I’d like to think I could tell the story well, but hey, I know when I’m outclassed. Listen to Kyle Irwin (the Curator and Master Technician of this incredible place) as he welcomed us on our recent tour just this past weekend…

The Nethercutt has amazing vintage cars (and lots of them, more than 250, actually), trains, musical instruments, and more.   And they’re all stunning. Drop dead gorgeous. Visually arresting. But don’t take my word for it. Take a peek at the photos below. Better yet, go there yourself. Call ahead and tell them you want the ExhaustNotes discount for both the auto collection and the guided tour. Tell them Dajiu sent you. Who knows…you might just get in for free.

You can sign up for a Nethercutt tour if you call ahead (trust me, you need to do this).  The automobile collection is amazing.  The music room is even more so.  The Nethercutt has a fully-restored theatre organ with 5000 pipes, and you don’t just see the organ…you enter it.   What you see below is the console…but it’s only where the guy plays the thing.  The real action is occurring within the walls, surrounding the grand hall in which the organ resides.  In the silent movie days, this would have been a theater, and the music would be all around the people watching the movie.  It must have been a grand time and a grand way to spend an evening.

Here’s what a few of the organ pipes look like behind one of the walls…

There are a lot of musical instruments in the Nethercutt Collection, including a Bosendorfer concert grand piano.  It’s been modified by Mr. Irwin and his team team into a player piano (its plays itself). It’s an incredible treat to see and hear…

The visit to the Nethercutt was one of the best days I’ve ever had. It’s that good.  You need to go.  Seriously.  Get off your computer and visit this place.  We’ll be here when you get back.  I promise.