Even though there are records to find on both sides of the Bosphorus, I will mainly talk about the European side. The reason is quite simple : when I crossed the strait, and set foot on the Asian side, it looked like all the record stores were closed.
On the contrary, I had plenty of time to dig on the European side. You should remember three names : Aslihan Pasaji, Deform and Plakhane.
It's been a few years now that Turkish records are at the top of the list of a lot of diggers. Psychedelic rock and funk are the main quests. This fact helps to understand the prices of records in Istanbul : they are not cheap, but not that expensive either. Actually, it may be a bit lower than what you can find in Western European countries.
Plakhane is run by two guys, who also act as DJ's in Istanbul. I met Dennis, and thanks to him, I had some nice tips on Turkish music. Considering Baris Manco's records are either impossible to found, or extremely expensive (even reissues), Dennis directed me towards other names, especially female vocalists. After an extensive search through all the crates, Dennis let me listen to everything on the central audio set.
But I shouldn't insist so much on Turkish music, as most of the crates are dedicated to other styles, and especially black music, with nice jazz, soul and funk records. Rock is also well represented.
Deform, located in a street next to Plakhane, looks like the twin brother. The staff is younger though. The stock shares the same characteristics as what you can find at Plakhane. They have a turntable to listen to the records. The discount stuff located on the pavement helps you to locate the store. As far as I remember, their yerli (as in "for us" in Turkish, as Dennis told me, meaning Turkish music, including the highly wanted Baris Manço, Erkin Koray and other Turkish prog albums) stock is not as extensive as the one at Plakhane.
Aslihan Pasaji is an indoor alley, kind of a book/old paper/records market, right next to Istiklal Caddessi, in front of the Galatasaray Lisesi main entrance. Many stands are furnished with records. I don't remember seeing names, so it'll be hard to advise one. Anyway, the most famous, thanks to the internet, is managed by two sisters.
Surprisingly, the prices there are quite high. They have great Turkish music, but I just thought it was too much for me, especially for 45's... more and more crate-diggers are shopping in Istanbul, so prices are logically getting higher. sometimes, you must have limits. I remember another stand, with hidden crates (not very interesting though), but the parrot in its cage was disturbing (yeah, diggin is quite religious).
Besides these locations, that sell second-hand records, a few shops sell new vinyls. Mephisto, on Istiklal Caddessi was a nice one, with a few good crates. But you are not likely to find anything you couldn't find elsewhere. At the time I was there, there newest records were the reeditions of Herbie Hancock (right after the web went crazy over the identification of the sample of Mobb Deep's "Shook Ones Pt. 2") and Quincy Jones' albums.
Even if I was unsuccessful on the Asian side of Istanbul, here are a few spots that I regret I couldn't visit. Rainbow 45 is located in the Kadikoy district. When you get off the ferry boat from the European side, take a right, and keep following the main street, along the water, until you see small streets and lots of people ; that should be the Kadikoy market. There, you should find other records stores. But, be thorough, patient, read the signs. In the same area, there's Zoltan. Also, the Akmar Pasaji, on Muhurdar Caddessi, contains several stands, on the same model as the Aslihan Pasaji.
Even if I was unsuccessful on the Asian side of Istanbul, here are a few spots that I regret I couldn't visit. Rainbow 45 is located in the Kadikoy district. When you get off the ferry boat from the European side, take a right, and keep following the main street, along the water, until you see small streets and lots of people ; that should be the Kadikoy market. There, you should find other records stores. But, be thorough, patient, read the signs. In the same area, there's Zoltan. Also, the Akmar Pasaji, on Muhurdar Caddessi, contains several stands, on the same model as the Aslihan Pasaji.
Of course, I'm not the first one to write about Istanbul record stores. You can find interesting information here, here, and here.
Edit : Dust & Grooves posted an interview of a record collector living in Istanbul. Apparently, there's more to come.
Edit 2 : Dust & Grooves posted an interview of a local digger, who, through the years, collected the rarest of Turkish records. Judge by yourself : 3 vintage copies of Baris Manço's "2023" are seating in his apartment.
Edit : Dust & Grooves posted an interview of a record collector living in Istanbul. Apparently, there's more to come.
Edit 2 : Dust & Grooves posted an interview of a local digger, who, through the years, collected the rarest of Turkish records. Judge by yourself : 3 vintage copies of Baris Manço's "2023" are seating in his apartment.
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