Sorry to sound morbid

Hajidub

AK Subscriber
Subscriber
I'm not getting any younger, but lately I've been thinking about creating a will. In this will I've wondered who's going to get my equipment, records, and tapes (reels and cassettes). I have a pretty good idea that my wife will most likely take over the collection, though my oldest brother has been the biggest music influence in my life. I've also thought of leaving instruction's for playing an album. My wife know's how to play a record, but doesn't perform the anti-static brush or check the stylus for bunnies (maybe I'll leave those as a separate print out). Dunno, why all of a sudden I'm thinking of this stuff, you just never know.

Has anyone else thought or laid out steps for vintage audio instruction?
 
Yea and I don't really care what happens to my stuff when I'm dead. My wife does CD's well. What happens if you're both killed in a car wreck. Better get that straightened out other the State will take care of it for you at their pace.
 
Selling most of my stuff when I do the big purge. Keeping one system with very little media. After I'm gone I don't care what happens to anything.
 
Haji, you been listening to Slipknot again?

Slipnot? I'm not 22 and I own shit that's more depressing than that. If I listened to Slipnot I wouldn't have asked.

As far as "who cares when you're dead" comment....I agree, but I don't think the collection wouldn't be used after I'm dead, which is why I inquired.
 
Slipnot? I'm not 22 and I own shit that's more depressing than that. If I listened to Slipnot I wouldn't have asked.

Anything by Celine Dion would qualify in my book !

I have a couple of friends that have been instructed to come take everything that isn't nailed down asap if I expire. I worry more about leaving the dog and cat behind than my gear, tbh.

Back when I was a bachelor, a few of us at work got together and decided to write in a co-workers name in the life insurance beneficiary box. At random. When you're 22 50K seems like a lot of money. Okay, in 1977 dollars it WAS a lot of money. Okay, it's still a lot of money.
 
Well, a will is a great idea for your family. So is a medical directive.

I’m dealing with all this due to an ailing relative who is on the slippery slope of mental and physical decline.

It’s not fun for the caregivers in the family, so the more paperwork you’ve done in advance, the better.
 
You should have your affairs in order.
If you’re worried about the future of your music and equipment you should get your priorities in order.
Exactly. :thumbsup: One needs to worry about inheritance taxes, real estate, and vehicles more than household items imo.
 
With respect to wills, trusts, and estates, that is one of my practice areas. I would certainly see a competent attorney, specializing in setting you up wih a complete package. Such a package will cost in the neighborhood of $4K. This is a bit, but is much less than what it would cost to probate your estate, with or without a will (approx $10K).

You can certainly draw up instructions on what to do with your gear, and how to operate it, but, if concerned, you should begin teaching your bride how to operate everything, and supervise her until she is competent.

Enjoy,
Rich P
 
I'm already downsizing and in 15 years might be all digital with little or no hard media and streaming most of my choices. No tape right now, and I do a record show twice a year, so my goal will be just a single turntable, a preamp pushing one of my two tube amps and a set of bookshelves. The A7s will go at some point,perhaps if/when I move, but could survive me and my family may wind up seling them, but they know the value of them.

Honestly, I'm not a collector and rarely critically listen, so my media is basically a matter of access, not uniqueness, and 90% can be easily replaced via streaming satisfactorily.
As an avid scrounger attending hundreds of estate sales annually, I made my decision years ago to not leave my family piles of detritus to sell, and resolving Keg's estate has only strength my resolve. I'll leave my family a stack of cash,or good experiences bought with it. than piles of old records, receivers, speakers, parts, tools etc. to have to dispose of.
We've already made several trips to the Salvation Army to donate DVDs, kitchen goods, books, Christmas decor, excess furniture, clothing, junk drawer items, and more, and will continue to do so. It's already nicer with less clutter, and will get better as I have declared 2018 The Year of the Purge.
 
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Hey
As stated above, do your survivors a favor and get things squared away before your gone.
My mother had everything transferred on death (tod) no will needed ,no probate. Lots easier, but we still had to deal with her household. Eric
 
I just turned 56, but have had a will and durable power of attorney for at least 10 years. It is not specific down to each item, but my wife understands the value.

They could probably bury me in one of my Clearfield Continental cabinets if I didn't plan to be cremated.
 
Has anyone else thought or laid out steps for vintage audio instruction?

With used records I tend to sticker and mark the price on ones I paid over $10 to separate from most records I get. If I look up a record and find prices, I'll mark the average price with a +.

If it's new records I tend to leave the store sticker price on it, If I look it up later after it's out of print or something, I'll put the new price and date it and say out of print.

Look at marking rarities with callout stickers so someone going through your collection can see dollars fast. This will help them separate the wheat from the chaff and let them know they should sell them differently. While it looks like a daunting task to sell maybe a 1000 records they can pull the gems out, selling individually, and the rest can go to bulk sales.

I also let people in my family know collections I have a lot of money into and that things like records the price can change. Me marking stuff is a indicator and a start for them to look into further.
 
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Here in California, having an estate value over $150K and *just* a will means you go to probate -BAD.

That means, on average $6K-$10K in lawyer fees, and on average a year to get thru probate. Plus all of your personal info is made public.

I don't want to put anyone in my family thru that - so I have a pour over will and a trust. Yes, I used an estate attorney to set up the trust, but upon my demise, there will be no need for probate, my designated beneficiaries get their 'just rewards' quicker without lawyers.

Look into your state's rules/laws - sure you'll be dead and won't care, but your family will thank you for being considerate of their time and stress.
 
anyone who needs to send the vintage to somewhere in the likely event of demise may send it to me, I will take it in willingly with nary a complaint.
 
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