Vintage audio slowly showing up less and less in vintage retail shops.

[chef free]

Back in the 80's lots of "Americana" was being shipped to Japan. Japan was having their economic boom and obsessed over the USA. I bought my second '59 Impala for $700 in '83, by '85 I paid $900 for a rear quarter panel!

 

[Alobar]

business is booming right now. but as I have said before...everyone restoring and selling to the west coast, via ebay or what have you...its all heading to long beach, being loaded into containers and sent to china. it will never be back

Not my stuff! China will have to invade...

 

[SoCal Sam]

One of yours I presume.Care to elaborate?

I'll leave that to the next keeper. All I can say is it will not be crossing any oceans.

 

[Imanoldee]

I should have my wife read this thread.
Then she might believe me when I say all the gear I am buying will pay for itself and then some.

 

[Hitachi561]

Last few times I've checked out local shops the "classic" inventory is getting real slim........always been "some" choices there. (Still some good stuff but tends to be more modern.)

Our hobbies better inventory is getting into stronger hands it seems.

Back in mid-late 90s into early 2000 when surround sound came to vogue, owners were giving there "original" systems to the Goodwill type stores. I was buying Onkyo A-8s and 10s with matching tuners $35-$50 (for example), speakers and subwoofers for $15-25, which I overhauled and constructed stands if necessary. I was then selling the aforementioned amps $150-200 with speakers, stands, cables, sources...full systems $300 -$500. Today, those Onkyos are selling $$$. Could send a kid to college if I held onto it all and sold it today vs. what I got back then. Those days are gone forever. It was fun while it lasted.

After the people got surrounded, the number or vintage appearing at the classic depositories steadily declined to the point we see today. The used is just not coming to the "in store" markets regardless the type of stores like the time above. Love looking at the stuff on Ebay and Craigslist, though. Like window shopping.

 

[Katalyst]

This is what I saw today. Limited supply and premium prices. Criterion speakers $100 and a nice Grundig console $400. Centerville antique mall .

 

[just dave]

All I know is there will be one less vintage receiver in So Cal soon.

And one more in the midwest.

 

[jblnut]

I've been in a half a dozen houses within 300 miles of me that would make a vintage audio store look like Goodwill on a Saturday.

.

Good thing no one up here the North East does that...Lol! A bunch of us could band together and make one hell of an online vintage audio store, that much is certain.

jblnut

 

[Justgotohm]

Good thing no one up here the North East does that...Lol! A bunch of us could band together and make one hell of an online vintage audio store, that much is certain.

jblnut

If just four of the above mentioned listed all their gear cleaned up, in order at one place it would be an insane audio store. It would consist of TOTL to Mid Fi from the 50's to now with everything in between. You could easily fill up 15000 sq ft of space maybe more. There is tons of gear out there sitting in houses, basements, out buildings, storage units, etc. I don't mean a piece here and piece there I mean stacks and stacks of gear in each place at any given time. I personally know of 6 safe houses and I'm a novice. I'm glad to know these guys, I can't think of one time I've sent out a text for something I'm looking for a not gotten an immediate responce. If your going to thrift stores in let's say Charlotte for instance you might stumble upon something but more than likely every single thrift shop, charity store has a guys number and most of it will go to him before it happens to hit the shelves. I've realized this is common in most major communities. Then it hits CL, maybe eBay if it's worth it, or in a personal collection if its really nice, even on here but this forum is a limited market. I hit the Goodwills for the hell of it, I go to vintage audio stores to occasionally pick something fun up and conversation. I troll CL in specific areas that have produced some finds. As the OP stated there maybe a seemily limited rotation of gear in audio stores but in my experience it's not that it's being bought up by single consumers but by guys who are taking advantage of the hobby as a business and I have no issues with that what so ever. The process has gone from brick and mortar to online like a lot of business. Just look on any CL in any city and you will find a (Will Pay Top $$$ For Stereo Equipment) usually with a pic of some random Macintosh product.

 

[Mr.White]

My buddy & I watched them go from table to table and got a good chuckle out of how serious they were about it. A little bit latter I wound up talking with the runner and he said they come over twice a year and go to as many record stores and record selling events like this. He mentioned they had been in D.C. the night before Boston before that and were on there way to Cleveland and then Chicago. He said they wind up shipping them back to Australia.

The Japanese have been doing this for decades. When I was doing record shows in the early 90's there were always a few Japanese guys waiting at the hotel at 6:00am when I would arrive. I'd open my van and in a fast, methodical manner they would rip through every crate and put everything back exactly how they found it. I was usually good for $500-$1000 before I ever stepped foot in side.