Goodwill Finds

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sjfloat

sjfloat

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Is the Goodwill Era over? It's been a *very* long time since I've found anything there that I would bother to pick out of the trash. IME, it's been a little dry in thrift stores in general. But I'm not sure I'll bother darkening GW's doors anymore.

Is anyone finding anything there anymore?
 
sjfloat said:
Is the Goodwill Era over? It's been a *very* long time since I've found anything there that I would bother to pick out of the trash. IME, it's been a little dry in thrift stores in general. But I'm not sure I'll bother darkening GW's doors anymore.

Is anyone finding anything there anymore?
Click to expand...
Yes. Right this very moment I'm listening to a sweet Nakamichi TA-3A Stasis receiver recent find $29.99, Sony C22ES SACD/CD player found maybe 6 months ago $19.99. I just completed a sale of a pair of speakers $49.99 @ GW last summer (I got close to a one grand profit:D) so yes GW still works, at least around these here parts it does. :)
 
My number 2 (for now) turntable was bought at Goodwill for $15 including an Empire 3000 cart that needed a new stylus.

In the garage, I alternate between Pioneer SPBS22 speakers and Paradigm Atom v3s that were bought at a Goodwill.

Pretty much not a week goes by that I don't get a few pieces of vinyl. A few weeks ago, I got quite a haul that had just been put out. Perfect condition, mostly jazz along with a few pop albums, mostly in exterior sleeves.

I do feel they are selling more and more things on their auction site, but they are in it to make money and help those that need it, not to give us bargain basement prices.
 
onwardjames said:
It's out there, but the great scores of yesteryear (say, circa 2002) aren't as prevalent.
I'm enjoying the cd dump that everyone seems to be doing. I am buying those up left and right for rarely more than a buck.
Click to expand...

Yep! CD's are getting dumped big time. The manager told me they have a high turnover on them. I got GW figured out too! They color code their price stickers
and if you pay attention to the colors, you can focus on the new "stock", avoiding the CD's you looked at previously.
The last audio I saw, (decent anyway) was a mint pair of Infinity QA's for $17.00, but someone already had them in his cart.
 
I regularly pick up stacks of CDs for $2 each at Savers (a local thrift shop). It almost makes going to the record store unnecessary these days, unfortunately for them.
 
All day every day there are spectacular gw finds. Read the above link provided an you find yourself in awe and driving fast to a goodwill to get your next big score. But remember it truly comes down to luck and being at the right place at the right time. I've had several recent big finds at the gw at different times throughout the day. Just to name a few, a mint pair of Cerwin vega d3's, a super nice Yamaha sacd/cd/DVDs player, a pristine Sony cdp77es player. All hooked up an sounding perfect in my living room. The scores are out there but your not gonna find them just sitting at home, you've got to be persistent an check several locations out. Be forewarned though, once you hit it big at one and that adreneline gets pumpin you're hooked! It's like an addiction an your Jonesin to get to the next goodwill as fast as you can!
 
jcamero said:
Yep! CD's are getting dumped big time. The manager told me they have a high turnover on them. I got GW figured out too! They color code their price stickers
and if you pay attention to the colors, you can focus on the new "stock", avoiding the CD's you looked at previously.
The last audio I saw, (decent anyway) was a mint pair of Infinity QA's for $17.00, but someone already had them in his cart.
Click to expand...

Doh! I hate that!

It was a few years ago, but I once approached the record bin as another guy was leaving it -- with Are You Experienced on reel-to-reel in his cart. I almost cried.
 
  1. I seemed to have posted this in the wrong place (thanks for pointing me that way)
  2. You've swayed me. I'll make GW a habit again.
 
I've left all kinds of equipment on the shelf at GW the past few months, I won't buy anything that isn't a big improvement over what I already have.

However, there has been a constant flood of CD's. So, my money at the thrifts is being spent on expanding the Wife and my collections. Jazz, Big Band, Rock & Classical. ( Why would someone have 3 identical copies of the Beatles White Album? Did everyone in Central Florida buy multiple copies of the 1984 & 1988 Mannheim Steamroller Christmas CDs? ) Some amazing things that I would never have even known to look for.

Mark Gosdin
 
I'm not seeing much at GW. Lots of VCR's and cheap CD/DVD players that have been sitting there forever. The last find I had was a set of Polk tower speakers that still worked. It wasn't easy getting them in the Mustang. I have also noticed that even the CD's are expensive. I was reading in another post that "I don't pay much over 35 cents for a CD..." I wonder where in the world you have that kind of options except at maybe a yard or estate sale and it's getting late in the day.

It seems to me that people are wising up about old stereo gear. Just look at what people want for stuff on CL. Gee, that must be gold plated!
 
onwardjames said:
It's out there, but the great scores of yesteryear (say, circa 2002) aren't as prevalent.

I'm enjoying the cd dump that everyone seems to be doing. I am buying those up left and right for rarely more than a buck.
Click to expand...

CDs...

My two GW stores near by sticker all CDs at 2.99. Then they use one of three colors that never go half off. I don't get their pricing structure, it seems so random. I wish I could find CDs at a buck...
 
I believe for the most part the GoodWill era is over. Anything worth getting is now way over priced. Saw some Criterion speakers today that looked fair, but could have been rahabed. They wanted 40 dollars for them. That's full retailer their current condition, so no margin to work with. I miss the old Wharfedale WD-90E days for 50 bucks.
 
Within the last few months, I've bought dozens of CDs, picked up an almost good as new Logitek Squeezebox Radio for $7.99, a working Panasonic TV sound bar with remote for $12.99, and a complete BIC 980 turntable with dust cover for $15. It truly isn't the treasure trove of 15 years ago, but you can still find some deals.

jD
 
I'm not hitting the thrifts nearly like I used to but it seems when I do I find less and less good audio gear.
 
GW / SA

Electronics - It's over.

Music: CDs many M- good titles - LPs M- good titles... sometimes

Dishes - 'expensive quality stuff' for super cheap

Cloths - Totally ' Outrageous '
 
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it has slowed lots over the last couple years
but last week i found a sansui au-317, warfdale dovetail 3, and the week before a 10" energy sub
 
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