Crazy Inflated Prices for Vintage Turntables

[wushuliu]

It's also spring break time for a lot of kids. There were plenty of good deals the past few months but things are starting to pick up again just like typical retail seasons.

 

[wushuliu]

It's also funny too how certain tables go in and out of favor. The Philips 312 for a while were >$200 everywhere and now you can get one for <$100 easy.

 

[vinyl1]

It is interesting that used and vintage hi-end is not taking off in the same way. The best value may be shifting to that category.

Some recent sales from EBay:

Sonograph SG-3 with Jelco arm, Elys II: $530
Music Hall MMF5-SE: $550
Rega Planar 3: $582
Linn Axis/Akito: $625
Intermedia RPM-1 (no arm): $650
VPI Jr HW 19 with AudioQuest arm: $660
Music Hall MMF-7: $690

Of course, some of these may have their own problems, as is true with any vintage or used item. However, they probably have a higher potential performance than a 30-year-old mass-market piece if you can get them to run up to spec. That Intermedia sold for $3500 new.

 

[majick47]

Other than maybe the U-Turn Orbit the same can be said for some new turntables, the high prices don't justify the questionable build quality/performance. Makes the better vintage tables in good shape very competitive and the selling prices reflect it.

 

[seminole54]

jnoyes

I like the DP-62L quite a bit, but it will not supplant the QL-Y7 at the top of the heap. Also quite fond of the QL-F6 in the office setup. It is also damped in both planes, but fluid damped not electronic.

 

[Ths364]

We could also look at this trend as a commercial validation of our good taste...

 

[the_nines]

All the power to the seller for selling at an absolutely ridiculous price.

And, all the power to the buyer for buying something he is willing to pay for.

I don't understand the issue here.

Next time you put something up for sale, you set a price that you think is fair and don't want to rip anyone off, and next time you want to buy something, you determine what you are willing to pay without being called an idiot for spending so much.

Are we that bored that we are calling sellers "thieves" and buyers "suckers" for transactions that are favorable to both buyer & seller?

Like I said before, you don't want to buy? .... no problem. Move on. Don't criticize either the seller or the buyer.

It's called a "free market system".

We live in it.

 

[stereofanboy]

..........The point is to sell something and it costs money for a listing. Of course a seller can ask whatever they want, but looking at what the particular item has sold for in the past would certainly give one a clue as to whether an asking price is realistic, or ridiculous

Jon

EBay runs free listing specials alot. I've had between 10 and 40 items listed pretty constantly for the last year and haven't paid a listing fee the whole time.

The last fully functioning mk2s sold on ebay sold for:
$749, $430, $450, $430, $555, $400, $675.

Avg: $527.

So yes, overpriced, but not as much as many here suggest.

I don't think that asking about 1% more than the highest recently sold is ridiculous when nearly all here agree that prices are rising quickly. In light of the above figures, it is about as ridiculous as asking $395 would be on the low end.

 

[boreas]

I love the "little old lady who only took it to church spiel". I have to ask though, if it was infrequently used why doesn't it have its original cartridge. :scratch2:

The cartridge in the photos appears to be a Shure with a brush. Could be a later V15 that the seller is listing separately or wants to keep.

John

 

[boreas]

I could name a few of those, and I also have a few of those. I also have one that doesn't have a cult status, far, far from it, but it does a good number on one of the supposedly superior table.
I wont name the superior one, (or the war will start ) but I can name the other one, LAB-400.

I'll name one. The Marantz 6100. It's a basic entry level $100.00 table but, because it says "Marantz" on it. people pay absurd prices for them now. It's not a bad table so don't get mad. It's just that there are lots of equal or better ones that can be had for a lot less.

John

 

[boreas]

Wow. My 1600 Mk II was listed at $300 on local CL. Upon demo none of the auto functions worked and so I offered $100 and got it for $125. It cost me $2.27 for an O-ring (belt) plus a few dabs of grease and it is fixed.

Man! Someone really ripped you off for that O-ring!

John

 

[Bob in WI]

"Are we that bored that we are calling sellers "thieves" and buyers "suckers" for transactions that are favorable to both buyer & seller?"

I missed that part in the thread.

 

[the_nines]

"Are we that bored that we are calling sellers "thieves" and buyers "suckers" for transactions that are favorable to both buyer & seller?"

I missed that part in the thread.

What part went over your head?

:scratch2:

 

[Ths364]

Subtext frequently goes over peoples heads- makes me feel like they named it wrong...

 

[trackball02]

I started this thread just to point out the crazy high prices for vintage turntables.

This is not a discussion about the good or evil of free enterprise and/or the rights of sellers and buyers who are now being called "thieves and suckers". Some of you folks are missing the point and respectfully suggest that you start your own thread.

I would love to hear from those who have seen these high prices as well as those who still have encountered reasonable values out there. Especially stuff flying under the radar.

 

[boreas]

I started this thread just to point out the crazy high prices for vintage turntables.

This is not a discussion about the good or evil of free enterprise and/or the rights of sellers and buyers who are now being called "thieves and suckers". Some of you folks are missing the point and respectfully suggest that you start your own thread.

I would love to hear from those who have seen these high prices as well as those who still have encountered reasonable values out there. Especially stuff flying under the radar.

Children don't always develop the way their parents want them to.

John

 

[muovimies]

The "mkII prices" people are referring to were for SL-1200, not SL-1600 ... SL-1600 seems to sell for around 50-350 on ebay

 

[boreas]

The "mkII prices" people are referring to were for SL-1200, not SL-1600 ... SL-1600 seems to sell for around 50-350 on ebay

If you mean the prices mentioned in the post below, those are for the 1600 MK2.

The last fully functioning mk2s sold on ebay sold for:
$749, $430, $450, $430, $555, $400, $675.

Avg: $527.

The last seven fully functioning 1200 MK2s went for $652.00, $330.00, $365.00, $350.00, $550.00, $289.00 and $430.00 for an average price of $423.00.

Now, that's interesting!

I've always maintained that the MK2 SL-1600/1700/1800 were at least as good as the 1200 MK2. The market may be arriving at the same conclusion.

John

 

[the_nines]

I started this thread just to point out the crazy high prices for vintage turntables.

This is not a discussion about the good or evil of free enterprise and/or the rights of sellers and buyers who are now being called "thieves and suckers". Some of you folks are missing the point and respectfully suggest that you start your own thread.

I would love to hear from those who have seen these high prices as well as those who still have encountered reasonable values out there. Especially stuff flying under the radar.

You started this thread by calling people who sell things as being on crack.

Technics SL-1600MK2 for $755. Is this seller on crack

I bought the same model for $80 last year on Craigslist that only needed new RCA cables.

Anyone else seeing this trend?


If you don't agree with the price being asked, then it's your choice to move on. Don't call the seller a crack-head.

And if indeed you bought the same model for $80, then pat yourself on the back. Good for you.

People deserve the right to sell and buy without being called crack-heads.

Yes?

 

[mythless]

You started this thread by calling people who sell things as being on crack.

Technics SL-1600MK2 for $755. Is this seller on crack

I bought the same model for $80 last year on Craigslist that only needed new RCA cables.

Anyone else seeing this trend?


If you don't agree with the price being asked, then it's your choice to move on. Don't call the seller a crack-head.

And if indeed you bought the same model for $80, then pat yourself on the back. Good for you.

People deserve the right to sell and buy without being called crack-heads.

Yes?

I completely agree with this statement. People are free to do whatever they want and should not be judge by it if it's not causing harm.

However, I would like to point out these kinds of threads seemed to be a growing trend on AK.