Use to be 5 for $1

[Condorsat]

Vinyl hunting yesterday at some local music stores. Scored a couple of 70 & 80's Classic Rock Vg++ titles for $5 per lP (type of record use to be priced $1 or $2) .. which is the market rate in my neck of the woods these days. One of the records I looked at had an old price sticker (assuming Goodwill) that the previous owner never took off .. 5 for $1 great googly moogly.

Did I even think twice about it? The current market price is whatever it is .. always been my philosophy on things. I have known people who would never buy an item at a higher price than they had seen it .. at one time.

Just makes you stop and think .. the legacy vinyl market has really changed over the years.

 

[twiiii]

In some places you would be [paying $10, fortunately I live where like you I can get by with $5.

 

[Condorsat]

$8 to $10+ is getting more common for titles that I would describe as "interesting" in my area. That's if you can even find the titles your looking for. Fortunately for me .. I've got most of what I wanted when I started collecting during the dollar bin days. Always seems to be just one more album to add to the collection though.

Examples of prices I'm seeing locally..

.. copy of Eric Clapton's Just One night would be listed at $10 to $15 for Vg+ to Vg++ looking vinyl
.. copy of Pete Townshend's White City would be listed at $5

 

[4-2-7]

copy of Eric Clapton's Just One night would be listed at $10 to $15 for Vg+ to Vg++

$3.99 here, in fact I have so many of these to pass on to others I stopped buying them.

Pete Townshend's White City

$2.99 here

It takes a lot for my store to be charging $10 and up on a used title and then of course you get some really rarities.

Common used prices are 2.99, 3.99, 4.99 for nice records, he might charge me 5.99 -6.99 foe a Pink Floyd or early stones. But really I still get heavy hitting artist between 4-7 bucks, he would rather have loyal customers and sell volume, than trying to max out prices. I even tell him something like Tracy Chapman's S/T is a $45 record and he'll still sell it to me at $4.99.

I get to my store normally twice a week and I leave with box load of record.

 

[mkane]

And we used to buy penny candy

 

[4-2-7]

And we used to buy penny candy

Well yeah!!!

Actually my prices only went up about a buck around 4 years ago, and that's just because he sells less to me at the $2.99 price. But a quarter of the records in my box will be that price and the rest 3.99 and 4.99.

 

[qdrone]

When I started collecting vinyl,double albums on sale were 3.99. single albums 2.99. Those were the days...

 

[Ken Boyd]

I have had good luck in finding good prices, more so in the past of course.

 

[the_nines]

I have had good luck in finding good prices, more so in the past of course.

I hate you.

....

 

[GChief]

I have had good luck in finding good prices, more so in the past of course.

Same here

 

[jbrainey]

Count every one of your vinyl blessings. Nothing @ my local GW worth taking home. I'd love to have a decent used record store in my area. I pay full price or go without.

 

[Condorsat]

I do know the location(s) of a few record stores that still charge reasonable prices (relatively speaking). Problem is that they are over 1.5 to 2+ hours away from me. I only make it there once a year on average anymore (often times staying over night/road trip). Those kind of stores would be more beneficial to frequent customers .. because the popular titles don't stay in inventory long at lower prices.

My most frequent source of legacy Vinyl is a used music store chain that charges higher prices .. but one stands a greater chance of finding some good titles (they stay on the shelf longer). This store also offers good trade in value (in store credit) for items you bring in .. compared to others.

There are no legacy Vinyl only record stores in my local area anymore since the owner passed away several years ago. Really miss the conversations we use to have about record albums and various artists & bands

 

[62vauxhall]

Getting accustomed to the "new reality" of used record prices does not seem to take long.

Where I live there have been record stores that have sold used for many decades. Some folded but some hung on. Within the last few years some new ones have sprung up. Most of those, I have not revisited for various reasons, not necessarily pricing although that had a lot to do with it.

But I do visit the longer established stores, They have a better sense of what the market will bear which I'm sure is guided or dictated by a long standing clientele.

Very rarely do I go in search of a particular LP, it is mostly just to flip through non-catalogued stuff. Ten years ago, those records were one or two dollars apiece but now they seem to be four or five. I've had this $5 psychological barrier in place for a long time and balk at paying more than that for a used record.

Last summer I took a 3 day road trip more or less specifically to hit used record shops. For some reason, I assumed that "small town" prices would be lower overall than city prices. Turned out. the small towns I had in mind weren't so small anymore and the used record stores therein were selling their stuff for the same, if not more than their big city counterparts.

One the plus side, what was on offer seemed better in some cases. One shop I dropped into that looked to have been in business for a while, had one of the best organized, most well stocked and displayed inventory I have encountered. In that shop I found not one but two copies of an early 70's LP I was watching for but did not come across for over a year. It was then when I paid $25 for a used record that once was as common as dirt.

Since then, I've accepted that something which interests me might be more money than my comfort zone allowed. For good or bad that has opened the door and caused me to make several purchases from this and other forums.

I no longer depend on them for used vinyl but still hit the thrifts. The now high record store prices has made finding a good thrift score a bigger kick. Last Friday I bought six for a couple of bucks each at a thrift that usual has next to no records. Could not believe nobody before me grabbed them but then what gets my attention are things which are somewhat "off the beaten track".

 

[GChief]

Where I live there have been record stores that have sold used for many decades. Some folded but some hung on. Within the last few years some new ones have sprung up.

Same in this area (Hampton Roads area of Va). We have a few that have been around the whole time. One of the original local chains that closed all their stores opened a store back up (son of original owners) with the “resurgence”. They only lasted a couple years, the prices where in line with the current market and they seemed busy but I’m assuming the revitalized downtown area rent probably killed them. The other places that have been around forever are still in there “off the beaten path” strip mall store fronts.

 

[Condorsat]

Last summer I took a 3 day road trip more or less specifically to hit used record shops. For some reason, I assumed that "small town" prices would be lower overall than city prices. Turned out. the small towns I had in mind weren't so small anymore and the used record stores therein were selling their stuff for the same, if not more than their big city counterparts.

True that .. during the dollar bin days you could have made a major haul by visiting small town record shops. Not anymore .. one antique shop vendor in my area (small town) has started stocking legacy Vinyl. Some good Classic Rock titles actually in nice condition .. but his prices are full market for popular titles. If they don't sell at that price ($10+) .. he will lower them to $5 per. Picked up some nice titles there a couple of weeks ago at $5 per. I'm willing to pay those prices but the record has to be Vg++ to Nm- minimum condition visually. I don't take chances anymore.

 

[grillebilly]

the history of records from 1985

Records were 5-6 bucks new.
CD's come out, records go up a buck, CD's are $12-18.
CD's dominate the market, go down a few bucks, records disappear
Record stores close or start selling mostly CD's
Used records are being given away and sold for almost nothing.
People quit buying music altogether and download their favorite singles.
Records become "fashionable", prices creep up.
Records are expensive, CD's prices start taking the path that records did.

 

[4-2-7]

Those kind of stores would be more beneficial to frequent customers .. because the popular titles don't stay in inventory long at lower prices.

Yeah, that's why I'm constantly at the record store and have established a relationship with the owner. Im grabbing records before they ever hit the floor and the new arrivals before others do.

 

[GChief]

the history of records from 1985

Records were 5-6 bucks new.
CD's come out, records go up a buck, CD's are $12-18.
CD's dominate the market, go down a few bucks, records disappear
Record stores close or start selling mostly CD's
Used records are being given away and sold for almost nothing.
People quit buying music altogether and download their favorite singles.
Records become "fashionable", prices creep up.
Records are expensive, CD's prices start taking the path that records did.

That’s how it works, plus the $5 back then is $25 today so new vinyls are in line price wise.
IMO.

 

[Condorsat]

Yeah, that's why I'm constantly at the record store and have established a relationship with the owner. Im grabbing records before they ever hit the floor and the new arrivals before others do.

Back when I lived in Colorado Springs Co .. I use to frequent DAV, Goodwill & a place I called the hippie store (don't recall the name) .. at least twice per week. Got some good scores at rock bottom prices back then .. about 2000 & 01 time frame.

 

[grillebilly]

That’s how it works, plus the $5 back then is $25 today so new vinyls are in line price wise.
IMO.

$5 in 1985 is about $12 today. But your point is still valid, not just inflation but other factors such as production costs. In the old days they would press many times over the amount they do now.
Records are still a niche market. Volume drives prices down.