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Vinyl records making a comeback with collectors

There is a flea market like that here, grooveman. It's been a few years since I've been there, but there was one vinyl guy who had a really nice "store". He knew his stuff, though, so you had to pay. Except for rare stuff, $8-$20 would be close to what he charged, and I was OK with it. It used to be that I could walk into a GW with $20, and come out with 40 albums. I was happy. Then it changed to the point where I could only walk out with 10 IF I was lucky enough find ten that I wanted, and I still had to sift through piles of albums that I didn't want. It was at that point that I appreciated walking away from that flea guy's store with 1-3 albums that I knew I'd like for $20.
 
krisjay said:
There have been a few of those threads lately, someone complaining that a Goodwill or thrift store employee is getting a piece of vinyl or gear before they have a chance to. To me, and maybe Im crazy, isnt there something in your life a bit more important then a record at Goodwill? Does that really bother people, is that worth being bothered about.
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Plenty more in life for sure. This has not ruined my life. It is just an observation is all.:yes:
 
KrisM said:
There is a flea market like that here, grooveman. It's been a few years since I've been there, but there was one vinyl guy who had a really nice "store". He knew his stuff, though, so you had to pay. Except for rare stuff, $8-$20 would be close to what he charged, and I was OK with it. It used to be that I could walk into a GW with $20, and come out with 40 albums. I was happy. Then it changed to the point where I could only walk out with 10 IF I was lucky enough find ten that I wanted, and I still had to sift through piles of albums that I didn't want. It was at that point that I appreciated walking away from that flea guy's store with 1-3 albums that I knew I'd like for $20.
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A vendor at one of the flea markets in my area is the same way. I've picked up a few nice records from him and he's willing to wheel and deal. The used record stores are about the same with their pricing, so it really doesn't matter who I buy from. As long as I'm getting something I really want and it's in nice shape that's what counts.

The thrifts are really getting bad around here, with beat up junk for the most part. Even at .99 cents it's a rip off and belongs in a land fill! HPB is hit or miss depending on the store. If you're there at the right time, you sometimes can get lucky and find something priced under the radar. With garage sales starting up, maybe the vinyl pickings will improve and a lot great finds will be had!
 
I'm at the point of not even hitting the thrifts or Goodwills in my area ! Within the past year it's gone from a so so hit and miss to terrible - and that includes vinyl and audio pieces ! I have come to think that our Goodwill isn't even accepting vinyl because for at least 6 months nothing has been added to the 42 pieces of crap albums that have been there since forever ! I know there's a guy here in my small town is buying all the vintage audio equipment just to flip on eBay - and that's ok I guess ! I seem to have better luck at garage and rummage sales ! In fact the 3 biggest church rummage sales of the year are this weekend ! I did great last year picking up around 50 albums for .25 each or 5 for $1 - it's crazy that all 3 of these churches have it the same weekend - I only wish I knew which one the guy that flips the stuff is gonna hit first ! I did scoop him 6 months ago on some awesome Dynaco tube gear ! I was hauling it out as he was arriving ! Nice guy really but he doesn't care a bit about the hobby - just making a buck !

I did run ONE add in Craig's List to buy vintage stereo equipment - bad mistake - my idea of vintage and theirs was not the same !

Back to the original post - I do think vinyl is making a faster comeback than projected - myself, I feel lucky to have what I've got - picking up more even if not as easy as before is just a bonus when it happens !
 
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ra7c7er said:
I don't know anyone who is collecting for the future value years down the road. I know resellers and I know listeners but anyone collecting for future value is IMO throwing money away. We all know the bubble is going to burst eventually and prices for all but the ultra rare will tank again. So unless you have ultra rare records you are collecting the stuff isn't going to be worth any more then than it is today.

From what I have seen in my two stints in the hobby so far. 2001-2004 and the last 6 months is record stores are charging the same for the same records. My favorite local store has had the same pricing structure since the mid 90s.

Granted I've seen prices go up in Goldmine books but I have yet to come across anyone selling for those prices (unless you are looking at ultra rare albums). Although I own a Goldmine book I think it is the most overrated price guide in all the hobby industries. I use mine more to establish popularity/rarity than value.
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A lot of truth. Each generation gets to set the price for their nostalgia. My favorite store prices very reasonably, which makes sense because he needs to turn over inventory to stay afloat. He's also very fair on trades, which helps.

I think vinyl has a certain stickyness to it that can continue to draw a small percentage of the music buying public. There's certainly been an uptick of interest here in NE OH at thrifts, sales and the record stores, it's been that way for about the last 3 years really.
 
proimage1 said:
I bet so to BUT there are no record shows anywhere near me !
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Same here... That's why I have to 'Bay for what I want. So, I decide on what I Really want Now, mostly from what You Guys say (I have Most of Everything that I have wanted)...Then I 'Bay It Out, and find what I'm looking for in the $10 to $20 range...I do not think that's a Bad Price because I only go for First Pressings, in NM or VG++...You will pay More for a New Press on Amazon, but I think that the Originals have the Sound that they where Made to Have...These kind of LPs do not show up for a Buck in a Bin around here...I'm waiting now for this One... Dire Straits - Brothers In Arms LP UK vertigo VG++ VERH25...For All of $8.00 w/ $5 Shipping...Damn, I'd pay that Shipping in Gas just to get to a Place that would Never have that LP...
 
btlefn1 said:
This article is partly about Record Store Day, but mostly about resurgent record sales.



https://www.stlbeacon.org/#!/content/30307/record_store_day_041113?coverpage=3080
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I will be at all three of these St. Louis stores, plus others, this weekend.

From my observations the article is pretty accurate. When I shop for records the demographics seem to indicate that the record buyers are mostly in the 20-30 and the 50+ age groups (unfortunately I am in the later). The younger age group tends to gravitate to the new releases and to the bargain bins of discount classic rock.

A few weeks ago young a college girl politely asked me to show her what to look for when buying used "vinyls". It was really cool.

Bob

:music:
 
In a two year period I bought 400-500 used records. Most for real cheap, some for typical eBay prices. I haven't purchased much used LPs in the past year or so, because I can't find anything that I don't already have or anything worthwhile. Competition has gotten pretty tough.

Couple years ago I bought a handful of albums at a moving sale. One of them was The Beatles' Yesterday and Today (Butcher) in stereo. At the time I didn't realize the significance of the find. Found out fairly recently that I had a 2nd state in excellent condition. I paid a buck. I also had come across a 3rd state for $1. It looked a mess. I guess I should've grabbed it, but didn't know better.
 
bobins08 said:
I will be at all three of these St. Louis stores, plus others, this weekend.

From my observations the article is pretty accurate. When I shop for records the demographics seem to indicate that the record buyers are mostly in the 20-30 and the 50+ age groups (unfortunately I am in the later). The younger age group tends to gravitate to the new releases and to the bargain bins of discount classic rock.

A few weeks ago young a college girl politely asked me to show her what to look for when buying used "vinyls". It was really cool.

Bob

:music:
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Bob, I'm in that latter age group myself. I read your comment to my wife and we both laughed. She said if a young college girl ever asks for my help that would be ok, as long as I didn't go home with her to help her with her stereo! :nono:

Unfortunately, we both work weekends so I'll miss the Record Store Days. We were at Euclid Records today though. They seem to have more new albums than I remember them having before. I haven't bought a new album in years. I did pick up 7 used albums today.

I haven't had any luck finding records at Goodwill or other thrifts around here, but I have found some at the local antique malls.
 
One thing that does seem to happen quite often ( at least to me ) !
I go to a garage sale and they have a box full of dog eared bent up albums and even just so so albums they'll have premium prices on them because they're vinyl ! I've seen some Beatle ones in terrible and I do mean terrible as in unplayable and they'll have insane prices on them ! I never say anything to them !
When I think about it - I see the same thing happening with turntables on Craig's List in my area ! You wouldn't believe the $15 TT's with $250 asking prices !

I'm surely not collecting for any other reason than for my listening pleasure - hell at 59 what would I expect to get in return at any point !
 
Oh man, have I seen some sorry excuses for vinyl being sold at premium prices!

often times, a person behind the counter at some thrift store will proclaim, "These are originals! They're easily worth triple that!" Not knowing that I'm in the know, 'they' have tried to sell me J. Geils albums for 25.00 USD in VG- shape.
I usually dig through and come out with one (possibly two) discs, paying their asking price silently.
On other occasions, I'll leave rapidly and comment that "I wish your records were in better shape" or something along those lines. :D:D
 
grooveman said:
A vendor at one of the flea markets in my area is the same way. I've picked up a few nice records from him and he's willing to wheel and deal. The used record stores are about the same with their pricing, so it really doesn't matter who I buy from. As long as I'm getting something I really want and it's in nice shape that's what counts.

The thrifts are really getting bad around here, with beat up junk for the most part. Even at .99 cents it's a rip off and belongs in a land fill! HPB is hit or miss depending on the store. If you're there at the right time, you sometimes can get lucky and find something priced under the radar. With garage sales starting up, maybe the vinyl pickings will improve and a lot great finds will be had!
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Every time I think I've picked the bones of my local thrifts, a new group of records shows up. I've found two caches of 1980s New Wave and Pop/Rock recently, from Missing Persons to Styx, all in NM condition, and fifty cents each. I cleaned those caches out, and the cupboard has been bare in those thrifts since, but another formerly empty thrift just popped up some really tasty (to me) Easy Listening last weekend.

So I guess what I'm saying is that things just aren't static. At least not by me. Seems to run in cycles, you never know what you're going to find.
 
I was in CopyCat Music for the first time ever last week. It's right in my old neighborhood too.

Definitely a cool place. I'll probably go back on Saturday.
 
Wigwam Jones said:
Every time I think I've picked the bones of my local thrifts, a new group of records shows up. I've found two caches of 1980s New Wave and Pop/Rock recently, from Missing Persons to Styx, all in NM condition, and fifty cents each. I cleaned those caches out, and the cupboard has been bare in those thrifts since, but another formerly empty thrift just popped up some really tasty (to me) Easy Listening last weekend.

So I guess what I'm saying is that things just aren't static. At least not by me. Seems to run in cycles, you never know what you're going to find.
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Yep, that's true -- it does seem to go in cycles. I'm hoping the 3 church rummage sales this weekend aren't gonna be total bust. Last year I scored some great albums in near mint condition. At 5 for a $1 , it was hard to go wrong. There's a book / so called record store here in town - 99% of the records are trashed and they have goofy high prices on them. It sure makes me wonder how long a place like that takes before they might rethink they're pricing ( or buying ) ! But remember what W.C. Fields said - " There's a sucker born everyday "
 
A good reality-tv show would be Thrifters. Imagine the protagonists - an old white guy into classical and classic rock, his daughter into heavy rock, punk and metal, black dude into jazz and blues, and one young flamboyant hipster into lo-fi and weird stuff that has a crush on the daughter. They do mini road trips and hit the vinyl, cassettes, memorabilia and hifi racks.

If I can watch Bar Rescue and Storage Wars, I'd watch Thrifters too. I'm easily amused.
 
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