Buying records is no longer fun (for me)

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by eetu, May 16, 2021.

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  1. 4-2-7

    4-2-7 Forum Resident

    Location:
    SF Peninsula
    I know, I just keep thinking the site is full of whiners, constantly bitching about this or that. The record isn't perfect, the mastering is bad, used record sellers can't grade right, new records can't be made like old ones. Why don't they give us more crap with this deluxe box, records are too expensive, it's a rip off. It seems no one is happy.....ever.

    If I was thinking I don't like the price of records and I'm fine listening to music in the many different ways we have today, I'd just make my move and do what's right for me. The only thread I'd start would be in the classified section and sell what I no longer needed.
     
  2. lazydawg58

    lazydawg58 Know enough to know how much I don't know

    Location:
    Lillington NC
    I looked back at my past discogs purchases and about a year ago I picked up two NM TVZ albums and a third album by I don't remember who, and it was $35 before taxes and shipping, so probably $42 total. They were Fat Possum Represses. So they are out there at prices far from $100.
     
  3. 4-2-7

    4-2-7 Forum Resident

    Location:
    SF Peninsula
    All the bitching about records for one reason or the other, you'd think the classified record sales section would be booming here. :shrug:
     
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  4. lazydawg58

    lazydawg58 Know enough to know how much I don't know

    Location:
    Lillington NC
    Those Eur0pean labels like DOL and it's other names they use don't have access to the master tapes so they are using a commercial CD or digital file aren't they?
     
    Last edited: May 17, 2021
  5. lazydawg58

    lazydawg58 Know enough to know how much I don't know

    Location:
    Lillington NC
    Metal ain't my thing, but when I'm searching in the wild I never see any. I would buy it if I did to resell as it goes fast. But I just never see any.
     
  6. lazydawg58

    lazydawg58 Know enough to know how much I don't know

    Location:
    Lillington NC
    I love the attitude!
     
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  7. hominy

    hominy Digital Drifter

    Location:
    Seattle-ish
    The high I used to get from finding that rare record has kind of numbed over the years, as infrequent as actually finding any has become. It's more often than not become a race against time and other collectors and I've been finding myself stepping back from that. Estate sales were the first to lose their fun, then garage sales have become more about burning gas than actually finding records... and swap meets have all but gone extinct in this part of the country as well. I find myself stuck on the same safe circuit of stores that has kind of made it boring.
     
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  8. Yu don’t have to buy vinyl. You can buy CDs pretty cheaply with some exceptions or for about $12 a month you can stream hundreds of thousands or maybe millions of songs

    Vinyl is expensive produce and the demand is high or pressing plants have six months or more waiting time.

    And you should just figure every LP is limited these days .
     
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  9. Complier

    Complier Senior Member

    Location:
    Harrisburg, PA
    My LP collection is pretty much sorta kinda finished. I have all of the essential releases I wanted. It took ten years and am very happy to just sit back and listen to what I have and enjoy the music.

    The only things I buy now are new releases and the stray used record. I haven't been in a record store in many moons.
     
  10. Sam

    Sam Senior Member

    Location:
    Rochester, NY
    All I said was that the fun part of "buying" vinyl was in the Listening experience. Yes, in my opinion, and the opinion of many professional music reviewers, the magic and appeal of vinyl is the sound. If that's nonsense to you, my condolences.
     
  11. 4-2-7

    4-2-7 Forum Resident

    Location:
    SF Peninsula
    Well actually most records pressed past the 1989 date have been limited. Bands/artist who still had at least one pressing of a record in the 90s, they are rare. In the 2000s they where making a bit more, mainly audiophile labels. 2010 to today they have gradually upped the pressing counts on record licensing. Instead of 3000-5000 they started to do 5000-7000, then 7000-10,000. This is mostly second labeling rights to produce records.

    The big labels who own the rights to the big artist work, they started to get into it about 2010. Like Hendrix, Zep, Pink Floyd, Rush, Clapton, Stones, it's like these record never stop being in the store. They may get another new remastering, making the one prior OOP, but there is always something.

    But I have always looked at the new records being produced the last 20-30 years are all very limited. Lets say they flood the market with a reissue pressing of 15000-25,000, this would be a lot normally. But in comparison to pre 1989 records of the same title pressed in 2-3 million units they are rare pressings. I wonder how many RL Zep II where pressed, maybe 200,000 before they stopped the presses? I't might have been a lot more, and finding those is a rare occasion in the wild.

    If a newer pressing get a good reputation as to sounding good it will always be in demand. What they are doing with the quality of records today, these pressings in the 7000-20,000 will be the ones to own and carry a very high price because of the rarity & SQ.
     
  12. mark winstanley

    mark winstanley Certified dinosaur, who likes physical product

    And it's that condescending, self righteous projection, they makes your opinion void to me. If you are happy with your own lot, that's fine, but if you are truly happy with your lot, you would have no need to condescend to others.
     
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  13. Sam

    Sam Senior Member

    Location:
    Rochester, NY
    Wow. How is that condescending? I stated a fact. Yes, it is a fact in today's world that many audio reviewers, as well as hi-fi listeners, prefer the sound of vinyl. Why do you think vinyl and associated vinyl hardware sales have skyrocketed? A fad? I think not. And getting back to my original response to the OP, I was simply saying that people collect vinyl, AND sometimes pay the high prices, all usually because of the sound vinyl delivers. That's a "self righteous projection?"
     
  14. Dennis0675

    Dennis0675 Hyperactive!

    Location:
    Ohio
    My goodness, lighten up. Record are fun. TVZ didn’t sell many albums, sorry they are expensive 4o years later. New albums cost $25 on average and there are a few interesting ones released every week. You can find plenty of record for less than ten dollars. Just relax and don’t be so fussy.
     
  15. rubberhead

    rubberhead I've never made a bad record

    Location:
    NYS
    Do you have any tips for relaxation? I hear psyllium fiber works wonders
     
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  16. mark winstanley

    mark winstanley Certified dinosaur, who likes physical product

    Let's see now

    "The SOUND is what matters, so unless you want to listen to your favorite music in less than stellar fashion, continuing to buy records is your only option. CDs and streaming, while much improved over the years, STILL doesn't equal vinyl playback. Come listen to my vinyl Abraxas One Step and then let me know if a CD or streaming version can match it. That's the fun!"

    Pretty condescending...
    1st the sound isn't what matters, the music is the first priority, if you're listening to music.

    You then go on to state that anyone else's preference is wrong, and the only way they can enjoy music is to come to your house.

    I have been enjoying music my whole life, and have never needed anything but what I have around me to do so.
    I have worked in recording studios and heard the stuff straight off the tapes... the experts would also say that is the best way to listen.... but it makes no difference.
    The best way to listen is the way you prefer, or the way you are able, with an open heart and mind, and less judgement on what anyone else may have, or even prefer.
     
  17. Buggyhair

    Buggyhair Forum Resident

    Location:
    Ann Arbor, MI
    Challenge yourself to find some really good music that collectors don't care about and therefore is cheap. The world is full of such stuff. Think of this time as an opportunity to expand your palette.
     
  18. Spencer R

    Spencer R Forum Resident

    Location:
    Oxford, MS
    I don’t have all of the used rock records I want, but, after a lifetime of collecting, I have 95% of them. I have keeper copies, or multiple keeper copies, of pretty much every major Beatles/Stones/Dylan album, and so on. For the past five to seven years, I’ve been culling the herd, not adding to it.

    Most of my purchases these days are jazz reissues, not used rock albums.
     
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  19. Classic Car Guy

    Classic Car Guy - Touch the Face of God -

    Location:
    Northwest, USA
    Isn't the original law you're suppose to have a license to sell new records? Not like anyone can flip a brand new record. for whatever they will put the price?
    Not just on LP, it also goes on cassettes. They're jacking up the prices on it mostly flippers.
    Well Id take it from you for you been buying this for a long time.
     
  20. Bhobb

    Bhobb Crate Digger

  21. Brian Lux

    Brian Lux One in the Crowd

    Location:
    Placerville, CA
    LOL, yeah, I think so!

    I guess I should have mentioned some other interests of mine, pedestrian and common stuff like:
    Albert Ayler
    Marion Brown
    Eric Dolphy
    Lennie Niehaus
    Cecil Taylor
    Sam Rivers
    The Baseball Project
    The Rain Parade
    Blair 1523
    Dead Moon
    La Hell Gang
    Sister Double Happiness
    SVT
    Mission of Burma
    Föllakzoid


    But no-o-o-o-o-o-o.. we don't want to get too challenging. Who know where that might lead! :laugh:
     
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  22. paulisdead

    paulisdead fast and bulbous

    Coming back to the OP original point. When I went to the states back in 2016, I was surprised at how easy it was to come by secondhand Dylan and Beatles albums for next to nothing (I'm talking $1 ot $5!). Rarely happen in Australia unless you had the time to visit every Op Shop (charity store for those non-Aussies) during the week while everyone else is working 5 to 9.

    For new vinyl, the record companies are killing their own golden goose by hiking up the prices. New vinyl has become fairly expensive these days. There are always speculators in every collectors market that ruin the hobby by scalping supply and demanding outrageous prices (just ask anyone that collects vintage video games). I can see price coming down as more people who got into the hobby in their 20s get into their 30s and 40s and sell off their collections for home deposits and other adult life expenses. Same goes for the Baby Boomers as they move into retirement and begin to downsize.
     
  23. neubian

    neubian Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chattanooga, TN
    Although it is always fun to find bargains, when "collecting" anything, fun is relative to level of income vs. price of item.

    If you have a lot of disposable income, the price of a record (new or used) is less of an issue and continues to be fun to acquire.
    People with greater amounts of disposable income do not care or stress out about buying from flippers (if they really want the record) and it is still fun.
    When the level of disposable income is not increasing at a faster rate than the price of records one wants, collecting is no longer fun.

    Unless one just gets bored of collecting, the key to continue to have fun buying is to ensure the level of disposable income is always higher than the price of the goods one wants to purchase. If you can't increase your level of disposable income fast enough, you can wait longer rather than buying on release day (and hope for the best), hope it shows up on alternative sources (thrift, antique stores or SHF classifieds, etc.), lower your standards (non-KPG@CA version or VG+ instead of NM, etc.) or just do without (it is OK! you won't die).

    Of course, you can always "enjoy" the music for free on various streaming platforms or pay less buying used CDs, etc., one just has to rewire the brain to stop thinking that if it isn't on vinyl and AAA, it is not worth listening. ;)
     
  24. Brian Lux

    Brian Lux One in the Crowd

    Location:
    Placerville, CA
    Isn't the term "discretionary income"?
     
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  25. Dave S

    Dave S Forum Resident

    Yes, disposable income includes payments such as rent or your mortgage. Increases in your disposable income could match the increases in the price of records, but it is no good if you are taking on an expensive mortgage and starting a family. But then, records may have to take a back burner in those situations.
     
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