40,000 LP Record Collection For Sale

astrotoy

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May 24, 2010
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Anybody buying this collection is almost certainly going to be a dealer. If they opened up the boxes and went through them, they would probably end up with maybe 5% of the records being worth 95% of the value of the collection. Otherwise, they would be guessing (like buying a sealed storage unit). They would have to see at least a few random boxes and extrapolate what might be in the other boxes. When I sold my collection earlier this year, it was 15,000 records and took over 250 boxes. Of course the difference was the dealer helping the buyer knew my collection and was the one coming to me to see whether I was interested in selling.

Larry
 

Walter66

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Aug 22, 2022
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Problem with many collections is the absence of an exquisite taste with record collecting. If one had this superb taste and did buy only the best, such a big collection equals in worth like a goldmine. But most collections I've seen have a high amount of rubbish records mixed with only some pearls. I don't know why people do mix their music this way and purchased so many bad and cheap records that have no style at all, but thats how it is. The majority of listeners in the 1970's or later bought the mainstream music, very rare they bought classical or jazz. And even if they do, they weren't able to fetch the to cream of its genre but mostly fetch the junk. I've seen top quality collections being sold after the owners death, but they are the absolute minority. The others have a very high percentage of junk or mainstream music in it, and thats beside the state of grading the records. Its just about the quality of the whole collection.
 

dminches

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Oct 22, 2011
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Problem with many collections is the absence of an exquisite taste with record collecting. If one had this superb taste and did buy only the best, such a big collection equals in worth like a goldmine. But most collections I've seen have a high amount of rubbish records mixed with only some pearls. I don't know why people do mix their music this way and purchased so many bad and cheap records that have no style at all, but thats how it is. The majority of listeners in the 1970's or later bought the mainstream music, very rare they bought classical or jazz. And even if they do, they weren't able to fetch the to cream of its genre but mostly fetch the junk. I've seen top quality collections being sold after the owners death, but they are the absolute minority. The others have a very high percentage of junk or mainstream music in it, and thats beside the state of grading the records. Its just about the quality of the whole collection.

How does one define “rubbish records” or “bad and cheap records”? Isn’t that a matter of taste? I first started buying LPs, almost exclusively rock ‘n roll, in the mid-70s and some of those records are still the best in my collection.

Or are you just talking about the current value?
 
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Walter66

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Aug 22, 2022
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How does one define “rubbish records” or “bad and cheap records”? Isn’t that a matter of taste? I first started buying LPs, almost exclusively rock ‘n roll, in the mid-70s and some of those records are still the best in my collection.

Or are you just talking about the current value?
Exactly. There are a zillion used records out there that are literally worth nothing, even in NM condition. And then there are the pearls of each genre, which are worth a lot, even in a bad condition. We all know those records, because they are the majority of whats being found in collections. The rare ones are the pearls everyone is searching for in such collections.
 

astrotoy

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May 24, 2010
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In the case of sales, I think it is all about the value of the collection. This normally means monetary value. If it is a person who wants an instant curated collection, it also includes the time and effort involved in putting the collection together. To get early pressings in fine condition, for example, one can pay the often much higher price from a trusted dealer. On the other hand, to get a bargain it means countless hours sorting through many bins of records at shops around the country or around the world, often buying multiple copies looking for the best condition paired with earlier pressing. For a person with more money than time, a well curated collection has real value.
 
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beaur

Fleetwood Sound
Oct 12, 2011
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Problem with many collections is the absence of an exquisite taste with record collecting. If one had this superb taste and did buy only the best, such a big collection equals in worth like a goldmine. But most collections I've seen have a high amount of rubbish records mixed with only some pearls. I don't know why people do mix their music this way and purchased so many bad and cheap records that have no style at all, but thats how it is. The majority of listeners in the 1970's or later bought the mainstream music, very rare they bought classical or jazz. And even if they do, they weren't able to fetch the to cream of its genre but mostly fetch the junk. I've seen top quality collections being sold after the owners death, but they are the absolute minority. The others have a very high percentage of junk or mainstream music in it, and thats beside the state of grading the records. Its just about the quality of the whole collection.
Well, if you want my collection, you will get some first-pressing Pink Floyd, some ERC, some MoFi One-Steps, and assorted other Blues, Jazz, and Rock, most worth a decent amount. You will also have to take the Maria Conchita Alonso and Tanya Tucker disco LPs that are in there somewhere. In the world of collecting, it's not the music that matters it's the rarity that drives the price. For example, I have the Rauchenberg edition of the Talking Heads Speaking in Tongues LP. I bought it sealed for about $30 and have played it a couple of times, so it's probably worth about the same as I paid. Now I have a Lilly Allen picture disc that was included for free when I bought a pile of records at a store. It's worth north of $100 if you believe a few sites. Go figure.

Beau
 

Elliot G.

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I so don't get it. I had 6000 records and to honest it was such a pain in the ass. I couldn't stand the way most of them sounded and it was always a battle to find what I wanted and go through the whole religious experience to play a single song. They took up so much space and my listening time allotment. I was thrilled to get rid of them. I have nothing against records but pretending that they all sound good is just a HUGE lie. When I look at a collection like this all I see is tons of boxes that will require a ton of space and a librarian to organize them. This is for a collector IMO not someone that actually listens. I had a client with over 5000 bottles of wine and he barely if ever drank . It was the collection and the bragging rights not the pleasure of the wine. Every time I go to someones home with multi 1000 records they are spread out over the place many in cardboard boxes or somewhere in storage. I don't find joy in that and I am sure that most only play a few hundred ( if that much) of what they collect
I have the world of music in the palm of my hand played back by the most incredible digital system on the planet, I can play just about anything without ever getting off my over 70 year old ass. That's amazing!
 

TooCool4

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Feb 7, 2013
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Elliot G. I agree with you, I don’t get it either. This is more about bragging rights. I don’t know why people go gaga over big collections. I only ever buy what I am going to listen to, everything I own I have listened to. Buying something like this, the chances of you listening to every single one is low.

The person that buys this is more likely a dealer and will be selling them on.
 

Mike Lavigne

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
Apr 25, 2010
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I so don't get it. I had 6000 records and to honest it was such a pain in the ass. I couldn't stand the way most of them sounded and it was always a battle to find what I wanted and go through the whole religious experience to play a single song. They took up so much space and my listening time allotment. I was thrilled to get rid of them. I have nothing against records but pretending that they all sound good is just a HUGE lie. When I look at a collection like this all I see is tons of boxes that will require a ton of space and a librarian to organize them. This is for a collector IMO not someone that actually listens. I had a client with over 5000 bottles of wine and he barely if ever drank . It was the collection and the bragging rights not the pleasure of the wine. Every time I go to someones home with multi 1000 records they are spread out over the place many in cardboard boxes or somewhere in storage. I don't find joy in that and I am sure that most only play a few hundred ( if that much) of what they collect
I have the world of music in the palm of my hand played back by the most incredible digital system on the planet, I can play just about anything without ever getting off my over 70 year old ass. That's amazing!
Elliot,

it's so easy to find fault with (the idea of) vinyl collections. but it's simply the human condition. the question might be what is the ratio of people who have...say....more than 2500 records, to people who actually know and listen to a wide sampling of those 2500 records regularly....and have them reasonably stored and organized. my guess is likely 15, or 20......up to 30%. why this low? lifestyle realities narrow the odds of having both the time and inclination to listen and make an effort to stay active. and then who can sustain this activity? our lives evolve. vinyl requires a pretty stable living situation and time availability. and space. even stable relationships too.

is this any different than other hobbies and collection activities? not likely.

reality rarely lives up to any idealized viewpoint.

so your 6000 piece vinyl collection might have become more trouble than it was worth. but don't blame it on vinyl. you changed. the vinyl focus did not fit your reality. digital and the easy access is a big factor for many, i agree. i have great digital too, yet still get much magic from my records. but that's today. which is where i'm at. tomorrow? i know what my plan is.
 
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beaur

Fleetwood Sound
Oct 12, 2011
459
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Brooklyn
I've been accumulating records since 1994. I have about 1500 or so around. There's a certain point in my (your?) life that you become known as the LP guy in your social circle. That leads to multiple offers of buying/getting parents' or grandparents' collections of, say, 50 to 100 records. This is especially true if you make it known you like classical music. I've taken in over 500 LPs under that method and kept around 150 of those. Pretty soon, you end of with a lot of records. will say that until this last year, when my system was down for external reasons, every LP that came in was played and then shelved or moved on. Most records left are music I like, or there's a story behind them. Have a few zingers that I keep around so that anyone thinking through can have a laugh. The surprising thing is that Discogs tells me that the value of my LPs ranges from $11 to 50K, and I only have half entered. It's crazy out there.

Beau
 
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Walter66

Active Member
Aug 22, 2022
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I so don't get it. I had 6000 records and to honest it was such a pain in the ass. I couldn't stand the way most of them sounded and it was always a battle to find what I wanted and go through the whole religious experience to play a single song. They took up so much space and my listening time allotment. I was thrilled to get rid of them. I have nothing against records but pretending that they all sound good is just a HUGE lie. When I look at a collection like this all I see is tons of boxes that will require a ton of space and a librarian to organize them. This is for a collector IMO not someone that actually listens. I had a client with over 5000 bottles of wine and he barely if ever drank . It was the collection and the bragging rights not the pleasure of the wine. Every time I go to someones home with multi 1000 records they are spread out over the place many in cardboard boxes or somewhere in storage. I don't find joy in that and I am sure that most only play a few hundred ( if that much) of what they collect
I have the world of music in the palm of my hand played back by the most incredible digital system on the planet, I can play just about anything without ever getting off my over 70 year old ass. That's amazing!
Remember, in case of an energy breakdown, your digital music library won't be any longer in for service. I'll go downstairs to the basement, start the emergency diesel engine, return back to my hifi system and fetch out the next record from a huge magazine. Thats the difference in owning physical items and owning nothing (means just software from a cloud memory).
 

Ron Resnick

Site Co-Owner, Administrator
Jan 24, 2015
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I know who the seller of this collection is. I do not know his record collecting philosophy or procedure.

I think I have somewhere between 500 records and 700 records, and around 75 to 100 tapes. Any record or tape not safely situated in my new (November 22 arriving) record/tape storage cabinet when the music stops is getting thrown overboard (onto eBay).
 

beaur

Fleetwood Sound
Oct 12, 2011
459
165
950
60
Brooklyn
Remember, in case of an energy breakdown, your digital music library won't be any longer in for service. I'll go downstairs to the basement, start the emergency diesel engine, return back to my hifi system and fetch out the next record from a huge magazine. Thats the difference in owning physical items and owning nothing (means just software from a cloud memory).
If my turntable can spin about 75% of my files will play.
 
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PeterA

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Dec 6, 2011
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My phone is full of photos I never look at. My bookshelf has leather photo albums that I treasure and keep returning to.

People buy records and they have value. Digital files are given away in the hundreds and thousands for free. For some people it’s mostly about the quality of the experience and for others it’s mostly about convenience. And for some, it is about both. We all make our choices.

This reminds me of the occasional large car collection that goes up for auction. If people are not into cars, why would they tell others who are having a nice discussion about the sale, why they hate cars so much. It’s very strange how these threads develop.
 

tima

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Mar 3, 2014
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still slumming it with my Klaudio. it's working well and so easy. once retired (in a few months) i might get more serious about it. my focus has been on my digital, and then my tt upgrades, done with those now. the collection is big enough to motivate me to get a better process

I have a better process.
 
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dminches

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Mike Lavigne

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
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I have a better process.
Yes you do!
certainly i recall my investigation of your cleaning process last year after my acquisition of the collection. it's a big commitment, but i might do it soon. over the last year, my digital and tt upgrades intruded on my intentions to jump in a year ago.

i expect it would advance my performance. at that time i mentioned i had a remodel of my barn/kitchen area pending, and holding me back, and that did get completed. so i do now have the proper space to do it. :cool:

my only misgivings are my recent additions of the 3 anti-static devices for my tt's. might they reduce the degree of benefit of ultra clean records beyond where i'm currently at? how much effort is too much? i suppose too much is about right. :D
 
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tima

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Mar 3, 2014
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my only misgivings are my recent additions of the 3 anti-static devices for my tt's. might they reduce the degree of benefit of ultra clean records beyond where i'm currently at? how much effort is too much? i suppose too much is about right. :D

I reread our conversation with Neil in my DIY thread - that was a good discussion.

Once a record is clean it should stay clean ... unless it gets dirty. Once a record is clean - by any method - the job of keeping it clean is in the hands of the user. You have the experience on that end in terms of handling and good practice such as keeping a stylus clean. That's where the DS Audio Ion device comes into play; anti-static sleeves can also help. Neither will clean a record.

The benefits of the sota process David (@dminches) and I use include: superior cleaning and high throughput. Imo that process yields better results than any desktop RCM can produce. Add Bob Vin's DI water manufactory for icing on the cake.
 

Elliot G.

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Jul 22, 2010
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Remember, in case of an energy breakdown, your digital music library won't be any longer in for service. I'll go downstairs to the basement, start the emergency diesel engine, return back to my hifi system and fetch out the next record from a huge magazine. Thats the difference in owning physical items and owning nothing (means just software from a cloud memory).
if I have an energy breakdown my amp, preamp, and everything else won't work either Walter. Oh by the way I have around 2000 Cd's collecting dust and holding down a piece of furniture as well.
Collecting is a fine hobby but let us not confuse it with playing music, Every large collection I see is a pile of boxes in a storage room, not much fun as I see it
 

Elliot G.

Industry Expert
Jul 22, 2010
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Elliot,

it's so easy to find fault with (the idea of) vinyl collections. but it's simply the human condition. the question might be what is the ratio of people who have...say....more than 2500 records, to people who actually know and listen to a wide sampling of those 2500 records regularly....and have them reasonably stored and organized. my guess is likely 15, or 20......up to 30%. why this low? lifestyle realities narrow the odds of having both the time and inclination to listen and make an effort to stay active. and then who can sustain this activity? our lives evolve. vinyl requires a pretty stable living situation and time availability. and space. even stable relationships too.

is this any different than other hobbies and collection activities? not likely.

reality rarely lives up to any idealized viewpoint.

so your 6000 piece vinyl collection might have become more trouble than it was worth. but don't blame it on vinyl. you changed. the vinyl focus did not fit your reality. digital and the easy access is a big factor for many, i agree. i have great digital too, yet still get much magic from my records. but that's today. which is where i'm at. tomorrow? i know what my plan is.
you have your thoughts I have mine. Collecting is a worthwhile endeavor for some, not for me. This is my point and for those who can justify this process to themselves so be it and enjoy it. I own my gear to do singularly one thing, listen and that is not the same thing as collecting. I have only so much time and my way works great for all of my desires. I own the most enjoyable digital playback system I have ever encountered, I use Roon, Qobuz and a little Tidal have around 8tb of files ( at least half of which I have no idea where it came from LOL) and I get to travel the musical universe with my phone as a remote and a volume control device.
Mike its not the 1000-2000 pieces of software that one might actually rotate through although my guess is more like a few hundred, but 5-10-15-20K and beyond is just collecting it has little to do with listening to music as one needs a full time staff just to find and organize it.
Enjoy collecting all I said is it is not for me as its another addiction that I wont take part in again.
Anyone want to but a couple of thousand random cds? LOL
 

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