Promo Day
Promo records have never seemed to be a big thing in the Jazz Collector world, at least not compared to other genres, but there are some promo records that seem to catch collector’s eyes, including Miles Davis, Kind of Blue, Columbia 1355. This looks to be an original mono pressing with the red and white promo labels and the 6-eyes. The seller talks about the record being in “nice shape” but doesn’t actually give a grade and mentions a scratch that cuts across side B. All of that would be somewhat OK for gamblers, but it is also a seller that does not accept returns. A lot of risk to ask, IMHO, for a record that has a start price of $600. So far there are no takers. A quick view over at Popsike shows that a promo copy of Kind of Blue recently sold for $2,700, so the seller is probably not coming from left field with that price tag. We’ll keep a watch and see if it sells. My bet? Yes, it will.
Our friends at the Jazz Record Center have a fairly impressive jazz vinyl auction closing tomorrow with a batch of nice Blue Note and Prestige Records including, tada, Hank Mobley, Blue Note 1568. This is a promo copy, yet it does not have the New York 23 label on side two. Yet, as the listing describes pretty clearly, it should still be regarded as an original first pressing, although die-hard Blue Note-ites will probably always prefer the New York 23. Anyway, this one looks to be in M- condition for the record and the cover, perhaps VG++ for the cover. The auction closes tomorrow and the bidding is already close to $4,000. We can do another over/under pool. I’ll start with $5,650.
Nothing wrong with collecting vintage records and not playing them. Reissues abound. To each his own.
Gregory the Fish, you are right I take that back, it was mean spirited. Pretty tongue in cheek though.
But I stand by, the whole concept of not playing ’em is against the ethos they were created for.
Not sure the example for Stamps, Coins and Vino is comparable, you drink the wine it’s gone!,
You play the record, you enjoy and if one is careful, it’s is still there and it retains it’s value.
No comparison.
perhaps a partial comparison. records DO wear down, but i agree it is not the same. still, i maintain that records are perfectly enjoyable to look at. i sometimes flip through my collection lovingly and happily. i agree with you mostly, but if someone else doesn’t play their records, i don’t mind. you should save your energy! 🙂
GTF…if your records are wearing down matey, you may need to check your tracking weight! 😉
GTF is technically correct. Records will wear from each play, even if imperceptible to the ear over some time. Unavoidable, given the immense forces exerted by the stylus on the groove walls (estimated to be as high as 35,000 psi).
“reissues abound”. Yes they do. I have a Mobley reissue of “Mobley’s Message” and the vinyl is terrible. Simply terrible. If I am going to buy a reissue, its going to be of an older OJC or a Japanese reissue. The “newer” ones are not enjoyable.
JOK if you don’t mind me asking what reissue did you buy? I really like the Analogue Productions one (nice laminated jacket as well).
Adam: oh yeah I didn’t mean with any detectable regularity! haha. But yes, the tracking pressure is huge because pressure is force per area, and the stylus area of contact is of course very small.
As for how to move LPs, for 12-inch, I use U-Haul “Small Boxes.” For 10-inch LPs and 78s, I use U-Haul “Book Boxes.” With these two box sizes/types, I moved approximately 10,000 12-inch LPs, more than 300 10-inch LPs, and more than 10,000 78s from Virginia to Indiana. No problems. No warpage or dings, and only one broken 78. Planing and care is all it takes! On each box, I noted the general contents. Only with books do I list the subject, author, or title. This makes locating shipped books much easier. That was back in 2004. Today, in 2017, I still buy records, so my collection has grown. I have also acquired records from four or five estates, adding thousands more to my collection. Besides the records in my apartment, I use two storage units. I used to collect wine, chiefly red Bordeaux. At one point, I had more than 500 bottles from vintages in the 1950s to the 1970s. Eventually over years, I drank them all. I also collected wine labels and corks used to create a cork board and a cork wreath.
This is to all the wonderful folks who gave me so many great ideas and solutions for moving vinyl. I love the comraderie expressed here between jazz lovers even if we are all strongly opinionated I know that we are all on the same wave length when it comes to this fabulous music. Thanks to all. I really, really appreciate your sharing your wisdom with me. I feel so much better informed now and maybe I won’t worry overmuch as my collection winds its way to Nashville where I’m certain that it will quickly reproduce and multiply even further since I have no intention of ever moving again. This forum is just simply wonderful! Thanks so very much. Hey Geoffrey I can relate. I had an extensive Cabernet & Zinfandel collection which had to consumed or stored so I elected to go with the consume option. It was certainly a happy couple of years at the rate of one great wine a night but sadly all good things must end. Now I have developed a weakness for Modern Library books with excellent condition dust jackets. Perhaps I have acquired a new addiction because I also have to move 800 of these little guys. Thanks for mentioning UHaul Book Box. I’m definitely going to need a bigger boat. Happy Listening, happy collecting!!
Brian Anderson
Modern Library has a lot of great titles! Happy Move!
Good luck, Brian! Let us know how it goes. When I move lots of records, I plan for one dinged corner, but no real harm done.
I moved my 2000 LP collection myself. Going through, transporting and refiling everything forced me to consider the value of what I owned. Many LPs that I paid next to nothing for are now worth upper 3 to low 4 figures. Even 70’s-90’s punk, power pop and indie titles are now upper 2 to low 3 figures….
My wife and a friend who is a serious baseball memorabilia collector have urged me to insure my collection.
I play what I own, and I am mindful of deterioration over time. But at what point do we change from collectors to conservators ?