Comments on: Another Adventure in Jazz Collecting: A Bronx Tale, Part Two

By: rl1856

rl1856 — Mon, 22 Feb 2016 20:08:30 +0000

Not Jazz related, but a good collecting story anyway.

A few years ago, I answered a CL ad that listed a “Linn Turntable and Needle”. I made an appointment to view the table…it was a Linn LP12, Ittok LVII combo, in good condition. I asked about records while there, and was escorted to the garage, and shown 10 boxes of neatly packed records. All were Rock/Pop from the 70’s to early 90’s. Including about 30 Mofi reissues, including a few UHQR pressings, and the Rolling Stones Box. The rest of the collection was in NM-Mint condition and included several UK and German-Teldec pressings. In the case of US pressings of titles I was familiar with, the run out groove info matched what I knew to be the best sounding pressing. The owner was an audiophile, or at least very knowledgeable. The seller was the 20 something son of the owner and wanted to raise funds for a trip to the So Pacific. He had a number in mind for the table, which was high, but did not know what the records were worth, or what he wanted for them. I could have taken advantage of him, but instead I provided info and education. We pulled all of the Mofi titles, and I instructed him to list these titles on Ebay. I assured him that the proceeds would be enough to fund his trip. I purchased about 20 of the non Mofi titles. I then went home to research the value of the table, and I sent him an offer for the table a few hours later. He replied that he wanted to see if he can get more for it. I let him know that my offer was standing. He got back in touch 2 weeks later and accepted my offer for the table. Great- I’m the proud owner of a Linn LP12 / Ittok combo ! I thought that was the end of it. He call back several months later. He was unsuccessful in selling any of the Mofi records we had pulled, and asked if I would be interested in submitting an offer for the collection. I made an appointment to meet him, and brought cash with me. When I arrived, I could see that the Mofi titles- all of them, were sitting on the DR table. He explained that he had listed several titles on Ebay, but no one bid for them etc etc. We went to the garage, and the boxes of LPs were just where we left them several months before. I made him an offer, which he immediately accepted. I expected a counter offer, so I was a bit surprised, but I did not react. My wife’s face was a priceless image when she came home to find 10 boxes of records in our front hall !! I kept what I wanted of the collection, and sold off the rest. The LP12 is now my primary TT. Certainly balances out all of the near misses, buyer’s regret and overpays in the past.

By: don-lucky

don-lucky — Mon, 22 Feb 2016 19:27:26 +0000

What would vintage record collecting be without a proverbial “White Whale” or two ? I tend to agree with Al in this case though. In the back of each collectors mind there is always that hauntingly critical little voice that reminds us that ones collection is only as good as it’s weakest LP. …That being said, anyone got odds on the chances of “The Bronx” calling Al back in a few weeks once they realize their mistake after shopping it around a little ? At least this one had a happy ending of sorts. Sometimes getting stuck with an LP in such dubious condition is worse than not having it at all, or as Oscar Wilde once said “There are only two tragedies in life: one is not getting what one wants, and the other is getting it.”

By: Ethan

Ethan — Sun, 21 Feb 2016 13:50:32 +0000

The sad fact is that while these are rare and desirable albums, the condition they are in basically places them in the “cant give these away” category of used wares. Sad that she and her family can’t understand that.

By: cleveland

cleveland — Sun, 21 Feb 2016 06:40:13 +0000

Al you are a nice guy. I would have made a token offer for that al lib based on your time. But I guess you wanted to erase the bad experience.

By: JOK

JOK — Sat, 20 Feb 2016 19:46:56 +0000

Well, she got her records cleaned up for free. She should have given you the AD LIB record just for being a “nice guy”.

By: Mac

Mac — Fri, 19 Feb 2016 21:52:35 +0000

Al, reading your article reminded me of a saying I was once told: You know you’ve reached a consensus when all parties are equally dissatisfied. Thanks for a different take on the “record score” story.

By: bill

bill — Fri, 19 Feb 2016 20:43:54 +0000

Yes, buying from widows is always fraught with the difficulties enumerated so eloquently in the posts above. I have had similar experiences and have come up with two solutions so my wife does not have to go through all this. First, I have required her to memorize the Fred Cohen book and a grid I have set up, to show original issues for Prestige, Impulse and Riverside as shown in previous posts on this site. I quiz her daily. She, on the other hand, has required that I learn all the hallmarks and maker’s marks on her jewelry. She tests me daily. We have very little time for much else, but at least we’re prepared for our eventual demise. Secondly, I have decided to sell all the records myself before I pass. My goal is to sell the last piece on eBay the day before I go. The one problem is finding the exact date so I know when I must start. I have asked my doctor and my rabbi, but they are no help. Any suggestions?
I would also like to add that buying collections from musicians is also quite problematic. A lot of musicians think of their records as tools for learning and not museum pieces and tend to be very hard on them. I have a friend, a high end dealer, who has a real horror story about flying cross country to buy some records from a musician who recorded a few albums for Blue Note and other collectible labels and wanted to sell his records. They met at a Borders and across a coffee table he dipped into a ratty shopping bag and handed my friend copies of all his records. They were utterly destroyed and most were without covers. My friend could not even make an offer. Needless to say, my friend was cursed out and the seller left in a huff. A very sad story.

By: Bill Walter

Bill Walter — Fri, 19 Feb 2016 20:10:47 +0000

Thanks for the story. I’ve had s similar instances over the last few years where women called on an ad I had in a local paper for lps. In each case they were selling their husband’s collection. In both of these instances the women had ridiculously high prices on mundane lps. In each case it turned out that they looked up prices on Ebay, not the sold prices, but unsold asking prices. Then they chose the highest of those prices to price their lps. I had to explain to each of them that only sold prices mean anything, and even when looking at sold prices, condition has to be considered. I think these errors in evaluating and pricing lps will continue to happen with much of the public going forward.

By: Mark

Mark — Fri, 19 Feb 2016 19:43:44 +0000

Great story sir, and glad to see it had a satisfactory ending for both parties. I have to agree with other posters here that ebay, in particular, has “enlightened” some on the value of collectible vinyl. It also has given some sellers the notion that, with minimal experience in grading, that they may be able to sell for very high prices. Most inexperienced sellers assume everything they have is of the highest quality, whilst most experienced sellers are going to be much more conservative in their grading. Condition is always paramount in the buying and selling of collectibles, and this fact is most of the time completely lost with inexperienced sellers.

By: DaveS

DaveS — Fri, 19 Feb 2016 19:01:08 +0000

Your story had a happy ending. Once I had a older woman reply to my Craigslist ad and I ended up buying a few records, including a Kenny Dorham Lex. in VG condition. 2 days later her son posted a “Scam Alert” on my Craigslist advertisement saying that I ripped his poor mother off. I guess if he was a better son and around more often, he could have sold the records to a more generous buyer.