Back in Action
Allow me to explain, yet again, why I have taken so long between posts. The reason is related to my real work, but if you stick with me, you will find that it may have relevance for Jazz Collector. My work primarily involves writing about the intersection of business and technology. It’s kind of mercenary, writing-for-hire, but I like doing it, I have nice relationships with many of my clients and I have a wonderful, amazing business partner who is also a good friend. We are negotiating a new deal with our largest client and it’s not yet clear whether we will be able to come to terms. This process has been draining and takes up a lot of my brainpower, or at least whatever is left of it. I haven’t had time to devote to my other passions, of which Jazz Collector is near the top of the list. I haven’t even looked at eBay since my last post on May 31. How is this relevant for Jazz Collector?
The possibility of losing our biggest client has forced me to think: If not this, then what? I have grappled with this as a theoretical construct in the past, and my answer has always been that I would devote more time and attention to Jazz Collector. I would restart the process of selling off records in my collection, post more frequently, write a Jazz Collector book (Jazz Collector’s Greatest Hits? The Best of Jazz Collector?), get more involved in the world of jazz records and music and sail off into the sunset, never looking back.
So, the existential question is this: Would I be comfortable doing this, and potentially parting with a good portion of my collection at this stage of my life? The answer, to my surprise, is yes, I would. How, when, under what scenario, I have no idea. I’m really hoping, instead, that the writing business continues. But, if not, well, that could be quite newsworthy for the Jazz Collector community. I’ll keep you posted. Meanwhile, I’m taking a little time off from work to clear my head. Which means back to eBay, back to my records, back to posting here at Jazz Collector. Sorry, yet again, for the long delay between posts.
Hello Al,
I read your post with great interest and empathy. I have so many thoughts. They speak to my (excellent) life as a 73 year old. I will try and write a few coherent thoughts.
We would all like to ride off into the sunset leaving a trail of great Jazz records for others to enjoy. Some of us are lucky because someone in our family loves the music. That’s a real blessing. For most of us, myself included, it’s not reality.
Right now I am in the middle of what the Swedes call “death cleaning”. This is ridding myself of excess so my significant other doesn’t have to deal with it. I know this is not what you are suggesting now, but the process is essentially the same. Combing through your collection and picking things you can live without. I have been doing this for 3 years and have culled about 1000 out of approximately 5000 pieces. I have been through my collection 5 times. It gets harder as you continue.
I know you have sold records in the past and you more than most, know the market, but I have to say, even with additional consignment pieces and the serendipitous find, one cannot make a living doing this without volume volume volume of three figure records. This must be considered a hobby or pastime otherwise it’s real hard to do. For me, it’s income augmentation and still an enjoyable hobby. I spent my adult life selling used records in San Francisco (mostly punk and alternative rock) and find this is a way to continue doing what I like particularly concentrating almost exclusively on Jazz. Even so, it has it moments!
As you know eBay is a great place and outlets for high quality Jazz records are multiplying (Instagram seems to be the new thing and Discogs too – no pictures). I hope this is all moot and the business you love can continue, but if not, retirement with a stack of great Jazz records to sell isn’t a bad thing either.
First off, thanks Al for your dedication and hard work. You provide tremendous joy and knowledge to all of us. O.K. , got that out of the way …now then Al, are you willing to sell at a price that reflects the market or are you just trying to appease the wife, or just curious how much you can get ? After all it is investment, as proved by the website’s constant topic of price. Here’s an Idea Al, why not sell them and then donate the money to jazz musicians struggling with finances or health issues ? How about scholarships for Youth Jazz education ? OR just stick the money in your pocket and laugh all the way to the bank …
I think the last thing I would want to do when I retire is sell jazz records online! I mean perhaps selling a few key high end pieces would make sense but in reality I would rather just consign the whole collection to a big name eBay dealer or store. It also seems that collecting taxes and such is more and more of a thing these days on discogs and eBay.
One of the best things about it is that when I’m listening to records I can tell my wife I’m working.
ALI for one great story and i;m sure i speak for others, in the fact we appreciate you and for your site, hopefully you make the best decision for your collection, you have many records and if you decide to downsize, i say go for it ,
but if you have would not sale on eBay, they report to the IRS and you will get a 1099 form, eBay requires you to give your social security number or tax id number, so the thrill of making some money off your record tax free is gone, If you own a store front of course this is not problem, but the guy who just wants to make a nice profit off his collection, is the one who suffers, and i hear you get taxed the full amount, there is not discount for sale fee’s ,PayPal fees, listing fee’s.etc.. the days of selling through Goldmine magazine or gone,everyone wants a nice piece of pie now
Mark Hall that’s what I alluded to in my earlier comment today; selling records online is not as nice as it was some years ago. Perhaps we need to go back to the old days and sell via paper catalogs and accept only money orders!!
These certainly are interesting times in the jazz collecting community. Having started down this rabbit hole later in life nearly 20 years ago with 2 small kids and funding their college years a priority, the thrill of the hunt and finding a score was a big part of the allure (as well as the music of course). The knowledge gained through this community and passing that on to others became part of the appeal too. Now with more personal disposable income, yet along with arcane collecting information no longer the sole province of the JC Illuminati and every record I could every want available to the highest bidder with a click of a mouse, somedays I feel BB King was right. Certainly my collection had appreciated in value over the years, but I would trade that monetary gain back to recapture the good ol’ days before jazz collecting jumped the shark and Fred Cohen published his Blue Note bible 😉
Mark, i am in agreement 100 percent, i am glad i am not a seller and strictly a buyer, i would not want to deal with the taxes, i wish the days o buying through Goldmine was still here, but i;m not sure Goldmine even allows that anymore
Yeah, I would consign the lot and let someone else deal with it. Certainly what I’ll do (or my wife will do upon my departure).
That said, if you are trimming avant-garde or lower-tier/later pressings of classics, I’ll gladly help you thin out!
Speaking of consignment, what percentage do dealers typically offer? I imagine there’s a lot of variability depending on the rarity of the collection and quantity to be dealt with. But if I have a record that reliably sells for $1,000 on eBay/Discogs, what’s a realistic price to expect from a dealer?
Depends on what else you’re consigning, but I would expect a 70/30 split in your favor on spendier items.
Sounds like you need some help…from someone with a degree in electrical engineering…and an MBA in business administration…just a thought…
when you would start seriously selling jazz records, why not, you have enough, can’t take ‘m into the grave etc, you could really like it… in the end , it is about being busy with jazz records … it’s not only the music for most of us here, ’cause you could here that on radio, cd, spotify, cassette tape etc. etc., no it’s ridiculously strange things as ‘holding a original’, re-alphabetting your collection, read books about deep grooves and other life-hacking experiences.
I think Rudolph could have some good advise (although on vacation now i think) . For the last years he is selling, checking his collection, and therefore playing his records… and just being busy with his collection instead of just looking at it in his room.
And i can not imagine you could not make money out of it too, you bought most records years and years ago, the have increased in price 1000 percent.
And on the way pay some taxes All, when you make money, why not, its for the good of the country, but allas, i’am from The Netherlands, most you americans think thats communist country allready ..))
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From a family security standpoint will you ever have this chance again? This pricing trend ends at some point?
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