Thrift Store Record Find

[democraticinsurgent]

I am a longtime vinyl record collector/record store owner and remember the 80's and 90's fondly for all the great records you could find at thrift stores and garage sales.

These days, most people have gotten rid of their vinyl by now, and there are many more collectors of late, so good thrift store finds are much tougher. Nonetheless, last Friday I picked up some very valuable records at one of my regular spots where there usually isn't anything. I found three copies of a rare local lp that sells in the $100 range on eBay plus another 10-15 good obscure rock records. None of the others appear to be of high value but some are musically interesting.

While I'm on this topic, I'm always interested in caches of locally made 45's and lp's from the 50's on up. If you find the right records we can definitely make some $ and have fun doing it.

[Duer 157099]

1. That's another category of stuff I never look at

In fact, I got rid of my LPs a few years ago, all at once via craigslist. Just to get rid of them.

The places I go have tons of LPs but I have no clue what to look for, and there are so many that it's overwhelming - similar to the situation with books at those stores - there are tons and it's too overwhelming.

[democraticinsurgent]

7. Needle in haystack

that's the hardest part with records, but also the opportunity, natch. Most don't have the patience so it's left to the obssesives like me. Books have also become ultra common as used book stores have disappeared. I buy them constantly but most are pretty hard to sell. I haven't even tried too hard.

One thing to keep in mind is that if you find a box or pile of many copies of the same record, this could be significant. Especially if you don't recognize it. It could be a local release and therefore maybe of value.

Records, like everything else, are governed by supply/demand. The supply of most records is huge relative to the demand, so they're hard to sell. But there are collectors now looking for the obscure local releases because they were released in small quantities and are hard to find. Some of them are considered musical gems now and so more people want them than can find them.

;-)

[The Night Owl]

17. Finding valuable and sellable records is not easy. I probably wouldn't...

...bother looking through old records if I were interested in them only for financial gain. What I do is look for music I like... and if it's valuable, all the better. Because my musical taste is all over the map, looking for music I like has been a natural sort of way for me to educate myself about records.

[zabet]

2. I have an LP locally cut..

at Pinecrest Country Club outside of Lumberton NC. Late 60s, I would have to dig it out to check. It is Cykle (sp?), and that is the name of the LP. Band pic on the front, with psychedelic background.
I also have lots of other vinyl that I had as a teen, what I have not already gotten rid of.

[democraticinsurgent]

5. that one is worth some $ if it's in good shape

..and i might be up for buying it from you. Feel free to PM me more info, or a list of what you have.

thanks!

[zabet]

11. I will dig it out of the hall closet this weekend...

the LP itself has not been taken out or played since the 70s (when big sis left home and left it to me).

[democraticinsurgent]

15. awesome, thanks.

[zabet]

20. Check your PM inbox. nt

[grasswire]

3. Is Tijuana Brass back in again?

I swear that must be the most common LP I see in church rummage sales.

Once in a while I browse through LPs. I suspect that what I would want to keep is what would make me some money.

I actually have a lot of LPs but no working turntable. I've been looking for a stereo-hi fi console for some time now. I don't know where they all went -- many were beautiful pieces of furniture. I saw one at a retro store the other day that was a good ten feet long and teak. It wasn't for sale.

If I were going to look for records, I'd do 78s. I found an album last year in near mint condition of Meade Lux Lewis boogie woogie. Four records in great condition. Guess I oughta see how much it's worth.

[democraticinsurgent]

8. Keep looking for that console

they used to be everywhere and worth next to nothing. I still see them from time to time. Most people don't want them because they take up so much space. When you do find one, you can fairly easily replace the turntable stylus by searching online.

good luck in your search!

(Not sure on the Meade Lux Lewis value, but 78's are really fun and sound way better than most people realize. Just be sure that when you find that console that the turntable will play 78's. ;-)

[Duer 157099]

9. Here's one, should I go pick it up for you?

(hopefully this ad isn't gone by the time you see this. they grow up so fast, ::sigh::)

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/zip/729204067.html

[grasswire]

4. where are my manners?

Welcome to our little niche!

And if you care to take the time to educate us on your specialty, please do!!

[democraticinsurgent]

6. thanks for the welcome!

...and i should have "introduced myself" more properly anyway. I live in Indianapolis and although I haven't yet hit the 1000 mark in my posts, i have been a regular DU'er since early 2003. Just don't post all that much.

Tijuana Brass does seem to be one of the most common lp's ever. I joke about certain lp's being "required" to own in their time, Herb Alpert & Tijuana Brass is one of them. Fleetwood Mac - Rumors. Michael Jackson - Thriller. I mean, what would the neighbors think if you didn't have the basic social requirements of the day. ;-)

[The Night Owl]

18. Herb Alpert records are a curse on the planet. {EOM}

[sufrommich]

10. I've noticed less and less records

in the thrifts in the last year or so. I don't usually look in the record bins but at the thrifts close to me I frequently see the same guy looking through them.I would guess that record collecting takes an enormous amount of study. Me,i have a record player and wouldn't dream of getting rid of my records.

[Kat45]

12. Does anyone collect 45s with picture sleeves? Are they worth much?

I have some old ones that probably would be if any are (Beatles, etc) that I'm not interested in selling, but I've also picked others up at yard sales and such through the years in hopes that they might be worth something. Do you know if there's any value in these?

I do also have a lot of old 45s (and LPs), some of which are unusual. I have a 45 that was recorded by Tony Conigliaro back when he was s Red Sox star (sixties)--he got into singing back then. Though something like that might be of more interest to sports fans than record collectors.

[grasswire]

13. you probably could look at eBay sales....

...to see how those things are selling. Your baseball 45 sounds interesting.

[democraticinsurgent]

14. Often the sleeves are worth more than the records...

...because fans took the sleeves off, stacked the records and most didn't get saved. In particular pic sleeves from the early 70's and before are a good bet. Beatles sleeves are an easy $20 and up, and a few are multi hundred $. Definitely worth picking up! And yes, do a search on ebay under records "picture sleeve" or "ps" and see what happens. With records the best way to really assess saleability is to look at completed items, sort highest price to lowest for the fastest info.

[The Night Owl]

16. Try Estate Sales

I used to haunt thrift stores looking for records, but I've found that estate sales are more likely to have interesting or valuable records. And, estate sales usually sell records go for much less than what thrift stores charge for them these days. Of course, the challenge of finding records at estate sales is getting to them before someone else who knows what they're looking at does.

[democraticinsurgent]

19. good suggestion

.. as you say, there is often a lot of competition, especially if records are advertised. Depends on where you live, i guess. Last time i got serious about garage/estate sales i was always getting aced out by other people who got up even earlier than i did. lol. that experience has led me to become more "random" in my garage sale efforts and it works out ok.

the very best thing to do is advertise to buy records, as my store does. but that's expensive...

[ElsewheresDaughter]

21. hey I have the origina "Big Bambu" album with the rolling paper still in it....is it worth anything?