FEATURED Phonograph Pet Peeve!

[flashpanblue]

Hi All,
First let me say that I really enjoy the " Featured Phonograph" postings and appreciate the time taken by members to put them together. However one thing that always bothers me is that most of the time the " Current Value" is left blank. For the most part I think that if you have taken the time to hunt down and buy a machine then you have a pretty good idea of what it is worth today. At the very least you could give a price range estimate based on condition. I think this would be of great benefit not to just the new Phonograph collectors that have recently joined the Forum but to some of us old timers too!
all the best for the season
Pete

[FloridaClay]

Pete, IMHO except for some common models made in high volume which change hand frequently so that there is a good track record, statements as to value are mostly not much more than wild-eyed guesses without much value. And what might be a solid estimate today will likely be significantly off tomorrow as the market constantly changes.

Clay

[JerryVan]

...statements as to value are mostly not much more than wild-eyed guesses without much value. And what might be a solid estimate today will likely be significantly off tomorrow as the market constantly changes.

Clay

Yes, but an estimate, while possibly not valid 3 years from now, still gives one a sense of an order of magnitude. In other words, is it worth $500 or $5000? Even if there's price fluctuation months or years from now it still gives the collector an idea of relative value.

[Chuck]

Pete,

Well when it comes to finding a machine and acquiring it,
the actual price paid can be a sensitive issue.

I learned this last June when I purchased a
C-250 Diamond Disc machine. I did post the price I
ended up paying for it. Never again. I learned my
lesson when someone negotiates a fair deal and then
tells about it.

Some folks think getting a fair deal is only supposed
to happen to *them*, and that the rest of us should
pay more.

So, quite possibly this may be a part of the reason
that price is often not shown nor discussed.

Chuck

[flashpanblue]

Hi Chuck,
I do understand what you are saying about it being a sensitive issue. I don't expect someone to post what they paid for it. They might have got a screaming deal or perhaps paid way too much because they just had to have it. I still think it would be helpful to include a price range estimate based on condition. Otherwise perhaps we should just delete that line on the Format.
Pete

[Cody K]

I actually really like the way ChuckA dealt with it just yesterday in his Featured Phonograph post on his Columbia Home Grand: $$$$. Gets an idea of value/desirability across, and it should also be flexible over time -- going prices may change up or down, but the multiple dollar signs retain an idea of relative value that should be fairly stable.

[MTPhono]

There are likely many reasons why values are not listed, most valid. I like the idea of the relative $$$$ though it doesnt really mean much. Maybe something like Robert Baumbach does in his books would work - use a range. A Class M might be $15-30K for example. It certainly doesn't give away or imply what you paid but what "retail" values have been recently.

[Cody K]

...though it doesn't really mean much.

Sho'nuff does when you're looking for a restaurant, though!

[Phonofreak]

I'm going to throw in a curve ball. Here are my pet peeves:
1. An Edison Diamond disk on a lateral cut machine.
2. A lateral cut record on an Edison Diamond disk machine.
3. Someone leaving a cylinder on the mandrel, especially if it's a wax one. This is all I can think of now, but I'm sure that I'll come up with more.
Harvey Kravitz

[epigramophone]

Here's mine, entitled "how not to play a record"......