Tungstone on eBay

[TrainRide]

Has anyone been watching the crazy prices on the Tungstone soft tone needles that a seller on eBay has been getting? The last auction topped out at $103.99 for 24 soft-tone needles (plus shipping)!

Here is the current auction: http://www.ebay.com/itm/RCA-Victor-Tung ... 1753342567. The current bid is $72.

This seller must have a case of NOS and is making a fortune off of it!

[Cody K]

I've noticed these packs coming up lately too, fetching prices that seem a little extreme to me -- considering that with a little due diligence you can find earlier tungs-tones for a lower price per each, and they come in the neat little tin can. You're probably right; whoever's selling them must have come upon a crate of them. More power to 'em, if that's what people want to pay. He or she could probably make a decent dent in their mortgage if they have enough of these.

I like tungs-tones, but I don't trust them completely -- they shred cheaper pressings like Radiex or Regal (for ex.), so even though they don't leave visible damage on Victors or Columbias, I only ever use them when I want to play a bunch of pre-abused, bottom-shelf records that I don't care too much about -- and I'm feeling really lazy about needle-changing. I buy them cheaply when I can, just to have some around.

I did bid on a couple of these sets when they first started showing up, but dropped out when prices started getting to a point that I thought was silly. I'll keep holding out for the occasional tin of four or five, listed by sellers who take good enough pics to show the tips, that end at a buck and a half or so per stylus. Works for me. I'm on a budget!