What do you regret buying? And why?

[estott]

My Cheney console. Don't get me wrong, I love it, but I bought it incomplete and have paid more than it is worth to complete it. On the plus side I've finally rebuilt the reproducers and it sounds great.

[Phonofreak]

Project machines!! Years ago, I bought project machines really cheap, thinking I can restore them for sale. Other priorities got in the way and I said someday, I will get these done for sale. I still have these someday projects, that I doubt I will ever get done. I stay away from project machines unless the project is minor.
Harvey Kravitz

[Steve]

I stay away from project machines unless the project is minor.

That's a great policy if you can stick to it rigidly. I avoided ANY kind of project for 20 years and had no regrets. Every machine I bought I took home and simply "plugged and played" it. No tinkering, oiling, adjustments, painting, polishing, refinishing was ever necessary. I don't know what went wrong about 5-6 years ago but I seem to have acquired quite a few "projects" and it is taking a long time to find the space and time to get around to sorting them out.

Never again! When this lot is sorted I'm going back to stuff that doesn't need any work or I shall quit for good.

[MTPhono]

Project machines!! Years ago, I bought project machines really cheap, thinking I can restore them for sale. Other priorities got in the way and I said someday, I will get these done for sale. I still have these someday projects, that I doubt I will ever get done. I stay away from project machines unless the project is minor.
Harvey Kravitz

+1. Try buying 140 projects at one time! Did it. Never again.

[Jerry B.]

I suppose I made new collector purchase mistakes but that was forty plus years ago. You learn by those mistakes so there is value. We are all influenced by our collector friends but I buy only things I like so I have few regrets. I always try to buy quality even if you have to pay a bit more. You'll never regret buying nice things. I purchased items five years ago when prices were at the top but I don't regret those things. I enjoy them. I have been very active in the hobby during the difficult economy and have had great years. I know friends who are sitting on items until prices go up. I say prices are relative. If you sell something for less than you would have received five years ago, you can also buy something for less money than five years ago. I see no reason to be stagnant in the hobby. Jerry Blais

[yankmycrank]

I only regret things I didn't buy.

[2Bdecided]

Project machines!! Years ago, I bought project machines really cheap, thinking I can restore them for sale.

I bought them thinking it was a cheap way to build a nice collection. It's not. It's a cheap way to build a collection of not very good machines that takes up time that I no longer have. They take up space too, and some of them have not increased in value.

My uncle puts it well: "When you're young, money seems important and difficult to get, while time seems limitless. When you're old, you might not have much more money to spare, but time is even more short and precious".

I think I might be happy buying projects again soon because my son is now happy to help, but I think we need discipline to only buy the next one when the current one is finished!


In retrospect, I regret (in the pre-eBay era) not realising how common most machines are, or realising how important condition is. Still, live and learn!

Cheers,
David.

[Steve]

I'm afraid, David, that is a very typical (stereotypical?) attitude of a lot of UK collectors! Certainly the vast majority of collectors I've met anyway. I never understood the opportunity to buy something genuinely great and original would often be passed up in order to buy junk for fixing. Okay, junk is often much cheaper but..........it's just like you've said! The best machines were all sent abroad and often to the Far East. What foreign buyers made of our "home-grown" collectors I'll never know.

So why didn't I buy all the "great" stuff when it was available? Well, firstly I knew nothing or little about it at the time and more importantly I was too young and didn't have the money to buy it anyway. Now I'm older and a little more knowledgeable the stuff available to buy is pretty dire. However I've had enough of projects. When I've done what I've already committed myself to complete, I won't buy anything else that needs work.

[2Bdecided]

I've come round to your way of thinking Steve, partly through seeing some amazing collections on the net.

That said, I don't think there's anything wrong with having "fixing mechanical things" as a hobby. I don't think there's anything wrong with those things being gramophones - but it's a different hobby from trying to collect the best and keep things original. There can be a cross over. The only problem I have is when people try to pass off bodged up tat as being original.

The other problem I have is lack of space. In most parts of the UK, even decent machines (if you can find them) cost less than the space to put them in. Plus, until recently, most people outside of the hobby just saw even the greatest machine as being a bit of old tat. Meaning collectors tended to be male and single (or confined to their sheds!).

Cheers,
David.

[FloridaClay]

Meaning collectors tended to be male and single (or confined to their sheds!).

Cheers,
David.

Yes, while there are pros and cons, sometime my being an old bachelor has its advantages. I can have as much clutter as I can tolerate and the occasional episodes of having old phonograph parts strewn all over the kitchen when doing a restoration.