The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

It's not a matter of "not knowing" about other hobbies, since I am well aware of the Harley collectors, antique car collectors, phonograph collectors, Barbie doll collectors, sports paraphernalia collectors, etc. and their extreme passion for paying outrageous prices for whatever...

I am also aware of people who have spent 100s of thousands of dollars restoring a '60s muscle car that when new cost several thousand dollars and later selling it for way less than the restoration cost... My point was just to stir up some commentary on the insanity of doing so... My Edison Standard comparison was based on the amount of scrap metal you would get for $5000...

Do whatever you like... If that is spending $5000 for gas caps or $1700 for used oil cans, go for it... it still equates to insanity...

Like I said, our hobby seems nuts sometimes, but at least you get something to play music on when the electricity fails... Gas caps or oil cans are no use in a power outage...

"These gas caps are the equivalent of finding a Victor Moorish phonograph."

No, the gas caps are the equivalent of finding the door knobs for one...

$ 1750 for the oil cans and no oil. At least for that price you " can" get a nice phonograph and have your nerves soothed. I think I am going to start looking for old oil cans now. I must have thrown away thousands of dollars in oil cans when I was young. Tom B

tomb wrote:I must have thrown away thousands of dollars

An oft heard cry

http://www.ebay.com/itm/OLD-VINTAGE-FUL ... 7675.l2557

All hobbies can seem insane from the outside. I know a great phono collector who is also deeply into oilers, those glass-and-brass containers which are screwed into bearing housings and so forth, and when filled with oil, keep big machines lubricated. Why? He doesn't have the big machines, just the oilers.

I think the way his oiler collection makes my brain feel is likely the same way folks don't understand why I would want to have more than a single wind-up phono, or any wind-up phono at all.

But he has fun and doesn't harm himself (or his family or others) in its pursuit, so more power to him.

When we spend so much time and money on a hobby, think of this: To me a hobby is decent and wholesome. It sure beats drinking, drugs, smoking, and gambling. When I was young, my folks would get on my case about spending to much time on my hobbies(model building). I finally got tired and stood up to them. I told them, I don't drink, take drugs, smoke, gamble, and abide with the law. They understood and left me alone after that. So with other hobbyists, at least they are doing something constructive, and positive.
Harvey Kravitz

I agree with Harvey, the various hobbies that I've had growing up have helped keep me out of trouble.

Saying that though, hobbies are definitely more fun when drinking and doing drugs.

Just sayin'

Mr Grumpy wrote:I agree with Harvey, the various hobbies that I've had growing up have helped keep me out of trouble.

Saying that though, hobbies are definitely more fun when drinking and doing drugs.

Just sayin'

That's why my workshop is the room next to my bar. After seeing those prices, I need a drink.