The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I agree with George completely. The point of my first post was to say that APS has hit on something that works by drawing new people to the sale. At Union there has been fewer and fewer buyers that line up for regular admission on Saturday. Sunday at Union has been just plain dismal. At Union it feels like we are just selling to each other. Not for one moment did I feel like we were just selling to each other at APS. I sold ten machines last weekend. Nine of the ten went to persons that I had never seen before.

Union is still the Big Daddy of phono sales but I think it, and every other sale, could learn from the success of APS.

Jerry Blais

Jerry B. wrote:I agree with George completely. The point of my first post was to say that APS has hit on something that works by drawing new people to the sale. At Union there has been fewer and fewer buyers that line up for regular admission on Saturday. Sunday at Union has been just plain dismal. At Union it feels like we are just selling to each other. Not for one moment did I feel like we were just selling to each other at APS. I sold ten machines last weekend. Nine of the ten went to persons that I had never seen before.

Union is still the Big Daddy of phono sales but I think it, and every other sale, could learn from the success of APS.

Jerry Blais

The other takeaway is that the hobby is NOT "dying".

OrthoSean wrote:

HisMastersVoice wrote:I'd much rather stand next to these guys at the record boxes than socially awkward middle-aged men who haven't showered in days.

Or weeks...

Sean

Ummm try going to the WFMU record fair .......take a gas mask er sorry

This honestly makes me really happy. I couldn't be there Sunday but I'm really glad there were lots of newbies. It's fantastic news.

I typically avoid commenting on odors, but my God, I thought I was the only one who noticed this issue...

A good buddy of mine sells in. A collective (radios) and gets regular repair work on radio phono sets people are in general interested in phonographs because of vinyl being so popular,I can even get some to buy things like VV XI’s to play records do you think being in California helps the show ?.the advertising has more people to grab

Jwb88 wrote:This honestly makes me really happy. I couldn't be there Sunday but I'm really glad there were lots of newbies. It's fantastic news.

I typically avoid commenting on odors, but my God, I thought I was the only one who noticed this issue...

Are you saying that the hobby is not dying... it just smells like it?

Vinrage_mania wrote:

OrthoSean wrote:

HisMastersVoice wrote:I'd much rather stand next to these guys at the record boxes than socially awkward middle-aged men who haven't showered in days.

Or weeks...

Sean

Ummm try going to the WFMU record fair .......take a gas mask er sorry

LOL. Record shows. I think most of these people are unwashed vampires. Lots of them actually seem startled by sunlight!

They are also startled by and socially awkward with anything except the subject of records.

Good observation of the California marketplace and the marketing of the event.
This whole hobby of ours has to embrace and promote social media sites to keep in touch with current events and interests. We are sitting out in in the yard spinning 78's and nobody hears us. Youtube has been a good outlet but it's a bigger world out there. We have to go into their backyards which is Facebook, instragram, etc. Social media could keep this hobby alive with new interactive conversations and historical stories which could bring back interests in cylinder recordings, etc.. Every picture I see of a phono event has nothing but hunch backed old gray haired guys.That's gotta change.

ColoradoPhonograf wrote: We have to go into their backyards which is Facebook, instragram, etc. Social media could keep this hobby alive with new interactive conversations and historical stories which could bring back interests in cylinder recordings, etc..

There are a number of Facebook groups devoted to antique phonographs and records. The APS has sponsored a Facebook Page for years:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/phonograph/#

There's also the Antique Phonograph Enthusiasts Facebook Page (which I rarely visit):

https://www.facebook.com/groups/phonoenthusiasts/about/

There are many others. Some of these groups can be rather painful to read, since for many there's often an urge to impart information before actually learning it. Still, some of these groups are Petri dishes for budding serious collectors. We all went through a learning curve of basic information (and hopefully the learning never stops) and online groups can encourage newcomers.

George P.

phonogfp wrote:

ColoradoPhonograf wrote: We have to go into their backyards which is Facebook, instragram, etc. Social media could keep this hobby alive with new interactive conversations and historical stories which could bring back interests in cylinder recordings, etc..

There are a number of Facebook groups devoted to antique phonographs and records. The APS has sponsored a Facebook Page for years:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/phonograph/#

There's also the Antique Phonograph Enthusiasts Facebook Page (which I rarely visit):

https://www.facebook.com/groups/phonoenthusiasts/about/

There are many others. Some of these groups can be rather painful to read, since for many there's often an urge to impart information before actually learning it. Still, some of these groups are Petri dishes for budding serious collectors. We all went through a learning curve of basic information (and hopefully the learning never stops) and online groups can encourage newcomers.

George P.

IMHO this is a unique time ....for the last 20 years the *Younger* people have existed in a Pixel haze totally void of real tactel
Interaction (except thier cell phones) and computers.....that needs to change and I think it is slowly .....real objects like LPs are new for these people ....a CD is very sterile....although less than an MP3 and you own it ...the same can be said for the machines .....antiques that do something inspire thought ....get that at IKEA..... it is the will of Landru.....lol