The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Keep on keeping on the hunt for good stuff.
Better 78s ... Blues especially.
Clean cylinder records of all types.
Help a friend sell some interesting phonographs.

James.

Graduate college and figure out how to move my whole collection without damaging it I have the absolute max amount of phonographs I can have anyways… so no more for me till I have more space!


Cheers
David

In the spirit that all New Years resolutions are eventually abandoned or broken, I hereby resolve not to buy any more project items (guitars, amplifiers, talking machines, furniture, stereo gear, etc) until I have cleared up the backlog of projects languishing for attention.

Fight SABLE!

(SABLE - Stuff Accumulated Beyond Life Expectancy)

I resolve to sell all my phonographs and records, abandon the music collecting hobby, and join the Baker Street Irregulars.

(The foregoing resolution is doomed to the same fate as all such. I actually bought a large assortment of records from somebody who was doing precisely that, though, years and years back. Some of the most beautifully top-grade records I've ever snatched up.)

More seriously, maybe a good choice would be this: I resolve to plan out some judicious downsizing and consolidating. That has marginally better chances than the first one.

Marginally.

Great topic!

1. Start being a little more selective when buying.

I am pretty much out of room. So, if I acquire anything, it is going to have to be something special, no duplicates, etc., etc.

2. Be a little more proactive in exploring my selling options so I can finally downsize this collection.

I have been saying this for the past year or so. But, I think 2024 is going to be the year where I really need to downsize. I would love to see a few of my more common machines go to a young/beginning collector or somebody TRULY interested.... not $45, then minus 30%, at my local auction house...

3. Prioritize health and family. Antiques are fun! However, there are other priorities! Antiques come AFTER the other more important stuff....

Happy New Year everyone!

- Chris (Granby)

Funny how so many people are planning to downsize collections and buy more selectively! I must admit, I want to slim down my record collection drastically. I spent all summer listening to each one (well, except for the ones I already knew were keepers) and marking a cross on the rejects in the catalogue. But I don't fancy the task of re-cataloguing when I've actually got rid of the rejects

My resolution is to find a younger person to introduce to the hobby of old phonographs and records.

Lah Ca wrote: Fri Dec 29, 2023 9:29 am In the spirit that all New Years resolutions are eventually abandoned or broken, I hereby resolve not to buy any more project items (guitars, amplifiers, talking machines, furniture, stereo gear, etc) until I have cleared up the backlog of projects languishing for attention.

Fight SABLE!

(SABLE - Stuff Accumulated Beyond Life Expectancy)

This.

not blindly buying bad condition blue amberols because they are there and they are 5 dollars.

I already downsized my collection by ⅔ in 2023, so I am good there. My machines are all as they should be and my records are organized, so I am in a good place.

I am looking for a single machine, that being an Oak Spider Leg VV-X or a later VTLA, (after the Pooley). That would keep my collection manageable at fifteen. So finding either of those is my 2024 talking machine goal.

Happy New Year to everyone.