The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Yea, don't do that, Wolfe.

Paul

Wolfe wrote:Fortunately, I've done enough digging through 78's over the years, that I can tell with pretty good accuracy whether or not what I'm buying is going to be something I'll want to keep over the long term. Of course, the occasional duds still come up, but not nearly as often as they used to.

I think that this is true of any type of music (in any media)—after a while you get a handle on what you like, and are more likely to like the things that you pick out based on this.

Wolfe wrote:The last time I had to get rid of my unwanted randomly purchased 78's (in a move,) I literally tied them up in bales, like so much hay, and had the Salvation Army come and haul them all away. I don't want have to do that again.

If you don’t have a picture of this, you really should have taken one.

Do you remember how many bales of records you had?

Having seen (and heard about) the collections of some of our members, I can imagine that you might have had tons of records baled up in such a manner.

— MordEth

I do know I like:

Fox Trot's
Marches
Vaudville
Some Classical
Jazz

Paul

MordEth wrote:

Wolfe wrote:Fortunately, I've done enough digging through 78's over the years, that I can tell with pretty good accuracy whether or not what I'm buying is going to be something I'll want to keep over the long term. Of course, the occasional duds still come up, but not nearly as often as they used to.

I think that this is true of any type of music (in any media)—after a while you get a handle on what you like, and are more likely to like the things that you pick out based on this.

Wolfe wrote:The last time I had to get rid of my unwanted randomly purchased 78's (in a move,) I literally tied them up in bales, like so much hay, and had the Salvation Army come and haul them all away. I don't want have to do that again.

If you don’t have a picture of this, you really should have taken one.

Do you remember how many bales of records you had?

Having seen (and heard about) the collections of some of our members, I can imagine that you might have had tons of records baled up in such a manner.

— MordEth

No, no pictures, nor do I remember just how many bales, it was a quite lot of records though.

I thought the guys who came over might go "ugh" when they saw them, but they seemed quite happy to take them, and mentoned how they liked grabbing up the bales instead of picking up boxes, which are more awkward.

Now a day's you'd be lucky if you could give them away.

Paul

Wolfe wrote:No, no pictures, nor do I remember just how many bales, it was a quite lot of records though.

Pity, I could imagine doing a “You know you’re a record collector when...” poster of it.

Wolfe wrote:I thought the guys who came over might go "ugh" when they saw them, but they seemed quite happy to take them, and mentioned how they liked grabbing up the bales instead of picking up boxes, which are more awkward.

I’ve always been a fan of the Salvation Army, I think they do good work.

I wonder how often they get records (and/or cylinders, for that matter), though.

Were they surprised that you were donating 78s?

— MordEth

I've never seen a cylinder at The Salvation Army, but they always seem to have records, long playing vinyl, mostly.

They didn't show any real surprise at the records I was donating, it was just another pickup in the course of a days work, I think.

Yea, 78's and cylinders, is something your not likely to find at the Salvation Army anymore, or even GoodWill for that matter.

Paul

Edisonfan wrote:Now a day's you'd be lucky if you could give them away.

Paul

Edisonfan, or anybody else. Outside of the choice, rare 78's, which trade for ever higher prices amongst hard core collectors, do you think the market for more common 78's is declining?

It may be that the younger generation (which I could be considered a part of) doesn't really have much interest in the stuff. I don't know anyone personally who's interested in them.

It depends on the locale and the age of your neighborhood as well. Up here, most of my finds are from the thrift stores, I find 78s still at the Goodwill/Amvets/Salvation Army all the time. I've come across the standard 40s fare as well as batwing victors/columbia flag label discs. I have found a handful of monarch victors and silver label columbias in the thrift stores as well. As for the estate sales...whew...never know what you'll find in astounding condition. It pays to live in a city with old houses.