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Did you have success selling any of your machines at the APS Show?

No, no, no! Except for a big Columbia 810, which was pre-sold, I didn't sell any machines! As someone alluded to above, the floor models just aren't selling well anymore like they were ten or more years ago.
My two vendor tables cost $160, and I made a total of $25 gross! It just seems like the buyers aren't there any more! Some will disagree, but there seems to be far fewer collectors buying floor models now than in years past, especially ten or more years ago. I guess the table models are not moving either as someone above said. Jerry has a very wise rule he follows, and now I will follow. Don't bring floor models to a show unless they are pre-sold. It's just too much work to wrap, load, unload, and then re-wrap, load, unload, and unwrap again when they don't sell. I gave the Columbia 720 free to friend who said he liked it, as I needed the room at home. There were tons of beautiful floor models at the show, but they didn't seem to be moving. I think the vendors who did best at the show were the record dealers. But I got a great machine that I bought a year ago, and Jerry finally delivered, a rare Edison Italian Umbrian, IU-19, big DD console. So rare most collectors have never seen one in person. So that made it a good show, plus I got to finally meet JWB, a rare, highly talented young man. Thanks JWB for your photos and kind words about my machines! And for the record, the community didn't condemn you for re-purposing those worthless LPs. That was just one guy, not me. There are more important things to worry about than old, scratched up, Partridge Family albums! Marc C.

marcapra wrote:

Did you have success selling any of your machines at the APS Show?

No, no, no! Except for a big Columbia 810, which was pre-sold, I didn't sell any machines! As someone alluded to above, the floor models just aren't selling well anymore like they were ten or more years ago.
My two vendor tables cost $160, and I made a total of $25 gross! It just seems like the buyers aren't there any more! Some will disagree, but there seems to be far fewer collectors buying floor models now than in years past, especially ten or more years ago. I guess the table models are not moving either as someone above said. Jerry has a very wise rule he follows, and now I will follow. Don't bring floor models to a show unless they are pre-sold. It's just too much work to wrap, load, unload, and then re-wrap, load, unload, and unwrap again when they don't sell. I gave the Columbia 720 free to friend who said he liked it, as I needed the room at home. There were tons of beautiful floor models at the show, but they didn't seem to be moving. I think the vendors who did best at the show were the record dealers. But I got a great machine that I bought a year ago, and Jerry finally delivered, a rare Edison Italian Umbrian, IU-19, big DD console. So rare most collectors have never seen one in person. So that made it a good show, plus I got to finally meet JWB, a rare, highly talented young man. Thanks JWB for your photos and kind words about my machines! And for the record, the community didn't condemn you for re-purposing those worthless LPs. That was just one guy, not me. There are more important things to worry about than old, scratched up, Partridge Family albums! Marc C.

Congrats on the Umbrian!

And I hope you enjoy your new Columbia Viva-Tonal 810, "Like Life Itself" as the decal says! And I will be interested to hear your report on how it sounds next to your new Victrola Credenza, two great machines! Peter seems to have everything! Marc.

The hardest part for me is not buying all the fantastic floor models I see every year. I don’t get it, you have to put a table model on something. Who has sturdy, 16” or deeper tables all over the house with nothing on them? And with floor models you get record storage! But I’ve never really convinced anyone to my way of thinking. Portables and floor models are all that make sense to me.

You know why I like you, Marc, and a handful of others I chatted with yesterday? You talked to me about the machines and the records. I like that. That’s what I go for. Not just to talk about the Victor VI that got away, or what I should buy, LOL. Anyone who can stand to listen to me go on about silicone gasket material or what Home Depot supplies can hack together a decent finish or my favorite corny diamond discs is honestly very dear to me. Thank you to anyone who withstood my rambling while they were probably trying to work. Or not yawn.

Mike B I just realized I forgot to swing back around and see that portable! Oh well. Glad you shared it. I think your observations on the show are very similar to my thoughts.

I don’t think there were tons of buyers on Saturday but I assume there were more Sunday. At least I hope so. I wonder if doing Friday for early birds and Saturday for general admission would help? (Or really, I still think the buyer-seller cost ratio is off. I mean, I sort of got a table just because of that, and look at the chaos it created ) I have zero qualifications for these opinions, just thinking out loud.

Final word about those bowls: I would actually never even use a Partridge Family record that was playable to make one. That’s how tight my standards are (and how truly awful the records in my garage are).

No matter what happens at the show or what level of “success” one has there, I’m still very thankful for its existence.

Well I found the IU on Bay Area CL and traded it to a buddy and he traded it to a audio collector in the east bay then to Peter !,when i got it .....the records were better than machine! a few Ermine Calloway and other late DD ‘s....it is a beautiul machine ! ......

marcapra wrote:And I hope you enjoy your new Columbia Viva-Tonal 810, "Like Life Itself" as the decal says! And I will be interested to hear your report on how it sounds next to your new Victrola Credenza, two great machines! Peter seems to have everything! Marc.

I have some surplus pain pills ready for Jerry. He'll likely need 'em!

Vinrage_mania wrote:Well I found the IU on Bay Area CL and traded it to a buddy and he traded it to a audio collector in the east bay then to Peter !,when i got it .....the records were better than machine! a few Ermine Calloway and other late DD ‘s....it is a beautiul machine ! ......

I am beginning to wonder if there's anything on the West Coast without your fingerprints on it, frankly... and here you just joined TMF in May of this year. Reminds me of all the secret VW and Porsche hoarders out there we never know about till the estate sale.

Thanks for posting the pictures. I am curious of the prices of three machines.
1. HMV Model 32
2. Columbia Top Wind AJ
3. Columbia Harvard Client Machine
Harvey kravitz

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Phonofreak wrote:Thanks for posting the pictures. I am curious of the prices of three machines.
1. HMV Model 32
2. Columbia Top Wind AJ
3. Columbia Harvard Client Machine
Harvey kravitz

Harv- I don't think that's a 32. I have a 32 and it has an oak "pyramid" cabinet... that looks like a "Colonial" model.

gramophone-georg wrote:

Vinrage_mania wrote:Well I found the IU on Bay Area CL and traded it to a buddy and he traded it to a audio collector in the east bay then to Peter !,when i got it .....the records were better than machine! a few Ermine Calloway and other late DD ‘s....it is a beautiul machine ! ......

I am beginning to wonder if there's anything on the West Coast without your fingerprints on it, frankly... and here you just joined TMF in May of this year. Reminds me of all the secret VW and Porsche hoarders out there we never know about till the estate sale.

that is the first (and only) walnut DD machine i have owned or seen !......don’t bury me yet! .....unless it is under my pile o stuff!