The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

What are your considerations when you make a purchase? Do you buy only undervalued items? Do you pay the going rate for something you really want? Is your hobby recreation, an investment, or both?

Hobby and money-pit !

Well, for me it's definitely for fun and recreation. I mostly enjoy bringing machines back to life, either through mechanical repair and overall cleanup, or also through full restoration if necessary. I only look at the value to avoid over spending, otherwise I don't spend much thought on it. I may have to at some point, when I run out of space and have to start selling, but I'm not looking forward to that. I'd rather not worry about values and profits and keep doing it for fun.
Andreas

For me it's mostly fun but I have to resell some to make profit to buy machines for "the collection". I like the wheeling and dealing and the people I meet in the process!

Andersun wrote:For me it's mostly fun but I have to resell some to make profit to buy machines for "the collection". I like the wheeling and dealing and the people I meet in the process!

I am in the same boat as Andersun. I have to sell my lesser models at a profit
to finance the stuff I really want to get for my "keeper" collection.
So in general I try to buy at a price that I can clear at least $100 or more
when it comes time to sell.

Only 2 considerations here- Do I like it, & can I afford it atm.
Condition & even originality are secondary things to me because anything can be restored and brought back to original specs with a little patience. I like totally original machines as much as the next guy, but I'm definately not one of these collectors who wouldn't buy a machine because it's been refinished or the tonearms been swapped for an electric pick-up. Original parts can always be found eventually. & although you can never get an original finish back once it's gone, it can be replicated with the same colour & finish type, and it can even be given the character of an aged finish if you want, but I dont see the point unless you are trying to mix old and new finishes together, like on new legs of a nice amputee for example.
Value and price paid are of little importants to me either. The last time I sold a machine was back in 1993, and I sold about ½ dozen records a few years back but only because the prices I got were just way too good to refuse considering what they were, so whether an item is worth $1 or $1000 is meaningless to me because it's probably never going to be sold. Actually, I dont even care when I've paid double the market value for a machine or record I really like & want. My Brunswick Madrid console cost me $600 over 20 yrs ago, but I've well & truly got my extra $300 worth from the enjoyment I've got from it since then. Anything I buy is for selfish self-indulgent pleasure, and whether I can make a profit or not doesn't worry me in the least. It wont be going anywhere until I'm dead and burnt, and then it's someone elses problem. Unless it all goes for landfill, it's all profit to those who get my stuff anyway, even if it's sold for 1/10th of it's value. I'll be totally oblivious to all, so I'm not going to waste one second of my life worrying about profits or good investments. It's just an enjoyable hobby to me, and not something to put food on my table or make me rich.
Investment?? Good luck with that
Unless you can afford to invest big $$$ in very rare and/or desirable machines and keep them for 10 or 20 yrs, there's very little chance your "investment" will pay off substancially once you take things like inflation & insurance into account. Many high-end models have actually decreased in value over the years due to more of the same model being found, the market being flooded or they simply fall out of favour with collectors. As with any type of investment, there are no guarrantees.
If you can only afford mid & low end models to invest in, then I think you must make sure you buy the very best original examples you can find, and keep your fingers crossed.
Generally speaking, the only way to make money on most machines is to buy them dirt cheap & flip them straight away, but I would consider this more like dealing than investing.
Even then, you might only make $100 or $200 profit, which is probably only realistically covering the your time and expenses obtaining and cleaning the machine. If you have to do any cabinet restoration, service the motor & restore the soundbox, which all take more time & money, you might find it more profitable to work in a sweat shop in India for 5 bucks an hour

I'm in it for fun. I love getting a bargain, and I sometimes buy a fixer upper if it's an unusual machine -- like an HMV 113 or 118. But generally, I prefer machines in good condition that haven't been messed with.

When I buy something I try to never look back and second guess myself. If I like it, I'm the only one that has to be pleased. Jerry B.

The only profit I get from my collection is the fun I have restoring something or playing records. (Which is a good thing since I'm not much of a wheeler-dealer)

Profit???

I definitely collect for the enjoyment. If I get a bargain, well that's a plus but happens pretty rarely.