Buying 78's in the WILD!

[Edisonfan]

The last time I bought any 78's from an antique mall was last weekend. I did pick up seven 78's for $1.40. They were at 20 cents a piece. That was a bargain! Although, they were not protected in anyway! Just laying flat on a table. I know of two dealers who sell 78's, but they have outrageous prices on them. The same thing with Edison Diamond Discs. I picked up two, that were at $4.95 a piece. This I can understand, since not too many people have ever seen a Diamond Disc before, or know what one is? As for cylinder records, I try to find them for $5.00 a piece. I will buy them, only because I do not come across them, too often. Ebay, is not an option either, since most sellers only sell one record at a time. I have gotten two boxes of 78's for FREE! One was from a cousin, the other was from a YouTube subscriber. Once in a while I will find an unusual 78 for say 99 cents. I picked up two 8 inch "Victor" 78's for 99 cents. Which I could not pass up. The one thing I have noticed, is that, dealers who are selling 78's are also selling vinyl as well. Although the vinyl, is on the higher bins, and the 78's are on the bottom. Because more people will buy vinyl instead of 78's. So why are 78's priced high, if they are on the bottom shelf?

People no longer have to buy 78's, since they can now be bought in a digital format. Amazon.com is selling digital versions of Ada Jones and Billy Murray for 99 cents per track. Or you can buy the CD, for a couple of bucks. So why spend the money, on 78's, if I can have an mp3 of them? I still enjoy 78's, plus I want to preserve them as well. This is why I still buy 78's, DD's and Cylinder records.

Please feel free to share your opinions and comments. I WELCOME them!

Paul

[Henry]

As I've posted here before, almost all of my 78s have been gifts from friends who couldn't bear to throw out their (grand)parents' closetsful of albums, and knowing of my addiction---oops, "hobby"---offered them to me. Other acquisitions have been made at thrift shops (I picked up dozens of Harry James that way) and once even by raiding a closet at Symphony Hall (I knew those albums were destined for the dump so I "rescued" them, i.e., they are now on "extended loan," as librarians say, or maybe "permanent loan," as museum folks put it). I have never bought from dealers, and only once through the mail from a fellow hobbyist. I don't have a real large collection compared to some on this board, although my wife would dispute that ("When are you going to get rid of those things?", or, "Don't you dare bring any more of those things into this house!"). And I own only one machine, and that only cost me $100. So all in all, this has been about the most cost-effective hobby interest I've had, compared to model railroading and photography!

[larryh]

I see lots of highly over priced 78s around in shops. However I guess it depends on what you consider over priced? On ebay many buyers are paying some pretty incredible prices for things I would never have guessed were going to be expensive. My guess would be that when sellers see albums of classical records bringing well over 100.00 on ebay at times they think they have hit a gold mine. Trouble is its only certain records that do that. What always surprises me is how some lucky seller stumbles across a collection of extremely rare things all in one big buy. I think of the recent seller who almost everything they put up went crazy in the eyes of some well heeled buyers. Its almost amazing that someone back in the 30's and 40's could have had the insight to build a collection of things that 80 years latter are very sought after. (I never had that kind of insight for sure).

Our local thrift shops vary from 50 cents to as low as 10 cents a record which is the same price they were selling them for when I first started picking them up 50 years ago. But in way too many cases some very common things are just sitting mildewing or collecting dust that have very high asking prices on them.

[De Soto Frank]

Most antique shops / malls seem to think that old records are worth a fortune, especially those "really thick records" (Diamond Discs).

While it is true that many early records have been transferred to CD and digital files, and therefore, those old 78's are no longer "necessary", there are those of us who still search for "real copies" of our favorite artists / composers / songs to play on our vintage machines...

I'll only pay more than $1 / disc if it's something I really want and/or is in really good condition... and at this point, I'm usually declining offers if free discs from friends... running out of room...

I'll be danged if I'm going to $10 for a Diamond Disc "re-creation" ( dub from a cylinder) of a musical saw rendition of "Meditation" from Thais... or Banjo solo of "Flow Gently, Sweet Afton"...

[Wolfe]

Most antique shops / malls seem to think that old records are worth a fortune, especially those "really thick records" (Diamond Discs).



I'll be danged if I'm going to $10 for a Diamond Disc "re-creation" ( dub from a cylinder) of a musical saw rendition of "Meditation" from Thais... or Banjo solo of "Flow Gently, Sweet Afton"...

A DD shouldn't be dubbed from a cylinder, rather the opposite. I'd pay 10 bucks for a Diamond Disc, if it's something good. Given how relatively little DD's in the wild actually have music that I really want, it only amplifies the point.

Antique stores are mostly a bust, the thrifts are much better. All kinds of wacky stuff to be found there, from the most common 1940's flotasm to more desireable. I found a couple very nice Victor Monarch records in a thrift this month, for buck for both.

[briankeith]

I like the 78 records just before they went bye-bye forever - I think they were from the Fab-50's as I have some from doo-wop bands such as the Pretenders, and even some Elvis on 78!! (Sun?)