Austin Record Convention

Less and less good sounding old original records and more re issues and more new digital master vinyls. :-(


Matt M

For those in attendance, post thoughts and impressions to the rest of us.
At one time, this was the premier Record Show.

Trytone, please post a reminder the week of the event for those of us who otherwise can only remember it two or three weeks AFTER the fact.  Your booth is probably the main reason I go to the show (when I can remember to go).  I hope to see you in a few weeks.

@tostadosunidos  So grateful for your support. @mattmiller  I am not sure how to reply. I am usually so busy that I rarely get much time to shop so it is hard for me to match up with your experience. Also not sure what genres you are after. I am primarily a classical dealer and my percentage of reissues is tiny. I do get the impression  from talking to some and this may be the case in all large record shows that since the embrace of the internet it is harder for dealers to get rich collections and easier for some dealers to sell the best items online rather than limit their inventory to those that happen to stop at their tables. Would love some feedback from the hard core shoppers that attend the sales in New York and overseas as to whether this supposed trend is happening there as well.

@trytone - my experience, for the big ticket items, is that most dealers put them online to reach the broadest audience. (Similar I guess to vintage wine market, though I really don't dabble in that). The rare stuff in prog/early rock/post-pysch fusion is, based on my experience in the last couple years, far more evident at the WFMU show than the Austin show, but I think part of that is the market. (Neither show in my experience offers realistic pricing for these-i.e., no bargains, but at least you get to examine the record). I suppose most of these are "negotiating prices" and have seen serious buyers walk away with a rolling bag full or stuff or nothing, depending on their pocket book and their particular level of "need" for certain records.
I know some people "score" at shows and find valuable or desirable pressings cheaply, but most of the stuff that is regarded as "collectible" is a known quantity, both to dealer and buyer. I don't "collect" for the sake of it, more interested in listening to the stuff, but once we get into 4 figure records (or even high 3 figure at this point), I'm out. 
The other attraction to online is that you can target what you want immediately. Of course, there are those who can spend days at a show and search through every bin. I don't have the energy for that, and eventually lose interest. I'm not buying to resell, and figure the inter-dealer trading before the show also accounts for some of the traffic in the high value stuff.