Do any of you kids , want your system ???

Even though I'm a relatively healthy geezer I have put together a Final Wishes document so that if I suddenly die my wife and my kids will have some guidance about what to do with me and my stuff.

I'm pretty sure my kids don't want any of my stereo equipment. It is big, heavy, and complicated (my amp weighs 185 lbs and my speakers weigh 170 lbs each). I also have over 4000 CDs and 1000 records, and they don't want those either.

I have written a couple pages of instructions on what to do with my audio equipment and albums. Regarding my system, I have lots of gear and I have instructed them to contact the audio shop I do business with and ask if they would be willing to make an offer for the whole shebang and take it away. They sell quite a bit of used equipment and the owner has signaled that this is something they would do. I have also given my heirs an option to sell the equipment individually (I kept the boxes and manuals for everything) and I've told them how to do it online. If they want to go through the trouble to maximize the value this would be the route to go.

My music collection contains quite a few valuable recordings - both vinyl and CD. I have noted the labels and types of media that are valuable and should not be given to the goodwill. I also explained that record stores will sometimes buy a full collection but they would only be interested if the valuable titles went with the collection. In either case the valuable recordings (probably a few hundred) need to be listed and noted. I also explained how to use Discogs. Someday I may actually get around to putting my collection into Discogs which would make the whole process easier.

I can't bear to to think of them having an estate sale for my gear. I've spent too much time collecting it and curating it to have it sell for pennies on the dollar. I think my kids are also greedy enough that they would take the time to get fair prices.

To speak frankly, I don't care what they do with it. They can burn it if they want.

To all;

You all have a horrible sickness ....... lol

I would love to see the reaction , If I had an instruction sheet on what to do with my stereo _hit! In my will.....

can we bury it with us? 
I still remember, my mom had a bunch of 1974 toasters, floral furniture & silverware she lined me up !!! With.....

you guys have great thoughts!! 
Lol

jeff

Sad but true questions for most of us older folkes.  My oldest son has a strategy that i should start selling down now, otherwise when I move on he will just bring in a skip and out it all goes.  Pretty brutal.

I have multiple hifi systems in different rooms as well as a large Vinyl and CD collection, not to mention Guitars and keyboards.  Also a growing valve collection as I tube roll plus acquired spares of my favorite NOS valves for each component.  I am disciplined to maintain accurate records on all my gear, what i payed for them and what i reckon they will sell for, which I occasionally update.
So 2 boys, both in their 30's, oldest has little interest though does like live music, headphones at a quiet level off his phone or computer is all he needs and we have few common music tastes.  The youngest luckily has similar music tastes and we regularly do road trips to music festivals.  I have donated a system to him, he really wanted my Apogee 8's so I built a system around them, so I assume he will want the pick of the better systems.  I don't see an interest in vinyl or CD's, into a full digital world which to be honest i have also embraced over the Covid lock down period.  I haven't reached a point (yet?) to give up and sell my vinyl.

Now getting old is no joy, having put both my parents into nursing homes with one still alive, at 93. So I also contemplate which of my systems can be used if and when i reach that stage though hopefully I can be home nursed and keep my main systems. I purposely designed our house (build 8 years ago) to support home nursing, my wife is disabled.

So my strategy is ;1) whilst i still have my marbles at some future point I will have to rationalise the many systems and make a call on CD's and Vinyl  
2) I really hope to stay in my house as long as possible so I can maintain a couple of hifi systems
3) my youngest can take what he wants when i am gone and him selling the rest by consignment makes a lot of sense.

This reminds my of conversations I have with clients for collecting their social security benefits. They ALL want to start early as they can because to them it is all about the breakeven date. I always tell them that if they die before they reach that breakeven point “they will be the first ones not to know”! Best thing to do like I have done is put together a when I am dead file or folder. List all investment accounts with contact info, life insurance policy numbers with contact info, and list of all other material objects and values when purchased. I have also put all laptop and mobile device passwords in there as I scan all receipts and have them in a file.
I am trying to get my daughters to understand the difference in the sound from my system and their IPhones but it is slow to sink in as convince always wins out for now.