Would I be wasting my money to get a turntable?

@mahler123  "You’ve self identified as one who places significant value on the aesthetics of vinyl, which renders sound quality issues as secondary "

Excuse me if I find that statement somewhat condescending.  And you are not the first member on this site that has made disparaging  comments about buying equipment for the aesthetics and the sheer joy many of us get from the ownership of beautiful equipment.  I don't find that love of equipment and love of music are mutually exclusive.  Just my opinion but one I'm sure is shared by many.  Cheers.

Do I need a turntable? Probably not. Would it give me pleasure to have an attractive piece of kit to play with and look at and reacquaint myself with the 75 or so albums from the 60’s - 70’s that I have tucked away? Absolutely. Therein lies the benefit I guess.

So, your mind was already made and you were looking for confirmation?

@mswale this is bizarre. I browsed a few record stores in Boston and Minneapolis and the selection was always underwhelming and the prices high. In San Diego, where I live, it's hard to find a record over $20. Usually it's one version of a record that has other versions for under $10 in the same bin. Same in LA, reasonable prices. I think it has to do with the weather. (I can explain)

Get a turntable.  Get some of your favorite albums.  Then, if you’re like me, an obsessive audiophile, the rest will follow.  See you in 1 year. 

The decision to get into vinyl is a personal choice like everything. I think a turntable setup is one the most time consuming and critical aspects of any piece of gear. This component takes up the audiophile’s time more than other pieces of gear…to sound right. BTW I just bought a turntable myself. Also, I bought a good cartridge, a good platform base, a good phono amp, a record cleaning system and a dustcover. It IS an investment. Why did I do it? Well my mother died last month and I have been grieving. I have not listened to my stereo since this happened. When I was young, we listened to record albums of her favorite singers. I thought it would make me feel like listening to music again if I bought a turntable.