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One's trash is someone else's treasure

I would be interested to find out what “treasures” you people have come across in your journey to audio nirvana on the used market. For me, it was in 1993 (I don’t remember if the internet was already at its early stages of development – I don’t think so), and I came across an ad in our local newspaper for a Linn LP-12. The second I read the ad, I immediately called the seller who happens to be this older fellow who obviously didn’t have the slightest clue what he’s about to relinquish. I drove to his apartment and there it was, a Linn LP-12 complete with an LVX tone arm, a K9 cartridge and the smoke dustcover – all in excellent condition. The asking price? $100!!!! While I was in his apartment checking the table out, the seller received about three phone calls regarding the LP-12 too bad for those prospective buyers but first come, first serve. Talk about someone’s trash being someone else’s treasure!!!! About three years later, I sold the table for $900! It was about this time when the digital front end was really taking off with the transport and outboard DAC options. Now, I’m back into vinyl (just recently got back actually) and have a VPI Scout Aries with JMW 9 arm and a Dynavector 10x5 cartridge. This time, my analog set up is a keeper!!!! What treasures have you come across??????
gemini
brf
1,715 posts
 
A while back I was into tropical fish and decided to get out of the hobby to free up some space and time. I put the equipment for sale in the local penny saver. A young man (kid) responded to my ad and came over to the house to look over the equipment. He was just getting started in the hobby and really like my equipment but clearly he could not afford my asking price. To make a long story short, I sold him all the equipment for $300 which was $1700 less than my $2,000 asking price. He got a good deal, and I got a good feeling that I started a young lad with his hobby. It has been almost 10 years since I sold the equipment, and I still have that “good” feeling….now that was a good deal. Some things you cannot put a price on.
ausjoe
98 posts
 
That transaction would have left a bad taste in my mouth. That said who am I too judge Gemini. I'm just want to be able to look myself in the mirror. As long as he did not manipulate the person to sell low then it's up to his conscience. The reason I thought I'd post was that I buy things off craigslist and this issue comes up often. As it happens I saw a Macintosh receiver for $80 today. Called left a message and dragged it over to google to check it out. One guy was asking $650 for his, another was 4 days out on fleabay at $155. So pretty good deal. When he called I told him it might be worth more even as a bargain than what he asked. He said "yea I know but I just want to get rid of it". Thats pretty much the standard response that I get and it has never cost me extra money. But treating your fellow man or women like you want to be treated makes you feel better IMHO. Again you do what you want. I'm not preaching.
hals_den
77 posts
 
Blah, blah, blah. After upteen moral diatribes, I actually recalled a gem that my neighbor gave to my 10 year old self back in '74. It was a reel to reel tape recorder with a built in tube amplifier. He included a tape of pirated music which included a hilarious catchy song which also happened to be antisemitic, which I nonetheless listened to over and over again. This thing reproduced magical sounds and had a mysterious green pulsating V-guage on the end of vacuum tube thingy.
One day I discovered a way to connect my Panasonic transistor radio into the microphone input and bam! Amplification with sweet disortion. It was freakin' hot.
Another time, I figured out how to use this thing to eavesdrop on my nextdoor neigbor. That got old shortly.
Man, I miss that thing.
BTW, Mr. Gray, who was way older and wiser than I, gave me the thing for FREE!? If he had any idea how much he could have fetched on ebay, and had I the moral fiber and an ounce of wisdom, I wish I would've told him.
mechans
3,048 posts
 
Are you Jewish, Hals den? Anti- Semitism can be very tragic. 3 million of 6+ million who killed between 1939 -1945 by the German's,were CHILDREN if you believe in the idea that sin has it's consequences remember children are incapable of sin in religious terms they don't know what it is.
newbee
4,767 posts
 
Mechans, FWIW explaining the morality or humanality to folks who might be anti seminites is about as vacuous as explaining the value of generousity to 'Yankee Traders'. They are not only insensitive to your comments they actual take pride in their beliefs and accomplishments. Derision has never change anything except to cause them to wear sheets. :-(
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