A few years ago I was working at a hi=fi store and took a call from a gent who asked if we bought used equipment. I told him no, but he was welcome to sell it on consignment here at the store. He went on to tell me that it was in an old cabinet and being elderly could not get it out. I asked him what it was he had but he could only tell me that one was a Marantz and one a McIntosh. My brain went into overdrive and I was licking my chops. I told him I could come out to his house and check it out. I agreed to meet him the following Sunday when he got out of church. I meet this couple in there late 60s, salt of the earth type and they explained that they were getting new furniture and this large, old console (and what was in it) would have to go. I open the console and there's a Marantz 10b tuner and a Mac C22 preamp..and they were flawless. I asked him where the amp was and he told me it was underneath the console. I pull it out from the wall and there covered with dust from 1962 that was so thick you could not tell what it was. Down on my knees, brushing away this vintage dust I come across a Mac 240 power amp...Oh Mama!!! These folks were so desperate to get rid of this stuff that they would have paid me to haul it out. Good guy that I am I offered them $1200.00 for the set. You would have thought they'd just won the lottery by the look on their faces. In an instant he said yes, before I change my mind..yeah right. All three pieces were mint and in perfect working condition, once I cleaned them up. I kept the gear for a couple of years and then sold it all for $5000.00a
Best Find Ever???
I am curious to hear what the best find you ever had was. It doesn't have to be limited to audio equipment, though best audio find around here gets the 'bull-of-the-woods' I suppose. I read somewhere of a guy who got a Lexicon MC1 from his local pawn shop for $150 because the doofus behind the counter thought it was an equalizer or something. What's the retail on one of those, around $6K? I am either too new at this, too slow, or too much like Charlie Brown to score something like that.
I did have one, not audio. Back when I was young and dangerous and into motorcycles, I had a friend back his truck up to the house with about $10k worth of somebody's entire flattrack program in it. In addition to the bike, there were spare everythings (extra engines, extra wheels, parts, gears etc.--most of it new!) He swore it was legit; I paid him $750, but made him promise if the real owner ever came for it he was giving me back my money and told him I was turnin' him in. I nervously sat on it for about 6mos., (rode a bunch of wheelies) and then sold it for about $5.5k.
One caveat though, if you are going to lie, try and at least make it believable. Thanks. Chris.
I did have one, not audio. Back when I was young and dangerous and into motorcycles, I had a friend back his truck up to the house with about $10k worth of somebody's entire flattrack program in it. In addition to the bike, there were spare everythings (extra engines, extra wheels, parts, gears etc.--most of it new!) He swore it was legit; I paid him $750, but made him promise if the real owner ever came for it he was giving me back my money and told him I was turnin' him in. I nervously sat on it for about 6mos., (rode a bunch of wheelies) and then sold it for about $5.5k.
One caveat though, if you are going to lie, try and at least make it believable. Thanks. Chris.