I Just Inherited 4,000 LPs
Did I forget to mention we drank some beer together?
I have one of his favorite beer glasses, DUFF BEER, I think of him every day.
My son should plan for all this music when he does an addition. And a nicer listening space for those JSE Infinite Slope Model 2's I already gave him. It's not just the LPs. Some may remember, I quit smoking and spent all my tobacco money on music, starting at $700./year 32 years ago, I gave myself a rise in pay each year, whatever a carton a week adds up to, now over $4,000. NJ is thinking of a big hike https://fortune.com/2020/02/25/new-jersey-cigarette-prices/ The CD era, over 3,000 of them. I bought leather binders from Herrington's, extra deep pages that fit both the disc and booklet,8 per page; tossed the cases, got em down to three 3 ft shelves, also alphabetical, I left spaces and can simply add pages. I'm done buying CD's unless ...... Part of that tobacco money was spent on Teac R2R decks and 500 pre-recorded reel to reel tapes (already sold about 150 of them). I need to find a way to sell without cleaning and testing, perhaps simply sell ones with with no obvious damage, refund to anyone unhappy. So far, sold 150 tapes, 50 lps: less than half a dozen mishaps I gave refunds for (mostly USPO destruction). |
fuzztone
The random few I viewed the other day looked like they were played only once. I'll know more tomorrow. |
reubent5 He had many difficult years, taking care of his wife with Parkinson's; his own health issues, the last few a great deal of pain combined with lack of mobility. He had moved down to his sister's house in FL, so we only spoke on the phone and email. Just no way to live after you retire. |
russ69
Funny, my brother once counted my CD's, LP's, Tapes, and came up with some similar calculation. |
Have fun. Sorry your friend passed. I bought the collection of a friend whose wife/widow kept them in an air conditioned room dedicated to LP storage for 14 or 15 years after he died. She had attempted a few times to sell them and I finally said, "why don't I just buy them?" I paid her well, partly b/c it was a sentimental thing in memory of my friend, with whom I spent many hours listening-- he was the pulse of the NY Audio Society or whatever it was called back in the day. When the movers finally brought everything up to the floor where my hi-fi and records were (I had a lot of space then), I was overwhelmed. I wound up hiring a cabinet maker carpenter to build shelves in a number of different areas. I also wound up having a sort of uncompiled area that filled a walk in closet that I would dip into to find stuff. It kept me going for a few years, just finding things--probably a few more records than the 4,000 you just inherited, but still- that's a lot of vinyl! And heavy too. Enjoy the process. And be careful of your back--- |
rpeluso and annika Thank you for your comments, I hope to continue earning your respect. When travel resumes, I'm only one hour outside NYC, if in the area, you could come here, or perhaps we could meet here: https://www.turntablelab.com/pages/our-stores |
Well I've known Elliott long enough that I know he will get good use out of these records. I talked to him last week and when he told me about this all I could think of is how much room it will take. My first suggestion was to make room in your garage. LOL It will be a huge task but in the end it will be worth it. Lots of keepers I'm sure and a lot to sell off and I'm sure more than a few pleasant "discoverys" hiding in that collection. When he told me about his friend and his career I wished I had had a chance to get to know him, sounds like he was an interesting fellow. So Elliott, any luck finding some young bucks to help move all this stuff yet? BillWojo |
ebanksms
You are right, wads of enjoyment and wads of memories. I was already selling some of my LP's, a typical listing: https://www.ebay.com/itm/133640465798 on the right side, click 'see other items'. primarily to make room because I thought I was done buying, had my nephew with strong back and knees alphabetize them; then couldn't help myself, now perhaps 100 extra LPs leaning on the shelves that are full. I have some I never played, given to me by friends when they dumped their vinyl. Some not my taste anyway. Damn nephew moved to San Fran, I could use him now! I started at $2.99, let the market decide. Many went single bidder, $2.99. I figured out the combo of Paypal and eBay fees, on $2.99 I was clearing $2.31, not wads of cash. I felt I was wasting my non-precious time. Then, Led Zep sells for $77., Monk for $50. you just never know. I like getting my tapes and LPs to people who want them more than the $. But, considering the work involved, it's hard not to feel foolish? I raised my starting price to $4.50, to feel a bit better, and got it down to 1 photo. Now I'm only going to sell apparently flawless LP's without cleaning/listening, I hope that goes well. I'm sure I will find duplicates to sell, and excess of many artists i.e. how many Duke Ellington should I keep? |
Made my day Elliott. Thank you for sharing. I am sure many would not understand the significance of what you inherited (people here will), but your friend passed along his happiness. It's a special gift. I am sorry for your loss, but think that will be softened by the memories when those records are played. |
Elliott, to be gifted 4000 lps is a testament to your friendship. When I think about how much time it would take to collect and curate, let alone enjoy a collection of that size, he clearly wanted them to go where they would be loved and appreciated as much as he did. I have a number of objects I’ve collected over the years, cars, bikes, audio gear, cameras, watches. They have value but they mean more to me to give to those who would find joy in them. so good for you, and make a plan to listen to them. |
davehg4
I am emotionally very pleased my friend chose me, I know he did have an idea to give them to Tulane University in New Orleans. My step-father (the evil one) kept admiring a house with plentiful landscaping and gardens, frequently asking the owner to sell to him. Finally he got it. After a few years, he said he felt like a slave to the gardens, living someone else's life. At first I wondered, where will I put them, will I be a slave to all these? Perhaps I should simply cherry pick. Every random pull was a keeper, so it was off to the total rearrangement of the garage, nearly done. I like to keep one small thing I can hold in my hand of anyone I want to remember. His DUFF Beer glass does that, I better get a spare, he has many. |
thanks to everyone expressing condolences. I've dealt with some serious loss, it hurts, then comes 'Beautiful Pain', Along with the tears come beautiful memories. When someone else is in so much pain that you think in a small way 'better off' I always play this song in my head https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIH1KccVlHk |
Bill, I'm waiting for you to have a fight with that girlfriend of yours, then you come spend a few days here. You can act like the teenager we all think we are, and I'll rest my herniated discs, bulges, pinched nerve, small tear. I'm actually searching for a back surgeon now, thinking, I have to finish this project first! |
Elliot I am not a big jazz fan but if there are some you want to sell just let me know. We just set up an AR-1 that we had restored these past few months. If you have any folk that you want to sell email me [email protected]. I can send you a check for your price plus shipping. I know it is hard when a good friend passes. Made the mistake of not taking the show tunes and musical LPs from my parents home that was just sold off. |
I consider you wait. and you should consider your weight. 3 banker's boxes full of records can destroy particle board shelving starting with sagging. I would use nothing less than good quality 3.4" plywood. Baltic Birch and a similar chinese knock off birch plywood has good structural strength. I'm using good old 3/4" oak veneer plywood that has developed a sag over the years. (6 foot long shelves fully loaded.) |
bpoletti
thanks for the advice. The existing solid wood shelving was bought from a library, very strong. As I mentioned, each solid wood shelf has a back and recessed metal tracks and metal dividers. I bought strong wire shelving, and those wood shelves will simply sit on the wire shelves. |
rpeluso Somewhere around Norristown? I'm 1-1/2 hours from Norristown, we ought to find a spot in the middle where masked men meet. I met Bill in Bordentown, we wore masks and went to The Record Collector http://www.the-record-collector.com/ |
big_greg I’ve resisted cataloging all my life, I’m starting there: pulling/boxing stuff I won’t keep first, then I will have space on each shelf to fix his alphabetical sort there, then box and bring here and merge with mine. I will keep classical, christmas, show tunes in separate groupings. Discogs: Selling on eBay, I can’t handle trying to grade mine properly, so I came up with two simple categories: "Vinyl: either Very Darn Good (no scuffs); or Darn Good (minor inaudible scuffs) None have scratches or skips." here’s one nobody ever heard of: https://www.ebay.com/itm/WHIRLING-DERVISHES-History-Kicks-You-Vinyl-LP/133638750470 see my general notes and unconditional refund policy. |
whart
Did you go to Colony Records, NYC? https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1SQJL_enUS881US881&sxsrf=ALeKk028mHpTahHBTFr1R9-7g4vn3D6otA:... One visit I casually mentioned something to one of the owners, he said 'follow me', took me down to a basement level, holy crap, I mean holy crap. He mysteriously found it. Asked me not to reveal the basement trip to others. When they closed, he told the NYT he was going to move the collection to his garage. That's either the largest garage, or a large joke on the reporter who printed it verbatim. |
Hi Elliott I don't know you but I know you are loving going through all those LPs and being uplifted by your old friend. My recommendation is to take your time and wallow in the experience as long as possible. When my father passed aged 102 I discovered two old diaries I didn't know about, covering his last two years at school, 1926 and 1927. I limited myself to reading just a few pages a day and the joy lasted nearly a whole year. |
clearthinker Truth be told, he and his wife were hoarders. His sister and daughter are going to discover some treasures IF they take their time as you say. One of my fondest memories of them was when I suggested they might clear out a better path to the LP's. Ronnie the wife responded "But Roddy needs that stuff". I smile every time I think of it. |
jafant Yesterday, my first real look, I found more than a few Fanwood Library Albums, heavy vinyl covers with index cards, late charge warnings, ... I thought, did he just pay the fines? If you knew Rod you would know that was a real possibility. I called his sister, said either the Library had a big sale after CD's took over, or he was a very bad boy. She laughed, yes, the Library had a big sale and that is also where the Library shelving came from. A new memory found. |
rpeluso
Only 1-1/2 hours straight down 202, passing a lot of great towns. Do you know any sources of LP's on that route? Maybe avoid New Hope as more than likely too many people there. Bordentown, NJ, Record Collector makes it possible for my two friends named Masked Man Bill to join in. Bill from here lives in Burlington, NJ, the other a long time friend living in Bordentown. Bordentown is small, quaint, not too many people out and about. We are careful, mask, distance, I call and verify how the store is handling things. What is your general availability. Both Bills work, I'm retired, free as a bird. |
Thanks to my friend David and son Chris, we finished transporting all the lps and shelves here yesterday. Bankers Boxes piled 3 high everywhere. 60 lf of new wire shelves with the wood library shelves with metal dividers on each 3 foot shelf. To merge our 2,500 with these, a basic alphabetical sort, just to know how many A's, I have to sort them all. If warm, I would set up folding tables in the driveway, but it is 21 degrees F this am. I have one large countertop 3 ft x 6 ft and the top of the washer and dryer. Perhaps double letter stacks to start: AB; CD; ... pulling non-keepers as I go. Donna will probably have some good ideas. |
