"The Collector Mania-mindset" discussion thread.

[ION BRITTON]

The cons of being employed.

[roihlem]

Personally, I`m spending big cash only when I really like one record (the last time I wanted to spend such a big amount was for the Drysill LP, on which I got outbid, thanks to Keir it seems ). The most I ever spent was 200$ for the Breeze Least LP, I was searching for years. Also I spend more money only in cases that I think that the record is impossible to get it cheaper. Like the first time I have seen the Saxo LP from Malaysia. I was searching for it a long time and the chances to find it in Europe are next to nothing, so I paid some 150$ (saw it also once on Ebay going for twice as much). In other cases I am more like one of those who rather waits to get it cheaper than to pay more to get it now. But then again, I`m just a student and have limited money. Who knows what I would do if I had more money?
As for different versions of an album, I don`t care at all. Maybe only, when one version has a much better cover and if the difference in price is not big. Talking about new vinyl releases, I rather buy a cheaper black vinyl version than all those special editions with different vinyl colours, posters, patches, etc.
About Dirty Rocker spending that much money for the Scratch 7", I can understand it, especially since this band is from his hometown as someone said and since there seems no way to get it cheap. One of my main wants since years is also Dr Steel, which are from my town. Though I have seen it a few times on Ebay going for 100+$, I rather wait as I`m sure that I will find it for much cheaper sooner or later.

[sovdat]

Isn't it ironic, that the more money you have to spend on a record, the less time you have left to listen to it?

Actually, as a student, I had much more time AND money for music. Sure, the income is higher now when I have a full-time job, but when the mortgage, bills and food are paid, I have less available money than when I had part time student jobs. I finance most of my purchases by selling some stuff from my collection, but I certainly don't buy as many as I used too + I rarely pay the going price for something. There's another reason for it than the lack of money/time : The other day I was just checking my "top wants" list from a couple of years ago, with some rare CDs like Sanctum, Crillson, Chastain - Ruler, Usurper, Angel Dust, etc.) - nowadays I own 90% of what I wanted then (I did pay some crazy amounts ...) and there aren't many albums on my want list that I'd need so bad I'd pay lots of $$$ for it. Long-time top vinyl want is coming my way these days anyhow

About collectors spending big money and showing off on forums: Go ahead, it's always nice to see those beautiful pictures I encourage everyone that has a pure passion for it (until he is "financially responsible).
Is it brainless to spend huge amounts on records or do you have to make a good use of your brain in order to get a good paying job so that you can afford all these rare albums?

[The Sentinel]

What I wanted to say has already been said. I see no problem in spending $$$$$$$ for a record when you can miss the money and one of your dreams is coming true. It's not like you're just buying a piece of plastic. Personally I don't spent that much money on records anymore. I have 1400+ records and only a handful of wants left. I'm buying mostly new releases like the BBTD and HHO things.

[Glockose]

Heroine has nothing on Records

[nightsblood]

msp- I too sometimes get to that over-saturation point. Yet another reason I've cut back on getting things I'm not familiar with- they pile up too fast!

LWR- There is one good reason to get a rare record instead of a common record; you can easily get the common record later on, but you'll have to wait much longer for another chance to get the rare one. But I get your point; you certainly do not have to spend a lot of money to get a great record, and new fans/collectors are likely better off hearing the cheap essentials first

Glock: There's a 12-step program to cure Metal Addiction. There's also a 7-step program; it's shorter but goes faster

[LWR]

[quote="nightsblood"]LWR- There is one good reason to get a rare record instead of a common record; you can easily get the common record later on, but you'll have to wait much longer for another chance to get the rare one. But I get your point; you certainly do not have to spend a lot of money to get a great record, and new fans/collectors are likely better off hearing the cheap essentials first

Simplly thinking,if you find the Scratch for $10,your logic seems right. Hurry up. This is the chance for you. Don't miss it.
But in the case $1,000 for the Scratch,it loops back to the same question;Why pounce on RARE records?
Do they need an extremely expensive(in average sense) dinner,even though they have tons of delicious&cheap dishes left in fromt of him?
I will take the latter simplly in order to fill my stomach up.
I cannot stop thinking they purchase rare records to fill their pride/identity,not to fill their hunger for music.

[nightsblood]

You're right, some do buy the rare items just to gain 'street cred' as a 'tr00' fan/collector. But others buy rare items b/c they really do love that particular item.

One example: I spent several years trying to get a copy of the Charger 'desperadoes' single not b/c it's rare but b/c it's my favorite NWOBHM single. When I finally got a copy (and yes, I paid a lot for it) I was very happy just to have a real copy of that great single that I could hold in my hands and hear on vinyl instead of the old CDR I had play 100 times. It wasn't a matter of "ooo, I got this rare item, I'm that much more troo"

[TheGreatEscape]

About getting rare records these days, there are only so many ways to do it.

1- Start collecting 30 years ago when they were cheap and easy to find.
Pro- your collection is awesome and cost very little
Con- Doesn't work unless you started 30 years ago or have a time machine

Unfortunately, I was too late as well ... I started my collection 1986

So I got many records when they were cheap (I was one of OPM's customers since I-don-know-when; John still had his TX-address then. I still have his old lists with stuff like WYZARD for $40).

[Sgt. Kuntz]

About getting rare records these days, there are only so many ways to do it.

1- Start collecting 30 years ago when they were cheap and easy to find.
Pro- your collection is awesome and cost very little
Con- Doesn't work unless you started 30 years ago or have a time machine

Unfortunately, I was too late as well ... I started my collection 1986

So I got many records when they were cheap (I was one of OPM's customers since I-don-know-when; John still had his TX-address then. I still have his old lists with stuff like WYZARD for $40).

This is too painful really. Don't post that list in full or i'll gonna die!

At least we can take a litle comfort when we remember that 40$ were worth a lot more, maybe like 100$ today or maybe even more?

[nightsblood]

About getting rare records these days, there are only so many ways to do it.

1- Start collecting 30 years ago when they were cheap and easy to find.
Pro- your collection is awesome and cost very little
Con- Doesn't work unless you started 30 years ago or have a time machine

Unfortunately, I was too late as well ... I started my collection 1986

So I got many records when they were cheap (I was one of OPM's customers since I-don-know-when; John still had his TX-address then. I still have his old lists with stuff like WYZARD for $40).

I started 1989-1990, and I missed most of the good stuff too

One thing younger collectors don't realize is that, 25 years ago, $100 was a HUGE amount to pay for most of the rare metal records. It's easy to say now that we all should have grabbed up those $40 Wizards, but who the heck knew they'd be selling for $1,000 25 years down the road? And how many of us had $40 to blow on one record back then? I sure didn't. So in away not much changed; I couldn't afford 'em then, and I still can't afford them now

[roihlem]

About getting rare records these days, there are only so many ways to do it.

1- Start collecting 30 years ago when they were cheap and easy to find.
Pro- your collection is awesome and cost very little
Con- Doesn't work unless you started 30 years ago or have a time machine

Unfortunately, I was too late as well ... I started my collection 1986

So I got many records when they were cheap (I was one of OPM's customers since I-don-know-when; John still had his TX-address then. I still have his old lists with stuff like WYZARD for $40).

I started 1989-1990, and I missed most of the good stuff too

One thing younger collectors don't realize is that, 25 years ago, $100 was a HUGE amount to pay for most of the rare metal records. It's easy to say now that we all should have grabbed up those $40 Wizards, but who the heck knew they'd be selling for $1,000 25 years down the road? And how many of us had $40 to blow on one record back then? I sure didn't. So in away not much changed; I couldn't afford 'em then, and I still can't afford them now

I`ve read an old German zine from the mid 90`s about rare records and among all those rare versions of some Dio/ Maiden/ Queensryche, etc. albums I saw the Emerald "Armed For Battle" LP rated as a 50€ record. In times before the internet, I guess it was simply impossible to find a review/ flyer/information about a private release from another country, so just noone searched for them. On the other hand, back then I guess you had to pay much more for the "bigger" bands from more exotic countries like Pokolgep, Root, Aria, etc. as they seemed to be untraceable outside of their country. I think that I read in a book of the Karthago Records boss, that he regularly travelled to other countries and looked if there were some new Metal releases....I think many of us have to thank him and his Metalpage site for letting us know all the information that he got on a much harder way.

[TheGreatEscape]

One thing younger collectors don't realize is that, 25 years ago, $100 was a HUGE amount to pay for most of the rare metal records.

Didn't think about this - yeah, that's true!

It's easy to say now that we all should have grabbed up those $40 Wizards, but who the heck knew they'd be selling for $1,000 25 years down the road?

Actually, during these times the list was valid, I didn't know too much about US Metal - I bought my copy of WYZARD years later (I think it was 1996?) during my trip across the US. Didn't pay a lot, of course

But it's fun to look back at these old lists (I still have them all).

[TheGreatEscape]

In earlier days, I had a subscription for the Goldmine magazine from the US and I think this was the place I came across OPM / John Haupt.

If I remember correctly, my first orders from John have been NWOBHM albums like Satan etc.

[sovdat]

But it's fun to look back at these old lists (I still have them all).

Any chance to scan and upload some of them?