How are you guys ? I got a small dilemma on my hands and I'm looking for some insight. I found a sealed new in the box Sharp today and while it meets my criteria of single piece boomers it's not really my style. That said it will probably end up for sale at some point ? The dilemma is that I think there are two Sharp brand reels in the box and I would love to have them for my 777 but know what opening the box will do to the value of the box. What I'm really asking is

1) would you open it and take the reels (if they are in fact in the box)

2) do you think a potential new owner would end up opening it anyway ?

3) do you think opening it and testing it is a good idea at all ? or just leave it sealed as it has been for the last 20+ years ?

4) do you think a serious collector who will pay top dollar for this item new in the box would leave it sealed ?

5) do you think it will get bought opened sold as new and the cassettes end up on ebay a few days later in separate auctions ?

6) what do you suppose it would cost me to replace tapes ? Because you know I will want them even worse once there gone

last question

7) do you think I'll ever see a set of these tapes again ?

Thanks in advance for any and all advice guys

Brian

Unless it says 'Cassette Included' I'll bet they are not in there.

I for one, would want the seller to have photos of the box openned and showing the bbx in its original plastic. NOT showing it working. At that point, its just another used bbx that still has the original box with it.

But I think being openned, and at least a good photo of the top of the bbx still in the plastic, still in the original box, would at least give the buyer confidence that they are not just buying a box full of bricks.

I would open it if I were you just to enjoy what it must have been like back in the day!!!!

If those cassettes are in there, no chance of ever seeing one for sale in my opinion. Although having said that, I am often amazed at what cassettes do surface still new in the wrap on ebay!

In fact, Im going to go look right now!

Great find by the way!!!

1. Me personally am not into collecting sealed boxes.
so I would probably tear that suka open and grab those tapes.
2. If you are going to open it you might as well test it.
3. I personally think most of us collect because we like to use em not let them sit around in a box.
my 2 cents for what its worth.
Chances are you might not find those tapes again that is if the radio comes with them so > they are yours now arent they???

since the only reason you want to open it is for the tapes -
-and you dont even know if the tapes are in there --
then get some friendly 800 # sharp corp customer service agent
to try an do some archives research for you -
there has to be some records as to what was included with that model.

also - imho - you dont have alot $$ to lose by opening it --because it might not be one of the big dollar models for collectors, anyway.


and --if you are often into good sound //aside from traditional old style looks--this one probably will sound very good

is it just me or does that box look like it got water damaged on the bottom corner.
i dont know i mean its kinda of a cool boombox,but how much is it really going to be worth in the box vs opened.
its nice but i dont think i would be too worried about it not being worth a fortune out of the original box.
if it is water damaged in someway at least you will know right aways.
if its not the box is still there so is all the packaging ect so i dont think it is makes much difference.
how much would the tapes be worth if they are in there.

Sell it to OCD4U for $1,000!!

On the box its pictured with two reel cassettes.
I do not know of a Sharp reel cassette.
Its probably just for the picture
and not included in the box.
Some members have bought this model new.
They should know.

I would open that sucker up and check it out for yourself. I don't think it will hurt the value. It would be different if it was a sealed Conion C100F or a JVC RC-M90,not dissing your boombox of course it is very cool

If it was me i would open it up and try/check it out. If the cassettes are there you get them ! and i dont think the resale value of this model would change that dramatically between new/mint in box and sealed in box.
Also, i believe the picture of the reel cassettes is only to display the twin front loading mechanism. I dont think it has any cassettes in the box at all, probably not even a demo tape like the earlier models.
Of course this is only my uneducated guess so please dont take my word for it !
Cool box too, i for one like boxed boxes

I bought a boombox from this range, it was around 89-90, well after they did such things as including a cassette in the package.
It was done mostly in the 70s, when the new owner might not have owned any cassettes at the time of purchase.
IMHO, there's very little chance of their being cassettes in there. The picture is like a "serving suggestion" on a can of soup - the bowl & the sprig of parsley isn't in the can
Hell, even when CD was new, they didn't give the CD away with the boombox, they gave them to the stores to demo it with.


...skippy, I'm of a certain age, & I read your avatar as "PUNK, SNOT, DEAD". I reckon it sounds punchier that way.
...or it could be the beer I had at lunchtime

I opened it and there are no cassettes

I guess I can rest now LOL

haha --now that we tricked you into opening it --
and that killed the 'former' $1,000 PLUS !! value

you might want to test it /use it-
dub a few tapes with it--

tell us 'how it sounds' ?????

and then offer it up here as some used sharp boomer wannabee -------
for 20 bucks
OBO
--------------------------

i like it --
so please send me a pm if you decide to sell it.

Since you don't want that ol' radio anyway you can send it to me as an act of random kindness.

Not yet!

We need some photos of that fresh box and all the stuffing!

endo --have you listened to it YET ??
it might be a VERY good one -- really

iso - it is in the bass --just look it up as
sharp 354 -- dont use those letters

mine's too old - I need an upgrade...!

endo they could have pulled the cassettes before they boxed the radio somtimes they really make you think that it has it inside but if it doesnt say anything on the box then there would be none but the box looks pretty good