I love collecting these boomboxes but I just can't get myself to pay the prices ebay is getting for so many boxes. The $500 and up range used to be for M90's, C-100F's and a few others but lately there's a lot more models that have been selling over $500. Many of the boxes aren't even mint or excellent condition.

Do I need hypnosis, medication or devine intervention in order to get myself to pay these prices?

No, it's probably wise. Because once you do it once it becomes commonplace and you think alot less about it the next time you do it.

Of couse I don't buy crack so thats my justification.

These prices only exist on e-Bay and because of e-Bay...in the real world...they are much cheaper

-gsbadbmr

quote:

Originally posted by gsbadbmr:
These prices only exist on e-Bay and because of e-Bay...in the real world...they are much cheaper

-gsbadbmr

agreed.

i dont know i think a down turn in prices is going to come sooner rather than later. certain things will remain expensive i think but i do think alot of the crazy pricing was without a doubt pushed by the eighties revival trend.
also the whole roots hip hop thing now thats something i am finding kind of interesting. i mean it seems that retro thing is still growing.
i was surprised when i went into town the other day how many kids i saw dressed old school east coast hip hop style.
i do think that is something wich is going to keep the market still going. i mean theres a lot of older collectors out there who are into collecting boomboxes.
there is also a huge amount of younger people wanting them more and more now. they cannot afford a conion or a m90 so i do think the new lasonic is going to be a big hit for them. bigger maybe than many people might think.
i still think its a fringe cult type thing wich is spilling over into the mainstream.
it will never be to the extent where there was dozens and dozens of different models sitting on the shelves but i do believe there will be more new boomboxes to come wich have direct styling cues from the old ones.
i mean they were aesteticaly the best i think.
they might not be as heavy as the older ones,but they will resemble them.
i would not be surprised to see the prices begin to come down by the end of this year.
will a mint m90 ever go on the bay for less than five bills again.
i doubt it.
there will always be the people who want it now and dont have the time to spend running around or the skill to fix one up they find.
i never deal with ebay or buy anything there unless its something brand new wich is from a established authorised dealer.
i leave my collecting to luck and cheapness. i mean for me that is the most fun. it is all up to the individual tho. i dont think there is any right or wrong school of thought. for some a 700 dollar m90 is a burn job for some its a bargain.
its all a matter of your priorities in life. some people hate the thought of heading into a thrift store all together. others see it as a treasure hunt.some as a way to make some easy money. as i say theres no right and wrong with it. its all just personal preferences and priorities.

But on the other hand - if it wasn't for Ebay - I would never have a boombox at all - there just arent any locally.
And as far as prices - how about housing? I moved to Texas from Colorado, where houses cost twice as much. People will always overpay for stuff - if not boomboxes or houses - then maybe cars or women - just pick your poison and enjoy it

quote:

Originally posted by vladi123456:
just pick your poison and enjoy it

4-real!

-gsbadbmr

quote:

Originally posted by MasterBlaster84:
Do I need hypnosis, medication or devine intervention in order to get myself to pay these prices?

No. You don't need to pay these prices...you need a THRIFT STORE! Sharp GF-9696Z-$20.00 JVC M70-$15.00 JVC PC55-$15.00 JVC-PCM-100C-$8.00 Pioneer SK-71-$20.00 etc. etc.etc.

quote:

Originally posted by gsbadbmr:

quote:

Originally posted by vladi123456:
just pick your poison and enjoy it

4-real!

-gsbadbmr

Amen brothers!
The hope is always alive for the next big find but ebays poison is getting to concentrated for me. I'm hoping spring will bring some good finds, the flea markets have been dormant for the most part since we've had rain every weekend since before christmas with one exception.

quote:

Originally posted by Joe Cool:

quote:

Originally posted by MasterBlaster84:
Do I need hypnosis, medication or devine intervention in order to get myself to pay these prices?

No. You don't need to pay these prices...you need a THRIFT STORE! Sharp GF-9696Z-$20.00 JVC M70-$15.00 JVC PC55-$15.00 JVC-PCM-100C-$8.00 Pioneer SK-71-$20.00 etc. etc.etc.

JC, I'd be all over those finds like white on rice.

MB84 - you would also have to move to Canada to get those prices

i just think its way more fun to hunt stuff down in the wild. i mean the tension of the bidding the dissapointment of loosing out. i mean theres very few bargains in ebay land.
i think there was a time when you could get awesome deals there but its really changed.
now i do think that theres nothing wrong with buying stuff there if its what you want to do. i mean some poeple might even think its fun. its entirely up to the individual.
for me tho its finding the cheapos in the thrift stores.
i am not planning on selling anything anytime soon and i dont look at this as a investment. its just something i do for fun.
if someone does look at it as a investment and does it for a business thats fine too

Vladi, finding boomboxes in the wild is a blast but not enough to make me move to Canada.


Bill, I absolutely agree with your view, I'm not viewing this as any kind of investment either. I'm collecting purely for personal enjoyment.

I know we'd all like to think we pull our boxes out of skips or find them hidden behind teapots in hidden away junk shops but let's face it, take a pole of all S2Go members as to what percentage of their collections came from eBay & I tell you, the average will ba around the 75-80% mark.

Of course eBay doesn't set the prices & I don't generally believe these high prices exist because of eBay, well, not directly. eBay is a global marketplace, as trends come & go then the prices for this stuff will be reflected on eBay, afterall, you can't buy boomboxes new anymore so eBay is the obvious choice. 80's retro is very fashionable.

We all know a boombox is worth as much as whatever somewone is willing to pay, we bark it to new members often enough. Let's face it, more & more people like this stuff.

So, tell me again, what is eBay doing wrong exactly?

There is nothing wrong with someone not wanting (or being willing to) pay eBay prices. I won't pay those prices, either.

There is also nothing wrong with someone paying those prices.

Take three (imaginary) people as examples:

Person A works hard for a living, at an hourly rate that just covers living expenses and doesn't leave a lot of money for luxuries. They make X dollars per hour. They have very small savings, not enough for retirement, and they are worried how they will pay for college for their three kids.

Person B works hard, too, but they are in a highly-paid profession that pays 35X per hour. They also have a big retirement nest egg they inherited from wealthy parents. One kid or none.

Person C inherited ownership of a major casino, or cashed in at the top of the internet bubble a few years back, and is a hundred-millionare or billionaire.

Person A will not pay high prices for a boombox. They will equate that $500+ with a lot of hours of hard work, and think of all the other things they need to buy for their kids, etc... Nope, $500 is too much for them.

Person B might pause to calculate, figure out how many minutes they work to earn that $500+, and go ahead an buy it.

Person C will look at it, say, "I like it, so I'll buy it." They don't think much about money when buying ordinary things, as it can't possibly make a noticeable difference to their financial situation. The only time they think about it is for big purchases, like a yacht or another house... and still buy almost anything they want to buy.

Of course, that assumes all three people like the boombox; many people would rather buy stamps or beanie babies or whatever it is that "floats their boat".

There is nothing wrong with you; you are just closer to Person A (at least emotionally/in mindset) than Person C. You are just like probably more than 99 percent of the people on the planet, who won't/wouldn't buy those boxes for those prices. Win a big lottery, and you may find yourself more willing to join the small-ish group of those who do buy them.

Thriftstores are fine but you cannot build a collection of specific boomboxes that way.You may search for many years and still never find what you want.On the other hand,if your willing to take what you find it is far more economical than Ebay.It is also a good way to find things to sell yourself to help finance your Ebay acquisitions.I have no problem with spending alot for a box if I really want it and it is in good condition.The prices are just further proof that there is a market for new retro blasters to be produced.At some of the prices people pay the build quality of new retro blasters could be quite good.

But if it is all due to eBay for the prices that are being asked why are they also being asked on this forum ?

quote:

Take three (imaginary) people as examples:

I would like to add a 4th person. This person doesnt care how much they earn, as they see boombox collecting as a part of life and therefore necessary. Therefore they scour flea markets, second hand shops, friends and family as well as badly listed items on eBay. They proceed to 'fix up' the cheap boxes they find and sell some while keeping the others. The sale of the 'fixed up' boxes funds the purchase of more boxes from the places already mentioned as well as being able to 'treat' oneself every so often to a 'biggie' or 'grail' off eBay.

Money wise I fit between 1 and 2 on Arkay's list. I am paid a decent wage but by no means enough to warrant spending this kind of crazy money on eBay, so I figured that if I am to have such a hobby, that I need to make it pay for itself. Which it does very well.

I also use eBay to hunt out cheap boxes, badly listed or which look like easy fixer uppers which I then either keep or sell on for a profit.

A collectors gotta do what a collectors gotta do.

I'm sure there are many more stories from board members as to how they acquire their wares.

eBay for me is a blessing as I have used it to my advantage to further my collection. I guess its a matter of time, patience and a little belief!

quote:

Originally posted by agentorange:
I know we'd all like to think we pull our boxes out of skips or find them hidden behind teapots in hidden away junk shops but let's face it, take a pole of all S2Go members as to what percentage of their collections came from eBay & I tell you, the average will be around the 75-80% mark.

80's retro is very fashionable.

We all know a boombox is worth as much as whatever somewone is willing to pay

True! We all dream of building a nice boombox collection out of thrift store (flea market, want ad, garage sale) finds, but it simply can't be done these days. And I'm not sure it ever could. Even when '80's boxes were easily available though these venues, most "finds" were low-end and/or broken: the kind of stuff people get rid of.

I've hunted at flea markets for transistor radios since the seventies, but, until eBay came along, most of what I've found has been junky discards, with very, very few real treasures. My best purchases were made at radio collector conventions, and prices there weren't cheap... and I still wasn't finding much of what was on my "want list." Plus, I was wasting countless hours/days/weeks and enormous amounts of fuel traveling from place to place.

EBay has always been both a blessing and a curse. It's a blessing because it has literally opened up a world of goods to collectors. (On eBay, I often find exactly what's on my want-list) But, it's a curse because we collectors now have to compete for the goods we crave. And competition raises prices.

Of course, eBay's creators could have made it strictly a want-ad site with fixed prices, which would've kept those prices down. But then it would've been a straight first-come, first-served operation (like a worldwide classified section), and we all know the low probability of being the first person to spot a Buy-It-Now item... and how frustating it is to come upon one of those B-I-N items a few days/hours/minutes after it has sold to someone else. Although auctions raise prices (even in-person auctions do that), with an online auction, far more people get to see, and have at least a chance to snag, an item than could with a want-ad.

Like Agent said, eBay really isn't the problem. We are. We collect something that's very "in" at the moment. Eighties kids are now adults, with money to spend, and, like every generation, they're bent on recovering at least a portion of their childhood. (Even Urban Outiftters, a clothier that caters mostly to teens and twenty-somethings, sells shirts that are covered with ghettoblaster sketches!) What's more, most collectors strive to find the best of what they collect, and high-line examples of any collectible are always in short supply. Not only that, but we on this world-wide site talk openly about our desire for, and the value of, what we we collect. No wonder an Aiwa 660 can sell for $643!

The little bit of hope we boombox collectors can cling to is that the boxes we collect will one day go out of fashion. When I started buying transistor radios on eBay ten years ago, I was paying incredible prices for what I wanted (sometimes in the $500-$800 range), but I did it because I assumed their value would never be less than it was then. I was wrong. It's ten years later, and radios that cost me $200 in 1998 are now selling for $50 and below. (Yes, there are still rarities that go into the thousands and will probably never cost less, but those are few and far between.) What has happened? I honestly don't know. But my guess is that, either everyone who collects transistor radios now owns pretty much everything they want, or sixties electronics are no longer as fashionable as they once were. (After all, sixties kids are now old or dead!)

My only hope is that, when '80's boomboxes are no longer fashionable, and when prices finally start to come down, I'll still be interested. If I'm old or dead, I probably won't.

quote:

Originally posted by docs:
But if it is all due to eBay for the prices that are being asked why are they also being asked on this forum ?

Of all the owners of Conion C-100s and JVC M90s that were bought at thrift store prices, how many would be willing to sell said Conions and JVCs at thrift store prices? My guess would be - absolutely none. A lot of us complain about boombox prices seen on eBay, but when it comes time to sell our own boxes, guess what - most of want the eBay prices even if we paid next to nothing.

As for thrift stores in my area, there are probably 20 to 30 Goodwill and Salvation Army stores. However, in the past five or six years, I have only found one decent boombox - the Sanyo M-9935K (which I quickly purchased). When you factor in the cost of gasoline and time spent (5 years) going to all of these thrift stores once a week, I have spent hundreds, if not well over a thousand dollars and still come away empty-handed. I could have bought a lot of nice boxes on eBay for the money that I've wasted looking for boxes in the wild. That's something to think about the next time...

My $.02

quote:

Originally posted by Fatdog:

quote:

Originally posted by docs:
But if it is all due to eBay for the prices that are being asked why are they also being asked on this forum ?

Of all the owners of Conion C-100s and JVC M90s that were bought at thrift store prices, how many would be willing to sell said Conions and JVCs at thrift store prices? My guess would be - absolutely none. A lot of us complain about boombox prices seen on eBay, but when it comes time to sell our own boxes, guess what - most of want the eBay prices even if we paid next to nothing.

My $.02

Exactly my point Fatdog well said. I think that the many collectors of blasters that reside here should take some responsibility for the prices seen, otherwise we would all be sharing boxes among ourselves at a much more sensible level. I do not think that eBay is entirely responsible for the silly situation with a lot of units.

We all have an idea of what our boxes are worth. I could go visit you all & haggle, I bet I wouldn't get many bargains.

quote:

Originally posted by beatbox:
I figured that if I am to have such a hobby, that I need to make it pay for itself. Which it does very well.

I also use eBay to hunt out cheap boxes, badly listed or which look like easy fixer uppers which I then either keep or sell on for a profit.

eBay for me is a blessing as I have used it to my advantage to further my collection. I guess its a matter of time, patience and a little belief!

Beatbox, I really like what you wrote (even better than what I just wrote). The best way to finance this hobby is to make it pay for itself. And you can do that by buying low, fixing up, selling high, and then using the profts either to buy a real "grail" or to buy a few more fixer-uppers, some of which you fix up and sell and some of which you fix up and keep. Genius!

My problem is that, when it comes to fixing electronics, I'm in a "no fly zone." Short of taking on a whole new field of study late in life, how do I make boomobox collecting pay for itself? Do I even have the right to be collecting boomboxes if I don't know how they work?

Baby Boomer - I like collecting Da Vinci paintings, but I know nothing about how to actually paint So you should be perfectly fine collecting something you don't know how to fix

quote:

Originally posted by vladi123456:
Baby Boomer - I like collecting Da Vinci paintings, but I know nothing about how to actually paint So you should be perfectly fine collecting something you don't know how to fix

Thanks vladi! I guess it'll just cost me more than it does for people who know how to fix them. Just like it does, say, for car collectors.

All I can say is this....



Ehhh... Screw it, I'm going to buy a lottery ticket! Wish me luck!

quote:

Originally posted by baby boomer:
Thanks vladi! I guess it'll just cost me more than it does for people who know how to fix them. Just like it does, say, for car collectors.

I'm in the same boat - can't fix anything. Most of the times when I open a boombox - I break something But I'm not going to let it stop me from enjoying them!

quote:

Originally posted by docs:
I think that the many collectors of blasters that reside here should take some responsibility for the prices seen, otherwise we would all be sharing boxes among ourselves at a much more sensible level. I do not think that eBay is entirely responsible for the silly situation with a lot of units.

Not a bad idea, docs! Maybe one way to show we're serious about fighting high eBay prices is to sell to each other at thrift store prices (well, maybe slightly above). Come to think of it, it is a little hypocritical to gripe about eBay prices and then use those prices to determine the prices of what we sell. Hmmmmm. Interesting thought!

quote:

Originally posted by baby boomer:
True! We all dream of building a nice boombox collection out of thrift store (flea market, want ad, garage sale) finds, but it simply can't be done these days.

"Can't be done these days?" My collection currently stands at 75-80 or so, with the majority of bbxs in mint and very near mint condition. It includes some "grails", and all but 4 have come from thrift stores (3 were bought from other members here, and 1 was purchased from an antique dealer). Prices of bbxs I've aquired from thrift stores range from $3.99 to $35.00. I've been collecting since 1999. My wife introduced me to a local Goodwill store in our neighbourhood, where I discovered my first...a JVC PCM-100C, mint and complete, for 8 bucks. Needless to say, I was hooked...right there and then! The rest, as they say, is history. I can't say enough about these thrift stores. If not for them, I wouldn't have a collection of boomboxes (or this disease known as boombox-collector"). I've also been fortunate to be able to increase my stock pile of NOS hi-end still sealed cassette tapes, including metal and other exotic formulations. I've also found Teac reel to reel and rare commercial broadcast tapes, all at a cost of .25-.49 cents a piece. I don't report the majority of my finds anymore, out of respect for some of the members here who have difficulty finding bbxs, and for those who spend big bucks on eBay. To be honest, there is seldom a time that there aren't any bbxs at the several thrift stores I visit. More often than not, I simply walk away from them, only because I just don't have the room for them. I do make exceptions for the ones I do find that really grab my attention. I don't post every one I find, because I know that it would simply piss off a lot of peeps, or at least bore them. I don't live in a boombox paradise such as HK, by any stretch, but I do realize that I'm fortunate to live in an area that has several thrift stores, all with an abundant supply of them, both vintage and newer, and I never take this for granted.

So, with all due respect my friend...please don't say "it can't be done these days". It can, and has been done.

quote:

Originally posted by baby boomer:

quote:

Originally posted by docs:
I think that the many collectors of blasters that reside here should take some responsibility for the prices seen, otherwise we would all be sharing boxes among ourselves at a much more sensible level. I do not think that eBay is entirely responsible for the silly situation with a lot of units.

Not a bad idea, docs! Maybe one way to show we're serious about fighting high eBay prices is to sell to each other at thrift store prices (well, maybe slightly above). Come to think of it, it is a little hypocritical to gripe about eBay prices and then use those prices to determine the prices of what we sell. Hmmmmm. Interesting thought!

Babyboomer, Vladi already has contributed at below thrift store prices. In fact as low as $.12 before shipping.

When I started this thread it really wasn't to complain about ebay pricing but rather just the insanity of the prices and my unwillingness to pay more than $500 for a moderate to lower-high end boombox. The market determines the prices and who is the "Market"? Well all of us are and it only takes two at a time competing for a box to set a high price. This is the current market and we either pay the prices or try like he!! to find alternative sources, which many of us are trying to do. I don't look down on those trying to sell for top dollar, that's the free market. In fact I try to sell for near top dollar when I can so no blame to anyone there.

What about person M? Married. I earn a great(Type B-Three kids, sixteen yr. old niece and her son, One Siberian Husky, and I inherited last years Easter Eggs) living and my kids college educations are paid for. But my wife isn't going to let me go willy nilly to buy boomboxes. (Bryann, your wife should counsel ours! ) She understands my love of these things but at the same time, as I do with her, we try to figure out how what we buy will best help out in the long run. We also save for what we want. Put a little change away here and there and before you know it you'll have M90 money or a really nice vacation. Believe me Alabama ain't as cheap as some would think it is, and no it isn't the "Boombox Capital". However, and I've said it many times before, Patience/Preserverence/Prayer will lead to an affordable "Purchase".

(I still want to know what's up with Canada and all these boomboxes at thrift stores JC! )

quote:

(I still want to know what's up with Canada and all these boomboxes at thrift stores JC! )

I agree, what's up in Canada. It's like there was a law in the 80's that every household had to own at least two boomboxes that cost $500 or more.

I don't know if it was the law or not, but you guys aren't too far off the mark, I think. The Sharp GF-9696 for example, was very popular here, and "back in the day" cost about $550.00 USD. However, I do know one household that didn't have two (or even one) bbx...mine! But, thanks to my friendly neighbourhood thrift stores, I've taken care of that little problem...I'm making up for lost time, and having a lot of fun along the way I'm happy to know that thanks to my teenage son, (who's taken a fond liking and appreciation for these relics even in this digital age), they'll be around for at least another generation.

Anyway...back to "what's up with Canada?" I guess back then, we were a nation of music lovers who loved to take our groove outside, along with the hardwear that made it possible!. For some of us, things haven't changed!

Our thrift stores here in the UK don't carry any electrical items. I think that might upset the balance somewhat for some members this side of the pond.

baby boomer hit the nail on the head

quote:

Come to think of it, it is a little hypocritical to gripe about eBay prices and then use those prices to determine the prices of what we sell.
Hmmmmm. Interesting thought!

and while it is not a complaint against high prices on eBay it is directly influenced by people wanting to make money on boxes.

Ofcourse I can understand this point of view and indeed in order to make it pay for itself... but when they cost 20-30 dollars/chinese Yen or whatever then ask other collectors to pay what the going rate is on eBay (alternatively what they consider the top end price is) I find quite unfair. I'll happily tell people what I bought a box for and will gladly sell it on at zero profit to another brother collecter. Ofcourse some of us here think that way while others don't and I feel that this is a major contributing factor to people either A)unwilling or B)unable to pay prices being asked. Simply, some of us are just happy to help out a brother while others are plainly in it for profit.

quote:

Originally posted by Joe Cool:
So, with all due respect my friend...please don't say "it can't be done these days". It can, and has been done.

I stand corrected. I'm sorry to say that my thrift store experiences haven't been like yours. Beginning about ten years ago, when I first got serious about trolling for boomboxes, until about three years ago, I usually managed to find one, and maybe two, boomboxes each week at my local thrift stores. Most were small and many were broken. (The best box I've ever found - ever - in a thrift store was a well-used Maganvox 8443 with a broken power switch... which I actually fixed!) I do travel around Michigan a little, but thrift stores in surrounding cities haven't proven to be any better. Maybe I'm just not getting there at the right time. Or maybe, when nice boomboxes are put out, they're snapped up right away by smart shoppers or by eBay resellers who know a profitable item when they see one.

So I promise not to write anymore in sweeping generalities ("can't be done these days") when what I'm really writing about are my personal experiences. I've used up lots of time, energy and gasoline traveling to thrift stores (flea markets, garage sales, and antique shops, too) over the years - and especially recently - only to be repeatedly disappointed. I'm glad to hear it isn't like that everywhere!

baby boomer, I'm the same way. Instead of spending money on gas or waisting time driving all over Dallas (which is even more expensive than gas) - I would rather overpay for something on ebay. Sometimes I think if I calculate all the expenses - it would be cheaper for me to buy a $1000 boombox off of ebay than spend 7 days (average listing time on ebay) driving all over the place waisting my time - and buy that same boombox for $50.