Vintage Vinyl in Evanston, Illinois

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Xenu
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Vintage Vinyl in Evanston, Illinois

Postby Xenu » Fri Jul 22, 2005 5:02 pm

...god, what asshats.

What self-absorbed, only-in-it-for-the-money, fetishistic by-the-books bastards.

I just took a trip up to Evanston, finally realizing a plan that had lain dormant for four years of college (Evanston is damn far from Hyde Park, and nobody would ever cave in to my long-distance record-shopping demands). This adventure was prompted by an immediately pre-college trip to the area, during which I found a *huge* amount of stuff that I had never expected to find: The Who's "Alternate Rarities," two copies of Ultimate Collection, et cetera.

Unfortunately, Evanston is suffering the same music-industry blight as the rest of the country, and a good half of the stores I patronized that one day half a decade ago are no longer in business. From the looks of it, only three stores were still around: 2nd Hand Tunes, Dr. Wax (both small chains), and Vintage Vinyl.

2nd Hand Tunes and Dr. Wax both yielded some goodies. Vintage Vinyl, though...

...I mean, their selection was great. Pretty much everything was mint or near mint, they had a fair amount of exotica (Italian versions of "Help!", a huge array of krautrock on LP, etc.). Their CD selection, while small, had its fair share of treasures as well, including a healthy amount of original bootlegs.

All of which is understandable, as their pricing scheme is frighteningly divorced from reality. Apparently, the Vintage Vinyl of Evanston MO is to go onto the internet/leaf through the Goldmine price guide, and round up in iterations of $25. EVERYTHING was at least $25...including things like "Turtle Soup" by the Turtles, "Who's Next," the Donovan CD reissues, et cetera. Who on this planet will willingly pay $25 for fucking Turtle Soup?

I mean, in light of this crazy pricing scheme, their huge assortment of "treasures" like old copies of Yellow Dog discs makes sense. If you're charging $50 for "Ultra Rare Trax 1" and $99 for "Capitol Punishment," you're likely gonna still have them ten years later. They operate on the principle that eventually, someone will plunk down $40 for a mono "Shut Down Volume 2."

Jesus. I mean, I'm used to New York record store hubris...y'know, charging $60 for very good copies of "Freak Out." But charging $60 for "Ruben and the Jets -- For Real?" An album NOBODY WANTS?

Wow.

(hate OFF)
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Postby lukpac » Fri Jul 22, 2005 5:49 pm

Several years ago I went to two places there (or maybe more). The Djangos (is that still there?) and another place where I picked up the mono/stereo Bluesbreakers. Actually, yeah, there was at least one more, but I can't for the life of me think of names at the moment.
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Postby the 801 » Fri Jul 22, 2005 7:38 pm

Don't feel too bad -- it seems to be a trend these days.

We've got a vinyl warehouse called 'Bananas' in St. Petersburg, FL that has the most amazing stock, but all un-priced until it's time to check out. It's then they pull out the latest record guide and determine everything pulled is stone-cold mint (not!) & if it's unlisted it must be super-rare and warrant at least $10-15 over the mint valuation of a 'similar' item. What a humilating & frustrating experience that was!

I left everything at the wrap desk & walked out -- a total 'no-sale' & a waste of time...

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Re: Vintage Vinyl in Evanston, Illinois

Postby Dob » Fri Jul 22, 2005 10:15 pm

Xenu wrote:Apparently, the Vintage Vinyl of Evanston MO is to go onto the internet/leaf through the Goldmine price guide, and round up in iterations of $25.

And I'd bet they offer bottom dollar for anything you want to sell them.

Junkyards operate under a similar principle. The price of any part that you want to buy will be determined by the price of a new one minus, say, 25 percent (perhaps adjusted up or down based on your appearance). It's galling to think that the price you paid for that rear axle is probably a multiple of what they paid for the whole car.
They operate on the principle that eventually, someone will plunk down $40 for a mono "Shut Down Volume 2."

So do a quite a few Ebay sellers...and it sure is exasperating when someone does bite. I've been tempted to send an email to those buyers - "Dear Idiot...". Either that, or "Dear Sir, have I got a deal for you..."
Dob
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Postby CitizenDan » Mon Aug 08, 2005 3:34 pm

It's amazing how few record stores have any idea what people are really willing to pay for vinyl. They take the approach that antique dealers take: They'd literally rather let inventory gather dust and go unsold forever than to possibly let it go for less than market value.

I recently had a similar experience to the one 801 described. I stumbled on a record store while out of town, and was poking through the vinyl, which was stuffed underneath the CD bins. Well, none of it was priced; I should have recognized red flag #1. But as rooted around, I started to find some great stuff -- a decent SGC pressing of the first Nazz LP, a spotless Contact High With The Godz on ESP, lots more. I was getting fired up in spite of myself.

I brought a decent-sized stack to the counter. I asked the kid, how much for everything?, thinking we'd be able to make a deal. He said -- after watching me sort through vinyl for an hour -- "The manager prices all the records, and he won't be in until tomorrow."

Dumb shit. OK then, so what kind of price range could I expect if I come in tomorrow?

"All the vinyl is priced at the low end of GEMM."

I left the stack on the counter and left without saying a word. The low end of fucking GEMM? Where dealers put up Herb Alpert LPs for $20 each? The only-in-your-dreams prices on that site have been a laughing stock among collectors since day one, and here this store uses it as an authoritative source.

No wonder record stores are dropping like flies.
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Postby lukpac » Mon Aug 08, 2005 3:45 pm

I think I may have mentioned this before, but we have a chain in the area called Half Price Books. I've picked up some decent vinyl for cheap there (I think that quad Best of the Doors was $4.98 or something), but anything Beatles is $$$. I seem to remember seeing a *US* Rubber Soul, beat to hell, with writing on it, for $20 or $30. WTF?
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Postby CitizenDan » Mon Aug 08, 2005 3:51 pm

Yeah, there are half a dozen Half Price Books around here, and they take the same approach. If you shop on the right day, you can get good stuff for not much money, but for anything Beatles or Elvis -- even some shitty Tony Sheridan LP or one of Elvis's dime-a-dozen Camden albums -- you'll pay through the nose.
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Postby Ess Ay Cee Dee » Mon Aug 08, 2005 4:09 pm

The whole "no price" thing is fucking ridiculous. I get extremely pissed off when I waste an hour or more of my time digging through vinyl bins only to watch some asshole page through the latest Goldmine price guide and price everything at the top end of the scale, regardless of condition.

Not to mention the High Fidelity mentality at so many of those places. Note to pseudo-hipsters everywhere with their "ironic" t-shirts, National Health glasses and shitty attitudes: you ain't Jack Black. :roll:

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Postby dudelsack » Mon Aug 08, 2005 4:18 pm

Hey, I was in a record shop in DUMBO recently, and the guy was looking at effing eBay to price his stuff. Insanity. Luckily, he didn't seem to understand the difference between stereo and mono, and I got the first two Love albums in mono for a good price.

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Postby Ess Ay Cee Dee » Mon Aug 08, 2005 4:33 pm

dudelsack wrote:Hey, I was in a record shop in DUMBO recently, and the guy was looking at effing eBay to price his stuff. Insanity. Luckily, he didn't seem to understand the difference between stereo and mono, and I got the first two Love albums in mono for a good price.


Actually, eBay pricing might not be such a bad thing for many LP's considering how few of them even seem to get a single bid.

If you got a good deal on mono Love LP's, you're a lucky man. I've been trying unsuccessfully for years to find a reasonably-priced mono pressing of Forever Changes. The one I have has seen much better days and it still set me back thirty bucks. I did find a nice mono of Da Capo in a $2 bin a few years ago, though.

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Postby Beatlesfan03 » Mon Aug 08, 2005 10:32 pm

lukpac wrote:I think I may have mentioned this before, but we have a chain in the area called Half Price Books. I've picked up some decent vinyl for cheap there (I think that quad Best of the Doors was $4.98 or something), but anything Beatles is $$$. I seem to remember seeing a *US* Rubber Soul, beat to hell, with writing on it, for $20 or $30. WTF?


Yeah, Half Price Books can be the home of some great bargains.

Beatles on used vinyl here in Cleveland is ridiculous. Some of those lovely '95 reissues are marked up anywhere between $30-$40 simply because of the words "Limited Edition." When anything "Beatles" (no solo work) comes in used, expect to pay anywhere between $20-30 regardless of condition. Some other bands that command ridiculous used vinyl prices here: The Smiths, R.E.M., and occasionally, the Stones.

Another chain here called the Exchange is ridiculous when it comes to their used vinyl. I have searching for a decent copy of Paul's Boutique by The Beasties for ages now. Low and behold I happened upon it one day for the price of $8.00. When I picked up the jacket, I found out that all the "premium" vinyl was now kept behind the counter and they weren't all that pleased if you asked to check the condition. When I got to look at the record, it wasn't worth 8 cents much less $8.00. No matter how desperate I am for a copy, I'll never buy any vinyl from there sight unseen.

However, on the same trip, I ended up with all the VG+/NM copies of the Harrison Apple albums (sans ATMP) for $15.00. So go figure.
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Postby CitizenDan » Mon Aug 08, 2005 11:34 pm

Ess Ay Cee Dee wrote:I did find a nice mono of Da Capo in a $2 bin a few years ago, though.


I'm afraid I can top that. Probably five years ago, in an actual record store, Love's first two LPs in mono, in more than playable condition...a dime each. I'm not even a huge Love fan, but I knew I couldn't leave without them. Not surprisingly, the store is out of business.
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Postby dudelsack » Tue Aug 09, 2005 12:23 pm

CitizenDan wrote:
Ess Ay Cee Dee wrote:I did find a nice mono of Da Capo in a $2 bin a few years ago, though.


I'm afraid I can top that. Probably five years ago, in an actual record store, Love's first two LPs in mono, in more than playable condition...a dime each. I'm not even a huge Love fan, but I knew I couldn't leave without them. Not surprisingly, the store is out of business.


Okay, maybe I didn't get such a good deal. Heh. The real tragedy was that this place had Highway 61 in mono...but, sadly, so trashed that it wouldn't track when I tried it on the table in the store. I'm sure some sucker later bought it for $15 or $20...

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Postby Xenu » Tue Aug 09, 2005 12:58 pm

Ess Ay Cee Dee wrote:Not to mention the High Fidelity mentality at so many of those places. Note to pseudo-hipsters everywhere with their "ironic" t-shirts, National Health glasses and shitty attitudes: you ain't Jack Black. :roll:


OH GOD I HATE THAT ATTITUDE. Y'know, for all of the abuse heaped on the Greenwich Village NY record stores, at least they're not all insufferable hipsters (bizarrely enough).
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Postby krabapple » Wed Aug 10, 2005 3:09 pm

Might I also suggest that in addition to the vinyl/music shops, consider checking out local second-hand stores...the one near me has a whole room of people's castoff LPs and books...one of dozens of rooms of tchotchkes, kitchenware, candlesticks, hand tools, and other detritus.
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