(Well here it is..)- What to do with your LP/CD collection-especially Mosaic box sets, when no interested heirs?

[tranemonk]

So let me see if I basically get the summary of this thread... We're kind of screwed and there is no simple/good answer. Is that right?

[Stompin at the Savoy]

10 minutes ago, tranemonk said:

So let me see if I basically get the summary of this thread... We're kind of screwed and there is no simple/good answer. Is that right?

Having a great many cds does not seem like being screwed to me.  The plastic disks and their packaging - mere things.  The music - spiritual, priceless.

[JSngry]

You're only screwed if you expect to get most of or all of your money back.

[mjazzg]

Not screwed at all if you've had hours of stimulation listening to them, that's what they're for. Screwed if you bought them as an investment opportunity, definitely.

[felser]

6 hours ago, Stompin at the Savoy said:

Having a great many cds does not seem like being screwed to me.  The plastic disks and their packaging - mere things.  The music - spiritual, priceless.

This

5 hours ago, mjazzg said:

Not screwed at all if you've had hours of stimulation listening to them, that's what they're for. Screwed if you bought them as an investment opportunity, definitely.

And this.

[jlhoots]

9 hours ago, Hoppy T. Frog said:

the owner of Dusty Groove came to me, and hauled it away. He didn't take everything. I've bought from them for years, and I found his price incredibly fair. I had no patience to sell everything individually. I had some out of print Mosaics that I guess I could have gotten an higher price for if I put it on Ebay but I didn't want to do that. 

I was 48 when I sold my collection. I will have many years left in me to rebuild another massive collection (to the mild consternation of my wife!). 

Helpful.

[Big Beat Steve]

20 hours ago, Hoppy T. Frog said:

the owner of Dusty Groove came to me, and hauled it away. He didn't take everything. I've bought from them for years, and I found his price incredibly fair. I had no patience to sell everything individually. I had some out of print Mosaics that I guess I could have gotten an higher price for if I put it on Ebay but I didn't want to do that. 

I was 48 when I sold my collection. I will have many years left in me to rebuild another massive collection (to the mild consternation of my wife!). 

Wow ... What made you sell the collection you'd built up (no doubt as a result of lots of searching and crate digging and spending) just to start all over again later on, investing again as much effort (and probably money)?
Dire need of money? Lack of space? Period of fed-up-ishness? Total change of preferred styles of music?
Just wondering and asking out of sheer curiosity. Because that would have been unfathomable for me (for better or worse ).

Edited June 27, 2024 by Big Beat Steve

[mjazzg]

Or, a healthy relationship with physical items (not something I have...but strive for)

Edited June 27, 2024 by mjazzg

[Hoppy T. Frog]

I'm only semi-joking about reassembling my collection. I'm trying to have fewer "things".  Also needed the $$$ and was moving to a smaller place.  

[HutchFan]

I'm 56 years old.  Among my work colleagues, I'm one of the old guys.  But around here, not so much.

More time for me to build up my music collection to absurdly large proportions.   

 

[Big Beat Steve]

24 minutes ago, Hoppy T. Frog said:

I'm only semi-joking about reassembling my collection. I'm trying to have fewer "things".  Also needed the $$$ and was moving to a smaller place.  

O.K., understood. Including the "fewer things" aspect. I am trying to go that route too, but so far only in my other collecting areas (way outside music) where I am thinning things out slowly and carefully (but definitely). So overall the reduction process so far is a slow one, but at least the maximum has been reached with some of my collections, and in recent times the downsizing process has at least "started". 

[JSngry]

28 minutes ago, HutchFan said:

I'm 56 years old.  Among my work colleagues, I'm one of the old guys.  But around here, not so much.

More time for me to build up my music collection to absurdly large proportions.   

 

Y'all hear that? Send him all your stuff. He wants it!!! 🤠

[mjzee]

There was a time in the '90's when I felt imprisoned by all my records, and thought I needed to make room for new experiences.  I learned there was a record fair in Manhattan in the near future, and I sold about half my jazz collection there.  (A lot of my albums were bought, in bulk, by Japanese guys.)  It felt very freeing.  I sold most of the rest at St. Marks Sounds in the village.  In the past 10 years, I have rebought some of them (now on CD), plus added to the collection.  It's all wonderful; I don't question it.

[mjazzg]

9 hours ago, mjzee said:

It's all wonderful; I don't question it.

This, absolutely 

And if I do find myself questioning it I just shift some out. Sold 150 of my old long-ignored rock LPs this month, they'll fund a few high ticket price Jazz albums. Happy all round.

Edited June 28, 2024 by mjazzg

[Big Beat Steve]

11 hours ago, mjzee said:

There was a time in the '90's when I felt imprisoned by all my records, and thought I needed to make room for new experiences.  ...

For those of you who feel "imprisoned" by their record collection, do treat yourselves to THIS book:

https://www.amazon.com/-/de/dp/160774869X/ref=sr_1_1?__mk_de_DE=ÅMÅŽÕÑ&crid=2MXVESJYVTUR7&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.fRjRhXXa6h-D4tj-akoMCIv5ziOgomRvRBGnzF8XRKFIYy5SuA1yDqwgMM9V7qbhTdKJYVTIzx5khbC-OlJusufAe-JhW4dh1wSwLrOnGtntmJtz8tLmXpIzXxc3sB_-fizgZZ6eG-2GO1fBVX_vLiAOZ_GlDOo5rY7kfYz07fxa837r9YG9MlUmmJ2jgtqcvv5Lfg5eS6eKSiJGRjoEK4Mm2kqoF8e0eG3m7QHHzFY._BwIslQgMwFDDhdx_cJdWUhFDQ7k6uvz59YI-RP6RJM&dib_tag=se&keywords=Dust+and+Grooves&qid=1719567214&sprefix=dust+and+grooves%2Caps%2C146&sr=8-1

Whenever you feel overwhelmed by the records you have amassed, just looking at the pics from various collections and "music living" (aka "hoarding" ) rooms at collectors' homes around the world will make you realize "No, my record collection isn't the worst - nor the most disorganized!" 😁 

 

Edited June 28, 2024 by Big Beat Steve

[gmonahan]

I'm 70, and my son knows he'll have to deal with it someday. I'll be past caring. So, we don't talk about it. He doesn't particularly want to think about it, and I don't want to tell him that, well, I'm still buying cds............

[jazzkrow]

I'm in the same position with my son..

I may try to find a young collector to pass on my collection...

[Eric]

62 here, not retired.  Once I retire, I plan to skinny things down, keeping the stuff near and dear to me.  Unfortunately that is not a small number (both CD and vinyl).  However they are just "things" and I would like to make it as easy as possible when the day comes.

[clifford_thornton]

I've instructed my wife to sell it all through a reputable shop... of course I am youngish now but who knows what can happen. I have told her to consign if she can, as that would bring her top dollar.

Then again if I make it another 40 years or so, it is highly unlikely that I'll still have a massive collection and it will have been sold/consigned long before.

[Clunky]

Clearly jazz aficionados are able to confront their own mortality. My wife has "encouraged" me to downsize my collection of LPs , 78s and CDs. I sell some stuff on Discogs and to a dealer friend. I've long since got rid of junk and slimmed my 78s down to about five hundred. I will only sell stuff on Discogs that is in excellent condition as I don't want to deal with complaints from buyers who allergic to the odd bit of surface noise. The majority of CDs/LPs in the departure lounge however  go to a charity shop for the local hospice.

My other vice is darkroom photography, specifically film cameras of which I have very many. All vital of course and get used at least once a year. So basically my detritus spreads everywhere, hence I'm receptive to the requests to limit things..

[sidewinder]

Inspired by the history festival attended last week I plan on doing a 'Jazz Sutton Hoo Burial' type of thing with a Saxon burial ship lined with LPs/Mosaics and maybe also room for my hi-fi too !

[mjazzg]

22 minutes ago, sidewinder said:

Inspired by the history festival attended last week I plan on doing a 'Jazz Sutton Hoo Burial' type of thing with a Saxon burial ship lined with LPs/Mosaics and maybe also room for my hi-fi too !

😂definitely the best suggestion yet!! Better than going all Viking and burning it all as it leaves it open for future generations of archeologiss to decode the societal impact of box sets....

Sounds like an interesting festival too, joking aside

[sidewinder]

3 hours ago, mjazzg said:

😂definitely the best suggestion yet!! Better than going all Viking and burning it all as it leaves it open for future generations of archeologiss to decode the societal impact of box sets....

Sounds like an interesting festival too, joking aside

Yeah,  Chalke was pretty good and in a lovely scenic spot too. One of the highlights of the year. There was a recreation from scratch of the Anglo-Saxon Prittlewell Burial and this gave me the inspiration. Don't think whoever it was had any Mosaics but he did take a well-used lyre with him to Valhalla !

It would be ace to do this and then have future Baldricks + Time Team scratching their heads.

Edited July 2, 2024 by sidewinder

[HutchFan]

3 hours ago, sidewinder said:

Inspired by the history festival attended last week I plan on doing a 'Jazz Sutton Hoo Burial' type of thing with a Saxon burial ship lined with LPs/Mosaics and maybe also room for my hi-fi too !

LOL !!!  

 

[adh1907]

On 7/2/2024 at 9:38 AM, Clunky said:

I've long since got rid of junk and slimmed my 78s down to about five hundred.

Slimmed down! Love that. I can’t imagine the weight of 500 78s if you had to shift them!

Well this discussion is sadly relevant for me as my Dad died a month back and has a large jazz collection accumulated since the 50s and the mention of 78s reminds me he used to have quite a lot of these too (a lot of Esquires). My mum will be moving out of the house so it needs emptying. I have been tasked with dealing with this. There are a few I might keep but I am trying to slim down my collection too. I may see if a local record shop has any interest in taking them all. 

Edited July 3, 2024 by adh1907