Thursday, February 05, 2009

I had to say goodbye

Well, I didn't have to say goodbye - I wanted to.

A week or so ago, I sold about 80% of my vinyl records. My collection represented years of careful selections and purchases. It spanned genres of all types and had some rare releases not available digitally. Many audio purists say records' sound quality is far superior to CDs (or even higher-resolution digital recordings).

Sadly, I sold the collection for way less than what it was worth - but I did get my asking price. I didn't want to hassle with listing each record on eBay. The cost of doing it that way would have yielded about 50c per hour, if that!

But it all had to go. Some I hadn't listened to in ten or more years. The vast majority I would never listen to again. Space? I didn't have room. In fact, I feel like even CDs take too much room now. I rarely buy music on CD anymore (even though it can be cheaper that way - if less instantaneous).

You can't take it with you. I'm glad my Craigslist buyer did.

10 comments:

Richard Lawry said...

15 years ago I gave away my extensive vinyl collection. Now my 23 year old son is a vinyl head and is collecting. I wish he had my old collection, but I can't undo the past.

An Arkies Musings

Barb said...

I don't carry many regrets in life but one will plague me till my dying days - selling my 1 (ONE!) box of records at a yardsale. Even though we have/had no turn table I still regret it - memories, eclectic collection, perhaps-someday-I-can-play-these- thoughts arise once a year. But like richies said, you can't undo the past.

paulmerrill said...

I regret giving away my Hot Wheels collection. There's a store not far from me that was selling just one for $60.

As to records, I kept about 100 that I still like & don't have digitally.

Anonymous said...

I inherited a number of the original 60s Mars Attacks! bubble gum cards that my uncle collected as a kid. None of us knew they were worth anything at the time. Since discovered that they are worth about £20 each. Might try to complete the set. Ed Pugh.

Anonymous said...

In my 20's, I sold my collection of 700 '70's era baseball cards to buy a crappy used electric guitar and amp. Had I gone onto superstar rock fame, that would be the start of a cool story.

Anyone ever heard of me? Uh-huh...sad.

I'm hanging onto my mix of Stones, Zep and...Culture Club.

Anonymous said...

I am a CD generation and I tried selling my CDs some time ago but they wouldn't sell due to "scratches". I guess vinyl will survive the times as they get bought and sold whereas CDs land in the trash.
Hey, I thought you'd like this cute LEGO site in case you haven't seen it yet:
http://niemann.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/02/02/i-lego-ny/

Scrapnqueen said...

I have about 500 CD's, which I keep in large CD wallets. It keeps them organized and out of the way without taking up so much space and requiring me to buy unsightly furniture to store them in. I can't really imagine ever selling them all, because it would make me cry. A lot. Unless, of course, I was able to replace them all with some super-convenient and uber-cheap method of listening to the exact same stuff. Is this what you have done?

paulmerrill said...

Scrapnqueen: I have bought few CDs for the last maybe 3 or 4 years. I only buy MP3s anymore. I do miss the cover art & booklets, but it takes up a lot less space in our house. I still have a lot of CDs and haven't sold any of the ones I still listen to that I've ripped to MP3.

The Lone Beader® said...

My mom still has a record player and a few records, including one of my fav. Beatles ones. I told her to NEVER sell it because I want it. I hate to see the end of that era.

And as far as the old saying "You can't take it with you" goes, well, tell that to the guy who was buried in his Cadillac. ;)

Anonymous said...

I have all my hot wheels (redlines) and all my vinyl. I keep them because it makes me happy. An empty space is just that: empty.