Having battled with serious vinyl addiction for a few years now I recently decided to stop buying rare 45s. I've sold pretty much everything I have over £50 and haven't bought a record for months.

Record collecting is a funny one for me. Addictive personality and limited funds made it a stressful and sort of un enjoyable hobby. Always chasing the next record I couldn't really afford but somehow raised the dough. Trawling sales lists and ebay for hours and hours and hours. Not being able to afford other things in life as records took priority. Not a brilliant situation when you take a step back and see it for what it is.

I've had times that I've not bought records just to have a break, but I've never felt like I was going to throw the towel in with it. This time feels really different and that buzz and desire has gone.

Now I'm doing other things in life and having money for a change and it feels good.

Anyone else ever felt like record collecting isn't the best thing to have in your life? I've always collected things and always will, but I think rare 45s have had their day with me.

Record collecting used to be fun that was before all the clowns turned up with more money than sense making it near impossible for this mere kitchen fitter to buy much these days.

Glad i was about back in the day

Long live Bearsy, whatever you decide then the very best of luck and health to you

I'd like to second that ,top top guy ...take care Bearsy

F@@k just as due to various reasons I realise I need to downsize you lot get bored and flood the markets! B@@tards the lot of you.

...that's my Paaa...!!x

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LUV

SOOTY

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Sooty

Hey up young un

Cheers

Martyn

...u have done me right....!x I do not listen to music FULL STOP.  Not on the radio in house or in a vehicle....and haven't since 2000. The only time I hear music is when I play it. However Pops.......the CD's u sent me.....well.....I confess to being educated.....wonderful stuff!x I am now learning how to keep me needle on them without it sliding off. Thank you for being you Dad..........!x

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LUV
SOOTY

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 Some interesting points in the thread, but the reasons for buying records seems to be the or one of the main reasons - for folk either feeling the need or wanting to sell their collections cos you are either into it or you are not, no real in between (for me anyways) Looking back on the posts it's fair to say that many who have sold up or thinking of selling up are the folk buying records to dj with, which is a personal decision but a fatal one on so many obvious levels.In the mid 80's when i first bought 45's it was for the same reason as i do now and that's because i like them... imagine coming into collecting now and paying 100 quid + per tune building a dj box of 3-400 ,let's say most of them don't work - negativity sets in ,no bookings, skint...  sell up !  Think of all the great grass roots records that could have been bought for a fraction of the price ,enjoy at home ,keep em and still have money for groceries with a few quid for next weeks record buy from the 1000's and 1000's on offer.... The big money clowns who ever they may be, are simply paying for their own lack of knowledge or foresight - followers in the upfront genre same as in the oldies genre soon realise what  a expensive wagon to jump on it is (needing the flavour of the month 45's)  Thankfully there are tons of collectors ,plenty of world wide newcomers all hungry for vinyl, in fact i have noticed a considerable change in the goal posts recently with sales , the amount of sales is healthy and more importantly the sales have been at soul nights and nighters (i've actually started opening my sales boxes again)....

  Goucher speaks the truth and if you can live to be as old as him and still manage to put the needle on the record then that's a miracle !

 Some interesting points in the thread, but the reasons for buying records seems to be the or one of the main reasons - for folk either feeling the need or wanting to sell their collections cos you are either into it or you are not, no real in between (for me anyways) Looking back on the posts it's fair to say that many who have sold up or thinking of selling up are the folk buying records to dj with, which is a personal decision but a fatal one on so many obvious levels.In the mid 80's when i first bought 45's it was for the same reason as i do now and that's because i like them... imagine coming into collecting now and paying 100 quid + per tune building a dj box of 3-400 ,let's say most of them don't work - negativity sets in ,no bookings, skint...  sell up !  Think of all the great grass roots records that could have been bought for a fraction of the price ,enjoy at home ,keep em and still have money for groceries with a few quid for next weeks record buy from the 1000's and 1000's on offer.... The big money clowns who ever they may be, are simply paying for their own lack of knowledge or foresight - followers in the upfront genre same as in the oldies genre soon realise what  a expensive wagon to jump on it is (needing the flavour of the month 45's)  Thankfully there are tons of collectors ,plenty of world wide newcomers all hungry for vinyl, in fact i have noticed a considerable change in the goal posts recently with sales , the amount of sales is healthy and more importantly the sales have been at soul nights and nighters (i've actually started opening my sales boxes again)....

  Goucher speaks the truth and if you can live to be as old as him and still manage to put the needle on the record then that's a miracle !

 

Nice to see you ain't lost any of your wisdom Andy!x

LUV

SOOTY

X

Sean something thats always struck me about people who have such large collections, how many of your records will you never, ever  play again?

Do you ever think about that? I'd say it would be fairly large %

If so, whats the point in having them? Any thoughts on this from others with large collections?

I've got a very modest collection (less than 1000) and am going through them and recording onto iTunes in alphabetical order (seems to be taking ages and i"m only up to D  ) and its struck me how many I haven't played in years

Ownership gives opportunities to play whatever you want, whenever you want. Discover B sides. Make your own mix-tapes. Discover records you never knew you had. Buy records for a second time and then find the other one in the collection - then buy a third copy not knowing you actually had two already. A thousand records is pretty substantial so don't be hard on yourself. Think of how to spend your retirement - you will need a lot of records to pass the time so buy them now...

Some interesting points in the thread, but the reasons for buying records seems to be the or one of the main reasons - for folk either feeling the need or wanting to sell their collections cos you are either into it or you are not, no real in between (for me anyways) Looking back on the posts it's fair to say that many who have sold up or thinking of selling up are the folk buying records to dj with, which is a personal decision but a fatal one on so many obvious levels.In the mid 80's when i first bought 45's it was for the same reason as i do now and that's because i like them... imagine coming into collecting now and paying 100 quid + per tune building a dj box of 3-400 ,let's say most of them don't work - negativity sets in ,no bookings, skint...  sell up !  Think of all the great grass roots records that could have been bought for a fraction of the price ,enjoy at home ,keep em and still have money for groceries with a few quid for next weeks record buy from the 1000's and 1000's on offer.... The big money clowns who ever they may be, are simply paying for their own lack of knowledge or foresight - followers in the upfront genre same as in the oldies genre soon realise what  a expensive wagon to jump on it is (needing the flavour of the month 45's)  Thankfully there are tons of collectors ,plenty of world wide newcomers all hungry for vinyl, in fact i have noticed a considerable change in the goal posts recently with sales , the amount of sales is healthy and more importantly the sales have been at soul nights and nighters (i've actually started opening my sales boxes again)....

  Goucher speaks the truth and if you can live to be as old as him and still manage to put the needle on the record then that's a miracle !

Andy, your sales box was ALWAYS worth a look. Agree with the bit on clowns spending big money to collect to DJ... Better to buy for the sound and if the records pile up, well so what...