Is Digging Dead?

HollafameHollafame 844 Posts
edited May 2010 in Strut Central
So, admittedly I have been on some kind of hiatus from 'diggin' over the last year or so. No particular reason, really...just life getting in the way.But, popping back into some record shops, flea markets, etc. over the last couple months has been a little disconcerting because it seems like you can't cop a record for less than $15 dollars anymore! My feeling is that the big digging "fad" in the late 90s/early 00s coupled with eBay/popsike has really inflated the value of a lot of records.I know there have always been record boutiques that cater to those not particularly willing to get dusty and have some dollars to spend...but does anyone else get the feeling that even your average record spot is trying to cash in on even moderately 'rare' titles?Next weekend is a local record swap, so I'm hoping to prove myself wrong...but I am feeling more and more that 'diggin' is becoming a rich man's game.I'm positive a lot of you will think I'm way off base here, but I'd be interested to get the perspective of some of the dudes in here that have been at it pre-eBay and pre-Dusty Fingers, etc.I suppose at some point you really can't get away from the economics of it...we are talking about a finite resource. Is demand really that high to justify some of these prices??
«13

  Comments


  • leftybanksleftybanks 165 Posts

  • RockadelicRockadelic Out Digging 13,993 Posts
    My brother flew into town and we dug for 8 hours on Friday....


































































    [/

  • HarveyCanalHarveyCanal "a distraction from my main thesis." 13,234 Posts
    Yeah, but did you find a copy of Les McCann's Layers?

  • RockadelicRockadelic Out Digging 13,993 Posts
    Yeah, but did you find a copy of Les McCann's Layers?

    No...but I did grab this....


  • ReynaldoReynaldo 6,054 Posts
    RSS digging is the future.

  • mylatencymylatency 10,475 Posts
    RSS DIGGING IS INDEED THE FUTURE

    DIGGING AIN'T DEAD





    ...IT LIVES ON IN MY STORAGE

  • DORDOR Two Ron Toe 9,896 Posts
    Depends really.

    Look at hip hop. The prices for 12 inches in the 90's early 2000's were pretty crazy. Now that shit has pretty much gone in shitter. Cept for really rare shit. But I know dudes were getting 50-100 bucks on stuff you'd be lucky to get $10 bucks now a dayz.


    I guess it all comes down to if you're a collectro or ur looking to make money.

  • Jonny_PaycheckJonny_Paycheck 17,825 Posts
    Yes it is dead.

    Now give me the $15 and get out of my face.

  • ostost Montreal 1,375 Posts
    record boutiques

    Boutique-digging killed Digging.

    Honestly though, it all depends on what you're looking for & where. Records that are common to you are hard to find to others in other parts of the world.

  • DORDOR Two Ron Toe 9,896 Posts
    digging-by-proxy?

  • DB_CooperDB_Cooper Manhatin' 7,823 Posts
    I have the digging app on my iPad.

  • markus71markus71 937 Posts
    Digging also means constantly changing your game to get the good shit.

    Craigslist for me is where it's at.
    No fleamarket or thrift has ever been that good to me in the last 5 years.
    Especially with 2 kids and much less time to get out there.

  • GaryGary 3,982 Posts
    Yes, its dead, so please make sure to tell all your buddies too, and have them tell their buddies. Please stress that it is dead dead dead and they should all find new hobbies.

  • Big_StacksBig_Stacks "I don't worry about hittin' power, cause I don't give 'em nuttin' to hit." 4,670 Posts
    Hey,

    I still "come up" with heat on the regular. Then again, I'm more selective these days given my high volume of stacks.

    Peace,

    Big Stacks from Kakalak

  • tripledoubletripledouble 7,636 Posts
    ...but does anyone else get the feeling that even your average record spot is trying to cash in on even moderately 'rare' titles?



    you noticed that a lot of record stores have been going out of business? you want them to give records away for free or something?? if you had a crate of records in your house and you saw that those records were fetching $20-$30 on ebay, would you sell them at a yardsale for $1 each?? why should record stores? i have appreciation for stores that are aware of ebaypopsike prices and price 10-20% lower in their store. but i do want them to stay open.

    anyway, i waste enough of my time digging through dollar bins and come up on hundred dollar joints on a regular enough basis where i keep doing it. inflated prices on the internet is some silly shit to cry over too...cause you can put in some work just like the record store dudes and find shit to sell on ebay just like them. it all works out allright. i'm probably finding more shit to keep and flip than i was when i started digging pre-interwebs

    sounds to me like youre being lazy

  • discos_almadiscos_alma discos_alma 2,164 Posts
    sounds to me like youre being lazy

    Srsly.

    b/w

    Please to enroll thineslef in Digging 101?

  • bluesnagbluesnag 1,285 Posts
    sounds to me like youre being lazy

    Srsly.

    b/w

    Please to enroll thineslef in Digging 101?

    Yes. persistence is the key. you can't just drop by the goodwill once a month and expect to come up with crazy shit. apply yourself!

  • The game's tough, but every once in a while you stumble upon something magical.

    http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/clt/1720641500.html

    I have the following collection of vinyl disks for sale
    Single albums $10
    Complete set $250
    101 Strings- A night in the tropics
    101 Strings- A night serenade in the quiet hours
    101 strings- Award winning scores from the silver screen
    101 Strings- Concerto under the stars
    101 strings- Exodus and other great movie themes
    101 Strings- In a symphony for lovers
    101 Strings- Play hit American waltzes
    101 Strings- Play the world?s great standards (slight scratch)
    101 Strings- Rhapsody an evening of enchantment? under the stars (slight scratch)
    101 Strings- Rivieras on a Mediterranean cruise (slight scratch)
    101 Strings- The soul of Spain volume II (slight scratch)
    1812 Overture- Warsaw concerto? Hamberg Philharmonic Orchestra (record blistering)
    Alfred Apaka- Blue Hawaiian moonlight (scratched)
    Alfred Apaka- The best of? with the Hawaiian village serenaders (2- album set)
    Alice Fredlund serenaders- Twilight at Halekulani (slight scratch)
    Arthur Fiedler Boston pops- Good music to have fun with (slight scratch)
    Beethoven?s fifth symphony- the victory symphony
    Belafonte returns to Carnegie Hall (2 album set)
    Carpenters- Close to You
    Frank Schubert- Ninth symphony ?the great? in C major
    George Gershwin?s Porgy and Bess- Rhapsody in blue
    Glenn Miller- Memories
    Holiday sing along with Mitch Miller
    Jackie Gleason- The gentle touch
    John Dunbar- Most requested Scottish and sacred songs
    John Philip- Sousa marches
    Kings of Dixieland volume three
    Kings of Dixieland volume two (scratched)
    Kostelanetz conducts broadway (Columbia bonus record) (slight scratch)
    Living strings- Play music in the night
    Lyn Larson at the Wurlitzer Organ- Remembering the sound of San Sylmar
    Moods in music- music for relaxation the Melachrino strings and orchestra
    Moroni- A musical based upon the lives of Mormon and Moroni in the book of Mormon
    Music treasures of the World- Offenbach? Rimsky? Korsakov (2- album set)
    Party sing along with Mitch Miller
    Pertinent percussion cha cha?s
    Pop stereo samplers Everest records
    Rex Koury- At the mighty Wurlitzer
    Sentimental sing along with Mitch Miller
    Stars for a summer night- 22 brilliant performers (2 album set) (slight scratch)
    Thanks for the memories- Unforgettable, Stardust, Hollywood hit parade, Remember how great (4- album box set)
    Tribute to Tommy Dorsey

    Thanks for looking
    Call or Text Mike

  • djkingottodjkingotto 1,704 Posts
    just spent the weekend in chicago and out of 75 or so records, i only paid more than $10 for 2 of them and at least half were $1.

  • markus71markus71 937 Posts
    Digging is dead my ass.

    Here's part of a box of libraries I bought through Craigslist last year. 50 euros well spent.





  • tripledoubletripledouble 7,636 Posts
    The game's tough, but every once in a while you stumble upon something magical.

    http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/clt/1720641500.html

    I have the following collection of vinyl disks for sale
    Single albums $10
    Complete set $250
    101 Strings- A night in the tropics
    101 Strings- A night serenade in the quiet hours
    101 strings- Award winning scores from the silver screen
    101 Strings- Concerto under the stars
    101 strings- Exodus and other great movie themes
    101 Strings- In a symphony for lovers
    101 Strings- Play hit American waltzes
    101 Strings- Play the world?s great standards (slight scratch)
    101 Strings- Rhapsody an evening of enchantment? under the stars (slight scratch)
    101 Strings- Rivieras on a Mediterranean cruise (slight scratch)
    101 Strings- The soul of Spain volume II (slight scratch)
    1812 Overture- Warsaw concerto? Hamberg Philharmonic Orchestra (record blistering)
    Alfred Apaka- Blue Hawaiian moonlight (scratched)
    Alfred Apaka- The best of? with the Hawaiian village serenaders (2- album set)
    Alice Fredlund serenaders- Twilight at Halekulani (slight scratch)
    Arthur Fiedler Boston pops- Good music to have fun with (slight scratch)
    Beethoven?s fifth symphony- the victory symphony
    Belafonte returns to Carnegie Hall (2 album set)
    Carpenters- Close to You
    Frank Schubert- Ninth symphony ?the great? in C major
    George Gershwin?s Porgy and Bess- Rhapsody in blue
    Glenn Miller- Memories
    Holiday sing along with Mitch Miller
    Jackie Gleason- The gentle touch
    John Dunbar- Most requested Scottish and sacred songs
    John Philip- Sousa marches
    Kings of Dixieland volume three
    Kings of Dixieland volume two (scratched)
    Kostelanetz conducts broadway (Columbia bonus record) (slight scratch)
    Living strings- Play music in the night
    Lyn Larson at the Wurlitzer Organ- Remembering the sound of San Sylmar
    Moods in music- music for relaxation the Melachrino strings and orchestra
    Moroni- A musical based upon the lives of Mormon and Moroni in the book of Mormon
    Music treasures of the World- Offenbach? Rimsky? Korsakov (2- album set)
    Party sing along with Mitch Miller
    Pertinent percussion cha cha?s
    Pop stereo samplers Everest records
    Rex Koury- At the mighty Wurlitzer
    Sentimental sing along with Mitch Miller
    Stars for a summer night- 22 brilliant performers (2 album set) (slight scratch)
    Thanks for the memories- Unforgettable, Stardust, Hollywood hit parade, Remember how great (4- album box set)
    Tribute to Tommy Dorsey

    Thanks for looking
    Call or Text Mike

    buy! buy! buy! buy! buy!

    miracles all over this bitch

  • HorseleechHorseleech 3,830 Posts
    Digging is dead my ass.

    Here's part of a box of libraries I bought through Craigslist last year. 50 euros well spent.


    I dig the Michel Gonet, a slept on library, IMO.

    One of the small number that I keep for home listening.


  • GaryGary 3,982 Posts
    I haven't bought a record in at least a year. with a 2 yr old and a 2 month old I have no time to sneak to the office and listen to records, and my laptop is broke so i can't record them to my laptop and listen on the computer. I can't sample shit and make music.

    I miss going out and buying records though.

  • GaryGary 3,982 Posts
    And if I do go in there and start trying to play records my toddler runs up and wants to twist all the knobs and shit and if i try to take him away he throws a tantrum so its easier to just keep him out of the office (where all my favorite shit is - computer, piano, records... he wants to play with them all.)

  • SoulhawkSoulhawk 3,197 Posts
    teach the yout!

  • Garcia_VegaGarcia_Vega 2,428 Posts
    Digging is dead my ass.

    Here's part of a box of libraries I bought through Craigslist last year. 50 euros well spent.


    Trolling craigslist for collections/records is not digging. If you're not turning up shit at thrift stores and flea markets, then digging is dead for you. Buying a collection off of craigslist is another thing altogether.

  • markus71markus71 937 Posts
    And if I do go in there and start trying to play records my toddler runs up and wants to twist all the knobs and shit and if i try to take him away he throws a tantrum so its easier to just keep him out of the office (where all my favorite shit is - computer, piano, records... he wants to play with them all.)

    I bought my 2 year old girl a keyboard so she stays away from my equipment, which is all in the living room unfortunately.
    I hope to move house later this year and have my own lab where I can hide away every now and then.

  • markus71markus71 937 Posts
    Digging is dead my ass.

    Here's part of a box of libraries I bought through Craigslist last year. 50 euros well spent.


    Trolling craigslist for collections/records is not digging. If you're not turning up shit at thrift stores and flea markets, then digging is dead for you. Buying a collection off of craigslist is another thing altogether.

    Oh, I do turn up stuff every now and then in the field but it's just that with less time on my hands finding stuff like this on Craigslist is a very pleasant alternative to the physical act of digging.
    Finding record like these on Craigslist requires the same persistence as going to your favorite spots every week.

  • GaryGary 3,982 Posts
    And if I do go in there and start trying to play records my toddler runs up and wants to twist all the knobs and shit and if i try to take him away he throws a tantrum so its easier to just keep him out of the office (where all my favorite shit is - computer, piano, records... he wants to play with them all.)

    I bought my 2 year old girl a keyboard so she stays away from my equipment, which is all in the living room unfortunately.
    I hope to move house later this year and have my own lab where I can hide away every now and then.

    Sometimes I like to sit him on my lap and we play the piano together, but sometimes I like to play by myself and that just aint happening these days. It is fun watching him bang on the keys though.

    And I can't blame him for wanting to touch all the knobs. He's a kid. And he just wants to be where I am, playing with whatever I'm playing with. That's why I wish I had a working laptop so I could just rip this shit to the laptop and listen to it on my own time.

  • shooteralishooterali 1,591 Posts
    SHIT!! it's alive where I am and I don't mind paying a little up front for a rare LP every now and then. I come home with a nice handful of good stuff every weekend. Most of the stuff I find is sitting in antique shops around my area collecting dust.
Sign In or Register to comment.