From: "Michael Biel" <[log in to unmask]>
> I've encountered stores like this in the past -- no browsing, must state
> specific wants. What they don't understand is that if I ask for a
> specific record either they have it or not, If they have it I buy ONE
> record. If the don't I buy NONE. If I browse I probably buy dozens.
> First time was in NYC in the 60s when I was in high school or college.
> It may have been Meltzer';s shop in midtown. When challenged I said
> "Danny Kaye The Court Jester on Decca." It was already rare and I DID
> want it. "Got it" he said and he disappeared in the back. I browsed
> for a minute and he came back with it. I started to look at the disc
> and he said "No need to take it out, it's in perfect shape." "How
> much?" "Five bucks." I took out the cash and then walked out with just
> one record. I might have bought more. And I never bothered to
> retturn. The other time it hapopened was in Chicago, on the North Side,
> in a store I remember having to walk down a few steps to. It was a
> Saturday, place was empty. "No browsing. What you want?" I gave him
> a title. "Nope." Gave him another. "Nope." I started to browse
> again. "No browsing." I walked with no records. I can think of very
> few instances when THAT happens!
>
These sorts of stores/dealers are WORSE than useless to me...! Given
that my "goal" is to collect/accumulate at least one copy of EVERY 78
(non-classical) ever issued, I am always looking for large bunches of
78's being sold as/in "job lots"...the only exception being that I am
also ready to buy ANY Grey Gull (and related labels) record which I
don't already own...?! My problem is that GG stuff is nowhere near
as common as the ubiquitous Victor/Columbia discs are...thus dealers
often wildly OVERprice it!
There may yet come a time (after I've won the lottery?!) when there
will exist one (or a few) disc(s) which I still need...?! THEN I might be
willing to pay a ridiculous sum for my "missing" record?!
So far, I have been able tofill a LOT of "holes" in my accumulation
through "Nick Jay"...who sells various "odds & ends" which are
NOT usually "jazz (dance band?) rarities; in fact, the discs I "need"
are more likely NOT to fall into those categories...and I suspect
they are more often discarded as "unsaleable" by many dealers...?!
Steven C. Barr
(who actually enjoys listening to ancient Peerless Quartet(te) 78's?!)
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