Hoarding Vintage Audio

Soundjunky

Active Member
Ok, first I've got too much. The majority is cheap stuff from thrift stores. I though at the time I purchased a lot of audio stuff that I could sell it on ebay, but after selling lots of 2.1 computer speakers, sets of small 5.1 speakers, low power subs (6 & 8"), & parted out speakers. My garage is full, with only a walkway through it. I'm not really making money, just working hard to sell items to make back my original investment. I'm bringing home boxes, packing foam & bubble wrap from work almost every day. I wish I could tell me 4 years ago, not to buy any of this stuff & put the cash in the bank. I have not bought any cheap audio in a year now, just trying to get rid of it. In my home it's a different story, one room is full of name brand stuff, the room is too full to use the stuff in there, just test it. Then there is a full system in every other room. I guess the problem is when a nice amp or set of speakers at a super good deal comes along, it's hard for me to say no. Stuff like Ohm Walsh2s - $10, Polk Sub psw10 - $20, Klipsch Herseys - $25, Bose 601s - $50, 901s - $25 (good foams), EV Interface Ds - $25, Kenwood KA 9100 for $10 and the list goes on, these are just examples. There's more, a lot more, and most of the vintage audio I've read about right here. I love hunt, finding, seeking cool gear that, up until that point, I've only read about and could not afford. I am by nature a hunter/gatherer, what can I do? It's in my DNA. But it's also causing unrest at home. I've got to start a trade-off or something, before I loose someone I really love, has anyone been here?
 
I think it is the 11th hour - you need to bite the bullet and start getting rid of some - perhaps the cheap stuff first, or maybe the better stuff that you have more than one example of?

Then with the money you get, take that someone out to a nice restaurant somewhere, I think they will really appreciate it. ;)
 
One approach:

Work on selling some of the in-house stuff. That, at least, may have a market. Don't be afraid to take a loss if selling something frees up enough floor space to show that you're doing something.
For some garage stuff that your research indicates won't sell or isn't worth shipping, throw it away or donate it to goodwill. Alternatively, build systems out of some of the gear and sell them cheap. Kids will buy a system if it's easy and unfussy. Someone local who had a storefront would assemble $25, $40, and $50 systems. Selling a system moves three or four pieces of gear. It has to be working stuff though.
If it is the 11th hour, this isn't about recovering your money, it's about moving stuff on and getting some satisfaction from moving stuff. Those goals are doable.

If it doesn't feel like boxing and shipping is worth it and it won't command any or much money anyway and/or is a project but not collectible, toss it or give it to goodwill.
Keep at it. Apply a day a week.
I'm not being glib about this like it's easy, I'm speaking from experience.

Doing a little something once and nothing after is not the solution. If you're overwhelmed, remember that every journey starts with the first step. It is pretty amazing how good it feels to move stuff on . . . especially once you've started.

OH, one more thing: Don't take in new stuff unless it's top shelf. Avoid projects.
 
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I'm sorry to hear about your problem. I would urge you to seek professional help from someone with expertise in compulsive/hoarding behaviors if you are unable to address the problem on your own. By allowing your behavior to affect your personal relationships and your living conditions, it's clear that the problem has moved out of your control, and that you are at the point where taking this kind of action is warranted. Don't let it get the best of you....do whatever is necessary to preserve your relationships and to get this problem under control. Good luck!
 
clean them up, test them. take some pictures and post them all on craigslist.
vintage audio sell so fast on CL. theres no reason to sell on ebay unless its a something really special
 
Sell three sets of the valued speakers and give the money directly to your wife. That will create a litte pressure relief, and allow you to dump other gear without a thought of losing money when you sell. Have your wife help you load the trunk full of the cheap stuff and donate it to Sal Army. Have a garage sale and price everything at $10.

Once you have created walking room, keep selling at a reasonable rate.

If you can't do this, you have problems that need professional help. Get it.
 
At a certain point I think you will have to let go of the perceived monetary value of what you have and start getting rid of things. I am not by any mean swimming in stuff but have reached the point where I need to clear stuff out and have concluded that the space is worth more than the value of the junk I have. At a minimum I will most likely sell off my unwanted stuff as a group at a much reduced price to move it along.
 
Whether you're a professional flipper, selling audio gear for extra income, or in it for the love of listening to music through different setups, your situation tells me that there's something wrong with your buying approach.

If you're losing money doing this, as you have stated, you need to change your buying strategy. Do more research and expand your knowledge on what sells. I know a few people who do it for extra income, and they buy and sell all the time. I mean every week, they each buy at least 4-5 items and spend hundreds of dollars. One thing in common for all of them is that they make 2 - 5 times what they spend and are never left with unsold items for more than a few weeks.

If you can't stop the urge to just buy pretty much everything you see, your "hunter/gatherer" instinct might be something else. Wish you luck resolving the problem....
 
I've found that I can get a little charge from acquiring, selling for profit, or clearing out space. The hardest part is changing mental gears when I've gone as far as I can with one activity. When it's time to quit buying, I just quit visiting thrift stores and don't leave the house until after noon on Saturdays. Of course, it's all OCD behaviour, but a sort of rotational balance can be struck, and a guy does need a hobby or three.
 
I have found myself doing the same thing. When a deal comes up that is so good I can't help myself. Even if I really really don't need it, if I know it's pennies on the dollar, I buy it. I have stopped myself recently, slowed down going to SA and GW until I sell off some stuff.
I made a deal with my wife to punch me ifi bring home anymore projects! Hasn't worked perfectly (bought a 1931 Crosley ten strike tube radio Sunday for $20) but it has slowed me down.

I am actually going to put about a dozen turntables up on the bay this weekend and start clearing out.
 
Well it sounds like you know what your problems are and what you can do resolve them, the next step is just simply to do it :yes:

Do not let it overwhelm you that alone can paralyze you to the point where you are incapable of doing anything, first off do not purchase anything else till you can reclaim your space back, slowly but surely 1-2 items at a time either sell off or give away what you currently have eventually you will get there.

At this point you likely have a good idea of what will and will not sell on Ebay armed with this knowledge in the future after you reclaim your space purchase only those items that you know will sell quickly.

For example I do not purchase low to mid level receivers and amps any more after listening to hundreds of them I have came to the conclusion that yes sound better than others but none sound better than their nicer counterparts also they are hard for me to sell because no one wants to pay shipping from my location a lot of times shipping will cost more than the value of the item so it is easy to get stuck with a number of these.


What I do is if I purchase something is unless it will sell for $200.00 or more quickly I yank the knobs switches feet etc off the item, bag them and mark what they came from then take the item to the dump. These parts sell quickly and take up little space and are quick and easy to to ship.


For example I buy a Pioneer SX-1500TD for $10.00 no one will pay to ship this thing so I sell the knobs for $5.00-$10.00 each the speaker plugs for $25.00 a pair the feet for $5.00 each I quickly make far more on the parts than I would if I sold the receiver whole and storage packing shipping is easy.


Just come up with a plan to get rid of your excess stuff then once it's gone develop a plan for future purchases and stick to it.


REGARDS SNOW
 
Raise your standards. Now you can look at your stuff and realize it doesn't measure up, and get rid of it. With higher standards you'll find suitable equipment is harder to find, especially at a good price. That will slow down the acquisitions. Take the lesser stuff to the recycle area at the dump. That's easier and cheaper than trying to sell it, and it might give somebody else some pleasure.
 
The dollar amounts you list are pretty low. How much money have you really spent? Do you really consider it a waste if you've enjoyed it? Look at it this way: my wife and I spend a fair amount of money on craft beer. That money is gone and so is the product. We've got nothing to show for it, except the enjoyment.

Maybe bring some of it back to Goodwill and use it for a tax write-off. Then it's gone quickly, and someone else can enjoy a good find. Or put a massive ad on craigslist with all the items you want to get rid of, but that could take a while. Parting it out would take even longer.

I am something of a hoarder too. It's hard to get rid of stuff. But it's the actual getting rid of that's the hardest. Once something's gone, I find I don't miss it.

I don't think you're in that bad of shape.

Of course, it's all OCD behaviour,

It's not OCD. It's dopamine. :)
 
Choose only 3 systems aka amp/pre, pair of speakers, TT, CDP that sound the best and that you love.

Sell off ALL the other gear that works on CL. List them as 2 for 1 deals to get rid of them faster e.g. buy a receiver at advertised price and you'll throw in speakers or a cdp? This way you can pair up cheap stuff and good stuff to move faster. The items that do not work junk/curb them.

Sell everything and use the proceeds to take that loved one on a nice vacation :thmbsp:
Reclaim your garage
 
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I sympathize with you. Luckily I do not have a "hook up" (I'm in Birmingham also and now I'm wondering where you get your stuff!) or I'd be in the same boat. I have bought too much stuff since getting into this hobby about a year ago. I could get it all on a very large utility shelf (probably), so it isn't lining my garage walls or anything, but it's still way too much, and all of the stuff I have is middle of the road at best. It's not even really good stuff. The "PITA to have it laying around/actual $ value of my stuff" ratio is pretty high. My dad loved going to flea markets and thrift stores, and I think that's where my hunter instinct comes from as well, but it's limited to stereo stuff. I don't buy everything I see, but I have a hard time walking away from something if it's a good deal. My biggest weakness is cd players...I have no idea why, but I love buying them. Probably because they are cheap and readily available. Luckily I rarely happen upon desirable speakers, because those things can occupy a lot of real estate quickly. Thing is, I don't NEED a dang bit of it. I didn't even own anything better than an iPod docking station up until a year ago, and that was frankly good enough to fulfill my needs at the time, yet now I've convinced myself that I HAVE to have all this stereo stuff. It's just silly. Subconsciously it is almost a relief when I go into a store and don't buy anything. There's almost disappointment when I DO find something because then I have to figure out where I'm going to put it and/or what it's going to replace.

I've been able to walk away from some stuff by telling myself that I need to leave it for someone else to enjoy. I've walked away from stuff only to go back and buy it. I find myself always thinking about acquiring stereo stuff, and I HAVE to get out of that mindset. Your line about not being able to enjoy your stuff hit home, because my man cave is where all my stereo stuff is. I can walk around and sit, don't get me wrong, but I don't even like being in there right now. There's an old receiver in the floor with the cover off (which I'm not even qualified to fix, which makes me roll my eyes even more at its presence), the closet doors reveal old receivers and a few sets of speakers, and there's AV wires and stuff scattered around. It is just clutter and it makes me sick and ashamed of myself. I've got a nook under the stairwell in the garage where I've put stuff, and it's starting to fill up. My wife doesn't give me a hard time, but I kind of wish she would.

Anyway, I'm thankful to have read your post. Reality has been slapping me in the face lately, and I'm hoping to nip this crap in the bud before it gets too out of hand. The only way I think I will keep things reasonable is just to quit going "hunting." That's my #1 problem. I think that's what you are going to need to do too. Try to limit your visits to thrifts, scanning CL ads, etc. I'm going to try to limit my trips to the store, and try to limit my purchases when I do go. I know I likely won't knock it out completely so I'm being realistic. I'm going to start throwing away some of the stuff I have that I can't fix, and donate some of the other stuff that's just marginal equipment, and chalk it up to a bad investment. I've sold stocks at a loss before...this isn't much different, except stocks never took up an entire closet in my man cave. I don't know your financial situation, but I'd suggest you build some small systems, post them on CL for a month, and whatever you don't sell, just donate it, chalk it up as a bad investment, and move on with life. Our happiness and sanity is more important than a bunch of thrift store stereo gear, and certainly personal relationships are more important as well. This is supposed to be a hobby, and it's supposed to be fun, and certainly not a burden. Right now it feels like a burden for me. I'm glad you shared your story, and I wish the both of us luck.
 
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sorry if this solution has already been mentioned...

just started this hobby but have accumulated too much (in my opinion) already. but christmas season is coming and have a chance to get rid of some of it.

Most people don't have turntables or quality audio equipment. so giving someone like my sister, who is interested in vinyl (but has none), a complete system to get started with would be a great gift for her.
 
...I love hunt, finding, seeking cool gear that, up until that point, I've only read about and could not afford. I am by nature a hunter/gatherer, what can I do? It's in my DNA. But it's also causing unrest at home. I've got to start a trade-off or something, before I loose someone I really love, has anyone been here?

This is easy. I think you've figured out that you NEED to stop buying that cheap stuff. It'll get you nowhere sonically or financially. Secondly, you simply have to look at the good stuff and really, honestly tell yourself this (out loud, as many times as you have to, before it finally sinks in):
"This is really nice gear, but it's doing NO good here. I'm not enjoying it, and it's making it impossible to enjoy the other gear I have, too! I need to sell this stuff to someone who WILL be able to use it and enjoy it. I am doing good and letting this gear live on by selling it to someone."

Once you realize that you've saved the gear from certain death, and that selling it off will allow you to enjoy some of the items yourself, you'll do better. It's actually pretty simple to sell it... figure out what you paid for it, figure out what the going rate for the item is, and then accept an amount in between those two numbers. If you worry about getting TOP DOLLAR for every item, you'll never get it moved on to a new and loving home, and you'll stay cluttered up. So, even if you only get $50 for the 901's, you still made a better profit on your money than leaving it in the bank (your money wasn't going to double in a savings account!), and it will be out of the house.
 
wow EV D's for ten bucks...just sold my pair for 2400.00,yup theres money in your totl gear for sure so get it up to snuff and post local add's and establish a pay pal and ebay account and start selling.
Once you have your space back send the old girl off for a payed girls weekend that should make her happy.
I hear you on the accumulation phase I did it myself buying totl gear that needed work to sell then it started to back up.Get a good local tech to fix any piecesw needing work and flog them.
Of course keep enough doe to the side to buy a nice totl vintage tube amp....maybe match it up with those EV D's ...I did and I was very happy !
 
This thread has helped me realize that I could very well end up like the OP. Been picking up mid-fi stuff lately too. I think what happens is that you are looking for vintage gear, and when you finally see something, you get excited and end up buying it, whether you think you will use it or not. I have drawn the line in the sand with speakers. NO more speakers! I have enough for any system I would ever want to hook up and I have some very good stuff, why would I want anymore?
Turntables have been another one, can't help buying a Technics D3 for $10 bucks at a yardsale when I see it.. That's why I have 16 turntables.. What in the world am I going to do with that many turntables?

Thanks for posting this... Time to thin the herd.
 
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