Craigs list Marantz 2375 $25.My wife would of still of said something. I didnt recognize the #.I saved $25,but couldn,t go wrong |
I've missed some good deals on audio gear but gotten more than I've missed, but when it comes to watches.....
Biggest one I kick myself for was passing on the pre-Malte version of the Vacheron Constantin moon phase, power reserve perpetual calendar in rose gold with an exhibition back. I was offered it new from an authorized dealer for $22,100 and passed!
The new version costs over $80,000 and just has a different case shape! |
Just recently a Double run 21'of OCOS Wire and Adaptors which retail at around 2k for $50.00.... |
Not audio
In 1971 during my first year in college, I was working at a gas station to support myself while in school. This was a full service station and it provided a towing service too.
Late one Saturday afternoon, just prior to my shift ending I got a call from an elderly woman asking if we ever bought old cars or simply reomved them
hauled them away? I told her the deal as it was, we did neither, only providing transportation to the garage for repairs and AAA calls.
She was adamant about having her sons Chevy hauled away but felt it still had some value. She said she wasnt asking much and needed it removed very soon. I was curious and said Id stop by after my shift and have a look see figuring maybe I could do something with it for myself, but expecting not much of a car as she said it was a 62 or 63 model and had a stick shift which she could not drive.
I got off work. Got to her address and she showed me to the garage/shed where a large tarp coverd the car. Removing the tarp some to see what was underneath I found a 1963 Corvette.
Things changed right then. Well in my mind at least. I asked her what she had to have for it and she said, Would $1200 be too much?. Knowing it was way more than a bargain, I asked her if it ran and she handed me the keys. It started up easily with the big V8 purring like a relaxed cat.
I began to sweat.. I didnt have $1200, but desperately wanted that ride! I asked what was the least she would take? She replied I guess $1,000 would be good enough. I didnt have the heart to try and lessen the cost and said would she give me till Monday to raise the money? She agreed.
To make a long story still more monotonous I tried everything I could think of to raise that thousand dollars over the next two days. to no good end.
I dropped back by to tell her I had no good luck and said she needed to place an ad for it in the local papers if selling it was a priority at that time. I also said one never knows what someone else will pay for something, and if you dont ask for it, you wont have the chance to get it. Mentioning to rethink the sales price at double what she had offered me
if not a bit more.
She stopped by the station some weeks later to tell me she had sold the car and had gotten a lot more money for it by taking my advice.
I was glad to help but Ill never ever get over not having or being able to raise the money for that Corvette. Id probably still have it. Well maybe not, after all driving has been beyond me for quite a while now, but Id have had it for a very long time
and no, she didnt give me a tip
or maybe she had already by giving me that initial opportunity to buy it so cheaply. |
In audio, JBL 4350 speakers.
I had L200's and wanted to upgrade but the cost was insane as they were priced at $1,250 the pair. This was 1974 at the audio club in Germany. L200's were 500 a pair and I ended up with four in a quad setup. I came within a inch of putting 4350's on layaway. I sure wish I had.
Price them today. Good God can we say resale value. |
I just missed out a few years ago on a Sansui TU-9900 for $50.00 Buy-it-now on Ebay. The sellers didn't have a clue what they had. |
Talk about missing a bargain..How about all those young chicks in High School that thought Bill Gates was a nerd ? I would imagine there is more than one or two girls from High School that have very deep scars in there Butt from where they have been kicking themslves for all these years.......!!! |
Money isn't everything.
Then again there is no such thing as an ugly geeky Billionaire (might as well add aged also) is there? Cue Marshall whatever his name is with Anna Nicole Smith (RIP). |
I passed up an brand new original AR turntable at Peachtree Salvage for $25(in the box). At the time, I didn't want to spend $25, but realizing what a bargain it was, I went back a few hours later, and it was gone. I now look at things like this differently. I look for the opportunity that missing out presents. |
A mint Dynavector 505 tonearm in the box with a "buy it now" of $29.95 on eBay. The seller originally had it listed as Erector Set parts with a starting price of .99. I convinced him to put it up as a "Buy it Now", but he didn't do it until the wee hours of the morning, and I missed it. When I got up the next morning, I discovered that I had missed it by seventeen minutes. |
Vintage (circa '60 give or take) sunburst Gibson 225 (thinline hollow cutaway) with black P-90 pickups in great condition with original case (think George Thorogood guitar), original owner selling for only $200, called to let him know I was on my way to purchase and took an extra 15 minutes to go by my bank and get cash, simply assuming he wouldn't want a check (this was back in the early 80's when using an ATM meant only your own bank's ATM). But when I arrived another dude had just bought it -- by writing a @$%&#* check! Then to add insult to injury, he asked to borrow the portable amp I was carrying to test it out (a mere formality) 'cuz the seller had already gotten rid of his amp...arrrgh |
What a nice guy you were to loan the buyer your amp to test the guitar out on. So how did the guitar sound? Did you get to at least demo it? |
Yeah we both played it, but nobody wanted to linger too long for obvious reasons... |
Went to my nephews graduation up by Yosemite about 5 years ago. Got a copy of the local buy and sell that had a pair of Klipsch Khorns in Rosewood for $ 300.
Got there as they were being loaded into someone else's truck, mint.
I only cried for a little while! |
After selling my old car, put the funds towards the purchase of a 60 inch plasma television. But shortly afterwards came across a McIntosh 252 amp which a few cosmetic issues but really great price. The prices of tv's have come down, while good audio gear soars ever upward. Timing is everything. |
Back in July, 1991 Hi Fi Classics in Far Rockaway, NY had two pairs of original owner KLH Nines for sale. $500 a pair! Alas, I went there and only bought one pair! I still have that pair in use - but passing on the second pair for such a low price was stupid! Another of my regrettable moments was selling my Linn Sondek TT - cheap ($350)! |
Must be an Alpine cassette stereo unit for 70k USD.
Came with a Countach LP400 S3 ... |
Saw a 16' boat with a vintage Merc outboard plus trailer for $150 driving to see my dad. Was going to see dad, turn around quick and buy it. Wasn't quick enough. |
I didn’t miss mine. I went to an estate sale @ 4:30 pm. Last item left was a JBL Metregon. Sellers did not know what it was. Bought for $100. I & a friend brought it home crosswise on my MGB. It even had the JBL Amplifier built in... didn’t work well, but, so what!
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None i jump on the bargains asap!! |
