Media: Should we start hoarding?

My physical collection of 8'000+ (and still counting) LPs, CDs (and a couple of hundreds CompactCassettes, yeah) will partly go to specialized institutions like a Jazz Archive or professional Music Schools. Unfortunately, my son and his (still young) children show no particular interest. Of course, there is some money invested in my collection – but I do enjoy the music NOW and don't worry too much. Since I am retired for many years now, I've got plenty of time.So, as an answer to the OP: Don't hoard if you haven't got sufficient time to enjoy what's on your shelves. (Of, course, this excludes all kind of streaming, which I don't do.)

Not sure it matters. The trend seems to be when you die it all goes to Goodwill, Salvation Army, eBay or the dump. What you treasure, some ingrate relative will consider trash. Where do you think all your current deals came from?  ;-)

In that dystopian future that we all know is coming, goods and services will be payable in cds. And I plan to live quite well.

And then there is live music .

I had an old Marantz CD/laserdisc player from the mid-90s. Hadn't used it in many years. I decided to post it on Facebook Marketplace and sold it for a good price within 2 hours!! I'm really surprised how what sells and knowing people still collect items that I never thought would sell. 

I highly treasure my 2,000 or so LP’s, and I kinda like going “shopping” through them and realizing I forgot I owned this or that one. Hmm, I think I’ll give it a listen. I’d say maybe 300-400 of em could go to the dumpster, which are usually ones in a take em all or nothing situation when taking a collection someone’s trying to get rid of. If at least 20-30%ish aren’t worth taking, I’ll leave em there.
I certainly don’t worry about not being able to find an original copy. Worst case scenario, I can get a high quality CD copy of a copy if I’ve gotta. 

When the zombie apocalypse comes, the man with a DVD collection and portable player will rule the world.

Elizabeth, that's a stupendous number of records you've disposed of. It's none of my business, but I'm curious what what kind of stuff you longer wanted and got rid of.

I've nowhere near what you had, maybe 1500 records and cd's tops. I gave away an additional 300 records to my brother I probably shouldn't have, that subsequently disappeared. Also six more to help support a local used record store that has since gone out of business. I still miss some of those 300, and replaced many if not the majority of them with better copies. Maybe I'm too much a hoarder. Books, records, and tools are all my addictions. 

Mike

Had this situation when my Dad died. He had several boxes of LPs from the 50s and 60s. He also had a ton of 78s.

Through happenstance I was connected to the director of the Symphony of San Bernardino. They took them all. They sell them at fundraising auctions.

My collection of 400 or so vinyl will go to an audio store in Vegas.

I agree with Millercarbon. I would love to stop reading the Sunday Times if it were not for the crossword.  Best crossword on the market in my opinion.  Completely slanted newspaper otherwise. WSJ weekend edition much more neutral and has a great crossword (though not as good as NYT).

This is not an old NYT article. The extent of what was lost just came to light. I agree with you to some extent. Many recordings done direct from master like Analogue Productions just went WAY up In value. For example, the Doors limited edition Infinite set from master tape to analogue, those can’t be redone. If those tapes were lost those records are now irreplaceable.

On our collections ending up in a dumpster, yeah. If it’s a bunch of crap. I just bought a few boxes of records at an estate sale and it turns they are all first pressing records going for hundreds each. One Lee Morgan record (Candy) is valued at around 2k. The value is there is you’re looking to invest wisely.

 I think picking up recordings direct from master is always a break even proposition if you buy wisely. What was lost in that fire is gone. And this new info just coming to light. Not some old NYT article as people who didn’t bother to read it say. It’s disgraceful what happened. America’s history and culture burned and gone

I have a local friend that recently passed away.  I don't know exactly how many records he left, but estimate 10,000 or more.  His children are burdened with finding new owners for the records.  They don't want to just give them away since it's a sizable investment.  But it's hard to find interested buyers.  

The estate sale was a disaster.  A "vulture" tried to buy bulk records for a few cents each.  Literally.  Fortunately, the heirs thwarted his efforts but are still stuck with the records.  

I will probably weed out a thousand or so.  They will have a a special place in my collection.  That will help.  If the children can sell a couple more thousand, then can comfortably donate the rest to the local book sales and move on with life.  

The moral of the story is to not be a burden to those we leave behind.  

Good advice from elizabeth.  She has stopped hoarding records and switched to hoarding butcher blocks.   

Thanks @elizabeth 
I suppose you're right. I don't have near that many LPs, CD, etc. but the prospect of even doubling what I have is... daunting.

Thanks all for providing perspective.

Cheers,
Ed

If you enjoy listening to it, buy it. If you don't, don't.

If you find yourself doing nonsensical things like hoarding based on an old NYT story that itself is based on years old news, well then stop reading the NYT. Which you should do anyway, just on principle.

All of us who posted ownership of thousands of vinyl records are already hoarders.  Guilty as charged and loving it.

No, there are still millions of LPs and CDs in use and circulation! No foreseeable lack of physical media in the future.