One's trash is someone else's treasure


I would be interested to find out what “treasures” you people have come across in your journey to audio nirvana on the used market. For me, it was in 1993 (I don’t remember if the internet was already at its early stages of development – I don’t think so), and I came across an ad in our local newspaper for a Linn LP-12. The second I read the ad, I immediately called the seller who happens to be this older fellow who obviously didn’t have the slightest clue what he’s about to relinquish. I drove to his apartment and there it was, a Linn LP-12 complete with an LVX tone arm, a K9 cartridge and the smoke dustcover – all in excellent condition. The asking price? $100!!!! While I was in his apartment checking the table out, the seller received about three phone calls regarding the LP-12 too bad for those prospective buyers but first come, first serve. Talk about someone’s trash being someone else’s treasure!!!! About three years later, I sold the table for $900! It was about this time when the digital front end was really taking off with the transport and outboard DAC options. Now, I’m back into vinyl (just recently got back actually) and have a VPI Scout Aries with JMW 9 arm and a Dynavector 10x5 cartridge. This time, my analog set up is a keeper!!!! What treasures have you come across??????
gemini

Showing 3 responses by sherod

Thanks for the comments about my cute Picasso story, Punkawalla, but it wasn't meant to be an analogy but another scenario.
I have an interesting scenario: Let's say that I go to a garage sale in my middle class neighborhood. I see an old painting by some unknown artist that the owners have priced for $5.00, including frame. I think it will look nice in my den so I buy it for their asking price, not even considering "horse-trading" which is normal for garage sales. I take it home and decide to take the painting out and clean the frame of the old dust and crud build-up accumulated over the years from being improperly stored in their attic. While seeing that the backing of the painting is slightly torn, I notice that there is something else behind the painting inside the backing so I carefully take off the backing and find an original Picasso worth one million $$. What do I do? Take the painting back and let the garage sale owners know what they mistakenly sold me, keep it for my personal enjoyment, or maybe auction it off with a prestigious auctioneer to get the million $$ or more that it could bring? Is there an ethical or moral value at stake in this scenario?
"The second I read the ad, I immediately called the seller who happens to be this older fellow who obviously didn’t have the slightest clue what he’s about to relinquish."
I think that this is the statement that Gemini made in his thread that got the ethical comments started. I was curious how Gemini knew that this older gentleman didn't have a "clue" what the Linn was worth. I believe the thread was started to see what "treasures" others had found for a bargain. It's sad that this thread turned into an ethical debate. I don't feel that this is how it was intended.