Some People Will Collect Anything

[GasHouseGang]

I'm going to walk out on this limb and I'll see if it gets sawed off. I collect CDs. There I said it. I sometimes feel like the only one that still wants them, but I'm starting to see some people on YouTube that are also admitting to collecting them.

I wish I could be one of those cool and hip people that collect records. I do have records, maybe 50, but I more actively collect CDs. I just wish that someone would write a definitive guide and maybe include prices for the rarer CDs. There have been some collecting books written on CDs in the past. I know, because I've bought several of them, and they have been very helpful. They are good for general information about the CDs history and so on. But what I'd really like to see is much more information about the rare pressings, what rare numbering around the inner ring to look for, that sort of thing. You know, the kind of information they've been printing about records for years.

When they started selling CDs at the thrift stores for a dollar or two, it made CDs seem like an incredible bargain. My kids had paid $1 for a single song to put on their portables or computer, only to lose them all when the computer or portable quit working. I wanted something I owned that I wouldn't keep getting charged for, and that I could listen to when I wanted. Did you know that there's no legal “right” to copy the copyrighted music on a CD onto another media? You legally must own the physical CD.

So I collect something that most people seem to think is stupid, but I remember when I started collecting baseball cards and got the same reaction.

[JollyElm]

Old school, love it! What are your more rarer/valuable(?) CDs?

[Casey2296]

I like the P-Vine records Japanese imports. A lot of good music on that label.

[sthoemke]

I always looks over the CD selections at thrift stores/flea markets, etc. Prices are usially $1 or sometimes $2. Tough to find the bands I am looking for. ebay is good for buying lots. Record stores seem to price about 3X as high what you migh find online (no shipping costs, of course).

Someday, I hope to own complete CD runs of Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Pink Floyd, Iron Maiden, Megadeth, Scorpions, Red Hot Chili Peppers, AC/DC, and ZZ Top.

[NiceDocter]

My best CD is a 3 year at 5.85 %. non callable.

[GasHouseGang]

The Japanese imports seem to bring the most money. I have some Japanese box sets for Thin Lizzy for example, and Aerosmith that contain every album in their catalog. These are very rare and expensive (around $1K).

Of course you aren't likely to find these at thrift stores. I bought the ones I have at a music auction of someone's estate that had collected hundreds of CD sets from Japan. The most desirable CDs you're likely to find "in the wild" are early pressings made in Japan or West Germany. This is where the first CD pressing plants were located. The first US pressings weren't until around 1984.

[gawaintheknight]

Originally Posted by NiceDocter

My best CD is a 3 year at 5.85 %. non callable.

+1

[GasHouseGang]

Originally Posted by JollyElm

Old school, love it! What are your more rarer/valuable(?) CDs?

As I mentioned before, typically the most valuable CD's are the first pressings made in Japan or West Germany (where the first CD plants were located). All of the early CD's sold in the US were from one of these plants. The first album to be released on CD was Billy Joel's 52nd Street, that reached the market alongside Sony's CD player CDP-101 on October 1, 1982 in Japan. Early the following year on March 2, 1983 CD players and discs (16 titles from CBS Records) were released in the United States and other markets.

The very earliest discs were either "black face" or "red face" disks. As the names imply, the entire front of the disc was either black or red and the words were where the color wasn't printed. Shortly after that many of the first "target" discs began to hit the market. Target discs get their name from the cross hairs painted on the rim every 90 degrees. I've attached a picture of some examples of the target discs. These were made from around 1982-1985. There are often different colors of the same disc available, so some people try to collect as many varieties as possible of their favorite groups.

Early on the record companies weren't sure what to do with CDs. For vinyl records they use the RIAA curve. It is an equalization filter applied to vinyl records and then corrected in record player amplifiers in such a way that the listener is never aware that any change has occurred. On the record itself, songs are engraved so that low frequencies are cut in volume while high frequencies are boosted. Should they use the equalization they used for records on CDs?

It was decided by most companies that since the CD was supposed to be nearly perfect from 20Hz-20KHz, that they would just go straight from the master tapes and put that onto the CD without any changes. That has made the early CDs the most desirable version to many collectors because you're getting a copy of the master tape (the way the band wanted the record to sound).

[gonefishin]

Collect what you enjoy, if it's CDs - that's ok.

I recently transferred all my VHS tapes to digital. I'm glad I did, because I can now share videos easily that were made back in the 80s - 90s. I canned the tapes after I made sure I had captured all the movies. Good move, it cleared very valuable storage space!

I personally have only a couple of records, most belonged to my mother so I just keep them as a memory. Attached are a couple of photos, the Hank Williams was hers.

[GasHouseGang]

Great seeing that original Sun record, and I'm a fan of Chet Atkins. I don't collect them, but would certainly keep them if they came from my family.

[Leon]

Originally Posted by GasHouseGang

Great seeing that original Sun record, and I'm a fan of Chet Atkins. I don't collect them, but would certainly keep them if they came from my family.

I really like Hank Williams Sr's music a lot. My mom and dad listened to it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KoO6XVCKDc8

I have a lot of old vinyl. I need to go through them sometime. I have no clue what is there.....
.

[nwobhm]

Originally Posted by GasHouseGang

I'm going to walk out on this limb and I'll see if it gets sawed off. I collect CDs. There I said it. I sometimes feel like the only one that still wants them, but I'm starting to see some people on YouTube that are also admitting to collecting them.

I wish I could be one of those cool and hip people that collect records. I do have records, maybe 50, but I more actively collect CDs. I just wish that someone would write a definitive guide and maybe include prices for the rarer CDs. There have been some collecting books written on CDs in the past. I know, because I've bought several of them, and they have been very helpful. They are good for general information about the CDs history and so on. But what I'd really like to see is much more information about the rare pressings, what rare numbering around the inner ring to look for, that sort of thing. You know, the kind of information they've been printing about records for years.

When they started selling CDs at the thrift stores for a dollar or two, it made CDs seem like an incredible bargain. My kids had paid $1 for a single song to put on their portables or computer, only to lose them all when the computer or portable quit working. I wanted something I owned that I wouldn't keep getting charged for, and that I could listen to when I wanted. Did you know that there's no legal “right” to copy the copyrighted music on a CD onto another media? You legally must own the physical CD.

So I collect something that most people seem to think is stupid, but I remember when I started collecting baseball cards and got the same reaction.

Are you aware that many of the early CDs are of lesser quality and have been deteriorating for years? Much of what came out of W Germany in the 80’s is substandard in quality. Many came new loaded with pin holes and substandard lamination.

The Japan stuff brings a premium because it was made properly and much of it has lower production. Keep in mind most came with an obi strip too. The Japan promos were pretty scarce back then too, most were waaaaaaay under 100 copies.

The old original MFSL gold discs were some of the better discs and coupled with the gold have a better life expectancy.

I currently collect old TV shows on DVD/BR. They also have issues, off center hubs, lamination errors etc.

[GasHouseGang]

Originally Posted by nwobhm

Are you aware that many of the early CDs are of lesser quality and have been deteriorating for years? Much of what came out of W Germany in the 80’s is substandard in quality. Many came new loaded with pin holes and substandard lamination.

The Japan stuff brings a premium because it was made properly and much of it has lower production. Keep in mind most came with an obi strip too. The Japan promos were pretty scarce back then too, most were waaaaaaay under 100 copies.

The old original MFSL gold discs were some of the better discs and coupled with the gold have a better life expectancy.

I currently collect old TV shows on DVD/BR. They also have issues, off center hubs, lamination errors etc.

While I have read about these "deteriorating" discs, but I've never experienced it myself. There an interesting series of posts talking about the quality of the earlier discs that might be of interest:
https://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threa...uality.101806/

[nwobhm]

Originally Posted by GasHouseGang

While I have read about these "deteriorating" discs, but I've never experienced it myself. There an interesting series of posts talking about the quality of the earlier discs that might be of interest:
https://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threa...uality.101806/

The modern higher end players compensate for the defects but at a certain point they will no longer work. I had a few 20yrs ago that failed. They were from W Germany and Australia. Take any silver or clear coated topped CD made in Germany during the 80’s and hold it up to the sun. The number of pin holes will surprise you.

[Eric72]

I have a few albums…

[GasHouseGang]

I forgot to mention, some of the most collected CDs are the unopened ones still in the long boxes used at retail. Remember those? When CDs first came out, the retailers were trying to put them in the same bins used for records. So they created the "long box". Prices are all over the place for these. Some go for several hundred, while others are only around $20. I don't collect these, so I can't really say what drives the price higher for some titles. Some people just collect the boxes themselves, and don't care if the CD is in the box.

[AustinMike]

Originally Posted by Eric72

I have a few albums…

Eric,

Where did you get the shelves from? I've been looking for something like that for my records which are mostly in particle board cubes from 40 years ago. Have you had them very long? Any concern with sagging shelves?

Nice collection, by the way.

[Eric72]

Originally Posted by AustinMike

Eric,

Where did you get the shelves from? I've been looking for something like that for my records which are mostly in particle board cubes from 40 years ago. Have you had them very long? Any concern with sagging shelves?

Nice collection, by the way.

Ikea; they're 16 cube (4x4) shelving units. I've had them for nearly 20 years. Zero issues with sagging.

[AustinMike]

Originally Posted by Eric72

Ikea; they're 16 cube (4x4) shelving units. I've had them for nearly 20 years. Zero issues with sagging.

Thanks Eric. Unfortunately, they don't make those anymore. I had looked into them a year or two ago and they have a new version out now. I'm hesitant to get them because the shelf just doesn't look strong enough to me. Although, since yours have lasted for nearly 20 years, I might have to reconsider.

[GasHouseGang]

They have it on Amazon:
https://tinyurl.com/5ydkkxje

[BobbyStrawberry]

Originally Posted by Eric72

I have a few albums…

Just a few, eh?