Car Boot Sale 2022

[Pigmy Pony]

Thought I'd get this going, the 2021 thread was also in blank canvas.

Today was my first visit of the year, and pretty miserable it was too, unless you're a three year old shopping for soft toys in plastic bags.

Got just two CDs, at 50p each:

Cranberries - No need to Argue, and ZZ Top Greatest Hits. Oh, and a rubber mallet to knock in tent pegs (we no longer have a tent, but the mallet was only 50p).

If I had any doubts that record sellers are increasingly taking the piss, todays car boot put paid to that. This guy was selling Sabbath Bloody Sabbath (with the record trying to fall out of the unglued sleeve, and judging by the vinyl's condition had fallen out several times before) and he wanted £35 :eek: He also had a shagged-looking copy of "Master of Reality" for 25 quid, and I know I can buy it new for under 20.

They'd probably not sound too knackered if played on this deck he also had for sale, which was branded "GPO". I didn't know the Post Office had moved into record players, and it didn't look like it would deliver a first class performance.

[struth]

seen those gpo tables.. ghastly things imo...:eek:

[Pigmy Pony]

seen those gpo tables.. ghastly things imo...:eek:

Mrs. P said I should have bought it for the cartridge, which would be cheaper than the one I plan to buy... partners do say the funniest things

[Barry]

Even charity shops are now selling LPs at inflated prices. They're canny - they look up the value on line, and regardless of condition, that is what sets the sales price. (Well that's what Oxfam told me.)

I expect your boot sale seller was a trader. You can always spot them as they have several boxes of LPs on their trestle tables, and probably have some LPs in the back of the car put aside for their regular punters. Often there will be a well thumbed copy of Record Collectors Guide on the passenger seat as well.

Been to a half dozen or so boot sales this year (my partner is mad about them), but bought very little. I'm getting lazy, and can't really be arsed to visit 200 odd stalls to see what they have got. I'm more inclined to buy novels than CDs these days.

[Pigmy Pony]

Your observations re. vendors are increasingly becoming my experience too:

1. I visited a charity shop in Keswick about 3 years ago (might have been Oxfam) where they were selling a ruined-looking copy of "Physical Graffiti" for £99. And they had it in a locked glass cabinet. I can't see it ever selling, and if it is no longer there it has probably been moved to another branch.

2. The bloke with the rough black sabbath albums was clearly a trader, and like you I can spot them a mile off. i wouldn't normally bother with them, but the boot sale was very light on interesting items.

Also like you I have become increasingly lazy, in that if the CDs are on the floor I usually can't be bothered crouching down - a cursory glance gives me an idea of the seller's favoured genre, and if names like Slim Whitman, Robbie Williams, Michael Buble are in there I walk on. Also if the CDs are not presented in a way I can browse quickly, ie so I can read the titles without touching them.

My CD shelving is coming to the point where it will become "one in, one out" because I'm not putting up any more shelves. 700 or so, while not a big collection, is more than I'll get through in my remaining life... also we don't have a lot of space round here.

3. I used to buy books, but due to the aforementioned space issues, not anymore. Kindle for me these days unfortunately.

[Macca]

I stopped buying books when it got to the point where they were stacked up on the stairs like you might see in a crazy person's house.

Had to buy another bookcase to solve that but there's not really any room for more bookcases. I suppose I could get rid of some hifi equipment to make space for more books but that's probably not going to happen.

Not many boot sales here any more, because if you want to organise one you first need a license from the city council and it has to be non-profit, for charity or something.

Petty officialdom and freedom restriction at it's finest.

[Barry]

Your observations re. vendors are increasingly becoming my experience too:

1. I visited a charity shop in Keswick about 3 years ago (might have been Oxfam) where they were selling a ruined-looking copy of "Physical Graffiti" for £99. And they had it in a locked glass cabinet. I can't see it ever selling, and if it is no longer there it has probably been moved to another branch.

2. The bloke with the rough black sabbath albums was clearly a trader, and like you I can spot them a mile off. i wouldn't normally bother with them, but the boot sale was very light on interesting items.

Also like you I have become increasingly lazy, in that if the CDs are on the floor I usually can't be bothered crouching down - a cursory glance gives me an idea of the seller's favoured genre, and if names like Slim Whitman, Robbie Williams, Michael Buble are in there I walk on. Also if the CDs are not presented in a way I can browse quickly, ie so I can read the titles without touching them.

My CD shelving is coming to the point where it will become "one in, one out" because I'm not putting up any more shelves. 700 or so, while not a big collection, is more than I'll get through in my remaining life... also we don't have a lot of space round here.

3. I used to buy books, but due to the aforementioned space issues, not anymore. Kindle for me these days unfortunately.

LOL Your observations match mine: I hate having to crouch down to read the titles of CDs, especially as one half of them will have the spines reading in a different direction to the other half; and rooting through boxes that are full of Mrs Mills, Max Bygraves, Top of the Pops volume... , Mantovani, Abba etc. etc.

I still look at CDs in charity shops, as (in London) I usually find something of interest; and a 50p a pop is worth taking a punt, despite having a CD collection of well over 2,000.

I have a similar problem with books. Run out of shelf space, there are four large boxes full of books stored in the garage, so there are now small piles of books dotted around the place - much to my partner's, and my, disquiet.

[Alex_UK]

When we moved 2.5 years ago I took boxes and boxes of books to the charity shop, and then set a couple of bookcases up in the garage with the ones I couldn’t part with, mainly reference and non-fiction books - I’ve not looked at one once since!

[struth]

Ive box of old books in loft. No idea if they are still good as i cant get in to it. Was burns etc books. Some nice uns too.

[Pigmy Pony]

This morning's purchases:

Seasick Steve - I stared out with nothin...
Rumer - Boys don't Cry
The very best of Cat Stevens
Human League Greatest Hits
Enya - Watermark
Enya - Shepherd Moons

All for a grand total of 2 quid.

But this is a real bargain imo:

https://i.discogs.com/OyCef1XySh9m9Dj-v6RnhESeXDOyOKX6ZHfMPkeN6V8/rs:fit/g:sm/q:90/h:600/w:600/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWRhdGFiYXNlLWlt/YWdlcy9SLTkyNjg3/Ny0xNTYzMjE1NTMy/LTk2NzcuanBlZw.jpeg

Original 1975 pressing. Playing it right now, it looks (and sounds) unplayed. For a quid! Happy with that.

[Barry]

Three out of seven isn't too bad. ;)

[Pigmy Pony]

Three out of seven isn't too bad. ;)

Ouch, I can always count on you Barry, to tell it how it is... :) I'm going to have a guess at your choices: Rumer, Cat Stevens, Paul Simon. Actually I'm not sure about Rumer, maybe its Seasick Steve?

[Barry]

OK, four out of seven - and they are all those you guessed at. :)

But at 33p a pop, one can afford to gamble, and I think I might have picked up an Enya CD at that price.

[Pigmy Pony]

The Enya "Watermark" CD has an Asda price sticker on it for £13.49. And that will have been 1988, so probably £30 in today's money. We really do live in a golden age as Macca puts it.

[Barry]

That's largely irrelevant - most of the used CDs I pick up in charity shops and boot sales have the original price tags attached.

I certainly wouldn't have paid the original price, despite it being the norm at the time. Now you can buy brand new CDs from the likes of Amazon etc. for not much more than £5.

[Macca]

The Enya "Watermark" CD has an Asda price sticker on it for £13.49. And that will have been 1988, so probably £30 in today's money. We really do live in a golden age as Macca puts it.

I've got some with £16.99 and £17.99 price stickers on. Yes I actually did pay that at the time and allow for inflation as you say it's thirty quid an album.

No wonder I was always skint back then.

I bought six second hand CDs last Thursday, cost me £19 the lot.

Even new releases are only £8.99, that's like a fiver in 1990's money.

Your Paul Simon looks like it has the original tagger on it with the price in dollars, must have made its way across the Atlantic with some ex-pat yank at some point.

[Pigmy Pony]

I've got some with £16.99 and £17.99 price stickers on. Yes I actually did pay that at the time and allow for inflation as you say it's thirty quid an album.

No wonder I was always skint back then.

I bought six second hand CDs last Thursday, cost me £19 the lot.

Even new releases are only £8.99, that's like a fiver in 1990's money.

Your Paul Simon looks like it has the original tagger on it with the price in dollars, must have made its way across the Atlantic with some ex-pat yank at some point.

:D Well spotted - but that picture I took from Discogs. I would have no idea how to post a pic of my own copy, you overestimate my technical skills sir :doh:

These days most CDs that I don't get at car boots I buy off Ebay, from mostly "World Books" or Music Magpie it seems. Usually about £2.50 with free postage. no brainer really. Most CDs you can think of will be there.

I intend to concentrate my music buying more on CDs now, just as soon as I've taken delivery of my Elton John "Two Rooms" LP :)

[Macca]

Music Magpie is pretty good, I've had a lot from them via eBay.

[Barry]

Music Magpie is pretty good, I've had a lot from them via eBay.

Agreed. :)

[struth]

Music Magpie is pretty good, I've had a lot from them via eBay.

plus 2. ive had a lot too. dvd films as well, and i copy them to hdd. saves player wear

[Pigmy Pony]

Don't know why, but this morning was terrible for records and CDs. So bad I almost bought "Discovery" by ELO on CD, but a quid was about 95p too much. I did however get a pair of DeWalt work trousers new with tags, for £15. And my exact size too. They are all over the Ebay for 50 notes, so that was a result.

[Barry]

Yesterday was a good day for us at the boot sale, but today was not so good.

Got up later than intended, so arrived late. Whilst my partner bought some things, there was nothing of interest to me.

I'm still amazed at the price of recordings: DVDs can now be had for 10p each; CDs for 20 - 50p (though there are some who want to charge £1), but the price for vinyl is astronomical! (Mind you, it gives me a nice warm feeling when I see LPs I have going for £100! :D)

Well done with the overalls Steve.

[Pigmy Pony]

Yesterday was a good day for us at the boot sale, but today was not so good.

Got up later than intended, so arrived late. Whilst my partner bought some things, there was nothing of interest to me.

I'm still amazed at the price of recordings: DVDs can now be had for 10p each; CDs for 20 - 50p (though there are some who want to charge £1), but the price for vinyl is astronomical! (Mind you, it gives me a nice warm feeling when I see LPs I have going for £100! :D)

Well done with the overalls Steve.

And that warm feeling can continue next winter when selling one of those albums will keep the heating on for one more day ;)

Prices have gone from 'steep' to 'you must be joking'. Something I read on another forum yesterday led me to check on prices of an Allman Brothers LP ("Eat a Peach") on MFSL I bought about 3 years ago. I paid about £35 for it (new), and now it is fetching way over 200 quid :eek: Makes me wish I'd bought more...

Seriously, what else is there that will give 700% return in just three years?

[Barry]

I have an MSFL half-speed master, double LP pressing, of Little Feat's 'Waiting for Columbus', which I bought used for about £20 in near mint condition. It too can fetch up to £200. Crazy isn't it?

https://i.discogs.com/J0CzsUbkybfT0s8ApjxSG41uIVhrLGYtr4Woxl4CM38/rs:fit/g:sm/q:90/h:590/w:585/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWRhdGFiYXNlLWlt/YWdlcy9SLTIzMzU5/MDktMTI3NzgxNjcw/OS5qcGVn.jpeg

As I try to explain to my partner (who upon her first visit to my place exclaimed "Oh you have a tourné disque" (French being her first language), with a certain amount of incredulity and interest in equal measure), it's all about supply and demand. A lot of '60s and '70s stuff is no longer pressed, and there are 'rarities' (in which regard, record collectors are a bit like stamp collectors: any mistake in spelling or printed track order automatically ups the price, although the sound quality remains the same!)

[struth]

yes, ive a few oldies and one or 2 newer ones that have a decent price on them now. that big joe williams with the cover i showed i played earlier(i did a copy onto disc) is worth up to 250 quid, but 150 all day. Mainly as its a rare pressing on esquire i think.
Some cd's become valuable too now.

[Macca]

I have an MSFL half-speed master, double LP pressing, of Little Feat's 'Waiting for Columbus', which I bought used for about £20 in near mint condition. It too can fetch up to £200. Crazy isn't it?

https://i.discogs.com/J0CzsUbkybfT0s8ApjxSG41uIVhrLGYtr4Woxl4CM38/rs:fit/g:sm/q:90/h:590/w:585/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWRhdGFiYXNlLWlt/YWdlcy9SLTIzMzU5/MDktMTI3NzgxNjcw/OS5qcGVn.jpeg

As I try to explain to my partner (who upon her first visit to my place exclaimed "Oh you have a tourné disque" (French being her first language), with a certain amount of incredulity and interest in equal measure), it's all about supply and demand. A lot of '60s and '70s stuff is no longer pressed, and there are 'rarities' (in which regard, record collectors are a bit like stamp collectors: any mistake in spelling or printed track order automatically ups the price, although the sound quality remains the same!)

I've got a Wishbone Ash LP where they missed some of the songs off the track listing on the sleeve. Unfortunately the previous owner has written them in himself. To his credit he used fountain pen rather than biro but not sure that will count for anything.

Edit - not Wishbone Ash, it's an early Fleetwood Mac album.