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Owning rare CDs

post #1 of 66
12/31/06 at 8:43pm
Thread Starter 
I don't know if anyone will be able to relate, but does it ever "spook" you when you find out a CD you own is now almost impossible to find? It makes me think that if I hadn't just happened to be into that music at that particular time, I'd either be paying a fortune or be out of luck. Two examples I just encountered while searching on a lark were John Paul Jones's "Scream For Help" soundtrack and the Mobile Fidelity version of Alan Parson Project's "Tales of Mystery and Imagination." Amazon Marketplace has them both new for $249! The latter doesn't matter to me, as I would be fine with the standard version, which is readily available. There aren't any other options for "Scream For Help," however, and I just bought it a few years back for the standard price of an import CD! I really hate that music has to go out of print for just this reason. It makes me wonder what's out there right now that I should be getting before it's too late. I've begun to encounter just this thing with some of the music I'm trying to acquire. I guess that's the reality. They can't keep old stock waiting around for me to decide I want it.
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post #2 of 66
1/1/07 at 1:34am

Re: Owning rare CDs

I had little idea that Missing Persons reissues from a few years back were pressed in such small quantities that they'd be rare and expensive as heck just a few years later. I own Rhyme & Reason - a $40+ cd - that I paid maybe $9 used for. I also picked up Spring Session M - a $30+ cd - for $3, but that one doesn't count because it is a recent purchase, one I knew was more valuable than what the store was selling it for (rather than being something I already had in my collection that just happened to go up in value).
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post #3 of 66
1/1/07 at 9:57am

Re: Owning rare CDs

Whenever anyone tells me not to buy a CD to wait for a price drop, I tell them about the tragic time I decided to buy Weird Al's Alapalooza over the now extremely rare Peter and the Wolf. Every time I used to walk into Tower afterwards I was reminded of it...so at least one good thing came out of their closing.
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post #4 of 66
1/1/07 at 10:21am

Re: Owning rare CDs

The early 1950's Szeryng recording of the Bach sonatas and partitas was only available on an import RCA for a short while...now out of print.

The boxed set of the complete Chopin recordings by Rubinstein was only selling for something like $70 when it first came out. Last time I checked on Amazon new sets were selling for more like $450.

I imported a copy of the Hanssler complete Bach works two years ago for about $185. Amazon is now selling the Hanssler box set for $1700.
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post #5 of 66
1/1/07 at 10:27am
Thread Starter 

Re: Owning rare CDs

Wow. That has anything of mine beat by far!

An example of missing out is Jackie Gleason's Merry Christmas. I just read a review about that this season, and went to look for it on Amazon. It starts at $79. Of course, the LP is readily available, and I do still have a turntable.
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post #6 of 66
1/1/07 at 2:22pm

Re: Owning rare CDs

Good topic. I'm a fan of the 80s. A couple of years ago I bought the Fat Boys: All Meat No Filer Greatest Hits cd. I paid $10 and it now sells for about $70.

I have a few cd singles that I bought when new that are worth quite a bit. Peter Gabriel, U2, Van Halen etc. They have remixes of hit singles that are not found anywhere else.

Somewhat related:
I've been really enjoying the new Deluxe Editions of cds such as Tears For Fears: Songs From The Big Chair, Def Leppard: Hysteria & INXS: Kick. Each is a 2-disc set that has all the b-sides and remixes from that album. I've never seen them in stores and had to order them online. Most off Amazon.
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post #7 of 66
1/3/07 at 10:24am

Re: Owning rare CDs

I have Ice Cubes 'Cop Killer' cd with the cop killer song before they pulled the album. I'm guessing not really rare or anything, just more of a novelty.
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post #8 of 66
1/3/07 at 10:49am

Re: Owning rare CDs

Quote:
I had little idea that Missing Persons reissues from a few years back were pressed in such small quantities that they'd be rare and expensive as heck just a few years later.

Wow! I bought them when they were released because I had wanted them for years. I Would never guess they'd be valuable.
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post #9 of 66
1/3/07 at 10:58am
Thread Starter 

Re: Owning rare CDs

Quote:
I have Ice Cubes 'Cop Killer' cd with the cop killer song before they pulled the album. I'm guessing not really rare or anything, just more of a novelty.

There was a time when there were two versions of Appetite for Destruction floating around--one with the "robot rape" artwork, and one with a replacement photo of the band or something. I owned the tape since the '80s, but I only got around to buying the CD a year ago or so. The "robot rape" art is back.

Reminds me of Street Survivors. The "band in flames" cover was replaced after the Skynyrd plane crash, but it's been back since the album was remastered several years ago. I'm guessing Virgin Killers and Blind Faith can be purchased with original art in almost every region by now.
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post #10 of 66
1/3/07 at 11:03am

Re: Owning rare CDs

Jethro Tull & Ringo Starr's DCC discs always go for high amounts on ebay
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post #11 of 66
1/3/07 at 12:54pm

Re: Owning rare CDs

Quote:
Whenever anyone tells me not to buy a CD to wait for a price drop, I tell them about the tragic time I decided to buy Weird Al's Alapalooza over the now extremely rare Peter and the Wolf.
Wow, I've got Al and Wendy Carlos' Peter And The Wolf. Had no idea it was so rare.

I have to check what else I have. I do know that the first two Bears CDs are very rare, and I treasure those as well!
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post #12 of 66
1/3/07 at 2:02pm

Re: Owning rare CDs

Anyone have the The Muppet Movie s'track? Long OOP and currently selling for $125 used via Amazon Marketplace.

Tangent: Dennis (or any other classical collector) -- Do you know anything about the status of the 1990 3-CD Decca release of a Solti/Chicago performance of "St. Matthew's Passion"? The arias and choruses highlights disc is available, but the whole work appears to be OOP and when it pops up on Marketplace the price is close to $100.

http://www.amazon.com/Bach-Matth%C3%...505456-3286004
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post #13 of 66
1/3/07 at 3:23pm
Thread Starter 

Re: Owning rare CDs

Other soundtracks I've tried for but were too rich for my blood are the Ghostbusters score and the 'burbs. I don't know how rare or expensive the original, concert version of the E.T. score is, but I know it was very hard to search for when I was looking for it. It was deleted and replaced by the actual score, and the record company assigned it the exact same catalog number. And, just putting in "e.t." comes up with a lot of hits completely unrelated to the movie. I ended up having to import it from a private collector in Australia.
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post #14 of 66
1/4/07 at 1:32am

Re: Owning rare CDs

Quote:
Originally Posted by dan-0
I have Ice Cubes 'Cop Killer' cd with the cop killer song before they pulled the album. I'm guessing not really rare or anything, just more of a novelty.
ice-t's band, body count, actually
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post #15 of 66
1/4/07 at 3:40am

Re: Owning rare CDs

Thanks a lot, I have about 400 CD's, almost all are basically worthless, a few worth a little less than when new but none worth anything much. It seems the titles with a tiny demand and even smaller supply are the ones that are worth money and I never seem to own one of those.

Chris
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post #16 of 66
1/4/07 at 7:51am

Re: Owning rare CDs

Quote:
Originally Posted by kamyiu
ice-t's band, body count, actually


opps, ice something. I never listen to it.

Funny thing is that he now plays a cop on TV. Oh the irony.
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post #17 of 66
1/4/07 at 10:32am

Re: Owning rare CDs

I've been a fan of Negativland for a long time, so I bought their "U2" single the week it came out, being surprised when it was pulled the following week.
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post #18 of 66
1/4/07 at 11:25am

Re: Owning rare CDs

Quote:
Originally Posted by dan-0
I have Ice Cubes 'Cop Killer' cd with the cop killer song before they pulled the album. I'm guessing not really rare or anything, just more of a novelty.

I have it as well. Looking at E-bay, it looks like it goes for about $20-$30.

The only other rare CD I have is an early pressing of Alcatrazz's Disturbing The Peace album.
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post #19 of 66
1/4/07 at 2:35pm

Re: Owning rare CDs

I bought the Beatles Christmas record fro around $ 10 in the 70s.
Around $400 now if you can find it.
Never came out in CD
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post #20 of 66
1/4/07 at 6:07pm

Re: Owning rare CDs

I've taken to file-sharing networks like Limewire and Shareaza to download albums. I've gotten some good stuff off Limewire, like the "Weird" Al Yankovic/Wendy Carlos version of "Peter And The Wolf" and Neil Young's synth album "Trans".

I've also gotten some rare stuff by bands like Pink Floyd, The Beatles and The Rolling Stones.

Sincerely,

John Kilduff...

It's mainly concerts when it comes to the Rolling Stones.
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post #21 of 66
1/4/07 at 8:26pm

Re: Owning rare CDs

I have two Billy Squier CD's that I bought a long time ago which now each sell for $40+ last I saw...unless they've since been reissued. I didn't think there would be enough Billy Squier fans to drive his CD's past $5.
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post #22 of 66
1/7/07 at 3:54pm

Re: Owning rare CDs

It's hard to know exactly how rare some CD's are. Even when you try to see how much they're selling for you can get a wide variety of prices.

Some what I think are pretty rare CD's in my collection include

The Colourfield - Virgins & Philistines
The Adventures - Theodore & Friends
Jefferson Starship - Nuclear Furniture
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post #23 of 66
1/11/07 at 12:47pm

Re: Owning rare CDs

[quote=John Kilduff]I've taken to file-sharing networks like Limewire and Shareaza to download albums. I've gotten some good stuff off Limewire, like the "Weird" Al Yankovic/Wendy Carlos version of "Peter And The Wolf" and Neil Young's synth album "Trans".

I've also gotten some rare stuff by bands like Pink Floyd, The Beatles and The Rolling Stones.
[quote]

I do this all the time as well.
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post #24 of 66
1/11/07 at 5:08pm

Re: Owning rare CDs

i heard sass jordan on sirius radio last month
she was promoing a new album.

turns out one of her older records is long out of print.

glad i have it.

Racine.


i have prince's black album on vinyl and plastic(cd)
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post #25 of 66
1/12/07 at 5:39pm

Re: Owning rare CDs

I have the original Talking Heads "Stop Making Sense" CD. "Speaking in Tongues" was the first disc I bought.
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post #26 of 66
1/15/07 at 7:04am

Re: Owning rare CDs

I've been buying OOP DCC's and MFSL cds so they will only go up in price.
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post #27 of 66
1/15/07 at 5:44pm

Re: Owning rare CDs

Quote:
Originally Posted by dany
I've been buying OOP DCC's and MFSL cds so they will only go up in price.

I have also (years ago) but was wondering if titles such as "Dark Side of the Moon" will go up since the new SACD smokes it in terms of audio quality.

BTW, nice pic in your sig...who is that???
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post #28 of 66
1/16/07 at 4:18am

Re: Owning rare CDs

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ron Reda
I have also (years ago) but was wondering if titles such as "Dark Side of the Moon" will go up since the new SACD smokes it in terms of audio quality.

BTW, nice pic in your sig...who is that???

So far it seems the high quality CD's like DCC and MFSL seem to be worth more than the SACD or DVD-A. The "Dark Side of the Moon" SACD is pretty cheap used, I recently bought a second one. That may also be impacted by the free DVD-A download. There is also the Crest cracker issue with the US version of the SACD so I don't know if that one is really a good one to compare. The highly rated CD and vinyl versions are much higher for whatever reason. I think the SACD is best version I have ever heard.

Only time will tell if the rare SACD and DVD-A discs will have any value long term. Most regular issue CD's are practically worthless now and high resolution discs are hit or miss as far as value.

Chris
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post #29 of 66
1/16/07 at 6:41am

Re: Owning rare CDs

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ron Reda
I have also (years ago) but was wondering if titles such as "Dark Side of the Moon" will go up since the new SACD smokes it in terms of audio quality.

BTW, nice pic in your sig...who is that???

Not when they are OOP and are collectable.
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post #30 of 66
1/17/07 at 3:56pm

Re: Owning rare CDs

Quote:
Originally Posted by dany
Not when they are OOP and are collectable.

Hmm, that could bode well for me...I went on a tear a few years back and bought a TON of MFSL Gold CDs off eBay and the like. I have about 80 of them including the one rare SACD title that they put out before they originally went out of business. It was Duke Ellington's "Blues In Orbit."

http://rateyourmusic.com/list/yaratn...nd_labs_sacds/
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