[AMRadio] Buying boatanchors today was Sniping comments

[Todd Bigelow - PS]

 I think a lot of valid comments have been made here that should be helpful
to all who seek fine, old tube-type gear.

 Steve's comments are right on the money - those of us who bid late or snipe
(I do the same thing at real auction as well, btw - sometimes it saves me
bidding at all, and it's a good way to gauge interest) are considered 'scum'
by those who think that getting beat out by a last minute bid is lowdown.
Others see the ones who out snipe the late bidders as being scum for perhaps
being a bit more resourceful(I'm thinking that once you bid publicly and
make your tactics known, you give license to others to follow your example -
especially when they see your success).  The long and the short of it is
what I said previously and Steve reiterated: auctions are meant to benefit
the seller, not give the buyer a break or a 'good deal' necessarily.
Therefore, if you choose this route for securing old radios or even parts to
build your AM rig, you cannot blame others for your shortcomings - in this
case, not bidding enough, or in a way to 'win'. I've won plenty of bids and
I've lost plenty, too - a few times because of my own mistakes, but usually
because of the simple fact that someone was willing to pay more than me. Why
should I be angry at someone else who made this choice? Annoyed, perhaps -
more often envious that they can afford to snap up something that would've
gone cheaper in any other forum. That's the beauty of an auction, though: it
gives you the opportunity - you have to supply the wherewithal to win the
bid.

 The view of what a 'reasonable price' for any item is strictly one's own
perception more than anything. Certainly with items of current manufacture
it's far easier to determine the value. After all, no one will pay more than
the price of a new item. When you're dealing with the limited commodity of
vintage radios, it's down to the basic of supply and demand. "Fair" or
"average" market value is less determined by what a certain radio sells for
on an auction site and more by what someone is willing to pay. As Bill
points out, the seller of the R-390 obviously thought more of it than the
bidders did, so it took many attempts to sell. Only when the seller made up
their mind to actually *sell* the item by setting a price someone was
willing to pay did it move. You can only rely on ignorance or ego to get you
so far in the high-priced world of radios, then you need to decide whether
to fish or cut bait. A recent ad I saw for some Collins gear summed up the
mindset of some: "I realize Collins prices have come down a lot, but I paid
a lot of money for this gear...". This translates to 'if you want this gear,
you need to be stupider than I was and be willing to pay more for the
privilege of claiming the title'.

 We all appreciate a good deal and getting a decent radio for a decent
price. The problem is that money is no object for some as it is for the
majority of us. Therefore, if you want to play with the big boys, expect the
get beat as part of the deal. If you're one of the buyers who likes going to
hamfest and offering $50 for a Johnson Ranger or $100 for a 75A-4, don't be
too disappointed when the seller refuses. Also be prepared to see less gear
at hamfests and more online. I find the most sellers are still willing to
sell their items at good prices at a hamfest and save the hassles involved
with shipping and waiting for payment. Few are stupid enough to be taken for
a ride though, especially when they can sell an item online for more money
without much work.

 It might also be a good idea to think of what $500 buys you for radio gear
these days. When you look at a 1950's receiver, try to think of it in
today's dollars.  Sure, I can remember seeing R-390s at Deerfield NH even in
the early 90's for $150 or so. I can remember buying a 75A-2 converted to an
A-3 with 5 filters included for $175 around the same time, too. Guess what?
That was a *decade* ago. you could buy an old VW Beetle for $100 when I was
in high school too, but now they're considered classics. Why would the same
principal not apply to radios? There is more interest, more appreciation,
and less supply. Sure, we have some slimy people who like to rip others off
in the process, but what hobby dealing with antiques or 'collectibles'
doesn't? To those of us who appreciate the gear for its design and utility,
it's a hard pill to swallow at times. Unfortunately, it's here to stay. As
long as there's a dollar to be made, the buzzards/sharks will circle. The
best thing we can do is enjoy the gear we have, trade among ourselves, and
be willing to pay a decent price for a piece of gear when it's offered. No
one is holding a gun to anyone's head forcing them to buy an item, but if
you're serious about getting something in an auction, you also need to be
serious about spending what potentially could be a lot of money for the
convenience of having it brought to you.

 Or, you can do like many of us who still beat the bushes for old gear.
Other than the occasional flea market, yard sale, or classifieds find
though, the 'cheap' boatanchor is just not as plentiful as it was 10-20
years ago. Still, the $200-$400 hamfest radio is a far better deal than the
same radio online for $500-$700, methinks.

de Todd/'Boomer'  KA1KAQ