[Boatanchors] INFLATION

[GEORGE MORTON]

Gents - There are two human traits which remain unsurpassed unto eternity:
1) Stupidity, and 2) Greed.
Brgds, Geo
----- Original Message -----
From: "Todd Bigelow - PS" <tbigelow@pop.state.vt.us>
To: "Duane Fischer, W8DBF" <dfischer@usol.com>
Cc: <W4AWM@aol.com>; <Boatanchors@mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Thursday, January 30, 2003 9:25 AM
Subject: Re: [Boatanchors] INFLATION


>
>
> "Duane Fischer, W8DBF" wrote:
>
> > You missed the HA-10 that went for $450 a while back! Just remember
John, when
> > these people try to sell these items, there will not be buyers willing
to pay
> > the bloated prices the seller will have to ask just to break even. No
matter how
> > discuss it, or rationalize it, it is still old gear and subject to a lot
of
> > problems because it is old gear.
>
> Which is why "investing" in old gear is such an foolish thing to try to
do. Unless
> you get VERY lucky, VERY often there isn't a lot of hope of getting rich
quick (or
> ever). Always better if you enjoy owning, restoring, and using the gear.
Problem
> then is, you don't want to part with it, for any price!
>
> This probably explains too why so many people get hosed trying to buy an
instant
> collection of Collins or other vintage gear. They lack the necessary
knowledge to
> know exactly what they're buying or what to look for, as well they lack
the
> experience to know what 'real' prices are: a combination of many factors
and not
> simply determined by the most one person was willing to pay for an item at
auction.
>
> I think most of us who are involved in vintage gear probably have at least
one or
> two rigs that would bring a fair amount of money today from one source or
another.
> So, if we sell those items (likely the ones we enjoy most), and get a
handful of
> cash, what then? Can we go out and buy the same thing all over again for
> considerably less? Perhaps, but it might take a lot of time and patience,
if it ever
> happens at all. If I upgrade a piece of gear (newer model, better
condition, etc)
> I'm always careful to make sure I have the replacement in place first
before parting
> with the other. It's just too easy to end up spending the money on other
things and
> ending up with an empty spot.
>
> Probably the worst part about a high priced sale like the recent SX-88 is
that so
> many others take it as reason to start asking higher prices for their gear
because
> so-and-so got this much for his. It gets protracted and reflected in the
prices of
> other items as well. There might be a basic feeding frenzy for a brief
period, then
> it starts to slide back. Same high bidder on the SX-88 was one of the
first (if not
> *the* first) to pay over $4K for an SX-115 on ePay. After that prices got
up to $6K
> and higher for that particular model. In the last year I've seen several
sell for
> under $1K and none above $2K. I've also seen a couple offered repeatedly
and not
> make reserve, no doubt either someone who 'invested' too much money or
else someone
> who decided they deserved at least that much since others had gotten
similar. Greed
> is a funny thing. Misplaced greed is downright hilarious.
>
> Fact of the matter is, when someone pays that much for a rig, chances are
really
> good that they actually want it badly - to use, to enjoy, to have. The bid
history
> shows a dealer from the south who is notorious for high prices and
other....things.
> They dropped out about midway through the bidding. Must be business isn't
so good?
>
> If you procure old radios for the sake of enjoyment and use, you'll never
go wrong.
> If you buy them on speculation or because it's the latest fad, you'll
probably get
> hosed. Price only becomes important when money is an issue or the focus.
>
> Boomer,  KA1KAQ (Pack Rat extraordinaire)
>
>
>
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