What's the next Thift-Score item to hoard for DIY??

[TimG]

I spend way too much time on shopgoodwill.com and the AKAI/Roberts tape machines are getting somewhat crazy for analog gear heads.
On the other hand, the 2 channel ad/da npout/output boxes from Christmases past are cheap as dirt

So I have been thinking, based on what I am seeing lots of that likely have heavy duty sound parts (even if they aren't audiofile)?

They have piles and piles of those institutional Califone record players with mic input????
No idea what the components would be good for but..

What else would be good to scrounge for? You know, as a joke...

This one doesn't have the square dance caller mic input. Lol.

 

[mjrippe]

When I lived in Baltimore (1990-2012) there was no shortage of brick and mortar thrift stores. Maybe that has changed? I used to have a regular route two days a week to hit them all and I cannot tell you half the amazing finds I came across...

 

[TimG]

When I lived in Baltimore (1990-2002) there was no shortage of brick and mortar thrift stores. Maybe that has changed? I used to have a regular route two days a week to hit them all and I cannot tell you half the amazing finds I came across...

Covid has changed it, the best items get filtered upstream, and lots make their living picking stuff for their shops. But from the old days I have multiple guitars, a silvertone amp and a fancy huge tubular deco chrome sofa that was originally in the Men's Lounge at the Senator!

 

[cyrano]

Everyone knows how to use Google these days and there's usually someone somewhere hyping up even the most mediocre gear, so no real bargains around.

OTOH, there's still gear that's completely unknown on the internet. Might be worth buying before it's documented?

 

[hodad]

In my neighborhood, the closest thrift store started keeping the good stuff from hitting the floor at least ten years ago. (and the store recently closed due to gentrification.) And of course there's now the goodwill site that does the same (though not all goodwills participate.) My nephew hits a couple of independents and has pretty decent luck there.

As to what the next cheap now/$$$$ later will be? I have no idea. I wouldn't be shocked if boutique pedals or modular synths hit a slump in the next few years, & then rebounded as people rediscovered them. A possible longshot: high end but outdated A/D converters. I'm not sure why anyone would want them, but well-engineered gear at bargain prices always has a shot at a comeback.

 

[matriachamplification]

We have a few old Akai reel to reels. Always wanted to turn them into a delay set up of some kind... or just tube/tape saturation boxes. Interesting to hear people are buying them up. They were so cost effective.

 

[TimG]

We have a few old Akai reel to reels. Always wanted to turn them into a delay set up of some kind... or just tube/tape saturation boxes. Interesting to hear people are buying them up. They were so cost effective.

I got a cool Akai mono terecorder from Goodwill that I’ve been shamed to not just pull the amp out. It could be useful in the studio after a bunch of work!