Ever had the fortune of getting a sweet, desirable boombox?

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Madadh

Madadh

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I don't. Being a teenage (high school) cheapskate I've never had the fortune of finding a decent 80's boombox in intact functioning order, here in Portland OR. They either list the prices well out of reach for my broke ass, or it's egg crap, or it needs a lot of work. Fleabay & Goodwill can get thrown out the window.

I'm also having a very hard time selling or trading my Lucky Goldstar TSR-581 on Craigs. Nobody's contacted me in the past several days, and it needs a lot of work.

Just the ONE thing I would wish to own on my bucket list is a single, respectable, vintage, Golden-Era boombox that I can simply enjoy.
 
Northerner

Northerner

Boomus Fidelis
The problem is that bargains are few and far between these days so you have to be on the look out all the time. I check multiple saved searches on eBay several times every day as well as Facebook marketplace and other places. You need a good idea of what’s a good box and watch values. It’s a lot of hours effort for the occasional success you get. Since Feb 2018 I’ll have picked up many a bargain. But I guess I depends what you think a bargain is…if you’re expecting them for pennies you’ll never get them, it’s not realistic these days. And sadly it gets harder and harder as time goes by…it’s way tougher now than back in 2018 for example. How I fund mine is by restoring and flipping the lower ones to pay for the better ones I keep…I’m fairly sure I’ve made more money than I’ve spent overall and I’ve got a great collection. I dread to think how many hours work went into it all though lol.
 
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dubout

dubout

Member (SA)
Northerner said:
I dread to think how many hours work went into it all though lol.
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That is also my 'problem' when giving a boombox away. They are 40+ years old, none of them work as they did when they were new. You always have to put work into it. For example I was lucky enough to I find a beat up Lasonic TRC 920 for 25 bucks. I strip it completely, deep clean and repair it ... By that point I am already 4 hours deep into this box at least! Plus belts, idler and caps cost money, too. I put so much effort, research and compassion into it – I can't pass it on to someone else for 30 Euro only for them to put it into the basement or sell it on for 120 Euro!

Same with a Sharp GF 525: 40 bucks but I had to find fitting knobs and slider caps (not original obviously), clean and adjust it and it still is missing the antenna and aluminum panels on the cassette doors. But for me it is a decent box and I enjoy it.

It also happens regularly that I put a working boombox away, pull it out 4 months later and it either has the same or another issue and isn't working anymore.

The conclusion is, if you do the work yourself there are bargains out there but you have to identify them and then shoulder the work – and the risk of failing.
 
caution

caution

Member (SA)
Getting a steal of a deal nowdays on a collectible box, in nice shape, in the wild, is exceedingly rare. Even then, every box has something wrong with it after 40 years. Online is even worse, too many people are on the prowl waiting to pounce on deals, which are already hard to find because sellers generally know how much they're worth. Scoring big from a word-of-mouth sale does happen, so let your family and friends know that you collect.

For some perspective, I live on the west side. Before the pandemic, I'd hit up a couple of Goodwill retail locations a few times a week, including their outlet center in Aloha, which gets insane amounts of stuff. All I found worth keeping after all that was a TRK9150 in OK shape and a couple of nice minis. The rest were either too beat up or not collectible.

I know a lot of serious collectors that spend inordinate amounts of time and money to get their hands on shelfworthy boxes - it's just where things are now.
 
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Brutus442

Brutus442

Member (SA)
My best advice...that partially worked for me was to ask around at work, school wherever. Mention that you started collecting old boomboxes and like to display or even fix them up. You'd be surprised at the number of people who pop up with a statement like " ooh I have an old one in the garage I don't use or in the basement"

Some turn out to be too far gone but some turn out to be hidden gems. I found a decent Pioneer SK-71 and an AWAI 880 this way. Gave the 71 back the owner after repairing it (sentimental reasons) and sold the 880 to fund a PC-55 purchase.
 
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floyd

floyd

Boomus Fidelis
Nowadays a decent vintage old school Boombox is something you have to save up for it just like it was back in the day now only more expensive my advice save your money then get with people you trust and buy something that works from the beginning from somebody you trust. There's plenty of them out there to be had it just takes money I know trust me. You don't want to spend your time f****** with something that you just paid a lot of money for because I've been there.
 
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floyd

floyd

Boomus Fidelis
The boxes I bought from members here are actually some of the best ones I have because when they say they work they actually do and if they say it don't work then I can't say anything if it doesn't.
 
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Northerner

Northerner

Boomus Fidelis
floyd said:
Hell if I. Walk into a place I like that that I might buy that whole wall lol. That way I can threaten my other boxes they might end up there if they don't cooperate.
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Lol. Well it seemed a shame to get rid of the fronts once I’d stripped the boxes for parts…they’re still purdy as they are. It’s like a memorial wall lol
 
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K dabras

K dabras

Member (SA)
Reli said:
Find a friend in Mexico, that's where the best deals are. Not US or Europe
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You're right I have been lucky for 2 years now finding 30 boxes some need work, I have 2 conion for 250 dlls 2 Recxel for 100 dlls but no luck on 3 of my favorites M90, sanyo Mx920 and jvc Diablo. By the way does any body know where to recrome buttons and plastic chrome in Los Angeles ? I'll be going to visit family next 2 weeks and I want to bring some stuff to get it chrome.
 
floyd

floyd

Boomus Fidelis
Yeah the way the prices are spiraling out of control even a $300 M70 looks like a bargain. I love boomboxes so I don't limit my collection to just high-end I also collect low end mid grade and pure crap lol. I must have given away 30 boomboxes in the last 10 years. And they all went to people who couldn't afford one.
 
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Radio raheem

Radio raheem

Requiem Æternam
could have had an m70 for 50 quid a few days ago lad, i left it there lol...i don't buy low end boxes as i don't see the point when i have things like m90's and above as i just wouldn't use them lol
 
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floyd

floyd

Boomus Fidelis
Believe it or not I use the low end boomboxes way more than I use the high-end boomboxes because a low end boom box is a low-risk to use in public or at work. One thing's for sure it don't matter how good a quality it is when it's broken it's f***** up just as if it was a cheap piece of s***.
 
floyd

floyd

Boomus Fidelis
I love some of the f****** sayings that come from collector/ investors like big toys for big boys or go big or go home. you know that s*** real easy to say when you already have it. Seems like people who didn't know what a f****** Boombox was 15 years ago and now they're leading Authority because they have a big collection. I think the reason some people don't even pursue collecting anymore it's because they feel like a small fish in a big pond with all these f****** sharks out there with their expensive collection just waiting to get paid when the prices are right. Like it was said before the s*** is just no fun because they've elevated it to where its exclusive and a lot of people are the member of the f****** club. I go to motorcycle meets almost every weekend during the summer and the same s*** applies there big boys with their toys Most of motherfukers Don't Know Jack schitt about motorcycles and I don't even bother telling him I have four in my garage compared to their one and all of mine are paid for but I don't say s***.
 
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