Allentown 45rpm Record Show April 1 2017

MopTopMike

G45 Legend
Staff member
Joined
Apr 20, 2011
Location
The shores of southern CT
The now legendary record show for 45rpm fanatics is fast approaching.
Anyone here planning on attending?
In the past, I rarely missed this twice-a-year show; however, over the past five years I've only managed to attend a couple. My last show visit was during the fall of 2015. Hope to see some pals and forum members.
I will have a dealer table on Saturday, anywhere from 10 to 12 white cardboard boxes chock full of 45s distilled from a collection are for sale.
Besides '60s garage and other '60s non-hit rock 45s, I'll have doo-wop / group harmony, guitar rockers, r&b, instrumentals, some '60s / '70s soul and boxes of $1 oddball 45s in varying genres ranging from country to novelty. Of course, I'll have a list of the more collectible / desirable / higher priced 45s in all genres, a paper list will show what is available. I'm not going to post anything on G45, you'll need to attend the show.
I will be arriving on Friday, however, no one will be allowed to paw thru any boxes until the day of the record show. I'm long past feeling disgusted with guys surrounding my car as I pull in to park, then grabbing 45s from boxes in furious fashion, jamming them back in the wrong box, trying to switch out priced sleeves....
 
I have at least one full white box of garage with nothing priced higher than $50. Most are in the $20 over and under range. Expert / long time collectors probably have a lot of what's inside but grades are at least VG+, most 45s are very clean.
Another box consists of '60s rock and pop, so those folks who like pop sounds / sunshine pop / harmony pop / bubblegum, etc. should find 45s of interest. All are obscurities. I'm still sorting and pricing.
The TBM monster sides will be offered, of course, but not in a table box.
 
As it turns out, I'll be at Allentown early this year, with a room at the Red Roof Inn (aka America's Best Value Inn) on Wednesday afternoon/Thursday.
 
I heard there were a couple on J-Beck in fine shape. Also a first version of Hey Joe by the Leaves was cheap. I didn't find much for myself, that's for sure, other than a trade with a friend.
 
I heard there were a couple on J-Beck in fine shape. Also a first version of Hey Joe by the Leaves was cheap. I didn't find much for myself, that's for sure, other than a trade with a friend.

The Thaks 45s were not that clean and were definitely not in the 'bargain' column. I found them first and took a pass...but they were one of the few "finds" to be had this time around.
 
A fave Ohio seller who always has something interesting in his boxes had a very solid Vikings on Wam asking $4k, from experience the seller comes down a good bit on high values he initially asks, he was asking a similar amount for a soul 45 last year that went down c. 50% on and prev to that got a mint (unheard of) very tough local r&b thing from him for a great price too so hey.
 
My view on the show:

Selling - if you price your 45s to sell, or are willing to be flexible on prices, you should be making $$$$.
I did well, even though there were not anywhere near the number of people shopping around as I have seen during past years. Maybe the lousy weather had something to do with it.
Of course, there's the perpetual skin flint brigade who will only pay 40% or less off your asking price. And then they ask for a discount on their pile.

Buying - it seemed to me that most dealers had the same 45s that I spotted back in the fall of 2015. Or even fall 2012. I don't get it - why the hell would anyone travel here, sit behind a table for 6 or more hours to only net a few hundred bucks, if that? I heard, many times, that a seller couldn't "do better" on a priced 45 because he had "too much into it". My answer - he paid or pays too much for the records. I guess people actually like lugging boxes of 45s back and forth year after year. I didn't have time to look everywhere, but based on what other pals told me, it wasn't necessary.

I was able to pick up a long time want, and some unexpected finds. The ratio of $$$ paid to records bought every year increases exponentially, with $$$ being the higher amount.

I did a combo cash / trade to obtain a VG++ copy of the Undertakers on Black Watch at the show. Plays M-.
There was one copy left that was a weak VG at best with some large scuffs on the "I Fell In Love" side"
 
Barry S. got a copy of the Undertakers, and if I read his FB page correctly, I think it might be for sale.