Looks like the same seller with two active accounts. Ma*****er name rings familiar, can't remember what the deal was. Looks like a Les Harris type of seller to me.
This guy is really the only person digging in that area, and I do not look forward to the day he turns up the Epic V on Sully. He's the guy that turned up the big quantity of the previously scarce Wry Catchers on AOK three years back. I've won items three times, and twice had to email looking for records.... there is usually a story involved on his end, and the records always get mailed the same day I get his response.
The last item I won from him was a longtime east New Mexico want. I got my bid in early on (if I'm not mistaken he has ended and restarted auctions I'm watching or just plain ol' ended 'em early) and forgot about it until Mack Stevens over in Waxahachie posted a copy of the same record in a lesser condition at a starting bid of $49.99 with a BIN of upwards of $250. I held by breath waiting for the auction to end as I was concerned the record would get 'damaged' prior to the close. I wound up winning for less than $20. Mack's lesser copy closed at the opening bid or slightly more.
A few days later I had not received my record... the trip from his door to my door should be at the quickest 24 hours and at the most 48. On the third day I had not received the record and went to check the listing only to find what looked to be the exact same record listed at a $249 BIN. I immediately emailed inquiring about my record's status. I figured he has noticed Mack's auction and got the idea that an extra few hundred dollars would be worth a chargeback and a negative. Anyhow... the very next day I got the record and it was unplayed M- condition rather than his advertised condition. He evidently wound up with a few copies of that records plus a few other local records.
His pricing structure is nuts.... can't sell a record for $9.99 so he relists at a $999.99 BIN and then eventually sells it for $4.99. His grading is strange and follows no pattern. Some semi-scarce records he has clips for, but then really rare records he doesn't... in the same set of auctions. He evidently takes pictures using 3 or 4 different cameras in 3 or 4 different locations and uses all of these different pictures in the same set of auctions. He has at least 3 accounts, though the most recent is presently dormant and he has returned to his first (ma***tters). He has a habit of listing old reel-to-reel recordings featuring material released elsewhere... rockabilly/hillbilly that's come out on Ace, alternate take of "Make Me Some Love" as heard on the Sea Ell set on Cicadelic/Collectibles. His shipping involves sandwiching a 45 between sheets of cardboard and then taping the edges by running the tape in a fashion opposite of what common sense might dictate. I'm surprised my last record actually did make it.
All that said... in my experience he does come through. Bidder beware though... he fulfills his selling obligations with widely varying results, so should you win a copy of the Remaining Few he turns up prepare yourself for a few day's worth of upset stomachs and headaches while you wait. On second thought you guys might was well just let me win it... I know what to expect- if that's possible- and am now used to dealing with him. If you wait long enough Doug or Craig or Barry will turn up a copy and you can sleep well knowing that a team of latex-gloved handlers have triple-boxed your grail in custom made boxes with enough foam peanuts to insulate a 2,000 square foot house and it has been shipped priority at their cost with delivery confirmation and insurance.
Jim thanks for the Popsike links, they really helped.
