Adventures searching for Vintage Audio Stuff.....

**Leland** · July 16th, 2009, 10:11 PM

I was shocked last week, when I did a bit of my routine searching on the local Craigs List......and found listed for sale "pair of 50's Tannoy cabinets and speakers.....$250" !!

Of course I send an email right away....and said I'd be glad to take them, and pay her very reasonable asking price. Mean while I looked at a few Japanese audio sites and saw these type of speakers with asking prices upwards of 10 thousand dollars per pair.

I waited all day for a reply.........yes, I was very much counting my chickens before they hatched....but none came. Craig's list is a tough game.

That evening, I checked the post again, and it had been changed to "give me your best offer" for the speakers......I imagine she had been swamped with replies.

I sent off an email, saying I had a couple jars of silver dimes on my desk....worth a few thousand dollars....and could I please see the speakers.

The ad had a Chevy Chase Md., address....and I just imagined the divorced wife or perhaps widow selling her late husbands "old" outdated equipment.

To make a long story short....she was polite enough to send me an email that night.....

"sorry, I sold them"

**Leland** · July 16th, 2009, 10:53 PM

Craig's List find #2

Last year.....I did my routine of checking out Craig's List Free section for audio stuff....and was happily surprised to find an ad for a free stereo console.

I immediately sent an Email, saying I would be glad to pick it up, right away. This type of ad is very tricky....as you never know what you will find when you get there.....and I have been on more than one wild goose chase. But, there is a sub-sect of vintage audiophile that loves the old console tube amps.....I believe it is that industrial look. (I am one of them)

This time it payed off. I got an answer to my email....with an address in Arlington Va. which is right next door to me....saying that I had been picked...and could have the console. I headed right over.

It was a typical story......the son was selling his parents things...and moving his mother to Arizona...for retirement. The "console" had been his father's pride and joy....but it "had to go."

I was shocked, and had to keep a straight face when I saw it.....a PILOT console with an SA-212 tube amp paired with a nice pre amp. These are perhaps the most sought after amps and pre-amps of all the console tube gear. They routinely sell upwards of $500 bucks EACH on the flea bay.

Today it sits in a box in my garage.......awaiting restoration.

I'm thinking of a white plexiglass slab....perhaps about 1 inch thick....and mounting the amp flat.....and the pre-amp standing on end, next to it......It has one of those umbilical cords from the amp to pre-amp for power.

**Leland** · July 16th, 2009, 11:43 PM

Craig's List adventure #3......."How I got my La Scala speakers for $300 dollars"

Last year....I was taking a look at the FREE section of Craig's List for vintage audio gear and about fell off my chair when I saw an ad for a pair of Klipsch La Scala speakers for free. The address was in Alexandria VA.

I hemmed and hawed with myself.....then came to the conclusion....aw what the hell....did a Map Quest, printed out the directions, jumped into my car and rushed over.

Well, I got there, and sure enough.....there was a La Scala speaker....and a late 60's vintage one to boot.....sitting out in front of a house, on the sidewalk. BUT there was only one speaker. I looked all over....but just the one.

So, I backed my minivan up and loader her up. While I was loading....at least 3 cars cruised by.....and I am sure were there for the speakers.

When I got back home, I posted and ad on CL Free....and said " I got one La Scala....If you got the other one, please contact me"

Sure enough, I got an email back. The respondent was rather huffy.....saying that I had done him wrong....that he had no room in his car to take both the speakers...(they are rather large)....and that I had "stolen" his speaker....he had gotten there first....that he was shocked when he returned to pick up the second speaker...and it was gone...bla bla bla..."

So, I said look, I have a nice pair of Vintage tube Fisher mono blocks and these high efficentccy speakers are just what I need to round out my system....and that they are no good as singles....and that he should sell the one he got to me.

To make a long story short....he agreed to sell his speaker to me for $300 bucks. So, he made a very quick 300......and I got a nice set of La Scala speakers at a bargain price.

**Leland** · July 17th, 2009, 12:07 AM

Wow, gotta love Craig's List. Saw this tonight.

Curb Alert - furniture/old audio equipment

But truth be told....easier to have a good job, make the money and just buy it.

**Panomaniac** · July 17th, 2009, 11:16 AM

I like adventure #3 =)

**Audio_by_Goodwill** · July 17th, 2009, 05:12 PM

Here' mine.....happened just today.

Last night I find an ad on Craigslist..... Free Altec Voice of the Theatre cabinets........Need picked up soon before they go to a bonfire. xxx-xxxx. Ok they were posted 2days ago, no problem, I waited until today, the 3rd day, to call because it was very late when I saw the ad. On the phone today...... Oh, I burned those a few nights ago. You only posted the ad two days ago (actually 3 but I can't count)! Well, I had to get rid of them, if you know what I mean. I'm thinking, No, not really..... why would you post them, and then burn them a few hours later????

I see no logic behind what the guy did. If you can't wait for people to respond, why post something at all? On top of that..... the ad is still up.

**Old Guy** · July 17th, 2009, 06:36 PM

Originally Posted by Audio_by_Goodwill

Here' mine.....happened just today.

I see no logic behind what the guy did. If you can't wait for people to respond, why post something at all? On top of that..... the ad is still up.

And to add insult to injury not even delete the ad...takes like 30 seconds...