record player
January 11th, 2012
I’ve been looking for a record player on and off for a few months now. Why aren’t there any in thrift stores? Did people get rid of them too long ago? Or do people think they are worthless and just pitch them? Whatever the reason I couldn’t find one at all and I mentioned it to my mom over christmas. So she packed up and sent me hers to use until I find one of my own. Moms are the best.
The amount of awesome records out there is staggering–kids ones especially. We live right around the corner from a record shop (why I’ve waited this long to find a record player I don’t know). The little gem up there came from their fantastic free box.
Posted in my home.
we’ve totally been on the lazy hunt for a player too! we bought some $1 records at a sale a few months ago and i decided we needed a player. my dad was all set to send me his old one, but then remembered that he had already given it away (boo). so we keep looking…
I find them here in the States periodically but my problem is trying to convince my husband. He loves iTunes and is all digital. I still love all the pops and crackles of a record player…
I think record players are still cool and that’s why they are rarely in thrift stores. There are actually lots of people who still use them and many artists that still put their music out on vinyl! I got my grandma’s old record player (actually a whole stereo system) when she moved into a senior’s home a few years ago. It’s the best! And in such great condition that grandma’s keep things in. :) Enjoy the player, records are so much better than digital music!
My husband came home in December one night with a turntable and speakers, and a bag of LP’s. It was a time of many Christmas gifts being shuffled into the house and put in small corners for wrapping, but I really can’t remember for the life of me where he got this stuff from! Vinyl is cool, but truth be known, I’m most excited about maybe learning to scratch, old school, for reals, yo.
There has been a fantastic wooden one-piece unit at St. Vincent de Paul’s in Prairie du Sac for many months. It’s $195. I’m stopping in on Friday and I can let you know if it’s there, if you’re interested. It is completely gorgeous with shiny, rich wood. I can’t recall if it had a radio. It was about three feet tall and maybe four feet wide. A real beauty.
Actually, Meg, you are the best!
I was playing rattle and hum on vinyl yesterday for my toddlers. The richness of the sound is so wonderful. Makes me want to do better about checking the vinyl bin at the thrift store.
Have you tried Craigslist?
My daughter badly wanted a record player for her birthday when she was 15 ( 3 years or so ago) and I searched the op shops but no luck. Then – on the day of her birthday my friend found one which looks identical to your mom’s one for NZ$15 at the Red Cross shop. She uses it every day and has a fantastic record collection already. We have around 1500 or so ourselves, tried to cull the collection when cd’s came out but just couldn’t bring ourselves to do it. There really is nothing like listening to a vinyl record, it takes me back to happy places!
Welcome back. Glad to read your posts again. I love record players. Over Christmas I listened to some old records at my parents place. Great sound.
I had to laugh when I read this b/c we have the exact opposite problem…my husband dj’ed with records for years and now I think we have 4 record players in the house and I keep asking him “4? Really? Do we really need 4?!”
I have been looking for a record player as well. I have to say, the one your mom gave you is perfection – seriously beautiful. I find most are the ginormous full radio/record sets that are as big as a piece of furniture. My Mom swears by the late 70s/early 80’s PlaySkool cream/orange tan kids record player. It held up for me and my sister, for 30 years in her elementary school classrooms, and is now surviving five grandchildren. Without a sign of wear or tear – pretty amazing!
That’s so sweet of your mom! My college roommate had tons of records from her moms collection, Fleetwood Mac, Talking Heads- so many good ones. We’d blare those things while making dinner. I think records hold such a nostalgic feeling!