LPs

[Saket]

@saket:
My last trip to Kolkata was a big disappointment as there was hardly anything worth buying with Free School Street or Lenin Sarani vendors. Nearly all the LPs they had were in poor condition. Do you know any shop in particular which still stocks good pcs? Thanks.

That is true. It really takes some effort. During my last visit which was about 8-9 months ago, I was prepared to spare my entire day hunting good LPs. In fact, I did spend my whole day hunting. There was a guy sitting just near a small cross, outside a shop, he had decent LPs, but only if you gave time and with eagle eyes. Agreed, most of them were battered and resources are depleting fast though but I got a few LPs from him, which I doubt were ever played. Jamaluddin has LPs in better shape as he had a better set up to store LPs than the street vendors, but I always find him a tad too expensive, even for the same titles in identical condition from other sellers.

Dear Saket,

Those days are past. Now the Bengali Puja hits (Asha Bhosle and R.D.Burman) are prices @ 700 to 2000 (INR) Moreover possibility of getting good quality LPs from these shops have dried up. Whenever a single mint piece arrives their place, pre booked buyers have been called up who are ready to shell out good amount of money.

Hv heard about one seller guy who has stocked up 30 pcs of Shaan LP (very common to us) to float in the market in a good time.

Looks like trading LPs & Shares are becoming similar! Yes, the Bengali Puja Hits; Asha Bhonsle and RD Burman was the LP I bought then, it has a black album art with Asha ji's picture on it. The pressing is also very good.

 

[reubensm]

most of the enthusiasts like ourselves have already taken whatever good vinyl was left out there. The same situation exists for valves and phono cartridges. Recently I was searching for a ceramic cart and entered into some interesting conversations with electronic stores owners here in Trivandrum. One of them told me that they used to keep huge stock of BEL valves and EEI phono cartridges. Some of them even had stock of BSR turntable decks. They usually got their supplies from stockists in Delhi and Punjab (it was a common site to see a Sardar visiting these shops with huge suitcases, supplying stuff_. What they say in the mid 2000s, these very same Sardars came down and bought back all valve and phono spares stock, paying double of the original selling price. Only later on did these shop owners come to know from customers that anything to do with phono and audio/radio involving valves, was back in vogue these days. What followed in the conversation was a lot of nasty adjectives directed at those guys from Delhi and Punjab. Interesting information indeed as I remember buying an EL84 valve in 1991 from the same store for 35 bucks and a EEI mono cart again from the same store for 25 bucks in 1995.

 

[reubensm]

On another note, recently I acquired a lot of 30 LPs from a music centre in Jaipur (the ones that used to maintain a mini library and dub these on cassettes for customers). All were in pretty good condition (it was obvious that very few customers in down town Jaipur were interested in Western Instrumental and Orchestration)

 

[bhaskarcan]

That is true. It really takes some effort. During my last visit which was about 8-9 months ago, I was prepared to spare my entire day hunting good LPs. In fact, I did spend my whole day hunting. There was a guy sitting just near a small cross, outside a shop, he had decent LPs, but only if you gave time and with eagle eyes. Agreed, most of them were battered and resources are depleting fast though but I got a few LPs from him, which I doubt were ever played. Jamaluddin has LPs in better shape as he had a better set up to store LPs than the street vendors, but I always find him a tad too expensive, even for the same titles in identical condition from other sellers.

It's all 'luck by chance'. I've noticed if I visit Wellington frequently, say twice/thrice a week, I chance upon some good staff regularly. Otherwise nothing much comes in way. Records come and go fast.

And +1 regarding Jamaluddin.

 

[Saket]

It's all 'luck by chance'. I've noticed if I visit Wellington frequently, say twice/thrice a week, I chance upon some good staff regularly. Otherwise nothing much comes in way. Records come and go fast.

And +1 regarding Jamaluddin.

Since you frequent the area, by any chance if you stumble upon 'Saturday Night Fever' by Bee Gees at a good price, please get a copy for me. I am looking for it since long.

EEI mono cart again from the same store for 25 bucks in 1995.

Even I bought a couple of EEI Mono cartridges in around 1997-98 for 45/-. (Don't know why but it had the word 'hi-fidelity' written on it)

Again I bought the same EEI cartridge in about 2002 for Rs. 100/- Then I remembered the shop used to sell it around 150/- 175/-, then they stopped stocking it altogether.

Would also like to share an incident in Kolkata. I bought an HMV idler pulley and a philips flip stylus from Kolkata street vendors for Rs. 150/- (both one each). Later the same day, when I asked the price at a well known used vinyl seller in the market, he offered me the same pulley for Rs. 300/- & the stylus for 150/- There is actually no standardization in prices; everything is on how well you can negotiate. True for vinyls too.

I have bought decent condition EPs for Rs. 10/- as well, little before vinyls came in vogue again; in about 2008. IIRC, Lps were bought for anything between 20 to 30 bucks each! But those days are surely long gone. The sellers are now recovering their losses; take it this way.

 

[reubensm]

When I used to work in Chennai, I once visited Moore Market (or what is left of it) to buy some chappals. Noticed a guy selling records, picked up Saturday Night Fever, Hotel California (american pressing) and Billy Joel's 52nd Street (Uk pressing) for 100 bucks (Rs.25 per record, Saturday Night Fever is a double LP). All the 4 records were in pristine condition and even the covers were excellent. One would never known when luck strikes. This was in 2007.

 

[bhaskarcan]

Since you frequent the area, by any chance if you stumble upon 'Saturday Night Fever' by Bee Gees at a good price, please get a copy for me. I am looking for it since long.

I'll definitely look for it.

 

[bluemask]

@saket, last week have seen in seetaphones shop but condition is not good if u intrested i'll take that lp and send to u

 

[Saket]

@saket, last week have seen in seetaphones shop but condition is not good if u intrested i'll take that lp and send to u

Thanks Bluemask for the gesture. Though, if the condition is not good, I think it may not be worth the exercise. How much did the seller ask for it by the way? And where is the location?

 

[Simon Wires]

Since you frequent the area, by any chance if you stumble upon 'Saturday Night Fever' by Bee Gees at a good price, please get a copy for me. I am looking for it since long.

Dear Saket, I think I have it. Let me dig out the lot by tomorrow and let you know.

 

[kuruvilajacob]

When I first started collecting, I used to get at an average of 200 records per month. I have bought them at prices ranging from Rs 20.. Those were the days!

 

[Simon Wires]

Since you frequent the area, by any chance if you stumble upon 'Saturday Night Fever' by Bee Gees at a good price, please get a copy for me. I am looking for it since long.

finally , on this weekend hangout with kids, playing LPs and jiving with them, started digging out my LPs in search of of that.. Dusted my hand for an hour and could locate it finally..

Clicked snaps but coulnt upload here, dont know how to do.

Looks like its a twin LP.. I got part 3 & 4. Its a polydor & RSO records inc product..










Side 3 had Night on disco mountain, Open sesame, jive talk in , you should be dancing, boogie shoes, and side 4 wtih salsation, K Jee, disco inferno...

Its a original movie sound track..Is that what you are looking for? If so, i would courier it free for you, for the thrill you would enjoy, i cherish lending it along with courier fee, born by me..

I am yet to dig the other disc .. side 1&2..

 

[bluemask]

@limewire, how many records in your collection?

 

[Saket]

Its a original movie sound track..Is that what you are looking for? If so, i would courier it free for you, for the thrill you would enjoy, i cherish lending it along with courier fee, born by me..

I am yet to dig the other disc .. side 1&2..

Limewire, thank you so much for the nice gesture. Yes, that is the disc I am looking for, mainly for the song 'stayin' alive' which would be on the first disc.
However, if you come across a copy, do let me know, I'd love to have one too.
Thanks again,
Saket

 

[alwayslogo]

Hi Lifewater,
Is there any LP left ?

Regards
Logo

 

[Gerry_the_Merry]

I imported for myself and a fm from the us several LP titles ranging from 5-15 dollars. Each and every one of them is abso mint. I have never got this kind of stuff in india.

 

[Tanoj]

Hi life water,

any hindi lp's left for late comers ?

Regards

Tanoj

 

[reubensm]

I imported for myself and a fm from the us several LP titles ranging from 5-15 dollars. Each and every one of them is abso mint. I have never got this kind of stuff in india.

+1 to this method, most of my LPs have been acquired the same way. IMO, American pressings are far superior to our good old Gramophone Co Ltd.

 

[peace_sells]

+1 to this method, most of my LPs have been acquired the same way. IMO, American pressings are far superior to our good old Gramophone Co Ltd.

I don't own any Gramophone Co. Ltd records..but IMO, American pressings are still quite bad in front of UK pressings (at least the 70s/80s era)..The UK (German, Dutch and Greek pressings also sound much better that the US ones) pressings sound so much fuller and detailed..The US ones sound less lively..it's like there's a cushion placed over the speakers..

 

[Gerry_the_Merry]

The US imports include several UK, German pressings etc. Also the EMI labels for india pressings for ghazals etc sound top class. One of my sets picked up for 50bucks each of mehdi hassan and ghulam Ali sounds fabulous with no compression anywhere.