On Tuesday's Central Standard, Chuck Haddix, who hosts the public radio party known as the Fish Fry, joined a panel of guests in the studio to talk about the changing landscape for music collectors.
The consensus: Vinyl isn't going anywhere. If anything, it's seeing a revival, in the Kansas City area and elsewhere.
Haddix has a record collection so sizeable it has to live in the basement so that the foundation of his house won't crack under the weight. His love of promotional records, when he worked in the industry, inspired co-workers to label him a promosexual.
Every Friday and Saturday, Haddix comes strolling into the KCUR studios to host the Fish Fry with a heavy crate of vinyl records in tow.
In other words, he's the best guide to record-collecting around.
Here's his advice for finding hidden gems:
- Arrive early for estate sales that list records for sale. The proverbial early bird does get the worm.
- If you hit a good crate, buy the whole thing as cheap as you can. Most sellers don't want to be stuck with a picked-over collection.
- Always travel with a check or cash in pocket in case you come across an unadvertised sale with a good stash of records.
- If you don't see records when cruising sales, ask if they have them. Chances are they will have some in their house they will be willing to sell.
