Kind of Blue 4 track on Ebay

[ironbut]

 Believe me when I say, I'm a HUGE Miles fan. Saw him 9 times live, have over 50 lps, 28 various cds and sacds. KOB is kind of a collecting item. But,.. this is at $139+ with 8 hours to go ( I was thinking for the condition, maybe $80 which is what I paid for my original mono )! If I were a betting man, I'd put good money on over $200. This is for a good- cover condition, sellers never listened to it, as is 4 track. You see copies every few months and they always go for over $75 but YIKES!  I can't wait to see what it sells for. Now I wish I'd bought U47's 2 track!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=180151111047&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=008

[docb]

I'm getting a response that it's an invalid auction.

[ironbut]

Oops sorry 'bout that. Cut off the end somehow. Corrected now.

[ironbut]

Someone should have bet me. It sold for $192.10.

[docb]

I guess that gives me ammo for the next guy who complains that a licensed master dub at 15 ips half track for $200 is expensive, huh.

[ironbut]

And that's just 4 track. I've seen several RCA Living Stereo and Mercury Living Presence 2 tracks go for more. The buyers are almost always European or Asian. BTW, are there many out of country subscribers?

[xcortes]

I'm in Mexico.

[dwilawyer]

I think it is important to be patient on this stuff from Ebay.  Heidianna on this forum and I have been working on an informal "blue book" of sorts for tapes to try and keep up with these higher doller items.   I bought, this year, on ebay a still sealed KOB for $150.00.  I think there was another still sealed KOB last year that went for $200.00.  KOB comes up often enough that if you can wait, you are going to find it, in very good conditoin, for about $150.00.  $200.00 was way too much for this tape, in my opinion. unless you want it now.  Then you are going to pay what the market will bear.

Things can get real insane in a hurry on ebay, and that can either be a real good thing or a bad thing.  Good if you have all of the tapes that are now going for triple what they were going for 5 years ago, bad if you are trying to build a collection now.

Travis

[dwilawyer]

I guess that gives me ammo for the next guy who complains that a licensed master dub at 15 ips half track for $200 is expensive, huh.

To me it is apples and oranges.  I don't think it gives you ammo for anything, unless you were selling a 15 IPS Half-track master of KOB. 

There was an article in the last year in either Stereophile or TAS about the 3 track masters of KOB, and (I cannot remember which) . . . the mono is still good, but the stereo cannot be found, etc (I cannot recall which, or the specifics).  The author was talking about how incredible hearing the 3 track play was.  Now you license that and I would pay $500, $750, probably even a $1,000 for it.

Now if you license, lets say, Captain and Tennile, Love Will Keep Us Together, I wouldn't give you $10.00 for it (I take that back, I would give you $50 for it because your cools looking flanges are worth that alone).  On the other hand, Robert Cray for example, is a great talent, great music, great recording, that it fits within the price point. 

You don't need anyone to tell you this, but with music, it is all going to depend on who it is, and what it is, as to whether it is worth the price.  There is no queston the quality of the actual product is there, both the physical product and the process in making the tapes from the masters. 

You look at what the cost of a Columbia House (1R1) prerecorded reel to reel goes for compared to the original and you quickly see folks who are into reel to reel will pay a big premium for 7.5 IPS original issue tapes over mass-produced high speed dubbing record club issues.  But Percy Faith, is still Percy Faith, and he is going to go for less then 3 bucks (if you are lucky) whether it is 3.75, 7.5 or half-track 15IPS.

Travis

[docb]

I agree that it depends upon an individual's taste what something is worth. We have spent a lot of time over the past year and a half discussing a rational approach to picking titles that will a) have a broad enough appeal without being hackneyed (KOB might even fit the hackneyed description simply from the standpoint that it has been reissued so many times - I've just spoken a travesty, huh!) b) be music that moves us (we have to like what we are doing in order to do it well) and c) be available (I wish I could share a couple of awesome titles we pursued and found we couldn't license for this year, but I will keep them under wraps in case we get another crack at them in the future).

I suggested KOB early on in our discussion of titles. That won't be in this year's catalog, but hopefully the three jazz titles we will be winding the year up with might fulfill your expectations.

[dwilawyer]

I agree that it depends upon an individual's taste what something is worth. We have spent a lot of time over the past year and a half discussing a rational approach to picking titles that will a) have a broad enough appeal without being hackneyed (KOB might even fit the hackneyed description simply from the standpoint that it has been reissued so many times - I've just spoken a travesty, huh!) b) be music that moves us (we have to like what we are doing in order to do it well) and c) be available (I wish I could share a couple of awesome titles we pursued and found we couldn't license for this year, but I will keep them under wraps in case we get another crack at them in the future).

I suggested KOB early on in our discussion of titles. That won't be in this year's catalog, but hopefully the three jazz titles we will be winding the year up with might fulfill your expectations.

No, I think you have hit the nail on the head.  In terms of the quality of what you are trying to do, it would be harder for me to imagine it being any better (and be feasable economically).  So that leaves the selection/catalog side.  You do have to hit things that have a broad appeal.  I for one don't have any interest in classical, I am about 80% rock from (mostly 60's and 70's), 10% blues and 10% jazz.  I was born in 1960 and the percentage of jazz tends to creep up some.  I was raised on It's A Beautiful Day, Santana, Big Brother, Hot Tuna, Dooby Bros., The Tubes . . . every Bay Area band you can name.  However, the blend of the medium, having the best quality reproduction, combined with the selection is what garnered my interest.  In other words, if this were a "Vinyl Project" akin to MOFI or some others I may not be nearly as interested because there are plenty of alternatives in that medium.  If it was an all classical Vinyl Project I would have no interest.  The prospect of having the highest quality classical music has no appeal to me.  However, the prospect of having the highest quality music, of ASSORTED types, does have a very big interest to me.  Obviously, the highest interest TO ME would be an assortment that was 80% rock, 10% blues, etc.  I understand that you would not be able to stay in business if you catered only to my tastes and you will need to see what has, as you say, the broadest appeal. 

I look at this way, if having one or two classical tapes per year is going to gather more people then that helps insure the Tape Project is arround for a long time, which is what I am really hoping for.  Mark Levinson's attempt at this was so high priced and so short lived it was of no use.  I figure that eventually there will be a mix settles in that will keep everyone fairly happy.

As for KOB, Columbia, like everyone else, trys to sell the same thing 50 different ways and folks get turned off by it, I believe.  However, I cannot see anyone saying that about a Tape Project version of KOB. 

Travis

PS:  Another KOB just popped up on Ebay:   http://cgi.ebay.com/REEL-TO-REEL-MILES-DAVIS-KIND-OF-BLUE-7_W0QQitemZ180154144035QQihZ008QQcategoryZ618QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[ironbut]

Excellent points Travis. Insuring the long life of the Tape Project should be important to most of the early subscribers. However, having played the demo tape for many people who don't listen to classical, that Malcolm Arnold tape has, more often than not, gotten reactions like " ,.. if I could hear classical like this, I think I'd listen to it". Do yourself a favor and buy one. It's awesome! One guy asked me after listening to the whole demo tape, than auditioning some other systems, " Does it go away?" I knew just what he was talking about. I said," Yeah, after listening to your gear for a while, you'll get used to it again." Geeze! What was I supposed to say!

[rbwtapeinterlink-Bob]

As a jazz lover, Miles Davis was one of my top artist. However, I would never pay $200 plus for the "Kind Of Blue" recording. I think the person on Ebay is asking too much money. Plus, how do we know what kind of condition that tape is in? I must say I've never been stung on Ebay, but, I've never purchased tapes from anyone there.

I might consider paying that much for a Miles Davis colaboration with the Gil Evans orchestra, especially if it were to become available on 2 track. I would also consider paying $200 plus for Maria Schneider and her orchestra. What a great orchestra she has and what a great conductor and writer she is. All of her recordings are "Gold Nuggets". And finally, I don't want to leave out the great Stan Kenton. I loved his orchestra and most of his music. Then there is Duke Ellington and Count Basie........

Well, I'll stop musing here because I doubt tapes of Miles and Gil Evans, Maria Schneider or any of the other greats will ever become available on tape in my time. But it's great to think about the possibility.

Bob Williams