Not buying anymore vintage Apple II hardware.

[Keatah]

This month may be the last month I purchase any vintage Apple II material. Prices are not in-line and arbitrarily set without thought, "Because Apple".. I've got most everything I need today and have wanted back in the day. And I've got most all the Apple-published manuals sans maybe 5 or 10 tops. And spare parts? Got them coming out the wazooo!

 

There's a few modern present-day-made items I may pick up. But there's no rush on that.

 

Anyone else get the feeling their classic computing rigs are complete in the sense it represents some 90% functionality of what it was intended to do?

Edited April 24, 2021 by Keatah

[doctorclu]

I hear you on collecting Apple stuff.

 

Maybe try collecting Atari next.  

 

(Says me, the mostly Mac and Newton guy...). 

[Keatah]

I'm not sure I want to get into another platform. I may redouble and refresh efforts in the Software Emulation and FPGA sectors so to speak. So much is happening in the two scenes. And I can intersperse vintage gaming with modern stuff, and necessary stuff.

 

The most discouraging thing (right now) is just the arbitrary "because apple" pricing. Things with "Jobs" or "Woz" seem to inflate the price. Not that that is anything new.

 

I see this in PC hardware, too, because "old", "90's", "L@@KS impressive", or is "complex computery stuffage" - therefore it's worth a lot. The other side of this is you get stupid sellers that truly believe something is junk and they just list it for $9.95 or something.

 

[doctorclu]

6 hours ago, Keatah said:

The most discouraging thing (right now) is just the arbitrary "because apple" pricing. Things with "Jobs" or "Woz" seem to inflate the price. Not that that is anything new.

 

You're right, it is nothing new.   There are three types of retro items sold...

 

1) Priced for nostalgia

2) Priced based on the market (completed ebay sales ect)

3) Priced to clear space.

 

Personally I am alright with all of the three as they make things available for my own collection.

 

Now how important to you is the item to pick it up with any of the three ways?

[amiman99]

I don't have any Apple II stuff, I did wanted one 5 years back, but already it was getting expensive. I wanted Apple IIc, small and compact compared to original. Right now, I can emulate Apple II on my Amiga A1200, so no loss there.

 

When I sell my stuff, I price it at or few $ below market value. So far success and no complaints from buyers. 

[christo930]

On 4/25/2021 at 10:39 AM, doctorclu said:

 

You're right, it is nothing new.   There are three types of retro items sold...

 

1) Priced for nostalgia

2) Priced based on the market (completed ebay sales ect)

3) Priced to clear space.

 

Personally I am alright with all of the three as they make things available for my own collection.

 

Now how important to you is the item to pick it up with any of the three ways?

I don't know how these prices are being supported when you add in shipping. Shipping has gone off the rails and is only going to get worse with oil prices rising.  With a lot of stuff, you can end up paying more in shipping than what you paid for the item. 

[TheDevil'sCompass]

I've been pretty selective in what I pick up because of the out of control pricing. There are still a few games I'd like to pick up but only if I can find them for the right price. As far as hardware goes, I'm still looking for a //c Senior Prom but I'm not holding my breath on that one. I've toyed around with recreating it and will probably dig that project out once again someday.

[Keatah]

Indeed. Shipping, taxes, pandemic, vat, and "because vintage on ebay" should definitively raise enough alarm bells to where you become critical of your purchases.

 

So many things overseas I'd purchase, except the 3x shipping vs item-cost is more then enough deterrent. Let the crap rot on ebay's servers until kingdom come! Not interested in paying the middlemen costs which have risen beyond my ways and means.

[0078265317]

My Macintosh se fdhd adb ports are dead.  And power supply intermittently shuts of during boot sometimes.  Power supply probably needs a recap.  And maybe motherboard.

[Keatah]

M'kay..