By snoadmin
If you are a record enthusiast like me, you probably know about local record shops such as Fingerprints Music in Long Beach, Bionic Records in Cypress and the almighty mecca that is Amoeba Music in Hollywood. However, once a month comes a very special record show located at the UFCW Union Hall in Buena Park. Featuring 93 tables in a well-lit, 10,000 square-foot room, plus free parking, you just can’t go wrong.
The person in charge is Steve Brunner, who has been setting up these shows in Buena Park on the last Sunday of every month since 1987. For $65, you can rent a table and sell your records. Sellers at the shows also offer posters, CDs, cassettes, T-shirts and books.
On paper, these shows start at 10 a.m., with a $3 admission ($2.50 with returned postcard mailing list). However, for those hardcore record buyers who want to come in for early admission (between 7 and 10 a.m.), the admission price is $8.
I know what you are thinking: Why would anyone wake up earlier only to pay more? Well, if you are passionate and really into collectibles, the earlier you arrive, the better your chances are because the good stuff is usually the first to go. But then again, there are so many tables that you are bound to find at least half, if not more, of the records you are looking for no matter what time you come in.
However, if you call Brunner’s number (which is located on his website at www.asavinyl.com) and are passionate about his shows, he might let you in for free. He did for me, and I took advantage of the early bird perks.
The sellers offer a wide variety of records for a wide range of prices. The genres represented at the sellers’ booths include R&B, jazz, rock ‘n’ roll, new wave, classical, country, soundtracks and more. The prices per record can range anywhere from $1 all the way up to $100, depending on the band, album, condition and pressing date.
Most of the sellers offer ’60s and ’70s records in great condition, with an emphasis on the likes of The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, Bob Dylan and The Who. You might get lucky and find one of these baby boomers in a daze, selling first-copy issues of records by these great bands for $3, while others who look up the value sell their LPs for $15.
Others, like the Ozzy Osbourne look-alike, sell a little bit of everything. He sells reggae, punk, folk and classic rock records. His prices are usually between $5 and $15 per record, which is about the average for the shows.
A good way to drive a price down is to basically talk to the sellers and make sure you have some things in common or hope that they like you. Be friendly as possible because they love talking to people, except the two old men at the corner who were half-asleep.
From my friendly conversation with the Ozzy look-alike, I got two Bob Dylan records for $5 a piece. These LPs were first-pressed copies in immaculate condition that were originally $8. It definitely makes a difference.
Because the sellers have their own community, there is always that minor conflict that occurs when outsiders come in and steal some sales by offering their records for the insane price of three for $1. The collection is really good, too: The Who, Van Halen, Aerosmith, ZZ Top and Michael Jackson are among the artists I’ve seen represented. I’ve bought about 10 records from these three-for-$1 stands.
However, I should warn you to resist the temptation of purchasing the first record that appears to be a great deal. There are so many bargains that it’s best to patiently browse the aisles while figuring out which stands offer the best deals and records.
With a record show this special and passionate, it’s no wonder that special guests such as Ray Manzarek of The Doors, Arthur Kane of the New York Dolls and Mick Taylor of The Rolling Stones have visited these shows in the past, thanks in no small part to Brunner, who loyally and passionately attends every single one as if it were his first.
