WARNING FOR COSTANDINOS FANS AND EBAY BIDDERS!!

[Jimmy-Michaels]

Anyone who bids on ebay and looks for Costandinos items. STAY AWAY from these CD's of basicly every album he's ever recorded!!
They are all out there again. I bought one a while ago and luckaly the seller gave me a refund. These are nice looking covers and the cd looks nice as well but....when you play it..****!!!!!!! They are all poorly recorded from fair conditioned LP's(with surface noise, pops, etc..) plus, who ever made these jokes didnt even cue the tracks up right. They all cut in or fade in about 1/2 a second late and the cd clock reads 0003 before it even starts. DONT WASTE YOUR HARD EARNED CASH ON THIS ****!!!! Burn your own from your nice sounding LP's or find the original vinyl in mint cond.

Jimmy M.

[Jimmy-Michaels]

FYI people. Forgot to mention, the "Americana" joke is already up to 21.00
With 4 bidders. When I got one of these jokes I payed almost 40.00 and was agenst over 10 bidders. PLEASE STAY AWAY!!!!!!!!!!!

[Giovanni]

As I always say, BUY VINYL !!!!

[Jeff H]

Browsing/shopping on eBay is always interesting, sometimes exciting and often like an economics lesson in supply and demand. (And no, I don't work for eBay.)

It's surprising (and sometimes frustrating) to see what records will sell for at different times. I once bid in an auction for the 12-inch of Frankie Avalon's "Venus" update that eventually closed at over $70. I'm glad I dropped out when the bidding started getting high, because I was able to pick up the same record in an auction months later for just $7.99 (and when the record arrived, it had a price tag on it for $100; wishful thinking on that seller's part!). Did no one else notice the listing this time, or was no one else interested? Who knows?

Likewise, you often see great and/or rare records going for $1.99 while others routinely sell for $30 or more; everything by Martin Circus is very hot on eBay, and I personally don't understand why. And why would someone pay over $100 for a 12-inch of ABBA's "Dancing Queen" when there's a remastered CD version available these days? Unless you're going to frame the record rather than play it, what's the point?

Anyway, maybe a casual buyer whose ear is less critical than a DJ's won't care that the Costandinos CDs aren't studio quality. Good for the seller. It's all about what the market will bear, right? (He wrote cynically... )

[Giovanni]

And why would someone pay over $100 for a 12-inch of ABBA's "Dancing Queen" when there's a remastered CD version available these days? Unless you're going to frame the record rather than play it, what's the point?

Ever heard about collecting?!?!
All record collectors search for the original pressings, not to play them but just to have them.
There are many vinyl and CD reissues you can destroy playing and djing. Many record collectors buy the original record, record it on a CD and then listen to the CD! And the original record is framed!!!!!

[Jeff H]

Of course I've heard of collecting--I actually have a pretty extensive and moderately valuable comics collection dating back to the early '60s.

But I have read and enjoyed every one of those comics. I know people who buy comics and seal them in plastic as an investment, and I think this misses the point about why the comic was created.

Maybe if I were wealthy I would collect things just to have them, but--regular guy that I am--I have a hard time justifying owning records, comics, wine, whatever, if you're not going to use it and get some enjoyment from it.

[Bernie]

On 2002-05-04 13:47, Jeff H wrote:
Of course I've heard of collecting--I actually have a pretty extensive and moderately valuable comics collection dating back to the early '60s.

But I have read and enjoyed every one of those comics. I know people who buy comics and seal them in plastic as an investment, and I think this misses the point about why the comic was created.

Maybe if I were wealthy I would collect things just to have them, but--regular guy that I am--I have a hard time justifying owning records, comics, wine, whatever, if you're not going to use it and get some enjoyment from it.

Thank you Jeff!

It's amazing how some will buy a sealed record and never play it or a comic book and never read it. Unless it's a second copy I say play the darn thing. One can collect and still enjoy.

Just broke the seal on an original "Disco Magic" TK 12" by T-Connection and it was so-so sweet to hear. I felt as though I went to heaven. I don't care how rare that sealed record is, I'm busting that cherry

[Mixmachine]

I recently won sealed originals copies of “war and peace” Edwin Starr, The modulations “It’s rough out here” (MFSB band) El Coco “caravan” 12” Jorge Santana “love the way” and others and played them all !, if this collectors are going to frame the record they don’t need a mint copy for that, but hey, whatever floats their boat, Diana’s original “love hangover “ 12” keeps selling for $200.00 plus!, and just about any good pre 79 12” sells for between 20 and $50 with a few exceptions. It is a good idea to try to buy sealed copies if you can, whether intentionally or not, many sellers don’t grade their vinyl properly, I got burned a couple of times already.

Jeff H, I lost a bid for the original “Venus” 12” a few weeks ago, it sold for 21.49, $ 7.99 for your copy is a very good buy. What label was that, Delite?

[Jimmy-Michaels]

Talking about openeing sealed LP's?? Funny,
About an hour ago I just cracked the seal on the Amant self titled LP (or super extended 12 inch, whatever you'd like to call it) and the record sounded like a CD(no shitting)!!
I could burn the full version of "If There's Love" on CD and it'll sound like it was really released(think i will, but i'll also be mixing with it). I also receved with this 2 mint copies of the 12 inch edit. And guess what......ALL FOR $9.00!!!!!(that was with shipping). Ebay is wonderful!! But as for those Costandinos CD's, even non DJ people would think its a piece of ****(you should hear it), my girlfriend is NOT a Dj(not even close,lol) and she was discusted as well by this ****! Shes the one who told me to get a refund cause I just thought I was out the money. Glad she suggested that. I saw that ABBA 12 on Ebay as well. I couldnt understand it neither. If it was an actual 12 mix, then id understand, but for the damn regular song just pressed on 12 inch vinyl??? NO WAY!!!!! Unless you are an ABBA collector.

[Jeff H]

Yes, Mix, this 1976 12-inch is on De-Lite and has the 6:08 version on Side A and the 4:50 version on Side B.

I'm pleased with the deal I got. The record wasn't sealed (but I'm PLAYING it, not framing it ) and is in near-mint condition, at least according to the tiny "NM" the seller wrote on the sleeve--which would lessen its value to some people but doesn't matter a bit to me.

[Jeff H]

Just read your post, DJ Jimmy. Glad to hear you understand where I'm coming from regarding that ABBA 45 pressed as a 12-inch.

As for the Costandinos CD, it's been a while since I listened to it. Guess I better check it out to see if it's really as bad as everyone's saying!

You all are referring to the 1988 Unidisc re-release, right? (Which, as someone noted, reads "CoNstandinos" on the cover, but "Costandinos" on the back. )

[DJ P]

Ahh...The debate on collecting, leave it sealed or ENJOY the sounds. For me, pop that sucker open, lay it on the platter and let the stylus work it's magic. Yes, E-Bay can have 'over-priced' vinyl (as with any market) but the smart shopper will 'shop' and compare prices. The most expensive piece of 'vinyl' I ever purchased was on 'E-Bay' for the 'Disconet' (yes I got the full set, but no 'dj notes') of Abba's 'Lay All Your Love On Me'. It set me back $50.00 (US Funds) but was worth every cent!! Find, buy and enjoy those 12" and LP's but use sense and caution!! All the best, DJ Phil

[Giovanni]

Hey guys,

maybe you misunderstood me! I have an extensive collection, I buy original vinyls, and I play them, my latest plastic unsealing being one of those rare P&P from 1977!!!

Regarding high prices on ebay we have to remember 1) it is an auction sale. 2) many of those who pay high prices are re-sellers who already have another buyer ready to pay even more

[Robbie]

My uncle has a CD burner. Although I think the sound quality could be better, I was able to get the entire version of Cerrone's "Love In C Minor" (with the conversation at the beginning), Grace Jones'
"Do Or Die/Pride/Fame", and the entire "Romeo and Juliet" saga, plus Diana Ross' "It's My House" (6:06), and others. I don't own these on vinyl. I got it from some database where they have all these records you can download. As much as I'd like to have these on vinyl, I need to save my $$$ now and I think this was a good investment.

[Jimmy-Michaels]

Well Jeff,
The piece of **** joke CD's to BEWARE of are bootleggs out on ebay that read "made in russia". The unidisc one is just a horrable master with "Romeo And Juliet" pitched too fast and everything else on there just has tape hiss and is mastered from a basic cassette. Id listen to that with no problem. So if you misunderstood what I was saying, I hope this clears it up. Every Costandinos album is avalible for these jokes. So there are sveral different ones. Name an album of his, and its there from not so good condtion vinyl and cutting off the first 1/2 sec. of almost every track(read the begining of the original message)

[Jeff H]

Thanks, DJ Jimmy, that clears things up a bit.

And Robbie, about getting those classics burned to a CD: So what if the sound is not state of the art studio quality? You're enjoying some great music, right? That's what's important.

One of the greatest things about this site is that even though we are a bunch of people from very different backgrounds with different tastes in music (and varying opinions on other things too), no one here looks at me like I'm crazy when I mention a disco version of "Romeo and Juliet" or "Wuthering Heights"! Non-disco fans just don't get it!

_________________
"...a once in a lifetime feeling that returns every week..."

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Jeff H on 2002-05-05 09:09 ]</font>

[BrunoRepublic]

And Robbie, about getting those classics burned to a CD: So what if the sound is not state of the art studio quality? You're enjoying some great music, right? That's what's important.

My arguement is this:

Costandinos' productions were state-of-the-art, magnificent, multilayered masterpieces. The amout of detail to be savoured in them is incredible. On a decent recording, you will notice new elements with each listen. A muffled, noisy, distorted, scratchy recording takes away from all this, and destroys the magnificent splendor that this music was all about. To reduce the 48 tracks of symphonic glory to a muddy smear of sound or a thin crackly MP3 is blasphemy!

[Jeff H]

Sure, in a perfect world we'd all be able to hear every old classic in its original glory. Heck, in a perfect world we'd turn on the radio and hear Donna Summer, not Britney Spears, and Martin Sheen really would be president.

But until some label releases remastered versions of the Costandinos (and other) classics on CD, our options are to either listen to the original vinyl, burn our own CDs or settle for inferior copies.

It's not perfect, but I'd say that even hearing an inferior copy is preferable to never hearing the songs AT ALL.

[BrunoRepublic]

But until some label releases remastered versions of the Costandinos (and other) classics on CD, our options are to either listen to the original vinyl, burn our own CDs or settle for inferior copies.

Jeff,

There is another option. Send me an e-mail.

[Jimmy-Michaels]

I am intersted to know what this other option is. I know i've been able to remaster a few Costandinos LP's onto cd from my mint vinyl(my Sumeria sounds for real...scary)