Depression... and a plea for help!!!

Apogee · 14th August 2006, 01:52 AM

I posted this on AudioAsylum and figured that I'd post it here also since lots of people are active here...
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So I'm over at a friends house and am getting ready to leave. I notice a dumpster in the driveway across the street and he mentions that the "grandpa" who lived there passed away.

It turns out that "grandpa" was a tube fanatic and had lots and lots of old tube gear...

I about lost it and ran over to the dumpster and started looking inside. About then, the kid who lives there comes riding up on his skateboard and asks what we're doing (he's about 17 I'd guess).

I explain that I'm interested in old tube gear and was wondering what was in the dumpster...

About then I spy two TungSols laying on the floor...

He promptly pipes up that this "is the third dumpster and they put them in the driveway so they could just toss everything out of the second floor window into the dumpsters because it was heavy and it was easier than carrying it..."

I felt like breaking one of the TungSols that I found and running it across this kid's neck...

I'm 40 and am just learning about this tube stuff.

PLEASE, PLEASE if you're getting up in years, let the younger folks in your family know what you have. At the very least, tell them to check everything on Ebay before tossing it.

This stuff is getting too rare to have it tossed like this...

I have no idea of what they sent to the trash. I walked away with a couple of nice TungSol power tubes, a sleeve of NOS RCA 12ax7's and two JAN 5751's in the boxes from the floor of the dumpster.

I can tell you the kid piped up that "they kept a really nice Pioneer receiver..."

Sob.....

Miles Prower · 14th August 2006, 02:35 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Apogee
So I'm over at a friends house and am getting ready to leave. I notice a dumpster in the driveway across the street and he mentions that the "grandpa" who lived there passed away.

It turns out that "grandpa" was a tube fanatic and had lots and lots of old tube gear...

I about lost it and ran over to the dumpster and started looking inside. About then, the kid who lives there comes riding up on his skateboard and asks what we're doing (he's about 17 I'd guess).

I explain that I'm interested in old tube gear and was wondering what was in the dumpster...

About then I spy two TungSols laying on the floor...

He promptly pipes up that this "is the third dumpster and they put them in the driveway so they could just toss everything out of the second floor window into the dumpsters because it was heavy and it was easier than carrying it..."

I felt like breaking one of the TungSols that I found and running it across this kid's neck...

I'm 40 and am just learning about this tube stuff.

PLEASE, PLEASE if you're getting up in years, let the younger folks in your family know what you have. At the very least, tell them to check everything on Ebay before tossing it.

This stuff is getting too rare to have it tossed like this...

I have no idea of what they sent to the trash. I walked away with a couple of nice TungSol power tubes, a sleeve of NOS RCA 12ax7's and two JAN 5751's in the boxes from the floor of the dumpster.

I can tell you the kid piped up that "they kept a really nice Pioneer receiver..."

Sob.....

There are lots of these horror strories out there. Someone sold all of grandma's silly collection of ceramic animal people for a buck a piece at a yardsale just to be rid of this stuff. Turned out they were all Hummels and worth at least a hundred times what they were selling them for.

Everyone would be well advised to make certain what the old folks are leaving behind before just getting rid of it. And if you won't do that, then let me know when and where your yard sale is.

Tweeker · 14th August 2006, 03:13 AM

I drive through the old neighborhoods in my city on salvage night sometimes for this very reason.

razz · 14th August 2006, 04:23 AM

You'd think with the internet people would try to find the value of something they inherit and don't know squat about. Its hard to change the mentality of a throwaway society. I just hope the popularity of tubes will continue to grow as it seems to be and maybe this will become less common, maybe.

DigitalJunkie · 14th August 2006, 04:42 AM

Geek · 14th August 2006, 05:41 AM

I was at a thrift store that was jettisoning all the tube stuff that came in, including two original McIntoshes that I could see....

Me: Hey, I'll take that off your hands.
Manager: Nope, has to be destroyed.
Me: I'll pay you. You are a charity, this stuff is worth something.
Manager: Company policy.

People just don't care about anything anymore

Kent Smith · 14th August 2006, 02:43 PM

This is just sickening..... what's wrong with people?!!

alexmoose · 14th August 2006, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Geek
I was at a thrift store that was jettisoning all the tube stuff that came in, including two original McIntoshes that I could see....

Me: Hey, I'll take that off your hands.
Manager: Nope, has to be destroyed.
Me: I'll pay you. You are a charity, this stuff is worth something.
Manager: Company policy.

People just don't care about anything anymore

What satanic thriftstore was that?

blacklight · 14th August 2006, 03:06 PM

^HEY! Stop insulting satanists!

That's just idiotic. At the same time people are wondering what to do with all the electronics waste garbage dumps are full of. Some things I just will never understand. What kind of a company policy is it to deliberately create waste electronics?

dnsey · 14th August 2006, 03:22 PM

Over that past few years, it's become almost impossible to buy electrical / electronic stuff from charity stores and the like over here. The law requires them to safety-test everything they sell, which just isn't worth it from their point of view.
OTOH, contacting a few house clearance specialists (who now have no outlet for electrical goods) can pay dividends, as can advertising in the 'wanted' columns - but be prepared to decline a lot of junk!

14th August 2006, 01:52 AM	#1
Apogee diyAudio Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Tacoma, WA	Depression... and a plea for help!!! I posted this on AudioAsylum and figured that I'd post it here also since lots of people are active here... ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- So I'm over at a friends house and am getting ready to leave. I notice a dumpster in the driveway across the street and he mentions that the "grandpa" who lived there passed away. It turns out that "grandpa" was a tube fanatic and had lots and lots of old tube gear... I about lost it and ran over to the dumpster and started looking inside. About then, the kid who lives there comes riding up on his skateboard and asks what we're doing (he's about 17 I'd guess). I explain that I'm interested in old tube gear and was wondering what was in the dumpster... About then I spy two TungSols laying on the floor... He promptly pipes up that this "is the third dumpster and they put them in the driveway so they could just toss everything out of the second floor window into the dumpsters because it was heavy and it was easier than carrying it..." I felt like breaking one of the TungSols that I found and running it across this kid's neck... I'm 40 and am just learning about this tube stuff. PLEASE, PLEASE if you're getting up in years, let the younger folks in your family know what you have. At the very least, tell them to check everything on Ebay before tossing it. This stuff is getting too rare to have it tossed like this... I have no idea of what they sent to the trash. I walked away with a couple of nice TungSol power tubes, a sleeve of NOS RCA 12ax7's and two JAN 5751's in the boxes from the floor of the dumpster. I can tell you the kid piped up that "they kept a really nice Pioneer receiver..." Sob..... __________________ "If I had my life to live over again, I would have made a rule to read some poetry and listen to some music at least once a week." - Charles Darwin

14th August 2006, 03:13 AM	#3
Tweeker diyAudio Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Cincinnati, Ohio	I drive through the old neighborhoods in my city on salvage night sometimes for this very reason. __________________ Be sure your foil hat has a good low impedance ground.

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14th August 2006, 04:23 AM	#4
razz diyAudio Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: US	You'd think with the internet people would try to find the value of something they inherit and don't know squat about. Its hard to change the mentality of a throwaway society. I just hope the popularity of tubes will continue to grow as it seems to be and maybe this will become less common, maybe.

14th August 2006, 04:42 AM	#5
DigitalJunkie diyAudio Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Portland,Oregon Blog Entries: 4

14th August 2006, 05:41 AM	#6
Geek diyAudio Member Join Date: Sep 2004	I was at a thrift store that was jettisoning all the tube stuff that came in, including two original McIntoshes that I could see.... Me: Hey, I'll take that off your hands. Manager: Nope, has to be destroyed. Me: I'll pay you. You are a charity, this stuff is worth something. Manager: Company policy. People just don't care about anything anymore

14th August 2006, 02:43 PM	#7
Kent Smith diyAudio Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Wylie, Texas	This is just sickening..... what's wrong with people?!!

14th August 2006, 03:06 PM	#9
blacklight diyAudio Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: you tell me	^HEY! Stop insulting satanists! That's just idiotic. At the same time people are wondering what to do with all the electronics waste garbage dumps are full of. Some things I just will never understand. What kind of a company policy is it to deliberately create waste electronics?

14th August 2006, 03:22 PM	#10
dnsey diyAudio Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Shropshire, England	Over that past few years, it's become almost impossible to buy electrical / electronic stuff from charity stores and the like over here. The law requires them to safety-test everything they sell, which just isn't worth it from their point of view. OTOH, contacting a few house clearance specialists (who now have no outlet for electrical goods) can pay dividends, as can advertising in the 'wanted' columns - but be prepared to decline a lot of junk!