Eras to collect jamaican music
Posted: Sat Feb 01, 2014 7:29 am
from the 60's to 1983: the best to era find originals at a launch price, of course. But once they're pressed, they're generally gone. No internet, no easy jet, not that many record fairs.
From 1983 > 1990: Good period from a price point of view to get second hand reggae records - even for ska, rock steady - but unless you can travel or are London based, its not easy to find many. Record fairs flourish, and you can find amazing stuff at good prices or second hand stores (especially in UK, or NA, like NYC or Toronto). This is the era of "mail order". Not that much repressing going on, except Trojan stuff (mostly compilations) No internet, so less competition, but also more "cheating" going on with reggae auction (by mail). Special note: late 80's is fantastic time to go to Jamaica and pick up sound system records or overstock of OG press by weight at a ridiculous price.
1990 > 1999: Very interesting period. Interest for reggae is not high, and CD has kicked in, whilst internet hasn't. Again, good era to purchase OG press by weight. There is a decent program from re-issue labels, especially Heartbeat, but the best is yet to come. OG press of ska and rock steady remain expensive as time goes by.
1999 > 2004: Ebay is now active since a few years, and becoming a platform to sell used records as well. Internet is full speed. Fantastic period to purchase OG press on EBay, especially 1999-2003: lots to offer and not so many people bidding. After that, of course, prices go up. Re-issues become more and more common, but, still, the best is yet to come. Record fairs less popular, street record stores start getting in trouble.
2004 > 2010: Street record stores are closing one by one, MP3 is king, and re-issue labels are doing a great job, although many labels don't re-issue on wax (like Greensleeves, and many other small ones), keeping prices high on ebay. Japanese collectors pay crazy prices on Ebay
2010 > today: less stuff on ebay. People seem to hold on to their records more. A new generation of reggae junkies - probably born in the 80's / early 90's - buy vinyl. The producers & labels from back then repress almost everything. I think we're now in the golden era of collecting reggae at a bargain: the Greensleeves catalog is back at 10 USD a record, pressed OG stampers, and many impossible to find records are offered at similar prices and generally good repress. Sure, many reissue labels are gone - Makasound, Heartbeat - but many have replaced them. The japanese re-issues are spectacular, and Iroko does a great job, not to mention many others. Impressive.
From 1983 > 1990: Good period from a price point of view to get second hand reggae records - even for ska, rock steady - but unless you can travel or are London based, its not easy to find many. Record fairs flourish, and you can find amazing stuff at good prices or second hand stores (especially in UK, or NA, like NYC or Toronto). This is the era of "mail order". Not that much repressing going on, except Trojan stuff (mostly compilations) No internet, so less competition, but also more "cheating" going on with reggae auction (by mail). Special note: late 80's is fantastic time to go to Jamaica and pick up sound system records or overstock of OG press by weight at a ridiculous price.
1990 > 1999: Very interesting period. Interest for reggae is not high, and CD has kicked in, whilst internet hasn't. Again, good era to purchase OG press by weight. There is a decent program from re-issue labels, especially Heartbeat, but the best is yet to come. OG press of ska and rock steady remain expensive as time goes by.
1999 > 2004: Ebay is now active since a few years, and becoming a platform to sell used records as well. Internet is full speed. Fantastic period to purchase OG press on EBay, especially 1999-2003: lots to offer and not so many people bidding. After that, of course, prices go up. Re-issues become more and more common, but, still, the best is yet to come. Record fairs less popular, street record stores start getting in trouble.
2004 > 2010: Street record stores are closing one by one, MP3 is king, and re-issue labels are doing a great job, although many labels don't re-issue on wax (like Greensleeves, and many other small ones), keeping prices high on ebay. Japanese collectors pay crazy prices on Ebay
2010 > today: less stuff on ebay. People seem to hold on to their records more. A new generation of reggae junkies - probably born in the 80's / early 90's - buy vinyl. The producers & labels from back then repress almost everything. I think we're now in the golden era of collecting reggae at a bargain: the Greensleeves catalog is back at 10 USD a record, pressed OG stampers, and many impossible to find records are offered at similar prices and generally good repress. Sure, many reissue labels are gone - Makasound, Heartbeat - but many have replaced them. The japanese re-issues are spectacular, and Iroko does a great job, not to mention many others. Impressive.
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