General Music Chat

Remind me to tell you an inappropriate joke about piccolo players some day.

To each his or her own, I guess. I personally don't like the show-but I will pick it over "American Pickers" any day. Those guys are thieves, plain and simple.

"Let's go to that less than sharp-minded octagenarian's house and rummage through his possessions until we find something of value...then we'll try to screw him on the price! Aren't we cool?".

The network should be ashamed of themselves.


If those guys showed up at my parents' house, I'd kick their stupid asses all the way back to that rat hole they climbed out of...

I feel the same way about both shows sometimes Joseph.

But the buyers and sellers are at choice.

Don't get much more " fair" than that IMO.

Yep they have choice. And usually the people don't care about the stuff. Money just knocks on their doors. That stuff is generally going to be reclaimed by the earth otherwise.

Yes, because there is no such thing as a con man...(that's sarcasm). You guys never been ripped off, eh?

I just watched an episode where a lady kept saying $5 and they said no I'll give you $10. She said $20 and they said $50. I do that myself a lot. Buy low and sell high. If somebody wants to let it go for cheap I'm going to buy it and turn a profit. That makes sense. It doesn't make me a con man.

Yes, because there is no such thing as a con man...(that's sarcasm). You guys never been ripped off, eh?

It is the nature of the business Joseph.

The Pawn Broker did not get nor does he keep his license for free.

Buying and or Making Pawn on anything is a risk.

Hell just the insurance you have to carry on the merch & loan collateral in the store is unbelievable.

I had no respect for the business till I was in the business.

These guys are not con men ( for the most part ) it's a delicate balance between good investments and going bankrupt.

Most impressive to me was watching Jeff ( our store manager ) work the conversation to determine if the goods are stolen or the actual physical property of the seller. And yes the broker is liable for purchasing stolen goods.

Now, hold on just a frikken minute, there, joseph!

On Pawn Stars, they often go out of their way to help the seller know the true value of their merch. Every episode I've seen, they've had some expert from a museum or some such come on & appraise the value of whatever is being offered to the pawn shop.

Of course they aren't gonna offer the appraised value, cuz they wouldn't be able to make a profit, & the sellers know that, & often opt out of selling to them.

Pawn Stars, in that respect, do ppl a fine service, unlike the theivin' "Pickers." I agree with your judgement of those guys, for the most part.

"Pickers"

I am always amazed at the junk these guys can sell to other people.

Reinforces what my dear father always said.

People are STUPID.

The old adage; A Fool And His Money Are Soon Parted is so true.

Don't believe me ? Take a look at your FICA Withholding

Eh, you guys have my meaning a bit out of whack... I also have a bit of experience in the pawn business, albeit second hand. The owner of this particular operation was ALWAYS very honest with his clients about the value of the objects in question. There were quite a few times that I witnessed him telling someone "I'm sorry. I can't take it...I cannot give you what it is worth..." and send them on their merry way. The pawn business is like any other: Some of the people are unscrupulous, others are not.

American Pickers, on the other hand, is a different story...while it's true that they sometimes offer people more money than was asked, the truth is that these guys KNOW the value of the items they are buying-or at least have a really good idea. If nothing else, they keep that information a phone call away. Their business relies on the property owners NOT being aware of what they have...and they take advantage of it. It also doesn't help my opinion of them that an awful lot of the folks they deal with are elderly. It's just my opinion, but I think those guys are scum.
IMO, the pickers take advantage of people. Offering someone $50 for something you KNOW is worth $300 is shameful. Yes, I understand that these guys are trying to make a profit, and I don't blame them for that. However, the way they go about it seems deceptive-and that makes me sick.

Paul, I don't think you're a con man. I don't believe for a second that you have the lack of conscience that those guys do. However, if you saying that this is exactly what you do, then yes. You ARE a con man. If that is the case, then you have certainly conned me into thinking you are better person than you really are.

Guilty. I bought a corvair for $20, had it running in 45 minutes. Drove it for 8-10 months traded it for $200 and a 2004 Chinese street legal dirt bike. Then I traded the bike even for my secondary computer monitor - a 42" LCD flat screen. I used to knock on doors and offer $50 for junk motorcycles. I then parted them out on eBay for between $500 and $2000. I just don't see anything wrong with it. As they say it's worth whatever someone is willing to pay - or in my case take.. If I offer an amount and they accept I'm good with that.

I just don't see anything bad about pickers either. The old guy with the ww2 sword offered it for $200. I'd have surely taken it. He was fine with it. I bet that old guy is sharper than you give him credit for.

I'm too damned honest sometimes. To a fault.
I have the same problem with my mouth.
I'll tell you what I think in no uncertain terms good, bad, right or wrong.
Some people love me for it ... some hate me.
They just don't understand that despite what I may say I rarely have any emotional attachment to it. I say what I think and move on.
I wake up to a new day every morning.

Or at least I try.