It’s been almost two years since Goodwill had their legendary 10 cent vinyl sale, and I first decided, “Hey, I’ll see if I can collect all these 101 Strings records!”
Oh, the naiveté… all this time and now well over one hundred and one 101 Strings records in my possession – with no quick end in site – I can’t believe how many there are. I’ve actually lost count, though a rough guess is 150+.
I have limited myself to not relying on internet ordering, of course, else I would have most of them in a few days. Note I said “most of them”. Some may prove hard to find. I picked up quite a few new ones in Portland recently, though I have barely tapped that market.
But even after that nice haul, I find I have maybe 30-40 more to go?
It’s crazy hunting them down on discogs. And new ones seem to manifest regularly!
The Alshire sleeve inserts will sometimes have incorrect covers or titles in the ad inserts, which can make collecting a challenge, albeit a fun one. In some cases, there are so many discrepancies in the ads compared to what was actually released, it leaves one wondering… maybe the label owners were indulging a bit too much in the pleasures of the 60s?
My wife is getting a bit annoyed at the never ending collection; it’s quite a bit more expenditure than we envisioned, for what she thinks are stinky records of boring music. She thought it was cute at first, but the really big pile of vinyl is getting in her way.
Nevertheless, I am enjoying my collection very much! They are unloved and unwanted, yet so beautiful and talented. I tell them I am reuniting them with their family when I bring them home. It’s like rescuing them from the pound.
I have dreams of being the guy who “discovers” the story of the 101 Strings, and shares it with the world. Someday. For now, I’m just happy to run across one I don’t have yet in an unlikely crate.
