Are there any box bargains currently available?

[neveronfriday]

I drop by here every couple of months and I do still read along, but in this thread, with all the mail-order customers hanging around, does anyone know whatever happened to the long-defunct "Caiman" marketplace seller on Amazon? Recently, I went through a large part of my collection and noticed how ridiculously cheap many of their offers were. I bought hundreds, I think, but that was before Amazon.us slapped on a kilo of postage fees which made this import route unfeasible. Maybe that move also signaled Caiman's death, or did they croak before (for European customers, Caiman used to be the sh@t)? 

Edited March 29, 2019 by neveronfriday

[JSngry]

I think(???) that they took over (or were taken over by?) the Tower brand when Tower folded. And that was that.

Something like that?

[neveronfriday]

Just now, JSngry said:

I think(???) that they took over (or were taken over by?) the Tower brand when Tower folded. And that was that.

Something like that?

Thanks! The Internet, once again, is silent on this important issue unless, of course, you spend a million hours researching. I bought stuff from them for nothing which will cost you two or three non-essential organs and a leg today ... not that anyone needs either of those to survive if good music is around. Cheers!

[felser]

5 minutes ago, neveronfriday said:

Thanks! The Internet, once again, is silent on this important issue unless, of course, you spend a million hours researching. I bought stuff from them for nothing which will cost you two or three non-essential organs and a leg today ... not that anyone needs either of those to survive if good music is around. Cheers!

Caimen also used to be my go-to back when they were in business.

[neveronfriday]

Just now, felser said:

Caimen also used to be my go-to back when they were in business.

Yeah, they were great. I noticed the other day that via a mail backup program, I somehow managed to keep every single mail snippet since the middle/late 90s (and then forgot about the fact). My finger got tired when scrolling through the Caiman order confirmations. I bought a sh@tload of stuff from them and have never regretted a single purchase ... not one!

[Daniel A]

From a Billboard article from 2009, it seems Caiman holdings went bankrupt. 

https://books.google.se/books?id=S5qHDcGdQDEC&pg=PT5&lpg=PT5&dq=Caiman+building+a+mystery&source=bl&ots=RMwdk9x94y&sig=ACfU3U3XhJglFKjlstZE5nWsA1sUNiqbiA&hl=sv&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi46cPetKjhAhXkwYsKHc5gB7wQ6AEwDnoECAMQAQ#v=onepage&q=Caiman%20building%20a%20mystery&f=false

[JSngry]

6 minutes ago, Daniel A said:

From a Billboard article from 2009, it seems Caiman holdings went bankrupt. 

https://books.google.se/books?id=S5qHDcGdQDEC&pg=PT5&lpg=PT5&dq=Caiman+building+a+mystery&source=bl&ots=RMwdk9x94y&sig=ACfU3U3XhJglFKjlstZE5nWsA1sUNiqbiA&hl=sv&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi46cPetKjhAhXkwYsKHc5gB7wQ6AEwDnoECAMQAQ#v=onepage&q=Caiman%20building%20a%20mystery&f=false

Ok, yeah, they bought the Tower website/domain/whatever.

I do recall murmurings about the whole thing being a little shady in some way, before and after the Tower thing. But hell, it was the internet record business.

[neveronfriday]

13 minutes ago, Daniel A said:

From a Billboard article from 2009, it seems Caiman holdings went bankrupt. 

https://books.google.se/books?id=S5qHDcGdQDEC&pg=PT5&lpg=PT5&dq=Caiman+building+a+mystery&source=bl&ots=RMwdk9x94y&sig=ACfU3U3XhJglFKjlstZE5nWsA1sUNiqbiA&hl=sv&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi46cPetKjhAhXkwYsKHc5gB7wQ6AEwDnoECAMQAQ#v=onepage&q=Caiman%20building%20a%20mystery&f=false

Ah, very interesting! Thanks for the link!

[felser]

4-disc Jethro Tull "This Was" 50th Anniversary box for 18.99 pounds at Amazon UK

https://www.amazon.co.uk/This-50th-Anniversary-Jethro-Tull/dp/B07GRLPXRW/ref=as_li_ss_tl?keywords=tull+this+was+50th&qid=1554461522&s=music&sr=1-1-catcorr&linkCode=ll1&tag=superdeluxeed-21&linkId=111d62a4f6e26977d3aa8b12336dc818&language=en_GB

[GA Russell]

Dickey Betts - Live at Rockpalast 1978 & 2008 (3-CD + 2-DVD) - $21.75
https://www.oldies.com/product-view/62289R.html

*****

Maceo Parker - Life on Planet Groove: Revisited (2-CD + DVD) - $16.73
https://www.oldies.com/product-view/62219R.html

$16.49
https://www.amazon.com/Life-Planet-Groove-Revisited-Dvd/dp/B077Y87DSV/

*****

The June Christy/Stan Kenton Collection 1945-55 (2-CD) - $14.22
https://www.oldies.com/product-view/62088R.html

*****

Jeannie C. Riley - Harper Valley P.T.A.: The Plantation Recordings 1968-70 (2-CD, 58 songs) - $9.90
https://www.oldies.com/product-view/13638P.html

*****

If you find better prices, please post the links!

[GA Russell]

Dr. John - The Atco Albums Collection (7 albums) - $25.20 + $3.99
https://www.amazon.com/Atco-Albums-Collection-DR-JOHN/dp/B0745GH5YQ

[Justin V]

I am totally unfamiliar with this merchant, but they have the Charles Tolliver quartet Mosaic for $30.99.  I found it for 40 or 50 bucks a few years ago and was happy with that price.  $30.99 is an absolute steal of a deal.

[GA Russell]

The Searchers - The Farewell Album (50 songs + AutoRip) - down to 5.00 GBP
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Farewell-Album-Searchers/dp/B07JYQTKNP/

[Brad]

This seems like a good price, $30 for Complete Monk Quartet on Columbia, https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007Y2W4BA?ref=em_1p_1_ti&ref_=pe_3730140_409166770

[GA Russell]

Four Manfred Mann BBC box sets are being released today.  Each is $16.98.  I will pick up the Chapter III set for sure.

Paul Jones
https://www.amazon.com/Radio-Days-Vol-Live-1964/dp/B07PKDC3ZC/

Mike d'Abo
https://www.amazon.com/Radio-Days-Vol-Live-1966-69/dp/B07PK6MXGY/

Chapter III
https://www.amazon.com/Radio-Days-Vol-Sessions-Rarities/dp/B07PKDC54M/

Earth Band 1970-1973
https://www.amazon.com/Radio-Days-Vol-Live-1970-73/dp/B07PK6MXGX/

[mjzee]

Just noticed this.  5 of Sco's best albums for something like $14.  Jump on it.

[felser]

5 minutes ago, mjzee said:

Just noticed this.  5 of Sco's best albums for something like $14.  Jump on it.

That same series has a really good Archie Shepp Impulse set and a Jackie McLean Blue Note set that includes the awesome 'Jacknife'.  Also a bunch of other classic Blue Note sets by the usual guys.

Edited June 10, 2019 by felser

[GA Russell]

On 5/18/2019 at 8:02 PM, GA Russell said:

Four Manfred Mann BBC box sets are being released today.  Each is $16.98.  I will pick up the Chapter III set for sure.

Chapter III
https://www.amazon.com/Radio-Days-Vol-Sessions-Rarities/dp/B07PKDC54M/

Earth Band 1970-1973
https://www.amazon.com/Radio-Days-Vol-Live-1970-73/dp/B07PK6MXGX/

Now $12.42.

[felser]

Thanks, just ordered #4, which looks really good with the Mick Rogers version of the Earth Band, which I greatly prefer to the latter Chris Thompson version.  #3 looks too strange to me with all the film fragments, etc.  Can't buy/own everything.

[crisp]

Larkin's Jazz -- a quite nice (for a PD release) 4-disc collection -- £3.86 at Amazon UK

[felser]

Used copy of Sonny Rollins - The Complete Prestige Recordings.  7CD box set $25.00 + $3.50 shipping.  One copy available.   I am not the seller.

https://www.discogs.com/sell/item/982263422

[felser]

Nina Simone "Complete RCA Recordings" 9 CD box set being reissued.  $37 pre-order, likely will be even cheaper from third party sellers once released.  Inconsistent, but some real gems in there, and at $4/CD you can't go wrong.

https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Rca-Albums-Collection-9Cd/dp/B07SRJF7CG/?tag=sdepcwus-20

[GA Russell]

Reuters reports that the pound has fallen to below $1.20, so today might be a good day to buy your CDs at Amazon UK.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-sterling/pound-slides-below-1-20-as-election-threat-adds-to-brexit-jeopardy-idUSKCN1VO13A

[Brad]

2 hours ago, GA Russell said:

Reuters reports that the pound has fallen to below $1.20, so today might be a good day to buy your CDs at Amazon UK.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-sterling/pound-slides-below-1-20-as-election-threat-adds-to-brexit-jeopardy-idUSKCN1VO13A

I’m not sure that’s the case because U.K. items are priced higher to begin with. For example the Henderson Tone Poet LP on Amazon US is $27. In the U.K., it’s £29 or $35, not to mention you have to pay for shipping. 

[trane123]

It's definitely worth checking Amazon UK before you buy elsewhere right now.  I recently picked up the Complete Bruford/Earthworks boxed set from Amazon UK for $100 (including shipping, no tax).  Amazon US has it for $121, plus around $10 tax.