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Thread: L100 - What's Pushing Selling Prices?

  1. #1
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    L100 - What's Pushing Selling Prices?

    Any thoughts?
    I see fewer and fewer complete pairs as of late, but lots of "cannibals" at work
    The few pairs I see "sold" (past couple of years so it doesn't appear to be a fluke or some inane bidding war outcome) are mostly mediocre at best condition wise yet are realizing monies eclipsing $600-$700 and upwards, routinely.............not counting shipping (assuming these "sales" are legitimate)

    Is this some short lived nostalgia anomaly or an enduring trend? (is the well is finally running dry?)

    I ask, as I have a clean pair I have thought of getting rid of (I don't use them, shame to just sit as shelf queens and could put the space they occupy to better use as well as the funds for other projects) but don't want to cut off my nose to spite my face if this is going to continue

    I've just never seen such a jump in average selling prices for many models of anything, let alone the ubiquitous L100; it appears to have doubled on average pretty much and appears to be "holding"

    Are the drivers in high demand for re-purposing? Just exactly what is going on here?

    What say ye?
    Last edited by Wagner; 04-15-2015 at 03:59 PM. Reason: typo

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    Senior Member Ed Zeppeli's Avatar
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    I'm not sure exactly but when I was hunting for 4430s about 18 months ago it sure seemed like I had more choices than I see out there now. I try to keep an eye on the classifieds and haven't seen much of anything lately in Western Canada.

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    RIP 2021 SEAWOLF97's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Wagner View Post

    Are the drivers in high demand for re-purposing? Just exactly what is going on here?

    What say ye?
    there are really no special drivers in there , and MUCH better 3 way/12 in. LF boxes are available for MUCH less. (nee 120Ti or L-166 or 4412 or )

    (My L-100's were $4 pr. at a Thrift (25 years ago))

    my restoration was more concerned with the drivers than the cosmetics. Gave them to my son who now has the finest speakers of any in his crowd and they are in Barizalay type cabs, so the cosmetics are unimportant.

    Maybe it's nostalgia ... like vinyl or 60's/70's rock ?
    Maybe elderly Dads are disappearing and kids are trying to revisit their good times of youth ?
    Maybe those who always wanted a pair, now have the discretionary funds ? (SS etc.)
    Maybe even $800 gets you only crap in the NEW speaker market ?
    Maybe people are tired of black vinyl wrapped boxes ?
    Maybe because there are many out there ? (I vaguely recall a number like 250,000 were produced ?)
    Maybe JBL just hit on a "once in a lifetime" special combo ?
    Maybe I'm just guessing ?

    There is another thread here on a L-100 restoration. Depending on purchase price and looking at the restorers fees ... they may be North of $2,000 by completion ..
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    Senior Member BMWCCA's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Wagner View Post
    Is this some short lived nostalgia anomaly or an enduring trend? (is the well is finally running dry?)
    Combination of nostalgia and a misunderstanding of the JBL monitor history and hierarchy of performance. Regardless, I think it's a trend that has not yet hit its peak and probably will have some endurance over the next couple of decades. A resurgence of pop-culture interest in vinyl hasn't hurt these, either.
    ". . . as you have no doubt noticed, no one told the 4345 that it can't work correctly so it does anyway."—Greg Timbers

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    Senior Member grumpy's Avatar
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    A bit of tax rebate fever never hurts...

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    Quote Originally Posted by Ed Zeppeli View Post
    I'm not sure exactly but when I was hunting for 4430s about 18 months ago it sure seemed like I had more choices than I see out there now. I try to keep an eye on the classifieds and haven't seen much of anything lately in Western Canada.
    Same here in these parts
    ePay as well

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    Quote Originally Posted by BMWCCA View Post
    Combination of nostalgia and a misunderstanding of the JBL monitor history and hierarchy of performance. Regardless, I think it's a trend that has not yet hit its peak and probably will have some endurance over the next couple of decades. A resurgence of pop-culture interest in vinyl hasn't hurt these, either.
    I think you are correct
    As for hitting the peak, that's my paralysis; I don't want to fall prey to the over analysis as any monies realized from a pair of L100s certainly isn't going to be life changing
    But of course I would like to realize the most possible, I'm only "in it for the money" as far as netting the most I can to re-invest in other things Audio and preferably JBL............I just don't use these speakers and it's a shame for them to just "sit".............but I am sure a great many of us have let things go to make room for new interests and then the marked decidedly turns...........I made a rule for myself sometime back, primarily regarding vinyl but applying to equipment as well to some degree; if I haven't used it regularly (or played it) in the past 5 years or more then it needs to go...............things I want to pass on to my Son being the only exceptions

    I do not "flip" but I do sell off pieces from time to time to finance new acquisitions (justify)............right now have my mind on moving coils and high efficiency horns (sold both pairs of horn loaded boxes I had and have regretted it since)

    Little guilt attached to letting go of anything JBL; even the stuff I don't use, but especially such a milestone!

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    Find the avg selling price, then double it, then consider your particular pair and their true condition, and add another xx% for condition and originality.

    people around the world are coming into this hobby or new discretionary income (or ill gotten gains) all the time, and many are interested in something specific, and willing to pay top dollar for best quality or condition. This is especially true if you are willing and able to ship internationally.

    if these had new repro grilles, I feel that would add additional value, although you may not realize the cost of getting new foam grilles.

    some would pay for the fact you had original boxes, and could prove matching boxes, or NIB.

    some look at gear as an investment, just like buying L100's all day long at the $200-400 level over the past 2 decades, and then, with judicious cleanup and careful presentation, seeing the $600-800 selling price.

    what is hard is the somewhat larger speakers like the 4315, which despite being a much superior speaker, tends to languish due to shipping issues, or gets bought only to be parted out due to some believing parts worth more than the whole, a constant problem in this hard to ship category.
    When faced with another JBL find, Good mech986 says , JBL Fan mech986 says

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    Quote Originally Posted by SEAWOLF97 View Post
    Maybe because there are many out there ? (I vaguely recall a number like 250,000 were produced ?)


    according to wiki ....1969 – L-100, a consumer version of the 4311 is launched – this would sell over 125,000 pairs in the 70s

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JBL


    geeze, I just noticed ... James was in business by 25 y.o. ?


    • 1902 – Birth of James B. Lansing in Illinois, U.S.
    • 1927 – Founding of Lansing Manufacturing Company in Los Angeles


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    Senior Member honkytonkwillie's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ed Zeppeli View Post
    I'm not sure exactly but when I was hunting for 4430s about 18 months ago it sure seemed like I had more choices than I see out there now. I try to keep an eye on the classifieds and haven't seen much of anything lately in Western Canada.
    Quote Originally Posted by Wagner View Post
    Same here in these parts
    ePay as well
    24 months ago in The Bay area, there were exactly three pair on Craigslist, and their ads kept getting renewed. I bought a pair from a guy in Petaluma. He claimed their pedigree included a couple decades at Skywalker Ranch.

    Since that time, I've seen exactly one pair for sale in the area, and that was in Reno for 2x what I paid for mine in 2013.
    I control the treble.
    I control the bass.

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    Senior Member martin2395's Avatar
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    The prices in Europe went up too, I was surprised when someone from Belgium paid €550 for mine last year without even seeing them in person.
    When I asked what he wanted to do with them he told me that they have a vintage fashion store and wanted to hang the L100's in the corners of the room for background music.

    Ok, they looked very,very nice and had the original grilles (detoriating but still...) but I didn't expect them to go that high.

    At this moment a nice clean pair of L100 Century fetches more than what 4311/4312's do.
    I do not like the way L100/431x sound but the Control Monitor version sounds better than the Century.

    I think that's the price will keep raising because around 80% of vintage JBL I've seen listed on western european ad sites were badly beaten up - damaged cabinets, replaced units and so on.
    Last time I even saw 4312Mk2's with 2213H woofers replaced with 2023H "12 PA midbass units

  12. #12
    Senior Member macaroonie's Avatar
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    This might have something to do with it. That price is for one only.

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    Senior Member martin2395's Avatar
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    But isn't the new 4312E a totally different sounding loudspeaker? At least all the units are different (better).

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    Quote Originally Posted by macaroonie View Post
    This might have something to do with it. That price is for one only.
    yes, but that is a subwoofer (see description)

    wonder how many they sell at those prices ?



    Maybe so many L-100's are just beat up so that good condition ones command good prices ?

    I've owned L-100's and L-166's and 4412's and 120Ti's and can honestly say that
    the Century's are the dog of that group. (and the most expensive, I guess ??)
    Some kind of happiness is measured out in miles

  15. #15
    Senior Member macaroonie's Avatar
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    I'm making the assumption that the uninformed could look at that speaker and think that the old 4312 is the same beastie , just older.

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