Hell's maw OPENED...I was there

[Ed Oscuro]

A few weeks ago a listing for a copy of Volume 1 in the famous Konami Game Music Collection expired with no bids, at $94 (link (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=187&item=8154518431)).

Today the same item, relisted as "GRADIUS II/LABYRINTH RUNNER/AKUMAJO DRACULA SOUNDTRACK" (link (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=8160780589)) expired after a bit of a bidding battle. As you can see, I bumped the guy up to about $140 and felt pretty good about it as I thought it meant I wouldn't have to worry about this funny-looking fellow anymore. Well, as you can see, after I left retro-consolas came by and bumped it up to THREE HUNDRED AND SIX DOLLARS. I wouldn't be surprised if the max bid from neozeromus was $500, which would be about in range for Dracula New Classic, which this ain't.

My god, I could've just put in a bid for the item and delayed payment. This also means that sellers will now be putting the series catchphrases in. Boo.

As for retro-consolas, I fear he might try to outbid me on my Sweet Home OST coming up in about an hour...he's been buying up pretty much EVERYTHING this seller has up. :(

[Aussie2B]

Why would you bid $140 if it didn't even sell for $94? O_o Game soundtrack buyers aren't that stupid; when they want something, they'll find it, even if it isn't listed that well. If I were you, I would've skipped over this auction's insanity and waited for another listing to hopefully get it for around $100.

Do you have a middleman for buying Japanese stuff? I don't know anything about the value of that soundtrack, but perhaps you can get a copy from Japan Yahoo at a fair price even after all the fees and such.

[Ed Oscuro]

Well, it looks like retro-consolas is prepared to bid way over my limit on everything, so...Jesus. He's bidding on EVERYTHING this guy has - just put up a F-Zero soundtrack I had $60 on up to $101 o_O. Most likely will take down that soundtrack I really wanted, too.

[Aussie2B]

That's ridiculous for that F-Zero soundtrack. O_o It's not like it's the F-Zero X Guitar Arrange. I'd say a decent price for that album would be $50-$75 at the absolute most.

I hope this idiot doesn't screw with the prices of soundtracks for too long. That seller is probably my only chance at getting the Wonder Project J2 OST outside of Japan Yahoo (I'm pretty sure he was the one selling the copy last summer that I got outbid on >_< ). I'll be pissed if he screws with me on that item. I got enough eBay enemies as it is. o_O

[Ed Oscuro]

Exactly. O_o I did bid on a few things just to screw with 'im, but I won the Sweet Home OST, and better yet an old Capcom soundtrack I'd never seen before. Could see "Top Secret" on the listing so I had to get it.

Hmm, retro_consolas likes Ys but not Dragon Warrior (probably not Dragon Force/Spirit, either ;P), likes Akumajo Dracula but not Biohazard. Weeell...I'm partially safe there.

The good thing is that neozeromus won, at least; he shouldn't be back for a while though...you never know with these guys (sorta like me, heh). o_O

[Gapporin]

I have a question I've always been meaning to ask, so I suppose now would be a good time to do it. Are soundtracks always this pricey? Yeah, I know, in this case someone is overpaying for some OST's, but all the ones I've seen are usually $25-$40. In fact, the most expensive one I've been wanting to get is the OutRun 2 OST which usually goes for $45. Is it a common occurance for some soundtracks to cost $50+?

[Aussie2B]

The MSRP for most albums is $20-$35. That's just the way the music industry is in Japan. The normal mainstream CDs released by pop singers and bands tend to cost around that much too (but soundtracks are usually slightly more because they often have more than one disc).

Nope, it's not that uncommon for an album to become $50+. Most albums go for about 2 years before they're officially "out of print", and the majority are never reprinted. As time goes by, people are willing to pay more and more, especially if it's related to a popular series or composer. Unlike games, it usually is best to buy albums when they're brand new or shortly thereafter from someone selling a used copy. At the most, you may see your albums depreciate by $10 or so, and potentially, you have a lot to gain.

[16-bit]

I have a question I've always been meaning to ask, so I suppose now would be a good time to do it. Are soundtracks always this pricey? Yeah, I know, in this case someone is overpaying for some OST's, but all the ones I've seen are usually $25-$40. In fact, the most expensive one I've been wanting to get is the OutRun 2 OST which usually goes for $45. Is it a common occurance for some soundtracks to cost $50+?

I don't think it is a common occurance, but some old OSTs like Bare Knuckle or Alien Soldier can cost over $100.

[Aussie2B]

It's not too common for an album to hit $100+, but I can think of quite a few and I'm not even especially knowledgable about game soundtracks as some people are. Off the top of my head, I can think of:

Star Ocean Perfect Sound Collection, F-Zero X Guitar Arrange, Super Metroid Sound in Action, Legend of Zelda Sound & Drama, Lufia 1 & 2 OST, Super Mario RPG OST, Wonder Project J OST (and just my luck because this is one I really want >_< ), at least a couple different Castlevania albums, etc.

Game soundtracks definitely hit $100+ at a much higher rate than games do, with some getting into the multiple hundreds. You could get a complete Stadium Events or Flintstones 2 for less than some soundtracks. o_O

[Ed Oscuro]

What I did get ended up being alright, again a bit expensive but not terribly so for what I'm getting:

Sweet Home OST (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=187&item=8160826473)

Capcom Game Music Vol. 2 (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=187&item=8160831288)

Ys IV (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=187&item=8160833452)

Hmm, not terribly excited about the Ys IV, but the other two I'll definitely love. Sweet Home I know in and out as far as soundtrack goes, but I just wanted to have SOMETHING related to the game. Heh.

[Ed Oscuro]

Game soundtracks definitely hit $100+ at a much higher rate than games do, with some getting into the multiple hundreds.
Not an AES or Mega Drive collector, I take it?

I think it's the other way around. Tons of games got soundtrack releases, and they won't hit $30. The chance of a good condition soundtrack getting that much is pretty good, though.

[Aussie2B]

AES games are different because they're mega-expensive to begin with. :P

Ys music is good, so you should like it. :) Why fork out $50 for something you're not too excited about, though? :P

[Ed Oscuro]

Just to cause retro-consolas pain at losing just one of his auctions? LOL

It's Falcom music I haven't heard in great depth before, I'm sure I'll love it.

[Promophile]

Is there a site where I can read up on how much VG soundtracks are worth / which are rare / how to tell the diff between the pirate and original version of a CD?

[Gapporin]

Is there a site where I can read up on how much VG soundtracks are worth / which are rare / how to tell the diff between the pirate and original version of a CD?

This thread is a good jumping point on which to tell if your soundtracks are pirated or not:

http://www.digitpress.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=17308

[Aussie2B]

Is there a site where I can read up on how much VG soundtracks are worth / which are rare / how to tell the diff between the pirate and original version of a CD?

I'd love a rarity/value guide for game soundtracks, but the prices change so much that no hardcore soundtrack fan seems to think it would be worthwhile to make one. Over the course of just one year an album can skyrocket in price. Likewise, a valuable album may shoot down in price after a reprint. Values of games seem to change a bit slower.

As for learning about bootlegs, you can check out this page for info and an eBay blacklist:

http://www.chudahs-corner.com/reference/bootleggers.html

[Iron Draggon]

Gee, I hope I'm getting a good trade for my Kyukyoku Tiger II soundtrack!

[Promophile]

Actually what I was hoping for was a site with actual pictures of the offical releases of soundtracks so that I could tell if the art on a CD was shifty or not. I was already away of Everanime and all them, I'm just afraid of some guy in his basement whipping up a bootleg.

[Aussie2B]

That rarely happens, but I think there was one eBay seller who used to do that (but by reading the auctions it was obvious).

Usually the more soundtracks a site lists, the smaller the percentage of how many have photos. That site I linked to above, Chudah's Corner, has a front and back cover photo for every album listed on the site I believe (large detailed ones too). However, the site obviously doesn't have every soundtrack ever made listed.

[Promophile]

Ah I didn't notice that. Thanks Aussie :) .