# Self recorded cassette tapes



## Mrs Downing2 (Apr 29, 2017)

My late father law spent years recording around 200 cassette tapes of classical music including Elgar, Beethoven, Mozart et al. My mother in law is loath to throw them out as they all have handwritten insets and an accompanying excel spreadsheet listing what is on each tape. Does anyone know of a place who would be interested in taking them? She's not asking for payment, just wants an appreciative home for them. Thanks


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Mrs Downing2 said:


> My late father law spent years recording around 200 cassette tapes of classical music including Elgar, Beethoven, Mozart et al. My mother in law is loath to throw them out as they all have handwritten insets and an accompanying excel spreadsheet listing what is on each tape. Does anyone know of a place who would be interested in taking them? She's not asking for payment, just wants an appreciative home for them. Thanks


A local radio station perhaps?


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## TurnaboutVox (Sep 22, 2013)

It might depend on what the source was for the recordings, I think. If your late father-in-law was recording from commercially available LP discs then the cassettes will have little value, except the obvious sentimental value to those who knew him. The sound quality of Philips Musicassettes / compact cassettes is rather limited. Many commercially available recordings will have been reissued on CD over the years, so people will have been able to collect the music in high quality recordings. (You may have noticed that even used CDs in mint condition sell for very little in charity shops - the result of plentiful (over)supply, though I understand that your mother-in-law is not looking to sell the collection).

If on the other hand he was recording music which wasn't being commercially recorded - e.g. at local recitals or concerts - then they may be of interest to someone. Even recordings of radio broadcasts may be of interest., because otherwise unavailable.


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## Klassik (Mar 14, 2017)

What kind of blank cassettes (brand, model, year) did he use to make the recordings? The supply of new, high quality cassettes (premium type I, II, IV) is becoming small and very expensive (>$40 a cassette is not unheard of) so there is some demand for used, high quality cassettes that are in good condition. People can erase these tapes and put their own music on them. Used cassettes in good condition are practically as good as new old stock cassettes anyway.

As for people wanting the cassettes for the music that's on them, there might be some demand for that on websites like TapeHeads.net that specialize in cassettes. I wouldn't expect to make a bundle off of it since there isn't much demand for classical on cassette right now, but maybe you can send them to a good home.


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## Mrs Downing2 (Apr 29, 2017)

TurnaboutVox said:


> It might depend on what the source was for the recordings, I think. If your late father-in-law was recording from commercially available LP discs then the cassettes will have little value, except the obvious sentimental value to those who knew him. The sound quality of Philips Musicassettes / compact cassettes is rather limited. Many commercially available recordings will have been reissued on CD over the years, so people will have been able to collect the music in high quality recordings. (You may have noticed that even used CDs in mint condition sell for very little in charity shops - the result of plentiful (over)supply, though I understand that your mother-in-law is not looking to sell the collection).
> 
> If on the other hand he was recording music which wasn't being commercially recorded - e.g. at local recitals or concerts - then they may be of interest to someone. Even recordings of radio broadcasts may be of interest., because otherwise unavailable.


Thanks, that's a good point, I'll check with her on that.


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## Mrs Downing2 (Apr 29, 2017)

Klassik said:


> What kind of blank cassettes (brand, model, year) did he use to make the recordings? The supply of new, high quality cassettes (premium type I, II, IV) is becoming small and very expensive (>$40 a cassette is not unheard of) so there is some demand for used, high quality cassettes that are in good condition. People can erase these tapes and put their own music on them. Used cassettes in good condition are practically as good as new old stock cassettes anyway.
> 
> As for people wanting the cassettes for the music that's on them, there might be some demand for that on websites like TapeHeads.net that specialize in cassettes. I wouldn't expect to make a bundle off of it since there isn't much demand for classical on cassette right now, but maybe you can send them to a good home.


Thanks for that, I'll check out that website.


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