Art & Inspiration American pickers

I bought a Wiffle Ball bat one time for 10 cents

 

I want to punch the one guy but the chick oh yah!

 

i like the show. the two guys are kinda d bags though, and yes i feel sorry for the old folk they rip off.

 

Am I the only ones who thought those mercedes driving pieces of crap are screwing old people? This show pissed me off bad.

 

I don't like it,

some of the old folks are smart some others ,NOT so much ,

AND the two guys are just to happy about ripping off the owners ,wearing them down until they ( BREAK THE ICE ) with the first buy ...and then its GAME ON ...

I don't like pushy people and if my parents where alive and someone did that to them ,I would be pissed!

My two cents ............

 

There is no difference in my mind between these guys trying to buy old antiques for as little as they can and manufacturers getting things made in China rather than here to keep overhead as low as possible. Did anyone take note of the comment that they avoid houses with dishes mounted on them? That tells me that they don't want to deal with anyone who has internet that might give them an indication of the value of their junk.

 

I have been watching "American Pickers" I also watch that other show called "Porn Stars" and I enjoy them both. I can't believe (America Pickers) that those guys weren't interested in that Metro. I am sure that they will be getting a lot of phone call from people interested in it. I don't feel that they are ripping of Seniors. That is Uncle Sams job.
Many of those Seniors are living on table scrapes, so any extra income that they can get their hands on is Godsend. Beside, how are they going to sort thru all that stuff and on top of that, find out its true value, marketing it, trying to find those people who are really interested in buying those items (like those old hinges). In the long run, it works out for them Seniors.

 

thats my problem as well. I even went as far as to email the editors of the show about my concerns. I have relayed this on to my fellow HAMBers that feel the same ways as I do about the show and how they mistreat the old people they take advantage of. Please everybody email the historychannel through american pickers!!! Tell them all your thoughts, they WILL listen.

 

Great show...

these guys are doing the sellars a favor....without them coming by...that stuff would still be there in the dirt after the owners of the junk are long gone...!!!

How long had that saddle been sitting there collecting dust..?? Maybe you need a new TV/and/or glasses...it had been there a LONG LONG time....didn't see the son or daughter come by and take it and sell it...did you??

Maybe you missed seeing all the crap the guy had that will be hauled off by a garbage truck when he passes on....want to lay some $$$ on it ? Any idea how much Leland will make then...??

Give me a break....

Jimmy in NC...

 

I don't see the problem. Thousands of people make great money every year screwing old people. They call it assisted living and nursing homes and are applauded for their efforts. Banks offer reverse mortgages for minimal prices and are applauded for their generosity. Screwing old people is a way of life in this country. As an "old people" I am the one that meets you with the shotgun and says get the hell off my property and that's why.

 

Ten pages of whining.....might as well throw in my two cents...

I remember one of our own scored a set of Ardun heads at a yard sale for, what $300? EVERYBODY thought it was fantastic. NOBODY accused him of "ripping off" some unsuspecting person. Same for a couple of 32 3 windows bought cheap ...."WOW! What a score!"

Where were y'all bleeding hearts then? Oh,so it's okay when it's one of our friends, or something from our hobby(?) Huh? Yeah? Ya think so?

What you seem to overlook is the pickers do this for a living---no different from the old couple that owns the shoe store in town, or your pal at the tire store , or..... They buy and resell. They do it for profit.It's their business. They have expenses. And in the end, they don't make jack if they don't sell something at a profit(oooOOoo there's that evil word!)

I used to pick as a hobby and to build my personal collection. I would buy with my eyes wide open, knowing that sooner or later SOMETHING was gonna be a loser.....and that one thing might wipe out the profit I made on the ten previous sales. You want to buy stuff and resell it for a profit, then it's up to YOU to learn what it's worth. You want top dollar for your stuff, well then it's up to YOU to find out what it's worth. You're afraid your family member's gonna sell something too cheap(before you can inherit it), then it's up to YOU to help your family.

Tell me this----those little blurbs on the show telling how much paid, the appraised value, the profit.....how many of those items noted have they said actually SOLD and made money on? I've only seen ONE that said "sold for XXX profit"
Values are relative and change due to location. Sellers are comfortable with the sale price(or they wouldn't sell, right?)

God, quit whining---it's just a TV SHOW! I mean really...would y'all rather watch figure skating or Survivor or presidential speeches? ENJOY shows like American Pickers for what they are---ENTERTAINMENT.

 

Uh, what is better, getting a few bucks for the shit you got, or dying and having got nothing?

It is only "stuff" as George Carlin would call it. Dump it, move on, get a few bux, get a life.

 

"What you seem to overlook is the pickers do this for a living..."

Earl has it right but should have capitalized FOR A LIVING....
I have done it too, buying estates... lose money on some items, making money on other items..
There is a food chain, if you sell something at the bottom the next guy has to make a profit, and the next guy... it is called "leaving something on the table" for the next guy...
If you want to sell something at full retail value, then you have to sell it to the end user, not to a picker.

 

No offense Mike, but that seems odd coming from you...
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=434826&highlight=yard+sale

I know you are going to say it's different because you are keeping that wheel and tire, but I don't see the difference. Some day you or your son or his son or someone is going to make a big profit on that wheel and tire.
You should go back and give that lady another grand or so, right?

Not trying to start anything, and you seem like a good guy from the deals you and I have done, but...

I've bought and sold lots of parts and made money on some and lost out on others. I don't do it for a living, but, boy, I wish I could.

I love old rusty dirty stuff hoarded away in rafters and garages and barns.
If I could I'd buy it all just to let it pass through my hands once.

I have a friend who buys and sells and parts out motorcycles. It's what he does for a living. If he knows he can make $700 parting out a bike you have, and you are asking $150 for it, he's likely to offer you $75. A lot of times he gets the stuff for his price. He once bought/traded for a 69 GTO Judge, and had about $3500 total investment wrapped up in it. I did some work on it for him in trade for some car parts he picked up for next to nothing. It sold on Ebay for over $15,000. He did good on that one, but I've also been to his house when his electric was shut off because he was on a dry spell and was flat broke. It's just business, and those of you who have a problem with it, I'm sure, never make a profit on anything...

 

Ok ,lets just get the moderators to close this thread,the show is as fake as that wrestling shit from the late 60s and early 70s that my grandpa thought was real,and like that pickin show, it wasn't even good entertainment.I get sick and tired of people with agarage full of stuff they have for sale at top dollar but low ball and whine about no money or thats too high ect.

 

I watched it last night ,for the first time,and thought it was a cool show. I DON'T CARE,if it's a set-up. I enjoyed it! It was cool,watching them climbing around those yards. I always seem to run into those guys who WON'T SELL ANYTHING!!!!

 

Wait..what?

 

It's a damn TV show. Take it for what it is or change the channel. I can't believe so many folks are so upset. Give me a freaking break.

 

Mike Hamel, i think i read on here somewhere that you picked up a bunch of artillery wheels in a wrecking yard for next to nothing, i look too and they don't allways come from wrecking yards,the owner sets the price or agrees to one you offer and you gladly pay it. I have seen severall sets as well as pairs and singles for sale on ebay by you, most had high reserves, i know as i bid 1,050.00 on a set and didn't get them.

I liken you to a stock broker who gets a fee for connecting a stock buyer with the seller, you are the middle man, you locate them and get them to someone who is really wanting them. The origonal owner got what he wanted, the new owner paid what he was willing and you get paid for all your time, looking, cleaning, listing and shipping. I will gladly pay someone for their leg work in locating vintage car/truck parts and getting them to the market. Lets face it most vintage parts that are scrounged are owned by older folks, not allways but most the time.

I do not write this with any ill will towards you, i have never met you but you seem to be a very stand up guy. Your thread on artillery wheels is excellent and you regularly post info to help others, i thank you for that, maybe i will win some of your wheels soon Harv.

 

Pawn stars annoys the shit out of me because they are a bunch of low balling assholes.Did you see the episode with the model A,i think its was an A,but they turned it into some gold chainers from the 80s wet dream.Fucked that ride up.But last night this guy rolled up with a rare as hell coin collection from 1720,there are only two left in the world and he wanted $750,000...that bald dude shit himself,funny stuff

 

Like someone before said its better than ice skating or the Orange County gay wads . Its neat to see whats in others staches.

 

I know somebody with a Pawn Shop...they're ALL like that! They have to buy low to sell high. Most of their shit sits on the shelves for months. The only things that sell quickly is jewelry and guns...My friend sells alot of the stuff he gets on Ebay and Craigs list. Not enough "walk-in" business,you know,buyers.

 

Okay...its like this.

The next time it comes on and you don't like it.....change the channel. Its hard to believe that you were forced to watch something you didn 't want to watch and yet...you did.

I don't know if anyone mentioned the $20.00 for those hinges that I would not have carried out of there much less paid for them...and what about that price he gave for the old studio light...and the price he gave for that old vacancy light, and the $5,000 he gave for that Ape...etc. Actually, I think they gave more $$$ for the stuff than I would have ever given...and the value of the saddle was NOT known by these two guys who were really nice to their hosts I thought.

This show is not fake...can't believe that was said...I guess they piled all that crap in all those barns for the show...really? ....just curious...how much do you think they paid for all that crap and labor to put it there? I guess those bees were also placed in the hull of that motorcycle...really? Must admit...nice touch.

And I guess, the one guy who loaded that rusty ol side car by himself was fake too..and when that guy jumped off the trailer to go behind that barn to retrieve the rest of the side car was fake too...first of all...I would have never jumped into that jungle or reached into that car when the owner said he had been biten by a snake earlier....guess that was fake. I noticed the video person sure didn't go...

Again...the people were treated fair...more so I thought...I have some ol hinges downstairs that I will sell you nay-sayers for 100.00 if it will make you feel better...

Jimmy...by the way...I have a 49 fleetline that I am older than.

 

Great answer...for an FNG! Don't get too many who know where their ass is! Thumbs up buddy...

 

Old School HAMBer giving a thumbs up to FNG?....allright Bad Bob, i knew there had to be some old schoolers on our side!

 

Yeah, i agree. I think the WWII vet and the sword last week just got to a lot of us on here..I wonder if they got a lot of mail from angry viewers on that one?

Those hinges do go for a lot, and most people wouldnt have grabbed them..I probably wouldnt have either, or those jugs and other stuff.

The guy with the Ape had quite a collection so at least he had a pretty good idea what he had so he didn't get completely raped. The crosley guy knew exactly what he had as well, it would seem.

Im still kicking myself about The coca-cola sign they got. I found one exacly like that about 15 years ago in the trash area of the apartments i used to live in. I was gonna come back and get it later, but it was gone..

 

HAHA! He's one of the few that make sense...

 

bad bob is right the pawn boys buy there shit at least three times less then what they know they can sell it at. thats just there rule of thumb. if you want to have some fun hang out at one every now and then. there is always something coming in there. and if you want it just ask the dude what he is trying to get for it most of the time you can buy it right out from the pawn guy. the worse they can do is talk shit and ask you to leave. just meet the guy across the street and buy it anyway.
as for that show i don't think its fake but i do think its rehearse to act like they stumbled across this house with all this cool stuff. just look at the first show when they were driving down the road and the guy was calling everyone to try to set something up and then they say lets just freestyle it today. sitting behind him the whole time is that motorcycle that they end up buying from that old man with the sword and saddle. then when they go later to that old timers house who would not sell nothing, but just let them look. the skinny guy holds up a bike in all that pile. look at the peddles and sprocket on it. its the same peddles and sprocket he just happens to stumble across and buy later and tells you how rare it is cause it a H-D set up. me personally i think these people call them from there flyers and they see how cool there house is with all the stuff and say hey you want to be apart of our show and do a little acting?
i watch it just to see the buildings full of cool items.

 

Your dreams of getting that old bike,milk bottle,antique thing a ma jig for a cheap price just went out the door.......glad i got mine before this show came out!!

 

saw the show for the first time last night, overall it was good and entertaining, but i still felt the shows hosts were being, maybe not deliberately, a bit condescending.
i also find it difficult to believe he had no idea what the vespa ape was worth when he tried to buy it. i saw at least one classic vespa in his shop at the beginning of the show, so he had an idea what it was worth.
i will say that it's interesting to see what some suckers end up actually paying for the "junk" these guys find.