When my father left the Air Force in the 70s, he brought home a awesome Pioneer HiFi setup: speakers, turntable, reel to reel player, and a SX-737 receiver.
This was our main home music setup when I was young, and after dad didn’t really care about music as much anymore as life went on, I put the system in my bedroom as a young teen. But as I got older, I wanted more room so put it all in the basement at some point.
At some point in the late 90s, my folks sold it all to a consignment store for $15. I was shattered when I found out. I know I’ll never get the whole setup back (I’ve long since created my own HiFi setup) but for the last 20 years I’ve wanted to get a SX-737 again. I’ve too many memories wrapped up in that model and it’s become my dream radio tuner in my mind.
I finally bit the bullet and bought one off eBay for $313. It looked like it was in great shape.
It arrived yesterday.
It was damaged.
I couldn’t believe how the seller had packaged it. It was face down in a printer box with very little bubble wrap.
Knobs were bent and the display glass was cracked and shattered. I was dumbfounded and heartbroken.
I am more upset about the loss of this receiver than I am the potential loss of $300. They still make money, but no one is making any more 1974 Pioneer receivers.
I know in the grand scheme of things, this is not a important matter. It’s not life and death, it’s not corona virus, it’s not the end of the world. But opening that box, I had 20 some years of anticipation bubbling up in me and it all came crashing down when I saw the condition of that receiver. I’m surprised at the level of depression I’ve been fighting to avoid. I suspect I feel nostalgia to be a cure to mental health on some level.
A more practical concern.... I’ve been using eBay since 1999 and this is the first case in which I’ve ever needed to attempt a return. No idea how that’s going to turn out.
But all I really care about is getting a SX-737 in nice shape.
I really wish my folks had never sold ours in the first place.