Jimi Hendrix's guitars, Stevie Wonder's microphones, and Jean Simmons' onstage outfits have all generated huge interest from collectors. The key to developing your music ephemera collection is to decide on a corner of the market as early as possible. One fun way to go is to collect the ephemera of tomorrow's music stars. You can get these easily enough with the following tactics. Independent music shops, like Amoeba Music in San Francisco and Hollywood, sell cool, rare independent albums, complete with original artwork. These albums in general cost less than the label records. If you scout talent well and really do your homework, you may be able to discover tomorrow's talent today. Diversify your collection of unknowns to up your chances of picking a big winner. You can visit websites of independent bands and ask for free stuff from the members themselves. You can find plenty of merchandise free--T-shirts, hats, concerts stubs, and even early recordings. If you collect and preserve these pieces of history carefully, and if the band garners serious radio attention, you can later resell your memorabilia to collectors at a huge profit margin. Buying and trading used instruments requires more finesse and investment capital. Rather than purchase basement-band guitars and equipment, invest in the next tier up. Scout the mid-level bands which people believe are about to break into the mainstream. While these players may not be willing to let go of a treasured guitar, you may be able to get a hold of a drumstick or a guitar string. Be creative and persistent with requests, but don't annoy the band members themselves.
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