I saw a 12" Pioneer SW-100 subwoofer at Goodwill for $20. The foam around the speaker cone was rotten/torn. I looked up how much for a replacement speaker $$$, so I wasn't going to get it. But I found that you can get replacement foam for ~$25, So I went and bought the subwoofer. Put the foam in and it works fine.
 
I am banned from using it while the wife is home.
 
She was out the other day so I hooked it up and cranked up some uplifting trance. I thought she was joking when she said she could hear it outside.
 
Anyway, that's my best Goodwill score. Anyone else have something they got a deal on,  Goodwill/yard sale/craigslist?
 
Doug

I picked up a yardsale guitar and case for $20.  It was so ugly it was almost cute.... you know the kind... looked like a surf-music guitar.... green... not solid color....3 or 4 of those little slider switches to swap the PUP's in and out.... one volume and one tone....I think there was 3 PUPs on it....
 
I carried it to the gig and played it for the first 2 songs.... cased it  and sold it to the soundman for $25 that same night.  It had cheap, cheap pickups on it that just howled when you put some volume on it.
 
The soundman was happy, so I guess that's the happy ending, and I made $5 on the deal. I also put on a new set of stings before the gig,  so that kinda ate into that $5 profit a bit.....

On a slightly different note......I used to regularly donate a lot of stuff to Goodwill thinking they were distributing it to the poor (the name Goodwill looked like a charitable organisation), but found out they actually sell it in their retail shops and the profit of course is 100%. Also, about the time, I read that CEO's received millions in just bonuses from this profit (eventhough they're a non-profit org. in other areas of their services).
 
Lesson learned.
 
Sorry for the derail.......please carry on with the good deals.  
 
 

Mesh
On a slightly different note......I used to regularly donate a lot of stuff to Goodwill thinking they were distributing it to the poor (the name Goodwill looked like a charitable organisation), but found out they actually sell it in their retail shops and the profit of course is 100%. Also, about the time, I read that CEO's received millions in just bonuses from this profit (eventhough they're a non-profit org. in other areas of their services).
 
Lesson learned.
 
Sorry for the derail.......please carry on with the good deals.  
 
 

I guess Goodwill CEO made out better than Herb did on that guitar.
 
Lesson learned.

bapu

Mesh
On a slightly different note......I used to regularly donate a lot of stuff to Goodwill thinking they were distributing it to the poor (the name Goodwill looked like a charitable organisation), but found out they actually sell it in their retail shops and the profit of course is 100%. Also, about the time, I read that CEO's received millions in just bonuses from this profit (eventhough they're a non-profit org. in other areas of their services).
 
Lesson learned.
 
Sorry for the derail.......please carry on with the good deals.  
 
 

I guess Goodwill CEO made out better than Herb did on that guitar.
 
Lesson learned.

......but.....but......but........
 
 
 
 
..............he got a new set of strings + the rest as profit no?

Mesh
On a slightly different note......I used to regularly donate a lot of stuff to Goodwill thinking they were distributing it to the poor (the name Goodwill looked like a charitable organisation), but found out they actually sell it in their retail shops and the profit of course is 100%. Also, about the time, I read that CEO's received millions in just bonuses from this profit (eventhough they're a non-profit org. in other areas of their services).
 
Lesson learned.
 
Sorry for the derail.......please carry on with the good deals.  
 

Yeah but you're forgetting that at least 1% of that profit is going to people who need it!
 
Charity is big business these days. A lot of people are making a living out of it. Just look at those kids who stand on the street with clipboard asking if you have a minute for the environment/poor children/gay rights. They call them "Chuggers" (charity muggers) in the UK. Here in New York it's getting out of hand. Sometimes I'll get accosted every couple of blocks. And these people use the cheesiest sales techniques....if you tell them you don't have time, they run after you saying "You don't have time for poor children, is that what you're saying?"
 

Personally, I'd like the donations to be 100% in going to people in need. I (now) choose very carefully when doing something like this, and do get involved in seeing that the "people in need" do get it directly. Somehow, when a "middleman" gets involved, the whole objective gets derailed.
 
For those "Chuggers" that say: "You don't have time for poor children, is that what you're saying?".....I'd say "Yes.....especially when it's being asked from people like you or whomever you're working for".
 
I don't fall for those "guilt trip lines" as I know in my heart what I've done and haven't done......(there's no need to prove it to the "Chuggers"). 

Goodwill isn't all bad.  They do hire people with disabilities (including my Dad after he became disabled) and you still get that wonderful tax receipt which allows you to deduct 0.007% off of 20-40% of your income.