I rarely even
bother to look anymore, better sources, less wasted
time.
How about Salvation Army thrift stores?
Occasionally, I go "junk sailing" (sic). There are a cluster of
thrift stores around Canoga Park, quite a few along Main Street
in Ventura, and still more in Santa Barbara. (Rich people's junk!
Whoo-hoo).
Another "junk store trail" is via the Inland Empire, hitting
stores in Covina, Azusa, Pomona, La Verne, Fontana and Riverside.
Sometimes the most "classic" thing in these stores is an old
8-track compact stereo that doesn't work. But what you can
find may surprise you. I found an old Commodore Pet (with the
tiny keyboard) in one of these places (but they wanted way too
much--like $60...)
I'm disgusted with the garden variety of thrift store these days. Prices
often stink compared to sources with pallets of computers, but worse 90% of
the time you walk into a Salvation Army type store and they really have
NOTHING of any use, or just bits. Too many yard sale/swap meet sellers shop
the thrifts for bargains to last.
People I know have taken the time (I haven't) to jump through all the hoops
and get "vendor" status at the big thrifts. They go in once or twice a week
to areas off limits to the public and buy all the computer etc. stuff in
bulk. The dirty secret of most charities is that "most" of the donated
items are sold in bulk to vendors. In Santa Ana a store buyer bids right
along side swapmeet people to get certain types of things to sell in the
Goodwill stores.