About String Theory

String Theory Records is the result of a minor craigslist addiction and a touch of insanity.

Ben had a small record collection for many years and enjoyed adding to it when possible. One day he came across 800 records for sale on craigslist. He paid $400 for them. After a bit of hustling and bustling at the market and on craigslist, he made his money back. On top of that, he listened to a lot of new records and even pulled some out for his private collection. Ben was happy. Life was good.

But the addiction was pulling at him, a primordial urge to buy and sell junk. This addiction is hereditary; most of his uncles and his father have, at some point in their lives, been junk dealers. Ben didn't want to get sucked in -- a trepidation shared by his partner Lisa. They wanted their house a home, not a storage unit. Nevertheless, with a wary eye on the addictive powers of junk, Ben forged ahead cautiously, buying some records from auctions and individuals.

Then, one day, he came across 30,000 records for sale. After much soul searching, he bought them, cleaned out his basement, bought a dehumidifer (off craigslist) and moved in the vinyl. Ben was happy. The enormous volume of records made him laugh, and laughter is a good thing.

Ben still doesn't have full knowledge of his collection, but he is learning every day. He tries to not keep too many records in the habitated portion of the house, out of respect for his partner and their relationship. He is meeting new and interesting people -- record geeks -- and enjoys his meditative Sunday ritual -- the Fremont Market. There, with a turntable hooked to a car battery, he sorts through portions of his collection and revels in the wonder of new music.