Collector's Guide

I'm not sure where to post this, so I'll try here.
I don't own one (yet), but the Lighthouse Depot catalog states that the HL Collector's Guide describes all HLs from 1991 through 2006.
Does anyone know if there is an updated edition in the works?
Also, wouldn't it have made more sense to publish it as a binder and sell yearly updates?

Saint John Chidester wrote the text with help from several Forum members and Paul Brady furnished the pictures. Don't know about an updated version in the works, but, the reason it was bound the way it is was to allow for updated pages to be added when updates were put out. Don't know if that still holds true or even if there will be an update.

Didn't realize that the spiral binding could be updated. It would be a real shame to not keep this up to date. All the really hard work has already been done. The updates shouldn't be too big an undertaking.

We were asked at the New Orleans regional how often should the collectors guide be updated. I believe the popular response was every two years. I myself believe it should be done every three years. The spiral can be added to but I am in no hurry with out a machine to do it. It sounded like an update was in the planning but with how busy everyone is, I kind of-doubt it. Correction sheets would also have to be added.

I don't know if I would like to try to add pages to the spiral binding but the updated pages can be made to go into a binder. That way it would be easier to add the updates each time they come out.

I really hope there is an update before long. I use the guide to keep track of my collection. It is a great way to keep all the info together in one spot.

On another note: Am I missing something in the book or are the Christmas HLs missing? I found the ornament info, but did I miss the annual Christmas HL page in the back of the book with the numbers & years etc.?

John is aware of this. When the book was first released, there was a thread with some errors. I'm sure they'll be corrected in the future.

The Christmas lights are shown in alphabetical order in the book. I believe there is a list of Christmas Ornaments in the back. I'm not at home just now to check the book.

Unfortunately, I don't see an update or a revised guide anytime in the near future.

I will provide a PDF of errata. Try to do that by the end of the year.

I would be happy with a revised edition/update every 5 years.

As for the Christmas editions, I would like to see a complete 700 series checklist in the next update. Not just an ornament checklist.

I utilize my copy almost everyday.

I use my all of the time also.

I think the collectors book should have "Updates" every one or two years. This would be cheaper, and you would not have to keep buying the same book for jkust the changes. Now new collectors would just buy the original book and whatever update packs they want.

I fully agree with TerryO and I also know that any price guide is obsolete as it is printed. The updates could be the same size page-wise, but leaving enough left column space for 3 ring hole punches. It would be well worth it to purchase every two years since most of us use a spreadsheet of some type to keep track of new editions.

Quote:

Originally posted by TerryO:
I think the collectors book should have "Updates" every one or two years. This would be cheaper, and you would not have to keep buying the same book for just the changes. Now new collectors would just buy the original book and whatever update packs they want.

Because the book is organized alphabetically by Lighthouse Name (US, then International), it would not be practical to have updates that could be 'inserted' (What would the page numbers be?)

It could have been organized by product number, but then it wouldn't have been of much use to the new collector or the casual reader.

The Wire-O binding was chosen so that the book could lay flat when open. You can't insert pages into this type of binding. A ring-binder would not have been workable from a production standpoint.

When first developed, there were discussions about putting out a 32 page update every year or every two years - same size, but bound as a booklet. That might have been economically feasible, but you would need include a 'revised index' that indexed both the original and the update into one document.

In a hypothetical update publication where, for example, a Little Light has been introduced for which a previous Limited Edition has been made, the update page would be a reprint of the page the way it exists in the current directory with the addition of a mini photo and the table modified to show the Little Light.

I have a copy of the Guide on which I have added sticky notes marking all the errors -- 2 are spelling; some the lack of a date when one was known etc.

In any case, while the book has sold well, it has not sold out so the market for an update is too small to make it economically practical.

You can open and download a text file of the known errors: click here

If you know of other, please email me: webmaster@lighthousekeepers.com

It seems to me there is a page where the slots are slit to the binding center and can be added quite easily. I will admit it has been a long time since I have seen them and it may be dino technology now. The pages could be numbered as xx-A, xx-B, etc, and replace index pages to reflect the changes. The old pages are simply ripped out and replacements put in their place with the sitted holes. The ones I had used in the past held up quite well as I remember. Just a thought.