I think it was in the early 70's that Lowrey brought out an arranger keyboard, that I bought for 2600.00. The two 35 watt amps were 250.00 more. This board had a lot of styles in it but like most, never enough.
Lowrey would bring out a cartridge that looked like an 8 track and about the same size that would have 4 or sometimes 5 new styles on it. It cost 75.00 plus another 6.00 Calif sales tax. They were released on a random basis usually every couple of months and we just couldn't wait to get the next one. You had to get to the dealer as soon as he called you or they were gone. I still have about 20 of them in a drawer and that is another 1500.00 for styles for this keyboard. I still have this keyboard and that pair of amps.
We paid what the the traffic would bear and happy to get them.
Later on as I bought the first Technics Arrangers we bought extra styles for them and from only one company that made them and sold them in the US and the UK only. They were also very expensive but we bought a new crop for each new keyboard that was released and we purchased. We never give it a second thought. Price didn't enter into it.
so you can see how attitudes and times have changed since then.
Bebop