[orthobiz]

http://offers.sleevecityusa.com/guide-to-collecting-vinyl?utm_source=Copy+of+OpenGroup+5+and+6+July&utm_campaign=Open+Group+7%2C8%2C9&utm_medium=email

Paul

[galyons]

Looks like a valuable resource!  Thanks for posting.

Cheers,
Geary

[woodsyi]

Looks like good information -- makes sense. 

BTW,  I collect vinyl for its sound quality and musicality more than for its resale value.  I am not paying top money for rare misprints or scarce original pressings just to have them and be afraid to play them for fear of damaging them.  I would pay top money for good pressings (new or old) of albums that I am going to listen to.

[SoCalWJS]

Hmmmmmm.....

Tempting, but I hate giving out my email address (even a backup one), to yet another vendor who may sell/give it away. 

[Maritan]

Thanks for the link! I downloaded a copy but haven't read it yet. For a vinyl newbie like myself, (if the info is good) this is great.

[Elizabeth]

I read it and have to say it is not telling much!
It goes through a lot of other 'stuff', and ony touches on the idea you should only buy near mint records???
Get real. The usual used record which is a great find is a VG+. that is the best you can expect to find. Those VG+ records are great. No problems.
Then 'buy originals" ?? newbies have no idea what an original is and what clues there are to TELL you it is an original. So forget that! You can study guides with original record labels, and what years they changed designs.. Like Columbia 'six eye' to 'two eye' etc. Problem for a lot of labels now is plenty of reissues (especially Jazz) use the original label design, so then you have to find the imprint somewhere of the reissue co. Maybe only a tiny one line note.. or the presence of a barcode. etc.
In Jazz you can be pretty certain ANY record you will see at a reasonable price is a REISSUE!! And just because the price is sky-high does not guarantee it really is an original.

1970's rock and early 1980's Rock is an exception. Millions of those were pressed so finding an 'original' is pretty easy for a lot of groups, AND they were never reissued anyway. they just kept on pressing and pressing.. (so that Supertramp is going to be original LOL)

The comment about shrink wrapped is right on. Just  because it is shrink wrapped means NOTHING about it being never played. In fact I stopped going to one place since the started shrink wrapping ALL the used records. Idiots.

A close glance at the playing surface can tell you a lot. The one 'bad' shiny record type is the one sprayed with a shining product. usually you can tell as they are too shiny!! A few classical labels have dull surfaces from the start. Telefunken is one. flat dead looking surface is what it looks like new anyway!
Plenty of great used Lps out there.. Plenty of garbage used Lps out there too.

My main advice is buy nice looking records. They usually play fine. It IS true a few people swear they can buy a scratched up  record and miracle it plays great. I have a few like that, but it is a rare occurrence. So never 'expect' to buy a scratched up junk record and assume it can play. Most scratched up records sound like crap. And the worst habit of newbies is to buy any condition of a record they want. Then wind up rebuying another copy later to upgrade the condition.. Save your money and skip buying the fist crap record just because you 'want' a copy badly. Plenty of fish in the barrel.. so be patient and wait for a copy worth keeping..

The comment on price is spot on. A scratch cuts the value in half. So when you see records aat like Half Price Books.. they have hardly a clue and price does not reflect condition. A really great LP and the scratched up same LP are the Same price. So i suggest skipping buying any scratched up Lps there, unless you are really desparate to get that one.
I always pass as i KNOW I can find it again in better condition for the same or lower price.
If the scratched up Lp is in the dollar bin.. that is a different story and  it may be worth trying out. Also Half Price Books often have common reissues they think are original and are priced crazy expensive. So really, unless you KNOW records.. skip paying for some bogus high priced record.

And go to stores with a good return policy. I can return anything at every store i go to.. no problem. So if you buy something, and it sucks, you can take it back.
The stores with a no returns policy is just wanting to cheat you.. Or they just do not trust anybody!

Buying online?? Tough to do well. Really good sellers are a bit hard to locate, and charge more. bad sellers are everywhere, and can really suck.
Ebay is not so great unless you know  the seller well. Amazon is better only due to the return policy.. which is stellar.

Good luck.

Added: Finally.. It takes a LONG TIME to create a good vinyl collection.Searching out Lps and building a collection is a tough hobby. It takes years to do it. If you enjoy the hunt, and can spend time with it .. it can be very rewarding. This is one hobby you cannot just throw money at it and expect it to be wonderful. You have to invest some time and thought to it. Very few others will appreciate the time and effort you put into it.

[MaxCast]

Thanks Elizabeth, you just saved me some time 

[Quiet Earth]

Good post Elizabeth. It's mostly common sense. Not sure that I can agree with this point though :

And go to stores with a good return policy. I can return anything at every store i go to.. no problem. So if you buy something, and it sucks, you can take it back.
The stores with a no returns policy is just wanting to cheat you.. Or they just do not trust anybody!

I think that they just can't trust anyone anymore and they are protecting themselves from a lot of hassle and wasted time/money on returns. I don't have a problem with our local record store not taking returns on vinyl because I'm happy enough that they continue to sell records. If they did the return thing, they would probably decide to not sell them anymore.

With vinyl you have to take a little risk. It's part of the journey.

[orthobiz]

Go Lizzie Go!!!

Paul

[Elizabeth]

Good post Elizabeth. It's mostly common sense. Not sure that I can agree with this point though :

I think that they just can't trust anyone anymore and they are protecting themselves from a lot of hassle and wasted time/money on returns. I don't have a problem with our local record store not taking returns on vinyl because I'm happy enough that they continue to sell records. If they did the return thing, they would probably decide to not sell them anymore.

With vinyl you have to take a little risk. It's part of the journey.

I wanted to clarify that I was writing about used LPs. Not new.
It is true small record stores cannot afford to 'eat' new LP returns for trivial problems.
But I was writing about used vinyl.
As mentioned I just wanted to clarify my post.

[jimdgoulding]

There is a great scene in a great small movie when jazz record collector and professional criminal Alec Baldwin goes into a used record shop and holds a mini high intensity flashlight over a record while he bargains with the shopkeeper.  His character listens to Monk and The Swingle Singers and other jazz records and you can see (and hear some of) the size of his collection in the scenes at his place of living.  He is a dog lover, too, and a far cry from any movie hopelessly bad guy stereotype.  This movie is available on Amazon last I looked and it's dialog is sly funny as are the characters.  Can't think of another like it.  Much too under-the-radar Andre Braugher is also in the cast.  Do buy it and enjoy yourself.

And what Elizabeth said in her right as rain post.

[galyons]

Thick as Thieves....I remember seeing it.  IIRC his turntable was a Technics. 

Cheers,
Geary

[Quiet Earth]

I wanted to clarify that I was writing about used LPs. Not new.
It is true small record stores cannot afford to 'eat' new LP returns for trivial problems.
But I was writing about used vinyl.
As mentioned I just wanted to clarify my post.

Hmmmm...... I will have to ask if they take returns on used vinyl the next time I go in. I just assumed that they didn't, since they always mention no returns on the new stuff. Thanks for the suggestion!

[Wayner]

I have approximately 4500 LPs, 1000 of which came from a single purchase of a collection. The rest I have collected over my entire life. They are insured for $30 each should they be damaged or stolen. Some are highly collectable and rare, others are well....not.

It's kind of like collecting visual art. You either like it or you don't. If you buy art as an investment, I think in the end you will be sadly disappointed. Same goes with wine, arrow heads and well, records.

I buy the record because I like the band. It's just that simple.

And yes, you can buy lots of used LPs for the price on one new. Don't buy the junk, let someone else do that.

One of the reasons that I got rid of almost all of my vintage Marantz pieces is that after this generation, no body is going to give a shit about stereos or records or CDs 'cause they all got their phones to listen to.

If there is no market for your stuff, it basically has no value.

And some day after we all get planted, our equipment and records will probably end up in a dumpster.

How's that for some cheery Saturday speel?