[TJHUB]

I recently purchased a turntable, and just got back into vinyl.  I haven't had a turntable in 35 years, and I was a teen then.  I have 75 records dating back to the early 60's through the mid 80's.  All of mine are pretty flat and in great shape after all these years.  I've purchased several new records from Acoustic Sounds, and all of them have been very flat or near flat.  I just received a record from Amazon that unfortunately is warped.  I'd say it's out by 3/16” towards the outside edge where it's the worst.  It plays fine, but I hate watching my cart bob up and down.  Since I'm relatively new to spinning vinyl again, just how acceptable is this?  Do I return and exchange it?  Do I live with this?  What do I do?

Thanks.

[FullRangeMan]

Its not acceptable with the current vinyl prices, ask a refund, unless its a dirty cheap LP or a rare item, in this case you would use a vinyl ring.

[vinyl_guy]

Unacceptable. I would return it.

[TJHUB]

I agree.  I too thought unacceptable.  It's not rare, but I couldn't find it elsewhere.  I will look harder.  Thanks.

[GentleBender]

Here is a resource to find vinyl, or any other format. Not always the best price, but you can certainly shop around. https://www.discogs.com/

[TJHUB]

Here is a resource to find vinyl, or any other format. Not always the best price, but you can certainly shop around. https://www.discogs.com/

Thanks.  I need to figure that site out.

[vinyl_guy]

Thanks.  I need to figure that site out.

Discogs is my go to site when I want to add a record to my collection that I can't find in my local record stores.

[toocool4]

Send it back for a replacement and if no replacement, get a refund.

[Letitroll98]

Two heavy glass plates, vinyl between them, put in the sun or an oven on the lowest temp for an hour, then leave the record in the glass overnight unheated.  It will be flat in the morning.  Badly warped records may need additional treatments, but longer heating cycles can damage the record.

[SteveFord]

Back it goes.
That oven thing, I tried that once and got Weep WOW.
Now I just leave them between two heavy glass and wood plates with some weights on top of them (for a long time).

[SET Man]

Hey!

    I have old records that actually flatter then newer ones. It is true that the vinyl production have been going up but at the same time sadly it seems that the quality control is not as tight as way back in the vinyl's heydays.
 
    I would return it. I've bought vinyl from Amazon before. Most of the time I don't have problem. But yes I've got wrapped vinyl from the before, I just return it. But! There's no guarantee that the replacement of the same album will be flat. Sometime that whole batch of same album pressing are wrapped! If you're lucky you get the replacement one that is less wrapped.

    By the way, I tried glass and oven thing. I ruined the first one... it was new album so it was easy to replace, I wouldn't do that to old valuable albums though. But I have done that 2 more times with vinyl that would be hard to return after that and it works! Although not completely flatten but good enough and way better before. The key is keeping the temp constant. My oven is a typical old fashion home oven, you can't precisely control the temp. I have a Fluke meter with temp prob so I use that to monitor the over temp. I keep it at 140F, turning oven on and off as needed.

    Anyway, if you can return it, just return it.

[FullRangeMan]

It can be harmful heat vinyl, a stabilizer ring will solve the prob if the platters fit one.

[TJHUB]

I did return the record, and ordered a new one from another seller.  Hopefully the new one will work out. 

Since getting the TT recently, I have purchased 8 new records.  In all, 3 had to be returned.  I returned 1 last week for having 2 big flaws in the vinyl.  They were almost voids in side 1 of the record.  Then there was the warped one.  And I opened a new 2 LP and the second record had a deep scratch on track 1.  That's not a good ratio of bad vinyl!  For what it's worth, 1 is from Amazon, and the other 2 are from Acoustic Sounds.  Both have good return policies.

[TJHUB]

Since my last post, I bought 6 more new records, and 4 were shipped back today due to the worst warping I've ever seen!  Is my luck that bad, or does the vinyl record industry suck this bad? 

[nlitworld]

USPS is not kind on records. Really no shipping carrier is for that matter. If there is a local shop you can hook up with to order you items, I'd do that. I realize not everyone lives in the proximity of a standout performer, but they mostly all buy from the same distributors. When I am resorting to discogs, it's usually because there is no other option.

[TJHUB]

USPS is not kind on records. Really no shipping carrier is for that matter. If there is a local shop you can hook up with to order you items, I'd do that. I realize not everyone lives in the proximity of a standout performer, but they mostly all buy from the same distributors. When I am resorting to discogs, it's usually because there is no other option.

I've already come to that conclusion.  The only source that has been 100% good thus far is my local record store.  Problem is that it's super small with very limited selection.  Time to travel out of town I guess.

[FullRangeMan]

Since my last post, I bought 6 more new records, and 4 were shipped back today due to the worst warping I've ever seen!  Is my luck that bad, or does the vinyl record industry suck this bad?

IMO they bought a batch of B stock warped LPs at a low price and are selling as good products.

[GentleBender]

I think you have had bad luck lately. I buy most of my vinyl online from various vendors and have only had your issues every once in a while, and just exchange them. We have now have two record stores that have recently popped up, but they have mostly new releases that I am not interested in.