[Scottdazzle]

I love Foghorn Leghorn! I remember as a kid at Christmas time, old Mr. Behm would come to my home town downtown with a real sleigh drawn by 4 work horses (they are like Clydesdales) and they would hand out apples and Crackerjacks to all the kids that came downtown to greet him.

Then they would open up the school auditorium and show Warner Brothers cartoons on the big screen for 3 hours. It was the best time ever and did we ever laugh! That is what life was like in a small town. We didn't lock our doors ever, the neighbors were all friendly and while we didn't have much money, we never went hungry and there was always a few gifts under the tree.

Wayner

I am so glad there is a Foghorn Leghorn appreciation society on AC!

BTW, record wear is minute and neglible when the record is clean and the stylus is good.

[Wind Chaser]

On the other hand, damage from a worn or mistracking stylus (such as when trying to track at too low a pressure) can cause audible degradation in just one play.

This is exactly why I wouldn't even think about buying used vinyl.

 

[Quiet Earth]

I have evidence to support the fact that if you keep your records clean, as BobM has suggested, use a good cartridge tracking at a reasonable VTF  and have the cartridge aligned properly, damage can be held to a minimum.

Yep. I have the same evidence over here too. I also have records handed down to me from people who didn't do that, and they are a lot noisier than the ones that I took care of.

[Quiet Earth]

life is just way too short to spend worrying incessantly about whether or not you are missing a tiny smidgen of the original source recording due to record wear. 

I totally agree with you, as do all of us I think.

Life is also too short to miss out on some great music available only on CD. The compact disc is just another format with its own set of strengths and weaknesses. When it's done well, it can sound very good too. It doesn't have to sound exactly like vinyl to sound good. It can be a little different and still give musical enjoyment.

Peace

[doug s.]

some records i have owned for 30-40 years sound great, others not-so-great.  but, this is exactly as they sounded 30-40 years ago.      no special treatment other than hand-washing, and always using a "dust-bug" when the records are playing.

doug s.

[orthobiz]

This is exactly why I wouldn't even think about buying used vinyl.

I also thought that would be true but I have had a blast buying used vinyl. Some good, some bad but always an adventure.

Paul

[analognut]

My take on wearing out records is this:

I have ALWAYS (from day 1) paid close attention to cartridge alignment and kept my LPs as clean as I possibly could. I believe that's why I, like wayner have records that are 40 years old and still sound as good as they did when new.

I didn't have a high-end rig until recently. Cart alignment and cleanliness is everything! 

[bunnyma357]

I've got a lot of old 70's & 80's vinyl and the amount of playing seems to have little to do with how well it survived. Beatles, Yes and others sound horrible today, even though they were well treated - others that got a lot more play time under hostile drunken college/high school conditions still sound pristine. No rhyme or reason as far as I can tell.

Jim C

[jrtrent]

This is exactly why I wouldn't even think about buying used vinyl.

I also thought that would be true but I have had a blast buying used vinyl. Some good, some bad but always an adventure.

I do what I can to protect the records I own, but I also greatly enjoy buying used records, even the 25 or 50 cent items from the bargain bins.  If a record is unpleasant to listen to, I just throw it away, but of the 20 or so records I typically pick up on a shopping trip, I don't think I've ever tossed more than 2 or 3 (I mostly buy classical, and for some reason these seem to generally be in better shape than other genres).  I can put up with some ticks and pops, but I can't stand it when the music itself is distorted.

[Scottdazzle]

This is exactly why I wouldn't even think about buying used vinyl.

I also thought that would be true but I have had a blast buying used vinyl. Some good, some bad but always an adventure.

I do what I can to protect the records I own, but I also greatly enjoy buying used records, even the 25 or 50 cent items from the bargain bins.  If a record is unpleasant to listen to, I just throw it away, but of the 20 or so records I typically pick up on a shopping trip, I don't think I've ever tossed more than 2 or 3 (I mostly buy classical, and for some reason these seem to generally be in better shape than other genres).  I can put up with some ticks and pops, but I can't stand it when the music itself is distorted.

My unscientific conclusion about used vinyl is that the more intellectual the music, the better the condition of the vinyl.  Danceable or party music is often in atrocious condition.  I've had a higher percentage of good jazz and classical vinyl.  However, I prefer cd to vinyl on classical music that is longer than one side (most symphonies).  I don't like to get up in the middle of a longer work to turn it over -- it interrupts the spell of the music.

[TheChairGuy]

This is exactly why I wouldn't even think about buying used vinyl.

Yeah, but at under $5 for most used LP's, versus 4x + as much for new...the risk/reward ratio is pretty compelling to buy used (even if you get a terribly scratchy clunker along the way). The variety of titles available used dwarf the new vinyl market, an additional reason to buy used.

Furthermore, new records today have some abysmal quality control.  There is a lot of demand and not enough production, overall, so we are getting some pretty lousy quality control as a result.  The will change and new plants come online or old ones (properly) expanded, most likely.

Also, if you buy a used and badly worn record...it's always worth something back as a trade-in at your local used record shop.

John

[storman]

I use LAST Record Preservative...and have for years/decades now

I have no earthly idea if it works in retarding the aging process....but, I go on faith that it does as a prominent Chief Engineer for Allsop and (later) Managing Director for Trackmate once told me that the LAST product range does as it says.

One thing I know is bunk however...was a Stereophile reviewer claimed that his records sounded much better with less ticks and pops after application.  But, that is just fantasy...the only thing that LAST Record Preservative can do is preserve further destruction of vinyl, not repeal the damage already done to it.

If LAST says there is record wear I'm inclined to believe it does...and protect against the ravages of more of it

John

Is LAST still being made and sold ?  I used to use it back in the 80's before I sold my soul to the CD. Now I'm back to playing the old LPs that I had stored at my mother's house.   Some of the LPs I had treated with LAST did not get sold off to a used book store years ago and still sound great.

Bill

[chosenhandle]

Is LAST still being made and sold ?  I used to use it back in the 80's before I sold my soul to the CD. Now I'm back to playing the old LPs that I had stored at my mother's house.   Some of the LPs I had treated with LAST did not get sold off to a used book store years ago and still sound great.

Bill

sure is. They guy who invented it was at RMAF last fall selling it. He spent quite a while explaining how it works to me cause I was "gunshy" about putting anything in the grooves of the record. I bought some and it seems to work very well.

[rollo]

Steam cleaning those used LPs can bring a smile to your face. Got one at Target used same VPI fulid in steamer a la Mapleshade but for less mulla. Also that Sham Wow thing works very nicely to remove all the left over water [ not much] I cut out a piece large enough to place LP on place o top and water be gone. Just to ensure that all the esidue is gone gone gone . A VPI machine sucks it up.
  Now with the steamer and Shammie the VPI is on vacation. OK back to topic. Yes they wear out if abused meaning playing the same cut over and over will. You can just plain wear them out. Actually boys those 200G and the like LP re issues we spent some serious money on will wear out faster due to the softer virgin vinyl. So be carefull not to overplay in one sitting.


charles
 

[AudioSoul]

   Cleaning your LP's is definetly going to help keep them in better condition. Unless you play the same records every day you probably cant tell if there is some deterioration to the music it so so small......

[TheChairGuy]

Is LAST still being made and sold ?  I used to use it back in the 80's before I sold my soul to the CD. Now I'm back to playing the old LPs that I had stored at my mother's house.   Some of the LPs I had treated with LAST did not get sold off to a used book store years ago and still sound great.

Bill

As fellow member chosenhandle indicates...indeed, they are still made and sold

www.lastfactory.com

John

[rcag_ils]

Records usually will last forever when only played on a high quality player. Records made from low quality chopped up recycled vinyl sound bad to begin with. So the answer is don't play your good records with a cheap plastic portable record player from the 70's and you'd be fine.