buying used vinyl

drphoto · « **on:** 5 Jun 2010, 03:40 am »

Sorry if this has been discussed before I started lurking here. Feel free to post a thread link.

Anyway, as I'm screwing around w/ the freebie Thorens and seriously considering buying another deck, I gotta consider the 'software'.

New records are expensive!! I paid $25 for the Floyd's DSotM! (was 180 gm at least)

I would go broke fast trying to build a collection at those prices. Can used recoreds without obvious ugly scratches sound good? How does one know if the grooves are intact? What's a fair price for a used record? I would think a couple of bucks unless it's some rare collectable.

Maybe if those are the prices one can afford to gamble.

Elizabeth · « **Reply #1 on:** 5 Jun 2010, 04:12 am »

IF you live near a big city, you can buy used LP locally, and 'may' find places with low prices and good stuff. If you do NOT live near or in a big city, then buying used is harder. You would have to buy used from sellers on the internet. Finding sellers you can trust to sell you 'good' used LPs is complicated. Low prices and good reputation as a seller do not go together.

drphoto · « **Reply #2 on:** 5 Jun 2010, 04:18 am »

I'm in audiowasteland. Nearest big city (if you can call it one) is Cincy. and that's 1.5 hr drive.

vinyl_guy · « **Reply #3 on:** 5 Jun 2010, 04:29 am »

I buy a lot of good used records and some sound better than others--most sound very good after cleaning. I am picky and spend a lot of time looking for obvious defects & scratches that cut across the grooves. I don't worry about fingerprints because I have a good vacuum record cleaning machine. Used records in good condition will generally run between $3 to $8 depending on condition and how rare/popular they are. Some rare used records can be more expensive than new 180g vinyl. I travel in my job and I have shopped in Denver, Boulder, Tucson, Phoenix, Reno, Washington DC, Portland, Boise and Seattle in addition to Spokane. I have found the prices fairly consistent from city to city. Sometimes you can get lucky in the $1.00 record bins, but in my experience it is hard to find a good used record for less than $3 and most are in the $4-$6 range.

You can build a nice collection buying used

Check out the catch of the day: vinyl you've recently bought thread in the Vinyl Circle. Most of the postings are used records.

Elizabeth · « **Reply #4 on:** 5 Jun 2010, 04:36 am »

Being able to LOOK at the record you plan on buying is the BEST way to tell if good or not. (other than high priced sellers with guarantee)
When you look at the LP surface, tilt the grooves so you can see the sheen across the grooves in a bright light. They should have an angle that they glisten. You can see if scratches you can view flat, actually cut into the grooves with this method. Being nearsighted helps a LOT, LOOK at the grooves really CLOSE! and all around. some tiny deep nicks can be really bad. DO NOT buy any records that are really dirty. Good LPs are usually really clean to start with. They can be 50 years old and have NO dust.
Generally do not buy scratched used LPs. They are worth a fraction of ones with NO scratches, and sellers often over charge by saying they are better than what the actually are. A mint Lp may be worth say $40. one small scratch that does NOT affect play and the LP is worth $20. with a scratch you can hear just for a moment, one time, $10.. So buying a scratched LP for 'like new' pricing is a BIG scam in the used market, nearly everone selling Lps does it to some extent.
If the Lp has a thick layer of dust, forget it, it was abused anyway. Fingerprints: no fingerprints, though a few may be just other browsers, and OK. major prints all over forget it.
Turn LP on edge and check for BOW or dish warps, Flat is in, hold up to wall or ceiling edge and see if straight, no curves. rotate ninety degrees and check again.
Prices: Classical LPs are ALL fifty cents to two bucks. (except RCA 'shaded dog, or Mercury 90000's)
Classical music is THE best bargain, as few collectors compared to the vast quantity of LPs
Jazz LPs can be from $3 to $15 for 'normal' reissues used. Some Jazz LPs used are hundreds of dollars. Jazz is the hardest to find locally.
Rock is a few bucks to $15 used except rare artist's early Lps, Clean Bob Dylan two eye are always $30 to $50 so old Rock 1960's early 70s can be expensive for famous artists.
Artists you never heard of can be had for a buck or two.
Get a book like "All MUsic Guide" to know what albums of an artist are the best, or, use "All Music" dot com for the same. Spending the money on the best LPs is a better way to spend your money, than guessing which albums are good.
The used LP market is a real challenge. I have 6,000 LP, most used. Now i buy mostly $4 to $25 LPs. I used to buy $0.20 Lps.. Not any more.
Estate sales can be a good place to find LPs. YOU MUST go the first day. Used reselllers swarm estate sales and will have taken all the stuff worth buying the first day.

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #5 on:** 5 Jun 2010, 04:38 am »

(Thinking out loud)....and for those in the "boon docks"...

Maybe within the Vinyl Circle, a thread can be set up (sticky) for Wanted To Buy (WTB) albums.

Those having that certain extra LP can get in touch (through PM) with the one trying to locate a good clean copy.

Just an idea....

drphoto · « **Reply #6 on:** 5 Jun 2010, 04:39 am »

Thanks for the reply, that's what I was hoping to hear. I sure regret giving my record collection away now, but then again......there's a whole lot of past decisions I wish I could redo!

drphoto · « **Reply #7 on:** 5 Jun 2010, 04:54 am »

I have to say, and I know it's naive, but I really thought the bottom would have fallen out of all of the vinyl market. Especially as some serious strides have been made in digital audio of late. (especially w/ computer based sources)

Yeah, when 'perfect sound forever' came out, most of "US" hated it, while the masses jumped on board. But it kept getting better and better.

Again, it sounds naive, but I thought there'd be Linn tables for $100 and albums for $1.

vinyl_guy · « **Reply #8 on:** 5 Jun 2010, 05:10 am »

The vinyl resurgence is real. While CDs continue to out sell records nation wide, CD sales have declined each year for the past several years while vinyl sales have increased every year since 2005. Vinyl is the only physical media to show increased sales in every year since 2005. The local record store in Spokane is filled with college and high school kids on weekends buying used vinyl. They tell the owner records sound better than CDs and downloads (which they do). Vinyl playback is not as convenient as CD or computer based systems, but when it comes to sound quality, vinyl rules!

There is a reason there are so many reissues of 1960 & 70 lps, most from the original analog tapes--DEMAND. The record pressing plants can't keep up with the demand which has lead to some quality control problems with some new vinyl.

The record store in Spokane is selling rebuilt and tested used turntables (mostly Sonys, Pioneers, Technics) for $150 to $250. A used Linn in good condition will cost you a lot more than that.

Elizabeth · « **Reply #9 on:** 5 Jun 2010, 05:25 am »

Concerning The $100 Linn and dollar Lp the problem was the fanatics.
There ARE vinyl fanatics with tens of thousands and hundreds of thousands of LPs.
They NEVER gave up.
Folks who bought 8 track tapes.. all gave up. Folks who bought Elcassette, all gave up. Folks who bought Beta videos.. all gave up. Folks who bought audio cassettes have all given up.
The last big give up was VHS video cassettes. Stores won't buy them anymore...
Folks who bought Laserdiscs are giving up in droves.. Some fools are thinking to buy them up.. but they are crazy.
BUT LPs.. theose folks NEVER gave up. Yeah, you and me..everybody you KNOW gave up.. but those Vinyl guys,, they never gave up. They got laughed at, and never gave up. Now, they have ALL the LPs. HAH HAH hah. The one out there are from THOSE folks dying. The hoards of LP SLOWLY trickle out. AND the other 'not dead' old hoarders are STILL buying more LPs
This is WHY LPs still cost too much..

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #10 on:** 5 Jun 2010, 05:47 am »

Elizabeth....

Quote

BUT LPs.. theose folks NEVER gave up. Yeah, you and me..everybody you KNOW gave up.. but those Vinyl guys,, they never gave up. They got laughed at, and never gave up. Now, they have ALL the LPs. HAH HAH hah. The one out there are from THOSE folks dying. The hoards of LP SLOWLY trickle out. AND the other 'not dead' old hoarders are STILL buying more LPs
This is WHY LPs still cost too much..

A past post...

Quote

I have 6,000 LPs, and 2,500 Cds. So I have enough music to last awhile. The Lps have been culled many times so only to good stuff is left. I have tossed at least 8,000 LPs out, and at least 1,200 CDs out also.
I just bought about 900 Rock CDs lately because I had stopped hearing new Rock music around 1987, when MTV stopped playing videos. So I decided I neded to 'catch up'. So using various sources I made lists and filled them with used CDs. (Used CDs are dirt cheap now..) So I have at least caught up to 2001 anyway.. I plan on a server for later stuff instead of Cds. But that is a future project.

8,000 Lp's tossed....wow !

SteveFord · « **Reply #11 on:** 5 Jun 2010, 09:53 am »

One problem with buying used LPs is not knowing what the album was originally played on (and how often).
A crummy turntable with a beat stylus which was set up poorly will buzz all of the highs off.
I'm in the minority here as I stay away from used albums.

jsaliga · « **Reply #12 on:** 5 Jun 2010, 01:00 pm »

Like Laura, I expect to pay between $4 and $6 for a used record in VG+ or NM condition, in great playable shape. But that is at a record store where I am buying records by the title. I will occasionally pay more than that if it is a record that I really want and it is hard to find. I have some used records that cost me between $50 and $100, but these are mostly jazz albums that are quite rare.

If you like classical music and rock then a great way to build a record library fast to buy in bulk by the box. I once bought a bulk lot of 500 classical LPs for $200. You do end up throwing some out because of wear or scratches. But you don't mind that so much when you are paying 30 to 50 cents per record. There are plenty of sources for bulk lot LPs: Craigslist, eBay, your local Salvation Army Thrift Shop...even local yard sales. A few weeks ago I cleaned a yard sale out. The guy had a box of about 150 LPs and was asking $2 per record. It was mostly rock and jazz and most of the jackets were in nice shape. I offered him $80 for the entire lot and he took it. Some of them are duplicates of stuff I already have, but many of them are keepers with a few hard to find LPs in the mix.

--Jerome

woodsyi · « **Reply #13 on:** 5 Jun 2010, 02:52 pm »

Since you are starting from scratch, you can look for bulk deals on Craig's List somewhere you can drive to. I have had luck picking out retiring folks who are getting rid of records as they are down sizing to move to warmer climate. One couple even had Thorens table to sell -- their collection was in very good condition. I also lucked out with a couple of Opera and classical music sets where the records were hardly played. I picked up 100 boxed sets of opera for $300 and they were in great shape and were hard to find recordings. Be patient and look for people who are selling their treasured collection for the first and only time. Avoid those who are recycling stuff. You can tell when they are pros at it.

BTW, you almost need a record cleaning machine if you are buying used records. Good cleaning regimen is a must when dealing with used records and an RCM makes cleaning much easier. I can give you a good deal on a VPI HW 16.5 if you are interested. I have upgraded to a Typhoon.

Stu Pitt · « **Reply #14 on:** 5 Jun 2010, 06:04 pm »

As hard as people have tried to get by without one, there's really no substitute for a vacuum machine. I've tried a ton of methods (except the spin clean and that pressure washer system), none came close to vacuuming. Steaming took it up a few notches higher.

orthobiz · « **Reply #15 on:** 5 Jun 2010, 06:32 pm »

Used vinyl rools!

I have every record I ever owned, I am one who never gave up. I took care of my vinyl and much of it still sounds fantastic but some of it was played (American Beauty, Live at the Fillmore, etc. etc.) back in the day. Yet it's still listenable.

Anyway, I am constantly amazed at how much good used vinyl there is. I am a garage sale nut living in a rural area. Lots of Detroit retirees, for me the best is someone around 62 or 65 with lots of late 60's early 70's. Last week I picked up a dozen records that look like the guy must have used cloth gloves and a hazmat suit to handle: they are pristine. 1 dollar each! Check out your neighborhood every Friday and Saturday morning.

Ask the following:
Do you have any VINYL RECORD ALBUMS for sale. It's those 3 words that work the best. Ask for vinyl, you'll get a raincoat. Ask for records and you'll get a financial ledger book. Ask for albums and you'll get photo albums galore.

Also, it's OK to ask if they have any in the basement. That's how I lucked out last weekend.

And when the wife says my husband has a bunch but he won't sell them, ask where their turntable is, when was the last time he played them. Plant the seed. Give them your number. Guaranteed you will one day hit the mother lode!

And remember, it's OK to do all of this because YOU HAVE AN ILLNESS. Submit to the disease process and have fun!

Things to look for:
No "spindle" marks around the center hole, like they have never seen a changer.
Lack of ring wear on the album cover.
Inner sleeve not aligned with the cover where the record falls out on the floor.
Inner sleeve edges not perforated through so the record doesn't fall out.

And scratches: I've been fooled many times. Some scratches do not affect play. If it's a desirable record and it's 50 cents, go ahead and take a chance!

Paul

Wayner · « **Reply #16 on:** 5 Jun 2010, 06:39 pm »

Most of my LPs are used. I've paid as little as $.50 and as much as $80 for them. Cleaning your records is a must, but can wash them in the sink with dishwashing detergent and a horse hair 2 1/2" paint brush. Dip the whole record into the water, take the wetted brush and brush with the grooves on both sides. Rinse with some clean tap water to get all of the soap off, and towel dry with something like an old bath towel, something fuzzy like that. Leave them out for the paper label to dry.

The key to buying good used LPs is simply "patience". Take them out of the sleeve and look at both sides, first for the obvious scratches (some lite scuffs are usually OK), and for wear. Also try to see if it is warped, although by now, most warped records are gone.

If you find a record that is still sealed, like from the 80s, chances are that it could be warped from the shrink wrap for all those years, however, I have lucked out a few times with my GTR, Supertramp, and FIXX lps.

There are other defects that are less detectable, like off center stampings and popcorn (overheated vinyl at pressing), but that is the chance you take. I would also stay away from record club LPs.

That's my 2 cents.

Wayner

rcag_ils · « **Reply #17 on:** 7 Jun 2010, 07:57 pm »

If you've never had a vinyl record in your entire life and try to build a collection from the ground up, it's gonna be expensive, buying used or new.

Most of us have been carrying our collections all the way from the 60's or 70's to now. I go to used record stores to kill time, and hope that I'll get lucky (and I do, occasionally).

I wouldn't want to get the paper label wet, some labels are worth more than the others.

TheChairGuy · « **Reply #18 on:** 7 Jun 2010, 10:51 pm »

drphoto,

A couple stickies that should give you some direction for buying:

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=44895.0

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=38636.0

John

ricmon · « **Reply #19 on:** 9 Jun 2010, 09:53 pm »

ok I hate to dumb things down. But just be a little creative. The first thing I considered was where is vinyl still going strong..................the UK. So back then I went to amazon.com.uk and bought there. as time went by more used stores opened up in town. So I just go look and buy.

Ric