Ive bought many records at thrift stores that had the top of the cover a little worn to very worn and the record was still very playable. The real gamble is buying records online. Not everyone sees or grades a record the same way.
I buy a lot online, and mostly sellers are genuine about the condition and rate it fairly, but sometimes it cracks me up when I see a destroyed record and the sellers says ''excellent condition for the age!!'' and they claim that because its a 50 year old record. Just because its old doesn't mean it can't be in good shape !
@@futeish3468 Just received my first two records today from an online purchase...rated VG. When I used to sell used records, they both would have been in my FREE bin. In terrible shape!
Buying Records Online is a HUGE gamble. I find that the majority of sellers OVER VALUE and OVER-GENEROUSLY GRADE the albums they find at thrift stores, garage sales and estate sales. What I do now is ask a list of SPECIFIC questions regarding the overall condition of the album. If the seller seems annoyed, inconvenienced or unwilling to answer all of your questions and won’t e-mail you pics of the record, don’t give them your money, that seller is dishonest.
I am happy for all the records you leave behind because they're not up to perfect standards. I love listening to music and I can handle a few little cracks or pops. Especially when it does not cost very much.
You can wash your records, I've been doing it for over 10 years. The key is they NEED to be completely dry before you play them. Surface noise after a wet clean is usually water/static trapped inside the grooves so like you said it's good to store them in a humid environment. I usually plan on washing in advance before a play, thus I do most of my washing before work so they will be completely dry when I get home. The most important piece of advice I have ever heard from an audiophile is that it's better to play a clean record than a dirty one. The stylus picks up dust, dirt which can harden with friction causing further wear possible damage to your vinyl. I personally hand wash them using distilled water (to be safe) and a splash of isopropyl alcohol, a light sponge to get inside the grooves. Then I go over it with a RCA vinyl pad to get any further dirty inside the grooves. A micro-fibre cloth or lint free wipe-all for wiping of surface moisture then air dry for at least an hour. Works fore me, one wash will go a long way depending on how much you store them. Try it with an old record sometime.
I bought a copy of the doors soft parade. Outer jacket was ripped, on the back. The record itself was spotless. Cover did it’s job. Awesome pickup for a dollar. Have a great day!
Good tips if you're buying a $50+ used record. But NOT for a thrift store record. If you're pulling out a flash light and a magnifying glass at a Goodwill you should pinch your pennies a bit harder and not buy the records at all.
yep. These days if you find Zeppelin in the dollar bin, you better grab it. If it's not clean enough for you to keep, you can always sell it for at LEAST $5. I'd take a quick look to make sure it's not completely trashed. ... I'm also picky about the covers, but sometimes you find really clean records in really worn covers. So, I'll pick them up if they are a good price. Maybe I have a copy at home with a nice cover but scratched record, so I might swap them, if the issue is the same, of course. Then I can keep the good cover and record, and put the scratchy record in the worn cover, and throw in my sale or trade bin for $1.
Especially if you buy them on a local auction site. I got a lot of records for $1-5 like that. For more than that I check if the seller is respectable enough to trust his statement about the condition of the record. Just got an Iron Maiden Killers copy for $10 which was stated as 'near mint'. It looks like it was never used or even taken out of the sleeve. But I wouldn''t give $10 if it stated condition unknown or untested. And yeah, I got another turntable with cheap stylus which I can use for testing (TT, even if cheap, is decent enough and has very low tracking weight so it won't destroy it, of course)
why? some great stuff can be bought from a thrift store, but why should you let it ruin a stylus? a $1 find could be the unobtainable bargain of the century or could destroy a precious stylus. if you were using an Ortofon Anna and it was fucked up by an album you wouldn't be happy, and a thrift store may be the only place you find that illusive, long since deleted album or 45.
I agree completely. If I am buying less than VG+ condition I generally don't care if there is some ring wear or spine wear - because if I am buying less than VG+ it means that it's really hard to come by or it's just something I think I would like to listen to now and then...as long as there aren't scratches that affect the sound or would damage the needle I will give it a cleaning and then play it.
Wet wash works! Nothing fancy, just clean with diluted washing liquid and a sponge and rinse it under a running tap. Vacuum clean/suck (a good record cleaning machine is recommended!) out all the murk and dries in seconds. Plays and sounds like brand new!
Personally, here in Australia if I'm lucky enough to find a pile of half decent records in a local thrift store (or opp. shop as we call them) I give them a quick glance to make sure they're not completely trashed and grab them. Good tip to look for lead in wear though, never thought of this!
Starting a journey back into vinyl. I have a modest collection from 45 years of accumulation, including the first 3 albums I bought at 13 years old. I am going to purchase a quality turntable this weekend from a reputable dealer specializing in quality equipment and customer support. Thanks for the advice in your videos. There is a lot to know and learn to begin collecting good vinyl again. I have been buying new vinyl slowly for a few years now and am looking forward to playing these for the first time. i
Thanks for sharing great videos. Just got back into vinyl today after 25 years. I donated my 2 turntables: a Sylvania and pioneer to Salvation army about 15 years ago, but kept all of my records which are mostly punk from the 70's and 80's. Today for the first time, I went to a thrift store and found two full crates of albums. Instincts told me to bypass the records with the worn white/yellow dirty edges. I went straight for the records that still had the glossy shrink wrap. I pulled out a Kenny Rogers Greatest Hits-never opened for 1.00, a Go Go's-Talk Show in shrink wrap with no sign of any wear 1.00, and The Best Of Bread for 1.00 with no shrink wrap because it is a folding picture cover, but cover and vinyl was in excellent condition. I feel good about my first vinyl search and rescue.I'm sure many of you have had better hauls, but this was my first confidence builder for many more to come.
I get great results cleaning records with a spray of alcohol and a quick wipe. Dust and dirt filled monsters that sound like a hailstorm can often get cleaned right up easily. Being able to tell how deep a scratch is will also help you guess how it will sound when playing. Many shallow scuff marks are totally inaudible.
I use an Okki Nokki RCM. Most used vinyl benefits from a clean as well as some new vinyl. Removes many pops and static! Carbon fibre brushes are next to useless.
If you see several crates of records at the thrift shop, you go through the 1st crate and pull one at a time and inspect them? I pull everything of interest and go to the next crate until all are searched, THEN I inspect all of the records. That way, you don't lose great finds to a vulture that comes in and picks the rest of the crates while you're standing there with a magnifying glass looking at a John Denver album. Also, if you are worried about cover wear, why are your records shelved without poly outer sleeves? Plus, using a humidifier will cause the dormant mold on many old covers to spread to other albums and you will have many destroyed, stuck together covers.
Other than the recordbrush I also have a small watercolourbrush that I use to clean the dust from the needle sometimes. Really easy and does not harm in any way.
If you've spent over $3,000 on LP's then I feel it's worth the $800 (or less used) for a Vac-type cleaner. If your lucky enough to own an extremely-above average system then you will hear the difference, especially if your buying used vinyl. As far as looking at any LP - the only thing you'll ever see is if there are scratches and/or dirt - you will not know how it sounds until you play it. I've been buying & collecting for over 55 years and I've owned every level of equipment and by now 7,000 LP's, 4,000 45's and 9,000 78's. This guy tells the truth about audio - good stuff! (btw- i've listened to all of them!!!!)
Every single record I own gets a wet clean on my vacuum wet record cleaning machine. It makes an enormous difference to many older records but even new records should be cleaned to remove mould release agents (used during the pressing process). Cleaning removes dust, other debris and static so will result in much quieter playback and mean your records last longer. After cleaning, I put my records into new anti-static sleeves and use polyethylene outer sleeves to protect the record from dust and the cover from wear. I clean my stylus and use an anti-static carbon fibre brush before playing each side and use an anti static gun from time to time on the records and the record deck.
Your method is exactly the same as mine. I just picked up an ultrasonic cleaner so will use that in conjunction with the vacuum cleaner on some older LP's that still have that little bit of noise. But overall, I think a good vacuum record cleaning machine, (mine is a VPI 16.5 ), is indispensable. Honestly at this point clicks and pops are unacceptable to me since almost all of my records are dead quiet! Also I mix my own cleaning solution - 3 parts distilled water, 1 part 100% isopropyl alcohol and a drop or two of rinse agent. Works like a charm and much cheaper than buying it ready made.
@@kevinfleming7038 I’m just awaiting delivery of a Degritter and was also thinking of keeping my vacuum machine for the same reason. I currently use L’Art du Son, which I settled on after trying a few, but also recently bought Triton X wetting agent for use on records prior to use in the Degritter which I plan to then only use with distilled water rather than adding their solution. Will see how that goes…
Hi, The flip side of judging a record too harshly by its worn cover is that maybe you miss out on a great record that gets played a lot because it is so good. RE the expensive cleaning machines, I don't believe they do anything that can't be done with a bottle of good cleaning solution, a lazy susan and an inexpensive whet/dry vacuum cleaner with a lint free cloth over the nozzle. I know a lot of collectors collect only pristine copies, but I kind of get a lot of pleasure out of restoring some of the well used vinyls I come across. I have even revived old Beatles records that have been left to collect dust since the 60s, into quit decent copies. It can be quite rewarding and I think I would value a restored old record more than a new pressing.
John Bellamy I was thinking same thing. Why am I going to skip a well played great album for an obscure album that no one listened to ? As for owning albums just to own them. Then you’re an album collector not a music fan
I've been junking for records for 50 years and I have never heard of checking the outer edge but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and check it out. Interesting. I'm a big advocate of wood glue (Titebond II), especially 45s. I want to thank the vinyl community for not buying singles.
Been using Wood glue to deep clean old vinyl. It works for pulling dust out of the grooves. I tried it on a old bad playing copy of Zeplin 4 and it made it listenable. Trying it again on a less damaged record now. It works for getting the crackles and pops out of old vinyl.
Those are pretty interesting points.. I buy mostly based on titles and then condition after I've zeroed in on the titles I want. I'll choose at least a VG+ but I've bought records that were pretty dire condition hoping that I could repair it in the digital domain, The crazy things we do cos we love music and vinyl so much!
Thanx I learned a couple of things, just got about 250 LAPS out of storage for 20 years and your information is very good and pick up a couple of things from your blog, thanx again.
Why would anyone buy a record just to own it? This is where I don't understand some VC folks. Huge collections of records but how much actually gets a listen.
Agreed, I only buy records that I really like and would listen to. I don't care how nice the condition is. That's why people have these massive collections and no space left.
A month or so ago I bought an album by Randy Newman. The cover was/is a mess with water damage and the sleeve was a bit moldy, the record itself had a few spots and looked very bad. I gave it a wash in 50% alcohol and a few drops of dishsoap and it looks fantastic - and sounds really great. Not super-high-fi but it sounds good and it was a bargain. If you want a pristine record you should buy new or on ebay from reputable sellers or in specialised record stores. If you don't mind the occasional pop and what not - get used records from a thrift store or a garage sale. It's as simple as that.
it depends what shop I'm in. but there's this one I go to once in a while that has a "new used arrivals" section that I look at first. then I just look for something I recognise that I might not already have or something eye catching that I've never heard of before. the best finds are ones that you've never seen before that just strike you as interesting. take a gamble.
No surprise there in the difference in condition between the Zepplin and the Erasure albums. The latter would only get played a few times before the owner got fed up or out grew the music on it, the former on the other hand is a play for life album you never tire of as is the magic of great music, be it the Beatles, Floyd, Sabbath, Zepplin, U2, Barry White, they what we call stayers, musical fashion comes and goes but they are the little black dress of the music world, always there.
I'm so sick of guys like you who think if it's not Floyd or Zeppelin is crap music.. Just because you like it doesn't mean everyone else should.. And FYI.. "Stayers"? That's a joke right.. Everyone's taste in music is different! Stop acting like the music YOU like is better and other music you "grow out of" oh how it would be fun to tell you in person how narrow minded you are
80 % of the records i have collected over 35 years i would not have bought using your criteria. The choice always come down to what it is and the cost.
I simply can't enjoy records that have been mistreated, scratched, or have lots of pops. A visual inspection can tell you a lot. Noisy records get thrown in the trash, unless they are very rare.
Exactly! This guy doesn't even have sleeves to protect what he says be collects.. Thats a huge red flag right there.. And he is using a humidifier around his records.. So he has NO idea how to care for vinyl at all! Don't listen to him
@@VinylTV33 so you do enjoy listening to a collection that you can see from this video that you do not take care of?? Where are the sleeves on your records?? And using a humidifier around your records?? You are showing everyone you don't care enough about your so called collection by not caring for it and then talk about using a magnifying lens to look at the vinyl! 🤣 is actually comical to watch..so thanks for the laugh
You don't need an $800 machine to clean records safely. It's snake oil, just like the "audiophile cables". Get some ECO cleaner off Amazon with a micro fibre cloth for about 12 bucks. All it contains is purified water, a touch of coconut oil and natural vegetable acids. Several sprays on both sides of the LP, then follow the cloth around the LP in a circular motion. Three rotations one way and three the other. I do this with all my records, even the one's I buy new to remove excess pressing debris. Have never had a problem with this. If you're unsure, test it on damaged and avoided records first. I think you'd be surprised just how easy and effective it is.
Fraser Stewart - The (hand cranked, mind you) Spin Clean is only $80 or so, and I highly suspect that if you ran those same records through it, your water would turn brown faster then you might first imagine. Still, it's laborious, not necessary every time you play them, I'm going to check out your recommendation.
I agree, I got Who's Next, Yes Fragile, The Guess Who live in Seattle Paramount theatre for a grand total of $13.00. Took them home cleaned them, covers were o.k. and the sound was GOOD. Brought back a lot of good memories
I really thank you so much for such wonderful vinyl content There's nothing more accurate than the voice of the experience that through the years have acquired an awesome knowledge Please don't stop sharing such beautiful knowledge with us !!!
I like your way of inspecting records! Personally, I sometimes thing of buying vinyls as buying pieces of art, I try to avoid records that look bent up or ripped. But my first priority is quality; if it sounds good and it's playable, then I'll still buy it.
Watched some of your vids with interest my time of "collecting" was in the late 80's early 90's, i did buy some when they came out in the years before that say mid 70's onwards. There was record fairs even then late 80's/early 90's and not so many collectors When buying used vinyl i was quick to work out that good condition vinyl was MUCH easier to find than the outer covers if i found one with a minty cover and the vinyl was knackered i got it for the cover as long as the cat number matched the vinyl was easier to buy again at a later date, then put the two together poly lined inner sleeves, even then i would buy these by the dozen, they would replace the plain ones and would also cut to fit others to put inside the ones with pic inner sleeves. Cleaning, i have an old quite knackered album i would use as a test bench, one or two methods were tried, meths/cotton wool works ok for small areas or round the outer edges. made dirt soft so as needle got it out, did find it got rid of static somehow. but would tarnish if used a lot. The best way and really it should once in a blue moon thing is as follows, i put some fairy licquid into a cup and top in up with water place a soft towel near by and place the vinyl onto it flat i use cotton wool go round the record with the grooves, i get suction from the cotton wool, the other side is harder as you have to do it vertical, the towel helps to prevent the vinyl from slipping from under. i dont touch the labels, the rince off, never used fancy water. then leave near vertical in a warm place to dry off. its one hell of a time consuming thing, but the results especially from older pressings are something else. Turntables, i have a linn axis that i bought in 1990, its spun one hell of a lot of vinyl over the years, had its caps replaced about 10 years ago, new oil for bearings about the same time and on its 3rd cartridge, 2 linn k5's and now a goldring 2100 that i am not so keen of, i have a spare motor for it, so will probably keep until the end of time. enjoy your hobby the minters are out there sometimes it can take a few years to find them.
I have seen vinyl which appears ugly which sounds fantastic and seen seemingly clean vinyl which skipped and was full of noise. As they say, you can't judge a book by the cover. You can't really assess how a record is going to sound until you actually play it. And how you choose to clean a record depends on the nature of it's problems.
I have an extensive collection of vinyl and am a collector of 30s dance bands to modern easy listening to 80s 90s club tracks et IF I go into a charity/thrift store et you made the very relevant points that I also look at PLUS I look at the track grooves. A good LP will have clear defined tracks, no what I call BLURRING which usually to me indicates a worn record prob due to incorrect or bad tracking, stylus weight et et You know you are right re this when the LP gives you a degree of hiss or rumble. ALSO another VERY valid point is the WEIGHT yes, the WEIGHT of the LP. Some manufacturers took LPs that did not sell - left over stock et and RE CUT them which meant they were THINNER and LIGHTER. That accentuates noise and sometimes RUMBLE - a booming kind of effect. If it is LIGHT and THIN I won't buy it. I also look for SCRATCHES and even a light scratch can be noticeable ! If the track was a popular track guess what !! It's likely to be unplayable. Dusty, filthy, food or drink stains? Oh yes 😒 Uhh NO 😊 Love country music but often LPs are less than desirable re secondhand which also raises another valid point. POPULARITY. The more there are around, the better your chances of finding a good one or at least decent. I was amazed 🤣🤣how many 'SOUND of MUSIC ' LPs I came across from the original releases to the cheap spin offs 😊 Classic music buffs can usually find LPs inc collections in really good condition. Look for the top labels to get the best re these and that also raises another valid point, the RECORD label or manufacturer. In the UK we had Music for Pleasure which was OK but often not original artistes and sound quality was just about acceptable. Those such as 'Stereo wall of sound' and similar sampler albums for your high fidelity sound system 🤣 if you find them in good nick they're usually worth grabbing. Likewise lastly 👀 COLLECTIONS in boxes AHH those READERS DIGEST compilations 🤣 Uhh OK but try for originals such as Jim Reeves, Mantovani and so on. I've added to my collections incl some of the uh hmm 'Readers Digests' Stay safe, do listen to advice re this guy and you will spend your cash wisely AND sometimes oh yes, pick up a real bargain. 👍😊
These are great things to look out for providing you have access to records. In my neck of the woods (or isolated backwoods crevasse) there is practically nothing worth listening to and so I often have to settle for quality that others would pass up on unless I want to buy off the internet. Of course, If I were into Engelbert Humperdinck or Jim Neighbors I'd be in Vinyl heaven.
Craig does have some good advise here. Some of the most collectible records and some of your favorites will have beaten covers. If it is a records you want even if there is no sleeve and the price is right, I will try it. I genially don’t buy records with deep scratches but you have to remember all scratches are not deep and don’t effect record play back. I want the music first and when a better copy comes along, I will get that. In regards to record cleaning, I usually wet clean all of my records including new ones and I started out with a brush and lazy Susan and moved up to a Spin Clean and later a VPI 16.5. Ultrasonic Cleaners are an option as well. Wet cleaning solutions like spin clean work very well and if you have a larger collection over 500 -1000 Records and you are still collecting, save up for a wet vacuum cleaner if possible, Projects new one is $500. What ever wet solution you try, just make sure your records are dry. I personally enjoy Record cleaning and enjoy bringing records back from the dead, especially hard to find collectible ones. Records are mint to be played first and admired due to your crate digging skills. I buy my records to play them as well as collect and I will tell you in a early Bluenote records that is 50-60 years old and highly collectible depending on the Artist, an anti static brush isn’t going to do it. Led Zeppelin and the Grateful Dead are hard to find in pristine condition, especially the Dead, because those records have been rode hard and put away wet. My Dead and Zeppelin collections are in decent condition.
hmmmm there's a proviso to that i think - you can have TRASHED outer covers due to water damage, sliding or repositioning on a rough concrete floor and have perfectly mint vinyl inside... so - 'don't always judge an album by it's cover' etc
First let me say thanks for taking the time to do this. I try not to throw shade on anyone trying to put out helpFul info. I think that the point here is to use good common sense when buying used vinyl. Once you/if you start paying upwards of $1k for a good phono cartridge you will pay more attention to what you put that needle down on. I don't take a magnifying glass with me to the record store and most vinyl with some surface wear will track fine with no damage to your stylus, so just use common sense. I always ask for the record store to play the record for me when it comes to anything I suspect may not sound good. I don't shop at strift stores for my records either, not to imply you can't find gems there. What I hope does not happen with the resurgence of vinyl is that people don't make it seem more difficult than what it is to move to vinyl. Don't make buying records a chore, but do protect your investment in your gear so whatever that means to you in terms of how you decide on the condition of a record just implement that and enjoy the format.
The hole of an LP tells a lot about its life, too. You can see if it's been on and off a player a lot, as well as how gently it was done per play. You can tell if it was precisely laid down or just slapped on and moved around until it hits the spindle.
Great video your particular like me Lol I have had a tough time seeing very fine scratches until I get home so disappointing. With that said I find myself on the clock to pick the bin at lightning speed because of vinyl being so popular it sometimes becomes a football huddle with individuals who enjoy records but also flippers. Any VG to VG- I give away to my friend who owns a record store. I’m over the top with cleaning ultrasonic etc makes a huge difference and only a dehumidifier. Thank You really enjoyed this video.
I swear by wet cleaning. I use the vinyl styl cleaner with distilled water and spin clean solution on EVERY album I obtain, new or used. I bought a new album once that looked pristine, but had some extraneous noise after brushing. After wet cleaning it was pristine in sound. I also toss paper sleeves (plain paper - I do keep if decorated).
I like all your video thank you sir 👍😎🇺🇲🇺🇲 I love vinyl record for life if they mess up I buy another copy I always check the groove of the record the cover too but the record is more important jazz soul man is my favorite beside other music
I think it's important to get to know a store. The first thing I look for is the store's rating. Recently I visited two stores for the first time. I purchased two records from each store that were all rated VG+. In this way I'll be informed at to how serious the store is in rating their records and their pricing. I don't have a lighted magnifying glass and both stores were poorly lit. So I'm not going on just what I can see. I one store was very consistent with their rating the other was not. The one store that I liked also had a turntable that you could use to preview a record. I haven't made use of this yet and I have to check what kind of stylus they are using. But I can't imagine they'd be using a cheap stylus. As for cleaning, I clean all records when I first purchase them. I use the Spin Clean Record Washer and I'm very pleased with the results. I asked, and as expected the records store doesn't have the time to clean the records they sell. A visibly dirty record is not going to get a VG+ rating. Odds are if a record is very dirty it has other problems as well because of how the owner treated it. But maybe not. So if it's a record I want and the price is right I'll take a chance and clean it at home.
Most of the vinyl you find at thrift stores is polka, Lawrence Welk, Hawaiian...the stuff our parents and grandparents played in those massive consoles. If there’s a lot of vinyl to look through, I just take a few samples out of the stack to see if someone recently donated a decent collection. If there is something decent, then I’ll pick through record by record. If a record looks unplayable, then I won’t get it. If it’s a record I really want and it does look playable, I will. Pretty simple. Sometimes you find a really good sleeve but the record is trash, I’d buy it just for the sleeve. If it’s music you actually want to hear, then it’s worth buying. You have to resist the temptation to buy stuff just because you haven’t found anything in a long time and all of the sudden you came across a marginal copy of ELO, Fleetwood Mac, Simon and Garfunkel, or Jim Croce...they pressed millions of those records. Wait for a good copy of something that’s common. You’ll be moving or storing it, so make sure it’s something that justifies it.
One dollar for a Song Remains the Same. Heck even if it didn't play at all. I paid five bucks for a Nazareth Show No Mercy 8 track. I have no idea if it plays. Frank Frazetta art. Why not? I feel a little happy every time I see it.
I'm kinda shocked that you don't vinyl vac ....🤷 I know that every step of my dry and wet clean methods is purposeful. I'm sure yours are as well. I am going to be honest, at times I get joy from a feeling of having preserved a captured moment in time for a bit longer, and improved the sound quality for the near future. It really can be quite gratifying.
I use a qtip with rubbing alcohol for spots with gunk. dont agree with using the stylus. I also dont wet clean unless its absolutely necessary. This is mostly because im lazy and its a messy job. Overall the less you handle it the better. I dont like to palm them. I hold by the edges.
i've always kept my vinyl in plastic sleeves so my albums all look like they did back in the 80's..I inherited my dad's love for hifi and have always handled vinyl like the crown jewels. As a consequence, we both have albums going right back to the 1950's that look and play perfectly.
I don't have unlimited time to sort through albums, so if I find an album with a beat to sh#t jacket, no sleeve, etc., unless it's really rare or I REALLY want it, I'm on to the next album. I don't like spending more time sorting through records than listening to them, the condition of the package can provide a very useful snapshot of the care the album received, especially when time is at a premium.
It all matters, the artwork the original inner sleeve the record itself, any other shit like photos, fan club or merchandise flyers included with it originally.
Yes i agree the vinyl part is the most important part when doin bin searchin. I look for warpage a sign that heat from either the sun or bein near a heat source caused this.
Hey, Brother! I knew you're someone who's opinion I can listen to when you said, "It's worth another look, it's Led Zeppelin, after all", LOL! Seriously though, I'm picking up vinyl again after 40 years & it's like discovering music all over again... My 1st album was "Black Sabbath - Paranoid", in 1976; I was 13 yeas old but it had already been out a minute, if I remember right? While I still love classic R-n-R, my tastes have expanded & blues & jazz... man, it's such a banquet our ears have available to feast on! Thanks for this Channel & sharing your experience & expertise, it's truly appreciated!
I've read through the comments regarding your technique for buying albums and while some are rather harsh, others are spot on. Personally, I believe that the technique used in buying any album depends on the album. If you are buying an original first pressing of Miles Davis's 1959 "Kinda Blue", well you're and idiot if you do not take out magnifying glass and inspect the album as well as thoroughly inspect every other aspect of the album cover, sleeve, edges etc. Whereas if your buying a mass produced copy of say 1984 KISS "Animalize", just to listen to, then a simple once over would most like suffice, so long as the price is as cheap as the vinyl and you have a decent but cheap stylus on which to play it, who wants to ruin a $300 dollar stylus on something like that. Just my 2 cents
By all means, look at the album even if its jacket is rough! I just received a ‘Carpenters - 1969 - 1973’ and the jacket was rough especially on the edges. However the album plays like new and the booklet with the write up about the album, the booklet also included the words, was still in there. As it turns out the album had just been moved about a great deal, as the previous owner had moved to different towns in his career.
I always enjoy your no nonsense approach to the record hobby. I must say oh my God! I have a Fleetwood Mac Rumours record with a loud pop on the second side! I also have a Sure M44 cart which is in new condition mounted on it’s own head shell! I used to do that technique you described on those old RCA CED video discs to get the skips out! It’s such a remarkable coincidence that you mentioned the exact issue I have with the exact record! Plus I have the tools to fix the issue! And to think I was going to give it away at a record shop.
I collect for the music. If the jacket is nice it's a plus. Reason I say this is I found a copy of Beatles yesterday and today, butcher cover that was beat up. However the record itself was near perfect. After a cleaning it literally dead quiet. I agree if there's a ton it's a time saving thing, but you can pass up some great condition LPs. Honestly usually the outer cover jacket will tell you alot about the condition of the record, but sometimes you get a diamond in the ruff
Aside from a click here and a pop there, if a store has a turntable for customers, the VERY FIRST thing I do is spin it and see if it's warped. Some records look deceivingly flat till you spin them around and then.....jump...jump...ju
my husband has tons of records including the original star wars records , Elvis, Johnny cash , you name it, all in mint condition and he is considering on selling them
I've always though if there's no inner sleeve, forget it and go on. One thing I didn't know is on those record changers only the outer edge and the label touch, I thought it was the whole thing, which is why I never used them except when I was younger and only 45s.
Using a humidifier? I personally wouldn't use one around my LP's and stereo system. Combating the mold is a job best avoided. I know. I've lost a bunch in that battle. GB
use a spherical not eliptical stylus forthis, backtracking an elliptical stylus is not good for records. hard to believe but true one very noisy lp thet wet cleaning did not cure was cured by coating the entire side in about2mm of white pva glue, once fully dry if thick enough the glue can be peeled off in on piece, starting at the edge and working across the entire record all the grunge goes away with the glue, if the glue tends to break up, the layer was too thin the only penalty to over thick is longer drying timedo not try to accelerate drying, let it dry at normal room temp and not in the sun. certainly worked well for me and I have a wet vacuum type cleaner that failed on this record that the glue made perfectly listenable, but not quite perfect, hope this helps, mad as it sounds
You got me paranoid to go look now. I got about 150 hand me downs from my parents. Some where mine as a kid. Many are rock, jazz, and R&B I know and like. Others not so much. Most in shape you wouldn't consider buying. But they are original from their time. mostly 60's/70's. I need to figure out how to get rid of the ones I wouldn't listen to where they would be enjoyed. I also want to shop/hunt for some stuff I love. It's all a daunting prospect.
@Vinyl TV: I'm confused here, in another one of your video you said that the vibration are way to small, to be able to damage the groves, and then in this video there his a notification about ceramic cartridge damage the grove, it his either one or the other, not both. I feel like every one that his suppose to be an expert on Vinyl just wants to fuel the bad wagon on Crossly. In my home town a Crossly Cruiser Deluxe, that as pitch control, and you can also record your vinyl to your USB, the price his 140$ Canadian dollar plus tax, And Beside it, his an Audio techinica, with all the same feature except it does not have a ceramic cartridge, and it got a diamond stylus, and the price his 160$ Canadian dollar + tax. If it his truth that the Crossly Crusier Ceramic cartridge damage the grove it would not have a price of 140$ + tax Canadian Dollar. And only 20 $ canadian of one of the other people think his the best turntable.
I just gotta agree with the people that say maybe you are reading a little too much into thrift store vinyl. I meen if I was spending serious cash on a used record then yeah I would heavily inspect it. Me personally though.. I basically get my one time a year to drive the 3 hrs to the closest big city to actually go to some record stores. I always spend hours going through the bargain bin crates that it sounds like he's talking about. If it's a band I want to own one of their albums I check to make sure the record is really in the sleeve.. and buy it. Then I have the fun of really going over them all when I get home. Keep in mind though like I said with two little kids I barely ever get to make this day trip lol. So for me time is of the essence. Still... for $2 and under records if it's a band you like just buy the dang thing and play it! Once those trashed up vinyls wear down your stylus just replace it. I'd much rather wear out my stylus then it last 10 years. Again... this is just my oppinion :)
It's too bad all the used and new record stores are gone now and even the resale shops like the salvation army dont have them anymore but WTF no new bands don't put out stuff on vinyl or cd anymore because there is nowhere to buy them anyway so who cares I stream like all the youngsters now and I'm 61yrs old, times change it's the only way to hear new stuff. I still have all my records about 3000 and will keep them, they still sound good and I miss a good record store
@Don Buck, you'd be surprised how many bands are putting out new stuff or re-issues on LP, since it really has made a comeback now. I am still buying new issues even from 2020/2021, the only disadvantage however is that a lot of the new issues are digitally remastered (undesirable) and are on these fancy colored LP's which I do not like whatsoever. But you have a point about the resale shops. The thing is most of the sales now are at online stores or ebay which you can buy the records. I dislike this aspect, because there is something more memorable about going down to the record stores and buying something in hand. I live in a medium size city, and we have 3 Record Stores, both sell New and Used.
I always thought that with vinyl you don’t play often the idea was to slide the sleeve into the cover with opening to the side so dust doesn’t settle into the sleeve.
Of course one buys records to play them; but they don't have to sound bad. Information is power and we can use it to get more bang for the buck; just because we look to find a good bargain on an original pressing or what not, doesn't mean we have to settle for damaged goods. Also, when talking about a damaged stylus is not just about replacing it, but also about risking ruining otherwise perfectly good records while playing them with it; my setup may not be the most luxurious out there, but I still paid good money for it, and would like it to stay in good shape for as long as possible. I enjoy listening to records, not out of nostalgia for crappy sounds of worn/misused vinyl, but because of sound quality from back in the day; they sounded real good then, and why not?, they should sound real good today. And they do.
Usually if the record cover is worn a little it's most likely a first pressing,, as far as indicators go they could actually be helpful in that sense, because usually a reissue the covers are newer, not saying that's the case always but it does kind of go with the territory a second pressing reissue.. if the vinyl is in decent shape as long as the scratches aren't too crazy,, I would much rather have a first-run pressing than a second pressing , it's that big of a difference on high high end equipment anyway.
Another tip I look for is near the end of the vinyl the last couple tracks are the most critical area for the tonearm and cartridge if not setup properly can actually cut a Groove into the record that a lot of Records have which causes sibilance and there's no way to get that out,, the record could look even in good shape but closer examination you can see the little white Circle which is the needle cutting its own Groove in the record,, you can see it in the light with a magnifying glass. I usually don't buy a record if it has that,, some are more severe than others. If it's an instrumental band and it's not too bad you could probably get away with out worrying about the sibilance, but it's definitely distortion and it can not be the best thing for tthe needle if the record is damaged too deep from the faulty setup turntable.
Ceramic cartridges do not, in and of themselves, ruin record grooves. Many people hold the false belief that ceramic cartridges have ceramic styli, or “needles”. Not so. Modern needles are always either diamond or sapphire, both of which treat grooves very gently. Ceramic cartridges do tend to be installed on turntables that have too much tracking force, which definitely ruins records.
Ive bought many records at thrift stores that had the top of the cover a little worn to very worn and the record was still very playable. The real gamble is buying records online. Not everyone sees or grades a record the same way.
You cannot beat charity shops uk... Billy Bargains
I buy a lot online, and mostly sellers are genuine about the condition and rate it fairly, but sometimes it cracks me up when I see a destroyed record and the sellers says ''excellent condition for the age!!'' and they claim that because its a 50 year old record. Just because its old doesn't mean it can't be in good shape !
@@futeish3468 Just received my first two records today from an online purchase...rated VG. When I used to sell used records, they both would have been in my FREE bin. In terrible shape!
Buying Records Online is a HUGE gamble. I find that the majority of sellers OVER VALUE and OVER-GENEROUSLY GRADE the albums they find at thrift stores, garage sales and estate sales. What I do now is ask a list of SPECIFIC questions regarding the overall condition of the album. If the seller seems annoyed, inconvenienced or unwilling to answer all of your questions and won’t e-mail you pics of the record, don’t give them your money, that seller is dishonest.
@@edwardevans652 Yep... I made one online purchase of two albums. VG equaled unplayable. Never again.
I am happy for all the records you leave behind because they're not up to perfect standards. I love listening to music and I can handle a few little cracks or pops. Especially when it does not cost very much.
sasholinski I mean just listen to it on your phone in that case. No pops so better quality
You can wash your records, I've been doing it for over 10 years. The key is they NEED to be completely dry before you play them. Surface noise after a wet clean is usually water/static trapped inside the grooves so like you said it's good to store them in a humid environment. I usually plan on washing in advance before a play, thus I do most of my washing before work so they will be completely dry when I get home. The most important piece of advice I have ever heard from an audiophile is that it's better to play a clean record than a dirty one. The stylus picks up dust, dirt which can harden with friction causing further wear possible damage to your vinyl. I personally hand wash them using distilled water (to be safe) and a splash of isopropyl alcohol, a light sponge to get inside the grooves. Then I go over it with a RCA vinyl pad to get any further dirty inside the grooves. A micro-fibre cloth or lint free wipe-all for wiping of surface moisture then air dry for at least an hour. Works fore me, one wash will go a long way depending on how much you store them. Try it with an old record sometime.
I bought a copy of the doors soft parade. Outer jacket was ripped, on the back. The record itself was spotless. Cover did it’s job. Awesome pickup for a dollar.
Have a great day!
Spin Clean Record Washer, it really does work & won't break the bank!
I'm glad to hear it. I ordered one a few days ago.
He mentioned it in one of his new videos and uses it.
Wow I never thought about looking at the edge of the record. Thanks man I'll keep this in mind when I'm buying vinyl
Good tips if you're buying a $50+ used record. But NOT for a thrift store record. If you're pulling out a flash light and a magnifying glass at a Goodwill you should pinch your pennies a bit harder and not buy the records at all.
+For the Record Completely agree.
yep. These days if you find Zeppelin in the dollar bin, you better grab it. If it's not clean enough for you to keep, you can always sell it for at LEAST $5. I'd take a quick look to make sure it's not completely trashed. ... I'm also picky about the covers, but sometimes you find really clean records in really worn covers. So, I'll pick them up if they are a good price. Maybe I have a copy at home with a nice cover but scratched record, so I might swap them, if the issue is the same, of course. Then I can keep the good cover and record, and put the scratchy record in the worn cover, and throw in my sale or trade bin for $1.
Especially if you buy them on a local auction site. I got a lot of records for $1-5 like that. For more than that I check if the seller is respectable enough to trust his statement about the condition of the record. Just got an Iron Maiden Killers copy for $10 which was stated as 'near mint'. It looks like it was never used or even taken out of the sleeve. But I wouldn''t give $10 if it stated condition unknown or untested. And yeah, I got another turntable with cheap stylus which I can use for testing (TT, even if cheap, is decent enough and has very low tracking weight so it won't destroy it, of course)
why? some great stuff can be bought from a thrift store, but why should you let it ruin a stylus? a $1 find could be the unobtainable bargain of the century or could destroy a precious stylus. if you were using an Ortofon Anna and it was fucked up by an album you wouldn't be happy, and a thrift store may be the only place you find that illusive, long since deleted album or 45.
I agree completely. If I am buying less than VG+ condition I generally don't care if there is some ring wear or spine wear - because if I am buying less than VG+ it means that it's really hard to come by or it's just something I think I would like to listen to now and then...as long as there aren't scratches that affect the sound or would damage the needle I will give it a cleaning and then play it.
Wet wash works! Nothing fancy, just clean with diluted washing liquid and a sponge and rinse it under a running tap. Vacuum clean/suck (a good record cleaning machine is recommended!) out all the murk and dries in seconds. Plays and sounds like brand new!
Personally, here in Australia if I'm lucky enough to find a pile of half decent records in a local thrift store (or opp. shop as we call them) I give them a quick glance to make sure they're not completely trashed and grab them. Good tip to look for lead in wear though, never thought of this!
The lead in is the raised outer section of the record before the first song plays, as he describes in the video.
Thank you so much, Wish I’d discovered you earlier,. I’m 60 now back into vynyl and loving every minute. You are such a help
Starting a journey back into vinyl. I have a modest collection from 45 years of accumulation, including the first 3 albums I bought at 13 years old. I am going to purchase a quality turntable this weekend from a reputable dealer specializing in quality equipment and customer support. Thanks for the advice in your videos. There is a lot to know and learn to begin collecting good vinyl again. I have been buying new vinyl slowly for a few years now and am looking forward to playing these for the first time.
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Thanks for sharing great videos. Just got back into vinyl today after 25 years. I donated my 2 turntables: a Sylvania and pioneer to Salvation army about 15 years ago, but kept all of my records which are mostly punk from the 70's and 80's. Today for the first time, I went to a thrift store and found two full crates of albums. Instincts told me to bypass the records with the worn white/yellow dirty edges. I went straight for the records that still had the glossy shrink wrap. I pulled out a Kenny Rogers Greatest Hits-never opened for 1.00, a Go Go's-Talk Show in shrink wrap with no sign of any wear 1.00, and The Best Of Bread for 1.00 with no shrink wrap because it is a folding picture cover, but cover and vinyl was in excellent condition. I feel good about my first vinyl search and rescue.I'm sure many of you have had better hauls, but this was my first confidence builder for many more to come.
Keep it up there's lots of jewels out there
I completely agree and do the same thing. Not interested if cover, inner sleeves and so on are not in near mint condition, but much better if sealed.
I get great results cleaning records with a spray of alcohol and a quick wipe. Dust and dirt filled monsters that sound like a hailstorm can often get cleaned right up easily.
Being able to tell how deep a scratch is will also help you guess how it will sound when playing. Many shallow scuff marks are totally inaudible.
play the records, not the covers
Well....now I get why I have to drill all the spindle holes myself.
Exactly I have a few albums where the covers are trashed but the vinyl is surprisingly clean
well, i see what you mean and i agree with the message but one of the best things about vynil over cassette or CD is precisely the cover.
Fox Mashina good job
Sir anyone record Plyar send me please sir
good point love it
After watching this, I now ALWAYS use the 'roll in' technique 10:15 when returning my vinyl to the inner-sleeve after a spin. Great tip, thanx!
I use an Okki Nokki RCM. Most used vinyl benefits from a clean as well as some new vinyl. Removes many pops and static! Carbon fibre brushes are next to useless.
If you see several crates of records at the thrift shop, you go through the 1st crate and pull one at a time and inspect them? I pull everything of interest and go to the next crate until all are searched, THEN I inspect all of the records. That way, you don't lose great finds to a vulture that comes in and picks the rest of the crates while you're standing there with a magnifying glass looking at a John Denver album. Also, if you are worried about cover wear, why are your records shelved without poly outer sleeves? Plus, using a humidifier will cause the dormant mold on many old covers to spread to other albums and you will have many destroyed, stuck together covers.
He's not worried about cover wear, he's using cover wear as a shorthand indicator of record quality when moving through the bins at the shop.
Other than the recordbrush I also have a small watercolourbrush that I use to clean the dust from the needle sometimes. Really easy and does not harm in any way.
I first saw this guy on a homebrewing video... some hobbies seem to go together I suppose.
Not always. I am single malt kind of guy.
If you've spent over $3,000 on LP's then I feel it's worth the $800 (or less used) for a Vac-type cleaner. If your lucky enough to own an extremely-above average system then you will hear the difference, especially if your buying used vinyl. As far as looking at any LP - the only thing you'll ever see is if there are scratches and/or dirt - you will not know how it sounds until you play it. I've been buying & collecting for over 55 years and I've owned every level of equipment and by now 7,000 LP's, 4,000 45's and 9,000 78's. This guy tells the truth about audio - good stuff! (btw- i've listened to all of them!!!!)
Mark Tryon Do those fancy machines require much upkeep?
Every single record I own gets a wet clean on my vacuum wet record cleaning machine. It makes an enormous difference to many older records but even new records should be cleaned to remove mould release agents (used during the pressing process). Cleaning removes dust, other debris and static so will result in much quieter playback and mean your records last longer.
After cleaning, I put my records into new anti-static sleeves and use polyethylene outer sleeves to protect the record from dust and the cover from wear. I clean my stylus and use an anti-static carbon fibre brush before playing each side and use an anti static gun from time to time on the records and the record deck.
Your method is exactly the same as mine. I just picked up an ultrasonic cleaner so will use that in conjunction with the vacuum cleaner on some older LP's that still have that little bit of noise. But overall, I think a good vacuum record cleaning machine, (mine is a VPI 16.5 ), is indispensable. Honestly at this point clicks and pops are unacceptable to me since almost all of my records are dead quiet! Also I mix my own cleaning solution - 3 parts distilled water, 1 part 100% isopropyl alcohol and a drop or two of rinse agent. Works like a charm and much cheaper than buying it ready made.
@@kevinfleming7038 I’m just awaiting delivery of a Degritter and was also thinking of keeping my vacuum machine for the same reason. I currently use L’Art du Son, which I settled on after trying a few, but also recently bought Triton X wetting agent for use on records prior to use in the Degritter which I plan to then only use with distilled water rather than adding their solution. Will see how that goes…
Hi, The flip side of judging a record too harshly by its worn cover is that maybe you miss out on a great record that gets played a lot because it is so good.
RE the expensive cleaning machines, I don't believe they do anything that can't be done with a bottle of good cleaning solution, a lazy susan and an inexpensive whet/dry vacuum cleaner with a lint free cloth over the nozzle. I know a lot of collectors collect only pristine copies, but I kind of get a lot of pleasure out of restoring some of the well used vinyls I come across. I have even revived old Beatles records that have been left to collect dust since the 60s, into quit decent copies. It can be quite rewarding and I think I would value a restored old record more than a new pressing.
John Bellamy I can see what you mean. Once I get a restoration process that works for my, I'll probably do it as well.
John Bellamy I was thinking same thing. Why am I going to skip a well played great album for an obscure album that no one listened to ?
As for owning albums just to own them. Then you’re an album collector not a music fan
i know Im kinda off topic but does anyone know a good website to stream new movies online ?
@Josue Jasper flixportal =)
@Remy Miller thanks, I went there and it seems like they got a lot of movies there =) I really appreciate it!!
I've been junking for records for 50 years and I have never heard of checking the outer edge but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and check it out. Interesting. I'm a big advocate of wood glue (Titebond II), especially 45s. I want to thank the vinyl community for not buying singles.
Been using Wood glue to deep clean old vinyl. It works for pulling dust out of the grooves. I tried it on a old bad playing copy of Zeplin 4 and it made it listenable. Trying it again on a less damaged record now. It works for getting the crackles and pops out of old vinyl.
I don't agree with a lot of this.
But I like this guy. He's a good guy and loves his records.
Those are pretty interesting points.. I buy mostly based on titles and then condition after I've zeroed in on the titles I want. I'll choose at least a VG+ but I've bought records that were pretty dire condition hoping that I could repair it in the digital domain, The crazy things we do cos we love music and vinyl so much!
Thanx I learned a couple of things, just got about 250 LAPS out of storage for 20 years and your information is very good and pick up a couple of things from your blog, thanx again.
Why would anyone buy a record just to own it? This is where I don't understand some VC folks. Huge collections of records but how much actually gets a listen.
I agree totally. I think it's a big waste just to get a record just for the hell of it.
I suppose that's a good point, because someone else could be thrilled to find it and enjoy it much more.
Agreed, I only buy records that I really like and would listen to. I don't care how nice the condition is. That's why people have these massive collections and no space left.
AJCN because album art is an art form of it’s own and so is the vinyl itself.
AJCN but at the same time, I understand what you mean. I haven’t ever been known to just buy a record just to own it.
A month or so ago I bought an album by Randy Newman. The cover was/is a mess with water damage and the sleeve was a bit moldy, the record itself had a few spots and looked very bad. I gave it a wash in 50% alcohol and a few drops of dishsoap and it looks fantastic - and sounds really great. Not super-high-fi but it sounds good and it was a bargain.
If you want a pristine record you should buy new or on ebay from reputable sellers or in specialised record stores. If you don't mind the occasional pop and what not - get used records from a thrift store or a garage sale. It's as simple as that.
I'll follow your tips when buying a costly used album....but at estate or thrift store I'll just use inspect the actual record itself.
Love vinyl, it's such a cool ritual, as film photography is. Thank you for your great posts!
This day and age, you can't be too picky when hunting for great albums on vinyl.
it depends what shop I'm in. but there's this one I go to once in a while that has a "new used arrivals" section that I look at first. then I just look for something I recognise that I might not already have or something eye catching that I've never heard of before. the best finds are ones that you've never seen before that just strike you as interesting. take a gamble.
No surprise there in the difference in condition between the Zepplin and the Erasure albums. The latter would only get played a few times before the owner got fed up or out grew the music on it, the former on the other hand is a play for life album you never tire of as is the magic of great music, be it the Beatles, Floyd, Sabbath, Zepplin, U2, Barry White, they what we call stayers, musical fashion comes and goes but they are the little black dress of the music world, always there.
I'm so sick of guys like you who think if it's not Floyd or Zeppelin is crap music.. Just because you like it doesn't mean everyone else should.. And FYI.. "Stayers"? That's a joke right.. Everyone's taste in music is different! Stop acting like the music YOU like is better and other music you "grow out of" oh how it would be fun to tell you in person how narrow minded you are
Ah, a spice girl!!!!
80 % of the records i have collected over 35 years i would not have bought using your criteria. The choice always come down to what it is and the cost.
I simply can't enjoy records that have been mistreated, scratched, or have lots of pops. A visual inspection can tell you a lot. Noisy records get thrown in the trash, unless they are very rare.
Exactly! This guy doesn't even have sleeves to protect what he says be collects.. Thats a huge red flag right there.. And he is using a humidifier around his records.. So he has NO idea how to care for vinyl at all! Don't listen to him
@@VinylTV33 so you do enjoy listening to a collection that you can see from this video that you do not take care of?? Where are the sleeves on your records?? And using a humidifier around your records?? You are showing everyone you don't care enough about your so called collection by not caring for it and then talk about using a magnifying lens to look at the vinyl! 🤣 is actually comical to watch..so thanks for the laugh
You don't need an $800 machine to clean records safely. It's snake oil, just like the "audiophile cables". Get some ECO cleaner off Amazon with a micro fibre cloth for about 12 bucks. All it contains is purified water, a touch of coconut oil and natural vegetable acids. Several sprays on both sides of the LP, then follow the cloth around the LP in a circular motion. Three rotations one way and three the other. I do this with all my records, even the one's I buy new to remove excess pressing debris. Have never had a problem with this. If you're unsure, test it on damaged and avoided records first. I think you'd be surprised just how easy and effective it is.
Fraser Stewart - The (hand cranked, mind you) Spin Clean is only $80 or so, and I highly suspect that if you ran those same records through it, your water would turn brown faster then you might first imagine. Still, it's laborious, not necessary every time you play them, I'm going to check out your recommendation.
If I see a album I like I just buy it
I agree, I got Who's Next, Yes Fragile, The Guess Who live in Seattle Paramount theatre for a grand total of $13.00. Took them home cleaned them, covers were o.k. and the sound was GOOD. Brought back a lot of good memories
If you find a Yes or Zep record anywhere...shouldn't you immediately break it in half ? To help humanity ? (Pay your $1 first of course !....)
Well then you either have a lot of money or don't like a lot of albums...
Same, i do my shopping in charity shops so if it doesn't work i'm not too bothered.
this is a great strategy if you're a millionaire or only enjoy 3 artists.
Craig just wanted to thank you- as someone who has recently returned to vinyl- I find your vids really helpful- thank you , David h 🏴
I really thank you so much for such wonderful vinyl content
There's nothing more accurate than the voice of the experience that through the years have acquired an awesome knowledge
Please don't stop sharing such beautiful knowledge with us !!!
@4:21 the 'outer groove' is usually called the lead in.
I like your way of inspecting records! Personally, I sometimes thing of buying vinyls as buying pieces of art, I try to avoid records that look bent up or ripped. But my first priority is quality; if it sounds good and it's playable, then I'll still buy it.
Watched some of your vids with interest
my time of "collecting" was in the late 80's early 90's, i did buy some when they came out in the years
before that say mid 70's onwards. There was record fairs even then late 80's/early 90's and not so many collectors
When buying used vinyl i was quick to work out that good condition vinyl was MUCH easier to find than the outer covers
if i found one with a minty cover and the vinyl was knackered i got it for the cover as long as the cat number matched
the vinyl was easier to buy again at a later date, then put the two together
poly lined inner sleeves, even then i would buy these by the dozen, they would replace the plain ones and would also
cut to fit others to put inside the ones with pic inner sleeves.
Cleaning, i have an old quite knackered album i would use as a test bench, one or two methods were tried, meths/cotton wool
works ok for small areas or round the outer edges. made dirt soft so as needle got it out, did find it got rid of static somehow.
but would tarnish if used a lot.
The best way and really it should once in a blue moon thing is as follows, i put some fairy licquid into a cup and top in up with water
place a soft towel near by and place the vinyl onto it flat i use cotton wool go round the record with the grooves, i get suction from the
cotton wool, the other side is harder as you have to do it vertical, the towel helps to prevent the vinyl from slipping from under.
i dont touch the labels, the rince off, never used fancy water. then leave near vertical in a warm place to dry off.
its one hell of a time consuming thing, but the results especially from older pressings are something else.
Turntables, i have a linn axis that i bought in 1990, its spun one hell of a lot of vinyl over the years, had its caps replaced about 10
years ago, new oil for bearings about the same time and on its 3rd cartridge, 2 linn k5's and now a goldring 2100 that i am not so
keen of, i have a spare motor for it, so will probably keep until the end of time.
enjoy your hobby the minters are out there sometimes it can take a few years to find them.
I have seen vinyl which appears ugly which sounds fantastic and seen seemingly clean vinyl which skipped and was full of noise. As they say, you can't judge a book by the cover. You can't really assess how a record is going to sound until you actually play it. And how you choose to clean a record depends on the nature of it's problems.
I love the vinyl information, this guy is a treat.
But, come on man, you have a beer behind you getting warm.......DRINK Goddammit!........;)
I have an extensive collection of vinyl and am a collector of 30s dance bands to modern easy listening to 80s 90s club tracks et IF I go into a charity/thrift store et you made the very relevant points that I also look at PLUS I look at the track grooves. A good LP will have clear defined tracks, no what I call BLURRING which usually to me indicates a worn record prob due to incorrect or bad tracking, stylus weight et et You know you are right re this when the LP gives you a degree of hiss or rumble. ALSO another VERY valid point is the WEIGHT yes, the WEIGHT of the LP. Some manufacturers took LPs that did not sell - left over stock et and RE CUT them which meant they were THINNER and LIGHTER. That accentuates noise and sometimes RUMBLE - a booming kind of effect. If it is LIGHT and THIN I won't buy it. I also look for SCRATCHES and even a light scratch can be noticeable ! If the track was a popular track guess what !! It's likely to be unplayable. Dusty, filthy, food or drink stains? Oh yes 😒 Uhh NO 😊 Love country music but often LPs are less than desirable re secondhand which also raises another valid point. POPULARITY. The more there are around, the better your chances of finding a good one or at least decent. I was amazed 🤣🤣how many 'SOUND of MUSIC ' LPs I came across from the original releases to the cheap spin offs 😊 Classic music buffs can usually find LPs inc collections in really good condition. Look for the top labels to get the best re these and that also raises another valid point, the RECORD label or manufacturer. In the UK we had Music for Pleasure which was OK but often not original artistes and sound quality was just about acceptable. Those such as 'Stereo wall of sound' and similar sampler albums for your high fidelity sound system 🤣 if you find them in good nick they're usually worth grabbing. Likewise lastly 👀 COLLECTIONS in boxes AHH those READERS DIGEST compilations 🤣 Uhh OK but try for originals such as Jim Reeves, Mantovani and so on. I've added to my collections incl some of the uh hmm 'Readers Digests' Stay safe, do listen to advice re this guy and you will spend your cash wisely AND sometimes oh yes, pick up a real bargain. 👍😊
These are great things to look out for providing you have access to records. In my neck of the woods (or isolated backwoods crevasse) there is practically nothing worth listening to and so I often have to settle for quality that others would pass up on unless I want to buy off the internet. Of course, If I were into Engelbert Humperdinck or Jim Neighbors I'd be in Vinyl heaven.
Peter Ripson please tell me englebert humperdink is a real person.
Online is the way to go if your buying from trusted sellers that know how to grade. Postage often kills a bargain though.
Craig does have some good advise here. Some of the most collectible records and some of your favorites will have beaten covers. If it is a records you want even if there is no sleeve and the price is right, I will try it. I genially don’t buy records with deep scratches but you have to remember all scratches are not deep and don’t effect record play back. I want the music first and when a better copy comes along, I will get that.
In regards to record cleaning, I usually wet clean all of my records including new ones and I started out with a brush and lazy Susan and moved up to a Spin Clean and later a VPI 16.5. Ultrasonic Cleaners are an option as well. Wet cleaning solutions like spin clean work very well and if you have a larger collection over 500 -1000 Records and you are still collecting, save up for a wet vacuum cleaner if possible, Projects new one is $500. What ever wet solution you try, just make sure your records are dry. I personally enjoy Record cleaning and enjoy bringing records back from the dead, especially hard to find collectible ones. Records are mint to be played first and admired due to your crate digging skills.
I buy my records to play them as well as collect and I will tell you in a early Bluenote records that is 50-60 years old and highly collectible depending on the Artist, an anti static brush isn’t going to do it. Led Zeppelin and the Grateful Dead are hard to find in pristine condition, especially the Dead, because those records have been rode hard and put away wet. My Dead and Zeppelin collections are in decent condition.
hmmmm there's a proviso to that i think - you can have TRASHED outer covers due to water damage, sliding or repositioning on a rough concrete floor and have perfectly mint vinyl inside... so - 'don't always judge an album by it's cover' etc
First let me say thanks for taking the time to do this. I try not to throw shade on anyone trying to put out helpFul info. I think that the point here is to use good common sense when buying used vinyl. Once you/if you start paying upwards of $1k for a good phono cartridge you will pay more attention to what you put that needle down on. I don't take a magnifying glass with me to the record store and most vinyl with some surface wear will track fine with no damage to your stylus, so just use common sense. I always ask for the record store to play the record for me when it comes to anything I suspect may not sound good. I don't shop at strift stores for my records either, not to imply you can't find gems there. What I hope does not happen with the resurgence of vinyl is that people don't make it seem more difficult than what it is to move to vinyl. Don't make buying records a chore, but do protect your investment in your gear so whatever that means to you in terms of how you decide on the condition of a record just implement that and enjoy the format.
Yet again Craig another great video and great advice . Especially the leading g edge of the Grove inspection 💯
I deeply appreciate the hobbyist's approach to your videos. Excellent stuff
The hole of an LP tells a lot about its life, too. You can see if it's been on and off a player a lot, as well as how gently it was done per play. You can tell if it was precisely laid down or just slapped on and moved around until it hits the spindle.
Agreed. Spindle wear is another good indicator.
Dude I've bought records that didn't have a sleeve for 3 dollars. I brought it home and it sounded great
Check out the spin clean to clean to clean your records
Very interesting Craig. This opens a whole universe of possible vinyl acquisitions.
Great video your particular like me Lol I have had a tough time seeing very fine scratches until I get home so disappointing. With that said I find myself on the clock to pick the bin at lightning speed because of vinyl being so popular it sometimes becomes a football huddle with individuals who enjoy records but also flippers. Any VG to VG- I give away to my friend who owns a record store. I’m over the top with cleaning ultrasonic etc makes a huge difference and only a dehumidifier. Thank You really enjoyed this video.
I swear by wet cleaning. I use the vinyl styl cleaner with distilled water and spin clean solution on EVERY album I obtain, new or used. I bought a new album once that looked pristine, but had some extraneous noise after brushing. After wet cleaning it was pristine in sound.
I also toss paper sleeves (plain paper - I do keep if decorated).
I like all your video thank you sir 👍😎🇺🇲🇺🇲 I love vinyl record for life if they mess up I buy another copy I always check the groove of the record the cover too but the record is more important jazz soul man is my favorite beside other music
I think it's important to get to know a store. The first thing I look for is the store's rating. Recently I visited two stores for the first time. I purchased two records from each store that were all rated VG+. In this way I'll be informed at to how serious the store is in rating their records and their pricing. I don't have a lighted magnifying glass and both stores were poorly lit. So I'm not going on just what I can see. I one store was very consistent with their rating the other was not. The one store that I liked also had a turntable that you could use to preview a record. I haven't made use of this yet and I have to check what kind of stylus they are using. But I can't imagine they'd be using a cheap stylus. As for cleaning, I clean all records when I first purchase them. I use the Spin Clean Record Washer and I'm very pleased with the results. I asked, and as expected the records store doesn't have the time to clean the records they sell. A visibly dirty record is not going to get a VG+ rating. Odds are if a record is very dirty it has other problems as well because of how the owner treated it. But maybe not. So if it's a record I want and the price is right I'll take a chance and clean it at home.
Most of the vinyl you find at thrift stores is polka, Lawrence Welk, Hawaiian...the stuff our parents and grandparents played in those massive consoles. If there’s a lot of vinyl to look through, I just take a few samples out of the stack to see if someone recently donated a decent collection. If there is something decent, then I’ll pick through record by record. If a record looks unplayable, then I won’t get it. If it’s a record I really want and it does look playable, I will. Pretty simple. Sometimes you find a really good sleeve but the record is trash, I’d buy it just for the sleeve. If it’s music you actually want to hear, then it’s worth buying. You have to resist the temptation to buy stuff just because you haven’t found anything in a long time and all of the sudden you came across a marginal copy of ELO, Fleetwood Mac, Simon and Garfunkel, or Jim Croce...they pressed millions of those records. Wait for a good copy of something that’s common. You’ll be moving or storing it, so make sure it’s something that justifies it.
One dollar for a Song Remains the Same. Heck even if it didn't play at all. I paid five bucks for a Nazareth Show No Mercy 8 track. I have no idea if it plays. Frank Frazetta art. Why not? I feel a little happy every time I see it.
I'm kinda shocked that you don't vinyl vac ....🤷
I know that every step of my dry and wet clean methods is purposeful.
I'm sure yours are as well.
I am going to be honest, at times I get joy from a feeling of having preserved a captured moment in time for a bit longer, and improved the sound quality for the near future. It really can be quite gratifying.
I use a qtip with rubbing alcohol for spots with gunk. dont agree with using the stylus. I also dont wet clean unless its absolutely necessary. This is mostly because im lazy and its a messy job. Overall the less you handle it the better. I dont like to palm them. I hold by the edges.
i've always kept my vinyl in plastic sleeves so my albums all look like they did back in the 80's..I inherited my dad's love for hifi and have always handled vinyl like the crown jewels. As a consequence, we both have albums going right back to the 1950's that look and play perfectly.
The record itself is what matters the most..... Case closed
Not if you collect records worth money. Everything is taken into account.
I don't have unlimited time to sort through albums, so if I find an album with a beat to sh#t jacket, no sleeve, etc., unless it's really rare or I REALLY want it, I'm on to the next album. I don't like spending more time sorting through records than listening to them, the condition of the package can provide a very useful snapshot of the care the album received, especially when time is at a premium.
no way, you can listen to the music itself on various mediums. the sleeve is what you cannot replace unless you buy yet another copy
It all matters, the artwork the original inner sleeve the record itself, any other shit like photos, fan club or merchandise flyers included with it originally.
Yes i agree the vinyl part is the most important part when doin bin searchin. I look for warpage a sign that heat from either the sun or bein near a heat source caused this.
Hey, Brother! I knew you're someone who's opinion I can listen to when you said, "It's worth another look, it's Led Zeppelin, after all", LOL! Seriously though, I'm picking up vinyl again after 40 years & it's like discovering music all over again... My 1st album was "Black Sabbath - Paranoid", in 1976; I was 13 yeas old but it had already been out a minute, if I remember right? While I still love classic R-n-R, my tastes have expanded & blues & jazz... man, it's such a banquet our ears have available to feast on! Thanks for this Channel & sharing your experience & expertise, it's truly appreciated!
I've read through the comments regarding your technique for buying albums and while some are rather harsh, others are spot on. Personally, I believe that the technique used in buying any album depends on the album. If you are buying an original first pressing of Miles Davis's 1959 "Kinda Blue", well you're and idiot if you do not take out magnifying glass and inspect the album as well as thoroughly inspect every other aspect of the album cover, sleeve, edges etc. Whereas if your buying a mass produced copy of say 1984 KISS "Animalize", just to listen to, then a simple once over would most like suffice, so long as the price is as cheap as the vinyl and you have a decent but cheap stylus on which to play it, who wants to ruin a $300 dollar stylus on something like that. Just my 2 cents
Hi brother I just found your channel and subbed thanks for the info on this vid.. Really cool -much respect peace to you and yours
Love doing some crate digging! One of my favorite past times. Good suggestions Craig.
By all means, look at the album even if its jacket is rough! I just received a ‘Carpenters - 1969 - 1973’ and the jacket was rough especially on the edges. However the album plays like new and the booklet with the write up about the album, the booklet also included the words, was still in there. As it turns out the album had just been moved about a great deal, as the previous owner had moved to different towns in his career.
I always enjoy your no nonsense approach to the record hobby. I must say oh my God! I have a Fleetwood Mac Rumours record with a loud pop on the second side! I also have a Sure M44 cart which is in new condition mounted on it’s own head shell! I used to do that technique you described on those old RCA CED video discs to get the skips out! It’s such a remarkable coincidence that you mentioned the exact issue I have with the exact record! Plus I have the tools to fix the issue! And to think I was going to give it away at a record shop.
I collect for the music. If the jacket is nice it's a plus.
Reason I say this is I found a copy of Beatles yesterday and today, butcher cover that was beat up. However the record itself was near perfect. After a cleaning it literally dead quiet.
I agree if there's a ton it's a time saving thing, but you can pass up some great condition LPs.
Honestly usually the outer cover jacket will tell you alot about the condition of the record, but sometimes you get a diamond in the ruff
Gday mate! So helpful and informative video! Ta! Kenny from New Zealand
Aside from a click here and a pop there, if a store has a turntable for customers, the VERY FIRST thing I do is spin it and see if it's warped. Some records look deceivingly flat till you spin them around and then.....jump...jump...ju
my husband has tons of records including the original star wars records , Elvis, Johnny cash , you name it, all in mint condition and he is considering on selling them
Let me know!
I've always though if there's no inner sleeve, forget it and go on. One thing I didn't know is on those record changers only the outer edge and the label touch, I thought it was the whole thing, which is why I never used them except when I was younger and only 45s.
Using a humidifier? I personally wouldn't use one around my LP's and stereo system. Combating the mold is a job best avoided. I know. I've lost a bunch in that battle. GB
Never store in basement. Uppermost floor for records/ LP's and all equipment...
2:47 this can also happen when it was shipped (had this with a brand new record (still sealed))
Craig- ill buy that scratched up copy of Song Remains the Same from you for $5 and we'll both make out like bandits!! :)
That Erasure record has zero "ringware" and is in perfect condition because it's G-A-R-B-A-G-E
This guy's inspection process reminds me of my mum's gynaecologist.
Oouuwww!
I am a big fan of wet/vacuuming because it works for me. To each their own I guess.🤷🏾♂️
use a spherical not eliptical stylus forthis, backtracking an elliptical stylus is not good for records. hard to believe but true one very noisy lp thet wet cleaning did not cure was cured by coating the entire side in about2mm of white pva glue, once fully dry if thick enough the glue can be peeled off in on piece, starting at the edge and working across the entire record all the grunge goes away with the glue, if the glue tends to break up, the layer was too thin the only penalty to over thick is longer drying timedo not try to accelerate drying, let it dry at normal room temp and not in the sun. certainly worked well for me and I have a wet vacuum type cleaner that failed on this record that the glue made perfectly listenable, but not quite perfect, hope this helps, mad as it sounds
You got me paranoid to go look now. I got about 150 hand me downs from my parents. Some where mine as a kid. Many are rock, jazz, and R&B I know and like. Others not so much. Most in shape you wouldn't consider buying. But they are original from their time. mostly 60's/70's. I need to figure out how to get rid of the ones I wouldn't listen to where they would be enjoyed. I also want to shop/hunt for some stuff I love. It's all a daunting prospect.
@Vinyl TV: I'm confused here, in another one of your video you said that the vibration are way to small, to be able to damage the groves, and then in this video there his a notification about ceramic cartridge damage the grove, it his either one or the other, not both. I feel like every one that his suppose to be an expert on Vinyl just wants to fuel the bad wagon on Crossly. In my home town a Crossly Cruiser Deluxe, that as pitch control, and you can also record your vinyl to your USB, the price his 140$ Canadian dollar plus tax, And Beside it, his an Audio techinica, with all the same feature except it does not have a ceramic cartridge, and it got a diamond stylus, and the price his 160$ Canadian dollar + tax. If it his truth that the Crossly Crusier Ceramic cartridge damage the grove it would not have a price of 140$ + tax Canadian Dollar. And only 20 $ canadian of one of the other people think his the best turntable.
I just gotta agree with the people that say maybe you are reading a little too much into thrift store vinyl. I meen if I was spending serious cash on a used record then yeah I would heavily inspect it. Me personally though.. I basically get my one time a year to drive the 3 hrs to the closest big city to actually go to some record stores. I always spend hours going through the bargain bin crates that it sounds like he's talking about. If it's a band I want to own one of their albums I check to make sure the record is really in the sleeve.. and buy it. Then I have the fun of really going over them all when I get home. Keep in mind though like I said with two little kids I barely ever get to make this day trip lol. So for me time is of the essence. Still... for $2 and under records if it's a band you like just buy the dang thing and play it! Once those trashed up vinyls wear down your stylus just replace it. I'd much rather wear out my stylus then it last 10 years. Again... this is just my oppinion :)
cleaning machines second hand is a very good option that aint $800. i bought pro-ject vc-s for £200. probably the best thing i bought in a long time.
It's too bad all the used and new record stores are gone now and even the resale shops like the salvation army dont have them anymore but WTF no new bands don't put out stuff on vinyl or cd anymore because there is nowhere to buy them anyway so who cares I stream like all the youngsters now and I'm 61yrs old, times change it's the only way to hear new stuff. I still have all my records about 3000 and will keep them, they still sound good and I miss a good record store
@Don Buck, you'd be surprised how many bands are putting out new stuff or re-issues on LP, since it really has made a comeback now. I am still buying new issues even from 2020/2021, the only disadvantage however is that a lot of the new issues are digitally remastered (undesirable) and are on these fancy colored LP's which I do not like whatsoever. But you have a point about the resale shops. The thing is most of the sales now are at online stores or ebay which you can buy the records. I dislike this aspect, because there is something more memorable about going down to the record stores and buying something in hand. I live in a medium size city, and we have 3 Record Stores, both sell New and Used.
Clean with a horse hair brush, dawn soap and soft water. It works...If you really want it clean....and ultrasonic cleaner is the bomb!
What are the paper sleeves with the Pink Floyd album? I hate papers sleeves with a passion!!
This video is great and also funny as hell!! 😂.
The opening should match the opening of the jacket. It requires less handling of our treasured inner sleeves and covers for that matter.
I always thought that with vinyl you don’t play often the idea was to slide the sleeve into the cover with opening to the side so dust doesn’t settle into the sleeve.
Of course one buys records to play them; but they don't have to sound bad. Information is power and we can use it to get more bang for the buck; just because we look to find a good bargain on an original pressing or what not, doesn't mean we have to settle for damaged goods. Also, when talking about a damaged stylus is not just about replacing it, but also about risking ruining otherwise perfectly good records while playing them with it; my setup may not be the most luxurious out there, but I still paid good money for it, and would like it to stay in good shape for as long as possible. I enjoy listening to records, not out of nostalgia for crappy sounds of worn/misused vinyl, but because of sound quality from back in the day; they sounded real good then, and why not?, they should sound real good today. And they do.
Usually if the record cover is worn a little it's most likely a first pressing,, as far as indicators go they could actually be helpful in that sense, because usually a reissue the covers are newer, not saying that's the case always but it does kind of go with the territory a second pressing reissue.. if the vinyl is in decent shape as long as the scratches aren't too crazy,, I would much rather have a first-run pressing than a second pressing , it's that big of a difference on high high end equipment anyway.
Another tip I look for is near the end of the vinyl the last couple tracks are the most critical area for the tonearm and cartridge if not setup properly can actually cut a Groove into the record that a lot of Records have which causes sibilance and there's no way to get that out,, the record could look even in good shape but closer examination you can see the little white Circle which is the needle cutting its own Groove in the record,, you can see it in the light with a magnifying glass. I usually don't buy a record if it has that,, some are more severe than others. If it's an instrumental band and it's not too bad you could probably get away with out worrying about the sibilance, but it's definitely distortion and it can not be the best thing for tthe needle if the record is damaged too deep from the faulty setup turntable.
Thanks for the tips. That microphone you are using is amazing.
Thank you so much for posting this.
Ceramic cartridges do not, in and of themselves, ruin record grooves. Many people hold the false belief that ceramic cartridges have ceramic styli, or “needles”. Not so. Modern needles are always either diamond or sapphire, both of which treat grooves very gently. Ceramic cartridges do tend to be installed on turntables that have too much tracking force, which definitely ruins records.
Great channel, brings back a lot of memories too ...
Vinyl TV
Your totally right yes .
But don't judge a book by it's cover .it may was well sound good