Don’t assume everything will be in great condition, of course, but you are less likely to be duped by someone flogging beat-up records as being in mint condition. There are a number of stores working solely from the web – again Vinyl Factory has put together a decent list (opens in new tab) – that range from specialist vinyl to wider selections. ![]() Discogs and eBay are filled with second-hand vinyl, but it isn’t only this kind of peer-to-peer selling going on. We have to be thankful that as many record shops exist as still do, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t also plenty of dealers that have moved online. If a number of people are complaining, it’s possible the rest of that run is similarly affected. It’s always worth a quick Google for message boards and blog comment sections discussing a certain catalogue number, as whole batches may have been pressed using sub-par vinyl or simply fallen victim to factory error. Playing with the levels of the image can show up scratches and divots hidden in the dark areas of a photo, and give you a better idea of what it is you’re looking at.Įven a seemingly clean record might be best avoided though, depending on the press. However, as reported by Vinyl Factory some years back (opens in new tab), one clever Reddit user has shared their trick for using Photoshop as a handy scratch-checking tool (shown above). Websites will have grading systems, usually ranging from ‘poor’ to ‘mint’ or something of the like, but remember the subjectivity of such terms: very good condition in the eyes of the seller might not hold the same meaning for you.Įven photos can be misleading, likely unintentionally, given that sheen on a vinyl record. If you are buying online, there is of course a greater risk. But remember you're paying for a service in a shop, so if you've found something you fancy or indeed been guided by the person behind the counter, then it's right that you should pay for that knowledge. If the average price is much lower, it’s likely you’ll be able to discuss that with the owner of the shop. With the best will in the world, the shop owner is unlikely to be able to keep up with the varying value of what is in their shop.Īrmed with a catalogue number or serial number, you can check the record you’re holding on a website such as Discogs (opens in new tab) and make sure you’re getting a decent deal for the condition of the vinyl. Keep your smartphone with you whenever you go shopping for second-hand vinyl. It seems like a no-brainer, but if the shop you’re in has a turntable – and unless you’re in a charity shop, it definitely should – then there is no better test than to play the record.Įven just sitting the disc on the platter will give you a better idea of any warping – though you can also check this simply by holding the record flat and looking straight down it – and you can now make a more conscientious decision about whether or not to part with your money. Music matters here, too, as does run time: quieter music will show up audible scratches more clearly than anything raucous, while a longer play time might mean shallower grooves thus scratches not needing to be so deep to be heard. If you don’t feel the scratch as well as see it, it’s possible your stylus won’t either. What you really want to take care looking for is scratches: ones running parallel to the grooves will call the stylus to skip, while perpendicular ones will cause loud pops.Įven if you find some, though, try running your finger gently over them before panicking unduly. Scuffs can also look pretty worrying, but often they’re so shallow as to be barely audible, if at all. You shouldn't hesitate to ask the shop owner to give it a quick dust, as dirt can also conceal more problematic marks that, as much as anything, you don’t want to be accused of causing. ![]() ![]() ![]() Dirt, for example, can often be cleaned quite easily, as can hairs that at first might seem alarmingly like scratches. It’s worth noting that not everything you find on the record is necessarily a reason to throw it back into the ocean.
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