I have about 8,000. I bought my first LP in 1962, which I still own - - so 2012 is the "Golden Anniversary" of my addiction. The collection grew relatively slowly, but steadily, through the late 60's and picked up pace throughout the 70's and early 80's. There was a hiatus of several years in the mid-80's/early 90's, when I turned to CD's, but I returned to mostly vinyl about 1998 and haven't regretted it. |
I have 6000+ LP's, accumulated over 2 years.
Average cost is less than 9 cents each.
I have stopped collecting for now.
Ken |
It took close to fifty years to amass over 10,000.
I am now down to about 3,000 and plan to be down to about
500 in the next year. This along with some 1000 cds are more then enough.I am afraid it was more of the hunt then anything eles.I am now cleaning and culling.As they say, you can't take it with you.
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I have about 6000, mostly collected in the early 2000s after dumping my early stuff in the 80s and getting out of the hobby for a while. Started back up and went directly to vinyl. 1st 4 or 5000 were used, last 1000 are new or nearly new. I have replaced a number of classic albums with 180g or 45rpm stuff. Yeah, its expensive if I think about it, but spread over years its not too bad, maybe 2 grand a year for the last 10 years. |
I would say around 3000; I started in the late 50s and got a lot of them when I lived in Chicago at places like Rose Records. Their top floor was packed with amazing deals; they have been closed for years and I still have some I haven't opened. Also got a lot when the record stores went out of business after CDs came out. I don't really think I would start a vinyl collection unless I lived where I had access to good used record stores. I bought a new LP last week: SALT FOR SALT by BROWN BIRD but I usually just open up one of the 200 or so I have never gotten around to opening. Much cheaper that way. |
about 3500 and collected seriously over 20 years. First 20 years of owning vinyl, i had about 300 to 400 of my own purchases from various retail markets. In the late 80's early 90's, it became hard to find new albums and just started buying cd's but soon learned a lot of folks were dumping albums in garage sales. did that gig until early 2000 then started buying from retail 2nd hand vinyl stores, ebay, audiogon and craigslist. |
I started in the 80s as well...early 80s new wave, post punk, then college rock(80s term for alt), britpop,classic rock,etc...I also inheritated from friends, relatives, etc...I'm also fortunate to have a half dozen used lp stores around...I recently traded some lps...my guess would be around 500.... |
I've been listening to vinyl only (no cds in the house!) since 2000. I've accumulated about 600 excellent condition LPs that in regular rotation and another 30 that are collectable and don't get much play. |
I started buying in 1976 and since then have bought one album a week on average which has brought me up to 1940 albums currently. I don't like buying masses of records that i will never be able the give the time to listening to so one a week has meant that i know every record really well. |
700+. Began my reentry into vinyl in 2003. 99% are thrift buys and by careful selection pretty darn good discs. Back in the 80's I had about 60Lps all bought new. Sold off analogue by 1987. I fell for the CD hype lock stock an barrel. Thankfully again by 2003 I regained an interest in vinyl. I appreciate my CD's too as they serve a place. But I love my vinyl. |
Interesting, about four crates worth, I have not ever bothered to count them. Started in the late 70's and then tailed off buying in the late 90's getting into CD's for new music. Amazing how good so many of my records still sound so well even over my modest turntable which has been around a few decades. |
I have 6000+ LP's, accumulated over 2 years.
Average cost is less than 9 cents each.
I have stopped collecting for now.
Ken Over eight records a day essentially for free. And how did your Majesty accomplish that? Please do tell. |
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I have around 3,000 Lps. From 1975 to about 1995, it took me 20 years to collect the first 2,000. I stopped buying LP's altogether in '95. All of the first 2,000 were purchased brand new. About 5 years ago a buddy was visiting my place and saw my turntables. He asked if I would like to have the jazz collection of his recently deceased 88 year-old father-in-law. I flew to Chicago, packed them in boxes and shipped them back to LA. More than 1,000 killer jazz LPs fell into my lap just like that.
I don't buy LP's anymore. I too have hundreds that I've purchased that I've never opened. Out of the thousand LPs that my buddy gave me, I've only played a handful of them in 5 years. I don't even play my cd's anymore. I mostly listen to Rhapsody or Pandora on my SqueezeBox.
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Acquired my first lp in 1952, last count indicated 12,000 are present. Of course they are kept company by the 3000 cassettes, 4000 R2R, 1000 eight tracks and 6000 cd's. Will the madness ever stop? |
Not too many.
Maybe couple thousands.
95%NM/VG+ vinyl/jacket or better. |
3000+
I'm fortunate in that even before becoming aware of 'Audiophilia', and was playing records on an old BIC TT, I ALWAYS handled my records by the edges, seemed logical. Now I find a lot of my records that are 30-40 yrs old still sound very clean! Of course, running them thru the old Record Doctor helps! |
Bought my first record with 11th birthday money in 1974 -- now with ~3,000. |
Started back in the late '60s with "The Monkeess" (RIP Davy Jones) and have been at it ever since, including still having the ones I bought back then, including an April 1973 Harvest DSOTM. Total is around 4K-4500 |
I have about six or seven which is about one 25th of my hi rez downloads. I serv my need to figit and tinker by buying a pet. |
Dear Tbromgard: Nice thread. I think that could be interesting to know how many of those big collection LPs are listening their owners by month?
Btw, I own around 6K+ an started in the 60's.
Regards and enjoy the music,
R. |
Stopped counting a long time ago. The bell curve is still on the uptick and the beauty is in the hunt. The Nitty Gritty has held up well. |
Craigslist is your friend.
There are billions of records out there and most people don't have the means to play theirs.
I had a huge score at a rained out yard sale.
The poor fellow came out and offered me the whole lot for $100.
I had to go get my truck and filled up the back with boxes and a couple of boxes on top of that.
I took what I wanted and sold the rest at $15 a foot, 3 foot minimum. The excess was gone in 3 hours and I made a profit and had thousands of albums for free.
The point is not that I am a genius, but that there is no reason to pay much for LPs.
I don't expect to get much for them when I sell but I enjoy them just as much as I could if I overpaid.
Ken |
raul, nice add on question. I dont get to listen as much as i like but not unusual on weekend to do about 15-20 lp's listening to both sides. i do know there are a few that i have not listened to at some point but most i have listened too at least once. Some of my favorites i listen to each month. |
Ooops...just came across a yard sale... I tool all the stones, doors, zep, who, Beatles, kinks, who, Dylan, hendrix etc for nada...back yo to near 1k lps |
About 2000, starting in about 1966. There was a big hiatus in the 80's and 90's, when a growing family was the priority. I restarted seriously in about 1998.
The kids, by the way, don't get any cheaper. Why does nowone tell you that before you start a family. Still costing me well into their 20's. Not that I begrudge a penny, sorry, cent. |
Dear Oilmanmojo: I know that for many of us our LPs are part of each one " collection " and as a collectors we try to " collect " almost everything we can but as audiophiles: how many of our LP's collections we hear each month?, I know that we heard/hear not only a very small number but we heard and listen frequently to our favorities.
Maybe we are listening not more than 400 different LPs over the time even maybe less.
Of course that we have two " hats " the LP's collector and the music lover one and even that are interrelated are two different subjects.
Regards and enjoy the music,
R. |
I dont listen as much as i would like to...still on the weekends I manage to spend 2-3 hours listening, which sometimes developes into an all day affair...depends on what I have going...I dont have kids, so I have a good amount of free time. |
I suppose that I am not alone in listening to a relatively low number per month and rotating to a different group the next month. I had not listened to "PIGS EYE JASS Vol. 2" for decades but lately have been playing it very often. Recently got out my "DUKES OF DIXIELAND' recordings, which I bought in the early 60s and hadn't listened to in 40 years or so. |
raul--well said. Actually know a collector that does not even have a working turntable. He collects "rare" issues and focuses more on the cover and inserts. As for me, i do enjoy the "collecting" but love the actual listening of great tracks or albums. If i did not have a demanding job and family life that forces me to actually do something, i would listen more. As many others who get this bug, i have spent a lot of time putting together a system (not nearly as heavyweight as some on this site) that i enjoy listening to. I tend to go into collection listening (ie, steely dan weekend or Return to forever nite) and pull out every one to try listen to. |
Raul - I understand your point about quantity owned vs. quantity listened to but....even though I may not listen to them all, all the time, it's KNOWING what I have, and that I CAN listen whenever I want that gives my collection it's value. I think this is true regardless of whether it's LP's, CD's, or MP3's. |
I stopped counting @ 18,000. I mostly buy CD's now,have around 3000,my CD system sounds damn good too. I do buy an occasional Lp @ full price but mostly used now. My last purchase was a MOFI copy of Sea Change by Beck. Every record I own is playable and in @ least very good condition. |
oh yeah I started collecting as a hobby in 1967 but the first album I ever bought was The Beatles on Veejay records. I bought it because I remember sitting in the school cafeteria eating lunch and everyone was singing to I Wanna Hold Your Hand that was playing over the PA system. |
Dear Chazro: Yes, from a collector point of view I agree with you, that's the main subject why we are LP's collectors.
My wife ask me time to time: why if you listen to almost the same 400-500 LPs don't put on sale the other 5.5K+?, well she is not a collector, I'm along along an audiophile.
Regards and enjoy the music,
R. |
A little over 7,000; almost all purchased new on release beginning in 1959. |
I bought my fist LP in the spring of 1974 when I was a freshman in high school. This has been an ongoing habit since then with the total number of LP’s in the 6000 to 7000 range. Of these, less than 1000 fall into the rock, jazz or other category – the rest are classical. |
About 7,000+, started in or around '85. Would have more if I still had records from the disco days. |
Experience taught me that Raul is right. So I stopped accumulating LPs once I reached ~2000. It took my 35 years to get there. Of course I do buy an LP or two here and there these days. I would guesstimate that no more than 100 LPs get 90% of the playing time. And I refuse to be a record collector. I have a close friend with 7000; I can borrow any of his LPs, any time. |
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Buconero, please put me in your will. Explain to your family that even though you and I have never met, your music will be going to a good home.
...thanks,
mitch
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A little bit of an aside, but having the majority of my music digitized and stored on a computer hard drive got me beyond the I only listen to "X" number of albums. Organizing music by several different categories into playlists and the random play feature have transformed how I access my music collection. It also avoids the am I going to listen to a record or CD issue.
I have less than 2,500 records. The first purchase was The Supremes "Where Did Our Love Go", an album that I still rate very highly. |
I own about 3000 and started in the 70is. But my testes or
preferences changed considerable during the time. I hardly
ever listen to symphonies any more while the chamber music
and songs (Lieder)are at present my primary enjoyment. So I
actually play about 100 of them. At present I buy only occasionaly some SACD's. |
I have about 5000, I started in the late 60's. I started buying used in the middle 1980's as large numbers of people began dumping their record collections at that time. Once I got my hands on a VPI 16.5, which I still have, my search for used really took off. I had days where I'd find 100+ at a time.
The supply of used records today, at least what I collect, is only a fraction of what it was in the late 1980's. As time went by my efforts began to pay off less and less. Perhaps many of the record collectors from the 1950's and 1960's, the music I focused on, had either passed on or had unloaded their collections as by the late 1990's the search was no longer worth my time.
Today I'll buy some reissues and an occasional title on Ebay. Some of the collectable records that were very expensive in 1990 have dropped in value and are much more affordable. |
Like Lewn i have approx. 2000 LP's and that is way too many. Indeed, only a selected 10% (or fewer) get play time. I still buy audiophile LP's here and there but nothing more. I don't do yard sale or estate sale so that i can cram 8000 LP's in my basement that i will never play. I refuse to be a record hoarder. All my 2000 LP's have been played at least once although many have not played in over 30 years. Bought my 1st LP in 1978. It was Deep Purple Made in Japan. What an album. I got into Jazz 15 years ago and this is what i listen to now. I have about 700 Jazz LP's. Also have some Hirez download on my Mac but that is very small in comparison to my LP collection.
For those who knew Jeff Healy (RIP), he was a Jazz fanatic and had amassed a collection of 28,000 78 rpm Jazz album from the 20's to the 40's in just over 20 years. He was an avid trumpet player as well. |
I find it interesting nearly everyone has 100's or 1000's of lps they dont listen to at all. If you dont listen to them, why have them? Would you sell or donate the ones not listened to? If not, does it make you a "collector?" |
How do you guys with 6,000-18,000 LPs store them? Alphabetically on shelving, prefab racks, crates or boxes? I have about 2,000 and currently am having custom shelving built to hopefully 2,000-3,000. |
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"If you dont listen to them, why have them?" I keep mine because having them affords me the possibility of listening to them "some day". And it very often does happen that I go delving in to shelves that have not been disturbed in quite a while in order to hear something different from my usual fair. I am my own music server. |
Approx 15k, to many to measure so I measured 100 took that measurement and divided it into total inches of albums to get approx volumeMy back is in no shape to bend and count. I own mostly everything but love is 50-70 Jazz, Blue note and all the great jazz labels. Believe it or not I collected most at goodwill and second hand stores while traveling for work. I now have slowed goodwill buying and collect the 45rpm series from musuc matters (BLUE NOTE)
My wife is getting nervous now because i'm loving the sound of reel to reels and their expensive. |
I started buying Lp's in the mid 50's.
It was fun in the old days to shop for new records at the many stores in New York City.So it was easy to own about 3000.
With the economy as it is I had to sell about 2,000 privately.
If the economy doesn't improve I may have to sell half of the treasures that I have kept.
Many of these have become Collector Items,although I never thought of them as such.To me it was always the music and the joy I felt by just listening. |
Over 1000 collected over the past 10-11 years. Had a smaller collection until the late 80's when it was lost in a fire. But that's another story. |
I guess about 1000, 25% jazz, 25% classical and 50% rock. I started buying LPs in 1973, fell for CD's "perfect sound forever in 1987, but have come back to vinyl.
Most of my buying is used, ungraded, at a local record show that takes place quarterly. I rarely miss this show, and usually spend about $100 each time. At an average of $2/LP, I add about 200 LPs per year. I have learned the hard way to carefully inspect the used LPs I buy, and more recently to make sure the cuffs match the collars (i.e., the LP matches the jacket). But I have made some great buys: This show is for 50s and 60s rock fans. If you find someone selling jazz or classical, they are usually eager to blow it out for $1 or so per LP. This past Sunday I went to this show and really made out well - a DG 45 rpm classical LP for $1 and a beautiful Capital Stereo recording of Shostakovich's 11th on a 2-LP set - paid a bit more for this one.
I am slowly, slowly, digitizing them onto CD-R for use in the car, and then ripping those CD-Rs to my music server. No, the digitized LPs don't sound as good as the original vinyl, but they blow away most of the commercial CDs of the same albums. Especially in dynamics.
About three nights a week, I unwind after work by listening to one of the hundreds of LPs I haven't heard yet. Healthier than supper or a cocktail, and even more relaxing. It's thrilling to find out if the LPs, whether they look good or not, sound good. Interestlingly, I have found many thin LPs, like the RCA Dynagrooves, that sound better to me than some older heavy-vinyl LPs. I guess then, as now, it's about the recording, the engineer and the mastering as much as it is about the quality of the vinyl and the pressing.
My KAB EV-1 record cleaning machine has paid for itself many times over. It takes filthy dirty records and makes them almost like new.
Will I get to hear every LP, digitize it, and rip it to my server before I drop dead? I dunno, maybe not. But there is the thrill of finding a treasure among the trash, buying it for a buck or two (especially when new audiophile LPs are selling for $50+ a pop) and looking forward to that first time it gets onto the turntable.
Storage has become an issue. My wife, who rarely complains about my hobby, the money I spend on it or the space it occupies in my basement man cave, has begun to show her irritation at the space occupied by my growing LP collection. I am hoping that, as my kids leave the nest, I will have a bit more space to store my LPs. But even though every time I go to a record show, with an oath to focus on quality over quantity, I always seem to come home with another stack o' wax.
Hey - everybody needs a hobby! |
