After a similar frustration buying a few too many duplicates, I also started entering my LPs into a database/spreadsheet. Before the PDA era, I'd keep printouts of the list in a 3-ring binder to haul along with me. For many years now, I've kept everything downloaded onto a PDA (MS Access on the PC, downloaded to HandBase on the Palm). Since my collection is classical, and since I enter by individual work and not just LP, I have over 17,000 data entries (data records) at this point coming from 6-7,000 LPs: far too many lines to print out. The big advantage of carrying the list electronically is that it's searchable.
As to "how many records" - I can't bring myself to part with very many (except for the identical duplicates in different pressings). I figure I never know when I may want to go back to a piece of music after a few years and re-listen with "different ears". Also, I consider my LPs a library of music allowing me to pull out whatever I, or a guest, may in the mood to hear. There can never be too many records for that. ;-)
FWIW, until the newest Blackberry models arrived, the BB had limited data storage capability. The newest ones finally support a removable memory chip for added storage.
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As to "how many records" - I can't bring myself to part with very many (except for the identical duplicates in different pressings). I figure I never know when I may want to go back to a piece of music after a few years and re-listen with "different ears". Also, I consider my LPs a library of music allowing me to pull out whatever I, or a guest, may in the mood to hear. There can never be too many records for that. ;-)
FWIW, until the newest Blackberry models arrived, the BB had limited data storage capability. The newest ones finally support a removable memory chip for added storage.
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