Sell LP's: No visible scuffs. Let buyer remove static if needed?

You are dreaming to think you can “remove static“ and then ship the LP to someone who will then have a static free LP. Static does not work that way. You will be making a big mistake if you try to guarantee no static. As to everything else you are doing it seems fine. I would never ever undertake such a project myself, for all the inconvenient reasons you cite. Four years ago, I inherited 6000 LPs from my dear departed friend. I selected about 900 for myself and we (his wife and I) donated the rest in his name. I never gave a thought to selling them one or a few at a time. Dealing with eBay rules and regulations alone might have foreshortened my own life span. The LPs were all mint, all collectible labels, typically not reissues.

lewm,

this is about NOT REMOVING STATIC, letting buyer deal with static.

So far, I have shipped 30 that I did clean, removed static, sold as static free (except some occasionally between tracks), and I always get positive feedback, IOW it is possible.

Not to mention, I have bought and received new and used static free lps.

You fear eBay, I have done very well selling and buying on eBay.

I don’t doubt for a minute that you make an earnest effort to remove static, but my point is that static happens over and over again. The person to whom you sold an LP may introduce a static charge simply by the method with which he handles the LP when he receives it static is everywhere or I should say the potential for a static charge developing on a vinyl surface is everywhere and you cannot permanently guard against it. The factThat you have had no negative feedback, does not mean to me that every LP you have sold remains static free for the rest of its lifetime. Many people are completely unaware that their LPs have a static charge on the surface.
Anyway, go for it. I did not mean to rain on your parade. Just trying to inject a note of reality.

elliott, 

I will buy from you, let me know when listing is up :-) 

Elliot, I see now that I completely mis read your original post. Mea culpa. 1000 apologies to you.

I actually prefer buying records that haven’t been cleaned by the seller given big questions about how effectively they clean (I have a very good regime) and whether the "cleaning" is really further contaminating the record. I don’t know why you have static issues, but I can deal with that. The main concern I have as a heavy buyer of some serious used records (private label or rare jazz, proto-metal, early prog, etc) is groove chew-- that is, noise in the groove caused by damage from kludgey turntable set ups that visual inspection will not reveal.
One other thing that is common- warps. I once asked a seller if the record he was offering was warped. He responded by saying "you’d have to be an idiot to offer a warped record." I bought from him and guess what? Thankfully, I have one of those fancy (Orb/Furutech DF 2) disc flatteners.

I sell records that I don’t care much. I usually put them on Amazon. Amazon charges huge fee. If you sell one at $10, Amazon may take about $4. If I have time, I listen to them before shipping, just to make it sure. I think Agon charges much less than Amazon.
Best way of selling may be selling them at bulk, like 100s with some categorization, like jazz, classical, opera, pop, 50’s, 60’s, ... Putting individual records for sale takes lots of time, especially if you are selling hundreds or thousands of them. One time, I bought 400 classical LPs from ebay, most of them at mint or new at $1000.
If I were you, I would solicit through Agon or other vinyl forums for the bulk sale to avoid listing fees. Also, I would not bother cleaning them before sale. Be conservative on ratings. Most sellers’ ratings are so much generous than buyers, so I would suggest lowering the grade one or two levels for bulk sale.
Of course, if you really want to get rid of them fast, put them on Ebay auction at bulk with very low starting price, and advertise them to Agon and vinyl forum for more exposure, and not worry too much about getting top $$$.

Record grading is international standard, you can read here about grading:

https://support.discogs.com/hc/en-us/articles/360001566193-How-To-Grade-Items

Nobody cares about static, find your record/release on discogs, make sure about pressing, click sell and add grading (you’d better undergrade than overgrade). It’s easy to sell on discogs, ebay is more complicated. It’s better to buy on discogs as you can see exact pressing, deadmarks and all details about each version.

@whart ,

+1 for the ORB

@chakster said: "It’s better to buy on discogs as you can see exact pressing, deadmarks and all details about each version."
My reaction: unless the seller misgraded and/or put the record in the wrong category. I usually converse through the Discogs messaging system to confirm deadwax and condition. It’s not consistent, but some sellers will respond by saying sorry, not that pressing or I overgraded. That’s the honest ones. But, I’m not criticizing Discogs. I buy a lot of records.

Discogs is for records, search system is better, sellers with 100% positive feedbacks are good (normally). 

I hate ebay, because when you search for one record they will display 500 more, including reissues and other junk you don’t even need. To find out which press it is you must spend hours.

  
On discogs you know exactly what it is and you can only browse exact pressing and nothing else. 

The sales fee is lower on discogs and there is a sales statistic for each release.

What @chakster said,

I like discogs format (for albums) far better than ebay's. I've bought and sold many a item on ebay but when it comes to vinyl, discogs all they do are vinyl and their format is intuitive.

All vinyl listed for sale should be truly respectful of the gold mine standards. Like many say here, discogs is king in that regard. If you want to establish a long selling reputation anywhere and move your records, you better be very conservative about your grading up front. It may undervalue some of your records but you will win out in the long run. If you fool anyone and end up getting less than a near 100% seller rating, buyers like I will look elsewhere.

Obviously, the OP here has no idea what static is. He THINKS it’s ticks and pops due to dirt, or from scuffs or light scratches. 

After the first 3 posts I finally figured out what in the world the OP was talking about! 

Then i laughed hysterically!

Selling his LPs, But doesn’t know what static is, or that just sliding an LP into a sleeve causes static. But his are static “free”. 

Okay....

They will buy them for sure if static is the only issue especially if they want the vinyl at all a reasonable piece of music that is liked is always wanted.

@whart = wisdom

Elliot,
I buy a lot of used albums on ebay.  The biggest thing for me is a few really good photos... one of each side of each record, the sleeve, and any extras, if applicable. 

Knowing they've been graded by ear us nice, but its not a real concern unless im going to spend over $50  on it.

Cleaning is nice, but not a deal breaker in any way. 

Just my $0,02.  Hope it helps.

When buying second hand vinyl I clean them using my record cleaning machine and place them in "Nagaoka" style anti-static sleeves. I throw away flimsy paper innards and only keep inner sleeves if they have lyrics/other useful info. It has not hindered resale and buying in bulk reduces cost per LP.

Static is not removed, it is controlled. Just walking across a carpet with an lp in hand will introduce static. Just by cleaning the record on the platter while spinning will introduce static....it causes record to stick to mat when removing for example....static is an ongoing battle. The zero stat gun does seem to work well, also the audioquest carbon fiber brush. Also, the choice of good anti-static inner sleeves seem to reduce the static. 

everyone

thanks for sharing your experiences and advice.

Now, cleaned/played here first: people get them, slap em on TT, get quiet enjoyable experience, give great feedback.

IOW, too much STATIC is the ONLY thing that would reduce that instant enjoyment.

I wondered how much static might re-occur during shipping, so far no one has mentioned it.

I maintain 100% seller rating, get great feedback.
...............................................

These: skip cleaning, skip playing, sell as 'you clean them', 'full refund guaranteed':

Many appear to have been played only once, which makes them the same as the ones I have cleaned/played: VERY DARN GOOD or VERY GOOD.  I simply cannot assure quiet listening as I do now.

IOW, too much STATIC is the ONLY thing that would reduce that instant enjoyment (perhaps probable).

...............................

It looks like I will part with half, 2,000 lps, I'm deciding/sorting the keepers as I pack them over there.

The bulk of keepers are jazz, some popular. I have enough classical, opera, show tunes, don't like country, all of them will go. As I grab a bunch later to sell, I can keep a particular one.

I think I will make a new seller account, emphasize 'u clean em' 'unquestioned full refund' see what happens, if I can maintain a very high seller rating. 

I have an orange 'uncle wins music' logo in the main listing page. You instantly know it's mine in a page of listings without clicking on it.

I will simply use a different colored logo for uncleaned/unplayed.

I have bought a lot of albums through ebay. I have seen the good, the bad and the ugly. Regardless of whether it appears the album is clean, I do my own cleaning with a cleaning machine. As far as static, I never do any mitigation. I received an album once from a seller that was just in a plastic sealed bag, no cardboard mailer. Needless to say, the album cover was damaged a lot but surprisingly the album was fine. I did some repairs on the cover and cleaned the album. I always store my purchases in a new sleeve and album cover. FWIW

Hello, can leaving the LP in suction mode on the VPI cleaner too long create more static ?

Define "too long".  Anyway, it's possible. The potential is there for static charge to build up because of the velvet cushion that protects the LP surface from the plastic suction tube, I suppose, but the LP starts out wetted with cleaning solution, which ought to ameliorate static charge accumulation.  I am not saying it's a great idea to leave the LP spinning after it is thoroughly dry for any extended period of time. But I have not noticed a particular problem. I use a VPI HW17.

If you look at enough ebay listings you will see that most are not 'play graded' but 'visually graded' only. There are many sellers that have absolutely no clue on how to grade records. I always knock them down a notch or two from what the seller states. I'm selling my 4K plus collection to augment my paltry SS benefit. I started buying records at 14 and that was many years ago. If you do a visual and don't like what you see, then play them. I know where my LPs have been and who's handled them. I clean a few but not many. I offer 100% money back guarantee. Very few are returned, less than 1%. Many are sold at Near Mint condition. Check out sellers with a more precise grading scale, Goldmine in my opinion is too vague. As long as you're offering a money back guarantee, you should be golden. Make sure your pics are good and notate trail-off info. There are some  trying to send back different discs. My grading scale example; 

(M) Mint: Mint is a grade I am reserving for a perfect record. There are no scratches, scuffs, hairlines, fingerprints, spindle marks or other indications that it has been handled or played. The jacket will have its original shrink which is opened. There are no corner bumps, scratches, mars, creases or other signs of jacket wear. There are really no "Mint" records. Even those sealed from the factory commonly have some detraction. I assume a sealed record to be mint. However, I cannot be in any way responsible for what exactly is inside the sealed jacket.

(NM) Near Mint: Near Mint is a record that is virtually flawless, clean and glossy. A near perfect, rarely-played record. May play with some very light and occasional dust or static related light noise that is only heard in the quietest passages. The vinyl and label surfaces show no obvious sign of wear. It looks clean with the factory shine and there may be a very light, barely visible paper scuff or two and a few light hairlines but no scratches. An LP jacket has no seam splits or any other obvious signs of wear but one or two light creases are acceptable. Ring wear should be almost invisible. No punch holes or other discount marks.  Very minimal corner bumps. Artist signatures are the only acceptable forms of handwriting for this grade. Basically, "Near Mint" looks as if you just got it home from a the record store and removed the shrink wrap.

(M-) Mint Minus and (NM-) Near Mint Minus:  A Mint Minus or Near Mint Minus may have light paper scuffs or have a light hairline scratch present, but will have no effect on sonic quality. Light spindle marks may also be present. Looks clean and unplayed. The record will have it's factory gloss and luster. The jacket will not have ring wear or seam splits. No 'cut out' marks or any writing or stickers. May show some signs of light use but nothing that would constitute a distraction. This grade will present as "near new" having been properly handled and cared for. Again, little or no sign of handling or use, any detractions will be noted.

(VG++) Very Good Plus Plus: Shows some signs that it was played and otherwise handled by a previous owner who took good care of it. Record surfaces may show signs of use and may have slight paper scuffs or very light surface scratches that only reveal themselves in the quietest of passages and don't detract from the overall sonic quality. Most factory shine is still present. Slight edge warps that do not affect the tracking or sound quality are OK and will be noted. An LP jacket may have some signs of ring wear or shelf wear and a small corner bump or two, these are minimal and acceptable for this grade. A small seam split is also acceptable and will be noted. Jacket may have a sawcut or punch hole, light owner signatures, DJ marks and other forms of handwriting are acceptable for this grade. In general, if not for a couple of minor things wrong with it, this would be a showcase piece. All but the most discriminating collectors will find a 'Very Good Plus Plus' record highly acceptable.

(VG+) Very Good Plus: Many of the defects found in a VG++ record are more pronounced in a VG+ disc but it is still a keeper. Surface noise is evident upon playing, but does not overwhelm the music. Groove wear will start to be audible and a random click, tic or soft pop may be evident but will not detract from the enjoyment of the recorded material. The jacket may have a seam split or ring wear and labels may be marred by writing, or have tape or stickers (or their residue) attached. A small light stain or some discoloring may be evident. The cover may exhibit a combination of these flaws but they will not overwhelm the piece.

(VG) Very Good: A VG disc will have more flaws but it is still a keeper. Surface noise is evident upon playing but does not overpower the music. Groove wear will be audible along with occasional pops and tics but there are no skips. The jacket may have a significant seam split and the spine may be seriously flaked. Labels and jackets may be marred by writing, or have tape or stickers (or their residue) attached. A small light stain or some discoloring may be evident. The cover may exhibit a combination of these flaws but they will not overwhelm the piece.

(G+) Good Plus, (G) Good: Good means acceptable, not completely trashed. The grade I usually reserve for listing the rarest of records. A record in 'Good' condition can be put onto a turntable and will play but it will have significant audible surface noise. A jacket or sleeve has larger seam splits and there may be significant water stains, tape, writing, ring wear or other defects that will start to overwhelm the object.

Special Note: I am human. I grade conservatively, however on occasion I may miss something. There are always exceptions to the rules. If you have ANY issue with the piece, please contact me first. I will make it right. Again, please do not initiate a return request or an item not as described thru ebay until you give me a chance to rectify the problem. Also, before leaving any neutral or negative feedback, I will deal with you professionally and respectfully. Thank you.

 

arizonabob

thanks for the advice.

would you post a link to one of your eBay listings?

thanks, Elliott

Sure, no problem;
https://www.ebay.com/itm/THE-ALLMAN-BROTHERS-BAND-MFSL-IDLEWILD-SOUTH-OOP-NEAR-MINT-MOBILE-FIDELITY/203216904244?hash=item2f50abe034:g:HBoAAOSwjkhf1P5X

Arizona, I notice you seem to grade the LP itself and it’s jacket as one. Very often I find a mint LP inside a jacket that is way short of mint condition. Or vice-versa, a horrible condition LP in a mint sleeve. How do you deal with that in the context of your rating system?

This is why on Discogs every Vinyl and Sleeve graded separately. 

I avoid buying records on ebay and much prefer Discogs.  I don't trust sellers to properly grade their records on ebay.  Discogs has some stinkers once in a while, but with the feedback system and the focus strictly on music, getting what you want is much more likely.  I think most sellers grade visually.  The biggest issue I have with Discogs is sellers not packaging their records well.  Please use a Whiplash or similar mailer that protects the corners.  Nothing worse than paying a lot for a NM- record and having it show up with the corner(s) all banged up.

arizonabob

A nice offering.

I gather you ascertain value, determine a starting price or buy it now.

I decided when I started selling tapes, now lps, to start low, simply let the market determine value.

My object is space, but higher sale prices would be nice.
 

big greg

thanks, whiplash is better than the simple one I am using now.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/50-PREMIUM-LP-RECORD-ALBUM-BOOK-or-BOX-MAILERS/300349048398?ssPageName=STRK...

I decided to start simple, easy, see if any shipping complaints surfaced, so far none.

Perhaps I will get some whiplash, and use them for lps that people paid a high price for.

Tapes, I found a perfectly sized bubble envelope and I put peanuts inside the box to prevent the tape moving thereby damaging the tape's box. Same thing, no problems except the few USPS seemed to intentionally destroy.

Lewm, in this particular listing I grade each cover/disc separately, they just happen to both be Near Mint. Item was purchased by me new only a year or two ago. Probably only played once. See other listings for the disparity you describe. AB

Elliott, you are correct. I search the title in eBay and use SOLD listings as a guide. I attempt to price in the sweet spot, not the highest but not the lowest either. There is where condition plays a large role. The only problem I have with auction listings is that the final sale price varies so greatly. If two or more people looking for that title 'fight it out' so to speak, the price can rise well above the current value. Unfortunately that is rarely the case except for a rare item. Under normal circumstances, it's quite common you just get one or two bidders and the final price falls substantially below current value. I'm in no hurry to sell these and am able to wait for the right buyer to come along. Some my make an offer and if it's close, I'll accept. There are many variables pertaining to selling on eBay, all must be considered to determine what's best for your individual circumstance. Best of luck to you.  AB 

I search the title in eBay and use SOLD listings as a guide.

Why do you prefer ebay over discogs ? 
Discogs designed for music only, it's a discography first and sales option second, also a price guide, much better than ebay (imo). 

popsike.com is another tool to check prices for records, actual auction finals are there.  

I will buy some of your mobile fidelity master recording records. Interested. You may have some that are I grew up with and want to hear in this high quality format. I buy on ebay , I treasure my 100 percent rating, I have same on Audiogon. 
You do not have to clean or get rid of static for me. 

'Chakster', I mainly use eBay because I have for so long. I attempted to use Discogs some time ago as a buyer and would find 20 or 30 listings for an LP title and 1 picture. Purchased a couple of titles and found the grading to be extremely poor. Returning the item was a nightmare too. Because it's free (I think it's still free), there are just too many listings to go thru and just searching a specific issue was also a negative. It's been many moons since this happened so I may look again. It's also possible I am clueless on navigation for Discogs. I use 'popsike' on occasion for price guidelines only. Never tried listing or buying there. AB

'arichison', I have been thinning the heard of MFSL titles for some time now. Some I'm keeping for personal use, but selling a bunch of them. Please message me with a few specific titles you're looking for. As stated in a previous post, I'm in no hurry to 'wholesale' them. I started with the higher dollar ones and go thru them on occasion to put a few more up. Let me know.  AB

'Chakster', I mainly use eBay because I have for so long. I attempted to use Discogs some time ago as a buyer and would find 20 or 30 listings for an LP title and 1 picture.

@arisonabob
Picture is on release page, anyone can change this picture or add another in better quality (everyone is a contributor). Seller don't have to upload pictures in his listing since there is a picture uploaded by others on release page, but seller must check deadmarks etc to list exact pressing of the release. Picture can be emailed to the buyer by request, link to a picture can be in the seller's item description if needed. They do not block email contact sharing in discogs messenger (ebay block everything). Listing is free, sales fee is 8% (only if you sold something). 

Purchased a couple of titles and found the grading to be extremely poor. Returning the item was a nightmare too. Because it's free (I think it's still free), there are just too many listings to go thru and just searching a specific issue was also a negative. It's been many moons since this happened so I may look again.

Every buyer is protected by paypal buyer's protection and refund is guaranteed. Feedback system is the key to buy from good sellers with accurate grading.  

Discogs, you have to professionally grade them, and, you have to set a specific price.

eBay, I use my ’Very Darn good’ or ’Very Good’, and start low, let the market decide final sold price. Many go to 1 bidder at listed price, some get a high price.

If I come across Mobile Fidelity, I'll make a list, it will take some time.