What do you do with your old LP's that don't meet your quality standards.


I took my Thorens TD160 that I bought new in 1976 into the shop for a $400.00 tuneup. New power cord, belt, grease, Grado Red 1 Cartridge, and overall inspection. 
It sat for about 20 years as I was playing CD's.
I went through my 400 albums and was able to pick out about 75 of them that met my high standard of condition. Back in the 70's taking care of your vinyl wasn't a priority. Before playing any of them I cleaned them with 2 Spin Clean systems, 1 with the cleaner and the other as a wash with distilled water. I then used a vinyl vac on a lazy Susan type revolving thing that I had glued a 3/4" piece of plywood with a 1/4" bolt epoxyed in the center. Worked great.
I was going to throw out the 325 bad albums but then contacted a guy that runs a little 2nd hand record store here in Milwaukee called Off The Beaten Path. I gave them to him for free, just asked for a small store credit after he goes through them all.
Next day he posted a picture of all of them on Facebook in the back of his van. He even closed his store the next day to start pricing them.
The picture kind of gave me a tear or two.
Then the following day he started posting pictures of them. That really hit me, brought back so many memories of a time long ago.
In the end I'm really happy that some of them will find a happy home.
He told me that I would be surprised how many younger people really don't care about the shape that the albums are. They just want to get into vinyl and listen to the music they grew up with listening to what their parents played.
Bottom line, I feel really good that I didn't throw them in the trash.
golden210

Showing 2 responses by pjr801


I have my prime selection, and the possibly still -playable. I have 3 turntables- the bottom pile of albums go on the Akai 206c with a cheap cartridge. It’s accompanied by an older system -A Robertson 4010, an AGI Model 511 preamp, and a pair of Dyn 42 SEs.I sometimes sit and get as much enjoyment from this system as the better system in another room. Sometimes it’s just about the music.Of further note, the turntable, preamp, and power amp are of a similar vintage as most of my lps. Please avoid the landfill
Still, a nice phono stage and it's a system I've had, apart from the speakers, for at least 40 years. I hardly ever sell or trade anything I take a liking to as my garage demonstrates. Can't ever remember parking my car in it.