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LP Vinyl: Quality, Pressing, Label, Weight, Where to Buy ???

Getting back into LP vinyl...its been a long time = mid 70s?  Searching for an educational review on the forum for buying decent quality vinyl LPs...an overview of quality, weight, pressing, label, and best source/location to purchasing (prefer to stay away from ebay as it seems to be hit/miss on what you get). Does anyone have suggestions for an educational review on the subject? 

As a discussion point...I was looking at buying an older LP (vinyl only); I did an internet search = "Faces" - The First Step Album. Online search produces numerous results with prices from $18 to $120...older, used, remakes/repressed, various quality ratings (is there a uniform rating scale), unopened...list goes on. 

Greatly appreciate the forums experience and insight!

jmrrobbie1
rdk777's avatar
rdk777
566 posts
 

I buy from a variety of places - Amazon, ElusiveDisc, Acoustic Sounds, Ebay, Discogs and of course local used record stores.  Of all the places, my favorite is Amazon.  Can't beat the two-day Prime delivery as I hate waiting for things.  Out of maybe 100 albums, I've only had to return two - that's not too bad.  Their customer service has also gotten better and their price for new albums is pretty competitive.  At one time, Amazon even mailed me an album in a plastic bag (and I even started a thread on it), but it wasn't damaged or anything.  Despite all that, Amazon is still my go to for new readily available albums. Ebay and Discogs are a hit and miss as the NM grading is severely abused and often leads to disappointment. The local used record store prices are close to a new copy - at least that's been my experience in LA.

tomic601's avatar
tomic601
12,766 posts
 

+++ all the info above plus invest at a minimum in a wet / vac record cleaner.

i frequent Discogs, rarely buy below 99% positive feedback and never below NM- on the disc. 

Enjoy the rabbit hole as Brian so aptly  said !

tablejockey
3,772 posts
 

Do the discog research, if you're set on getting period presses  to justify  possibly spending more for a quality pressing.

Get ready to do some eye squinting to reference the deadwax. It's all in those often hard to decipher etchings to determine pedigree of a possibly overpriced used LP.

First run doesn't guarantee the best SQ, but generally may provide best chance of getting "closer to the master tape".

Greatest hits LP's are generally inferior in SQ compared to the same cut on the original album. I don't bother with them.

Easy way to immediately spot a reissue is a bar code on the jacket. If the original was released before 1980 or so, it usually wont have a bar code.

 

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