Buying from good record shops is OK, but you can't expect perfection. Five Buck Bin is a very good source. The eBay shops are also OK, as the ratings mean something. But the real fun is at discount stores. I find that classical records are in better shape than rock and other popular records - but you never know. Happy Hunting!
Buying Records
I always buy new sealed LP records unless new is not available. I only shop eBay. When buying a used record I buy near mint, nothing lower graded. I never seen used mint. I have had good luck with near mint. Most make no noise at all. A few have had a second of very light noise and I am ok with that. I noticed on the very light noise it about disappears if I track VMN95ML at 2.5 grams. It is normally a 2 gram tracking. So tracking on the heavy side may be of benefit.
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@mambacfa “l find classical records are in better shape….” Be afraid…. Be very afraid! The debate goes on with the MONEY v BRAINS record collecting, and CARE v BRUTE FORCE mentality of owners. Seriously, there has been the snob element that has crept into an innocent hobby, and over the years battle lines drawn between the two camps, CLASSICAL v ROCK lovers. In the past (from memory and personal experiences) some people prejudged and drew conclusions that classically minded collectors had more money, bought better systems, lived in much cleaner plush environments, and were generally high brow and more intelligent. Rock collectors were considered more working class, lived lower down the property chain, butch and brawny, often down the pub spending the money there, not on equipment, and generally less educated. |
I think the classical recordings have typically been in their sleeves a lot longer. Less playing for some reason. Go down to any record store and in the dollar bin are hundreds of classical records you would swear have never been used. Try that with jazz and pop or rock and its very different. Macfamba is correct with no snobbery. |
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