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What makes a record collection "great"?

Many times over the years I've heard people describe someone as owning a "great" record collection. I own well over a 1000 LP's, many of which I would call great music, but no one has ever complimented me on having a great collection.

What differentiates a good or very good collection from a great one? Is it size, collectability/rareness, genre, original pressings vs. reissues, all, some or none of the above? I look forward to your input.
badboss429
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ncarv
983 posts
 
It's great if you think it's great.
jaybo
4,478 posts
 
all the above...anyone who is not a collector themselves, won't care or compliment.
audiofeil
4,011 posts
 
>>05-27-09: Ncarv
It's great if you think it's great<<

Right on the money.
slipknot1
1,423 posts
 
Well - I think you have a great collection.
rushton's avatar
rushton
2,445 posts
 
I have somewhere around 7000 LPs on the shelves that I've accumulated over many years, but I refuse to call it a "collection." It's simply my music library for what makes me happy and what I want to have available to listen to and to share with others.

In seriousness, though, all the things you mention differentiate various accumulations of LPs. For me, a great collection is one that gives great personal enjoyment. For my record library, it's about having superb performances, breadth and depth of selection, and many items with excellent sonics. But, that's just what makes me happy and what I enjoy sharing with other music lovers when they can come over. For some collectors, it's about having every LP in a given label's catalog, or every different pressing of a particular recording, or every recording by a particular artist... The list of different ways to define one's collecting bug is endless.

If you have LPs that you enjoy playing over and over, and if it keeps you happy, I agree with Slipknot: "I think you have a great collection."
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