What is your price range for used vinyl?

There is something very satisfying about buying records for a dollar or two at yard sales and such; if the price exceeds 5 or 10 bucks the LP better be very special indeed.

I've paid 50 cents; I've paid $30.00

YOU GENERALLY GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR!

If I want the LP the asking generally gets paid for, especially for out of print or near mint condition vinyl.

I buy used jazz from the 50's - 60's. Good reissues go from $10 up. Originals can be $20 - $100+. On average, I pay about $30 for a good (near mint) LP. My observations, after buying many used LP's, is that Ebay records are somewhat over priced because of demand but sometimes a goood deal can be found. In my opinion, people who re-enter the LP realm expecting to find lots of "bargains" will be disapointed. Many people are looking for good LP's today and therefore good LP's are not cheap. Expect to pay more than CD but the sound is worth it.

The thrill of finding that $1 nugget is tremendous, happens with some frequency at garage sales, but is not something I like to see trumpted on the boards. Seems a bit tacky to me and it appears to occur here with increasing frequency of late. Some may enjoy such threads but I don't. I know, I know, I don't have to read them. I don't. End of mini-rant... ;-)

I have found very nice LP's in the $2-$4-$8-$12 range at local stores (many in the Bay Area, CA) and from internet sellers (I rarely go the E-Bay route when buying). I can generally get by at a bit lower price because I don't usually put much of a premium on cover condition. If the vinyl is nice, I can close my eyes to the cover. ;-)

I am also like Scott in that I hate to pay more than $30-35 for an LP, But, if it is pristine, hard to find, and one that I covet, I make exceptions. I will admit that I have paid as much as $75 for couple of UK pressings that I just HAD TO HAVE. There are others I'd love to buy that cost even more. I also will pay the obvious premimum for some of the newer vinyl in the hopes that it will continue to be manufactured and perhaps come down in price if more folks buy.

In the end, I will NOT buy an LP that I will not play. In other words, I am a "player" not a "Collector". To me, crowing about having a mint copy of some fine recording and leaving it on the shelf for display purposes only is damn near sinful! :-)