Record Grading

[MylesBAstor]

A problematic system at best and most times essentially useless. I find this, the Goldmine grading system, etc. essentially a joke when buying from one of these second hand stores. It's certainly of questionable value when asking big bucks for a title. How many times have you bought something rated excellent or NM and one channel is destroyed? Or warped? Or noisy in both channels? And so on.... Be sure that dealers take returns too! I've been a couple of times in the beginning but learned my lesson. Certainly I won't nowadays buy anything graded below New, Mint or NM. Anything else I've found is a total crap shoot.

A good cleaning on something on a VPI machine and playing is really the only accurate way of evaluating an album. And a picture or two of the actual album helps a little also. There's certainly no substitute for finding trustworthy dealers.

[1morerecord2clean]

A problematic system at best and most times essentially useless. I find this, the Goldmine grading system, etc. essentially a joke when buying from one of these second hand stores. It's certainly of questionable value when asking big bucks for a title. How many times have you bought something rated excellent or NM and one channel is destroyed? Or warped? Or noisy in both channels? And so on.... Be sure that dealers take returns too! I've been a couple of times in the beginning but learned my lesson. Certainly I won't nowadays buy anything graded below New, Mint or NM. Anything else I've found is a total crap shoot.

A good cleaning on something on a VPI machine and playing is really the only accurate way of evaluating an album. And a picture or two of the actual album helps a little also. There's certainly no substitute for finding trustworthy dealers.

I buy fairly often on eBay Myles. I don't overpay. In fact $10.00 is my upper limit with $4.00 shipping always tacked on. I look for collectors thinning their collection, I only buy from sellers with 100% customer approval, and I look for sellers permitting you to make an offer rather than just buy it now or bidding. I would estimate my success rate is about 75%. The rest are either so cheap I take the record to Goodwill or if I want a refund I get it easily without returning the item. Oh yes, I scour the ads for promo copies too.

[Johnny Vinyl]

I don't like the Goldmine system at all. Every grade is left open to interpretation, and since every LP plays different...where is the cut-off point? Additionally, not all sellers are play-grading with the same type of quality system. Stylus profile will make a significant difference from seller to seller and although they may both rate NM, you can be sure one isn't. It's a crapshoot at best.

I'm very selective who I buy from online and I make a lot of inquiries (via email) about condition, noise, etc., plus I always request pics if they aren't shown or appear to look inconclusive. There are a few guys on the SHFs that have a great rep with regards to grading, and I only deal with them.

[jazdoc]

I'd rather pay a fair price for a great record than a great price for a fair record. Find a few sellers whose grading you trust and give them your business. I'll throw one out: Euclid Records

[Analog21]

Do you buy them from Euclid online or are you local. I live in Pittsburgh and I looked at Euclid Records website. I found a lot of records I'd like to buy. All of them are graded VG++ for the record. Will these have any light scratch lines on them in your experience? Will they play clean without any surface noise? I looked at a lot of used records on their site, and I couldn't find any graded higher than VG++.

[jazdoc]

Their grading is fair to conservative. I've bought VG+ graded LPs that played Mint

[jcmusic]

I only buy used from reliable sources period!!!

[JCOConnell]

I don't like buying used records mail order unless they are listed as mint or near mint with a return if not satisfied policy. I prefer brick and mortar stores for used records because at least you can at least inspect them or sometimes even play them before buying.

[Bill Hart]

My buddy came up with a T-shirt slogan "Your M- is my VG+" Something only a vinylista would understand- where "very good" means trashed!

[Rob]

My buddy came up with a T-shirt slogan "Your M- is my VG+" Something only a vinylista would understand- where "very good" means trashed!

I need one of those T's, he should sell them!

[MylesBAstor]

I don't like buying used records mail order unless they are listed as mint or near mint with a return if not satisfied policy. I prefer brick and mortar stores for used records because at least you can at least inspect them or sometimes even play them before buying.

I wish I could do the B&M thing but those type of stores are drying up in Manhattan. And what they have in the stores is basically non-descript late pressings at best. Of course, some of them put the better stuff up on eBay.

[lasercd]

I discovered what you should know by now. All the stores moved to Crooklyn. Made major scores there on my last trip.

[MylesBAstor]

I got lazy in my old age.

[MylesBAstor]

My buddy came up with a T-shirt slogan "Your M- is my VG+" Something only a vinylista would understand- where "very good" means trashed!

I've gotten a few albums, luckily not too many, that were graded NM and had scratches. What type of light were they viewing the records under? Black?

[JCOConnell]

scratches that sound or affect play are totally unacceptable to me at any price. Scuffs on the other hand, are ok as long as they are inaudible and don't affect play.