Their loss is our gain

[Rob]

Brexit was the best thing that ever happened as far as vinyl collecting world outside of the UK is concerned. At a high in 2014 of about $1.7 USD to the GBP its now around $1.2 and may reach parity with the USD by years end.

I don't know about you guys but lately i've been binging on 1st press UK R&R and classical vinyl. It doesn't hurt that my sis and her family relocated to London for a few years. They've stockpiled about 200 LPs I've had sent to their flat. when they relo back to the States next Fall its going in a shipping container with the rest of their possessions.

so I'm collecting a lot of the late British invasion records and R&R acts through the late '70s, I don't think I paid more than $15 for a single near mint to mint ninus 1st pressing of anything I've acquired.

[david k]

I don't see any losses only gains all around, Brexit is good!

david

[Johnny Vinyl]

Isolationism is rarely a good thing. Time will tell.

[Johnny Vinyl]

Whatever "word" you want to use, I'm not convinced Brexit is/was a good decision. It had more to do with keeping others out....not quite the same as wanting the right to govern themselves.

[david k]

Believe what you want Johnny but a sovereign nation has the right to choose what's right for them.

[Johnny Vinyl]

They absolutely do. No argument there. I just think they chose the wrong path.

[Bill Hart]

I'm not going to discuss the politics of it, but record pricing in buying from Britain. You'll see some dealers, like EIL, are compensating by now pricing their offerings in different currencies that are not in synch with the present exchange rate.
The hardest part is really the grading, not the price. Saving a handful of quid is good--do not mistake me--but the boner is after paying for the record and a fair amount for shipping, you may still get a bum record.
So, buy records! Help the British economy! Bring more old UK pressings into US circulation! But, talk to the sellers first--ask 'em if they record spins flat, and ask 'em to play grade if it is worth any money. Otherwise, that savings is not really much of a bargain if you wind up with a bad copy.

[Rob]

oddly enough, a VG+ grade from some UK vendors is like a NM here. the better sellers under promise and over deliver.

[Bill Hart]

Rob- I haven't found any correlation between geographic location and degree of accuracy in grading. Frankly, even from the same vendor, grading is inconsistent sometimes. But, if you are getting good stuff, that's good.

[Rob]

...

[Johnny Vinyl]

I'm all for obtaining original UK pressings as well, but I limit my searches to individuals and contacts I know. I don't play the eBay game and rarely buy from Discogs and/or EIL. This probably limits my access somewhat, but I'm okay with that as my wants are fairly limited anyway. Personally this strategy has worked very well for me with not ever receiving a dud.

[JCOConnell]

record prices in the UK have remained steady as the UKP has fallen?

[mep]

Is there such a thing as a good recording of Free Fire and Water? I love that LP, but I have yet to find what I would call a really good sounding recording of it.

[Rob]

i have the MOV (music on vinyl) reissue of fire and water which sucked me into pursuing better sounding versions. an island label 1st press is waiting for me in the UK, i wont get to play it 'til it gets here next year (sigh)

[JCOConnell]

I recently bought a 1987 domestic cd reissue that sounds great for like eight bucks brand new.

[Metamatic]

At the very least it gives one the opportunity to buy more new releases from the UK as Euro pressing are certainly a lot better overall than some of the consistent junk from US pressing plants in general.

[astrotoy]

We've been going to London regularly for the past 20 years and I have been buying records there for just about all that time. My perspective is buying used classical - and the weakness of the GBP has brought things closer to parity with the USD, particularly since there is no sales tax (or VAT - since the records are used). When we were there last month, it was before Mrs. May made her announcement about a Brexit timeline, so the GBP was riding around 1.30USD. So now it is close to 1.20. Unfortunately, for classical music lovers the number of bricks and mortar dealers for used classical records is down to one good one and one or two mediocre ones in London. There are a few mail order dealers in the UK, and I will buy a record here and there online which I have mailed to my London address - quite cheap. I generally stick to dealers whom I know, so the condition issue is less of a problem. As far as grading - the one B&M store that I patronize is Classical Music Exchange (now housed in the Music Exchange Store - which features non classical) on Notting Hill Gate. Their top rating is VG+, and G is usually fine, with F/G needing a careful look - but often acceptable. Since I don't have a TT in London, I do have to trust my eyes.

From a long historical perspective (my first trip to London as an vinylphile adult was in 1985), this is the best time to be using USD to buy in the UK. 1985 was the all time best - when the USD was ultrastrong against all European currencies (1GBP hit 1.05USD then). We didn't buy records, but did buy a piano, a new Bosendorfer 225 which we picked out at the factory, which was selling for about $60K in the US, and we paid $24K including air shipping to California.

So take a trip to Europe - particularly the UK and have a real treat on the cheap.

Larry

[rbbert]

I remember buying a copy of Spirit's first (eponymous) album in London in 1968, and then also managing to get it home in good condition

[Johnny Vinyl]

I've managed to pick up a number of UK/EU/German/Dutch/French albums through trading (not buy & sell) with vinyl fans on the SHForums. There's a member there who's a huge fan of Iron Butterfly and has hundreds of various pressings. He'd been looking for Canadian album pressings of Metamorphosis and Live, which I was able to secure for him locally. In return, he sent me copies of Deja Vu ...a Dutch Atlantic Plum and a French pressing with the white cover. No monies changes hands as transactions are on the honour system.

[Bill Hart]

I've managed to pick up a number of UK/EU/German/Dutch/French albums through trading (not buy & sell) with vinyl fans on the SHForums. There's a member there who's a huge fan of Iron Butterfly and has hundreds of various pressings. He'd been looking for Canadian album pressings of Metamorphosis and Live, which I was able to secure for him locally. In return, he sent me copies of Deja Vu ...a Dutch Atlantic Plum and a French pressing with the white cover. No monies changes hands as transactions are on the honour system.

I've gotten some great records at reasonable prices on the Hoffman classifieds. And a few that weren't cheap, but pretty worthwhile, from Stateside sellers who were thinning collections.