Digging The Virtual Crates
Virtual record digging
The phrase alone makes some shudder, with vibes of inauthentic record collectors. I am no such purist, but as I write this at 12:36 AM, I have a few thoughts.
Do I share where I find my online digs, or do I keep the readers unaware?
What if this post loses me a record I’ve had on my want list for months?
Do all dogs go to heaven?
…told you it’s late night. I started writing this just got in from a classic soul concert with the lady, and it was quite the experience. I never thought I would see Blue Magic, Force M.D.’s, SOS Band, and The Floaters perform. Figuring that train had left the station, along with good music on the popular music stations (a topic for another post). Seeing all of them at a 4-hour show was pretty surreal.
Check out the video below for a peek inside the show
6 Tips for online record buying
I digress, If you subscribe to this blog, then you probably are already familiar with the resources I use to find albums I can’t find locally. You see it wasn’t just that thought that has kept me from sharing my clandestine online digging spots; it was the idea of how can I make this post valuable to those who already look for albums online.
So here are 6 Tips for online record buying
Original pressing, Color vinyl, 180 Gram, Re-mastered
Original pressings can be breathtaking. Technically, it represents the closest and most accurate reproduction of what the artist originally intended. Not always, though. Sometimes, pressings are poorly made and will sound horrible. The issues are fixed only on later pressings.
This topic is a slippery slope of discussion. I have some colored vinyl, but prefer its 180 Gram version if available. Heavier vinyl lasts longer, and typically sound better. There are caveats to this, an 180 gram 45 RPM version of a poor sounding album still sounds bad, and you paid more for it.
Lovely Picture Discs
That Anniversary Edition of Thriller looks cool with the cover art pressed into the vinyl. It sounds like crap. The process of making a picture disc puts sound quality on the back burner. If you want a copy of an album for display, help yourself. If you want a good listening copy, keep digging.
Want Lists
I have an extensive want list and would love nothing more than to pick up every album listed. Build one to keep track of the albums you want to pick up. If you use Discogs, you can download their mobile app and have your list in your pocket. I don’t obsess over completing it, nor should you. There are several albums that deserve a listen that aren’t your list. Don’t let your tether to your list keep you from some gems, keep an open mind.
It’s All About The Ratings
I read reviews from buyers before I deal with an online record merchant, and I find consumers to be pretty consistent with their experiences with most sellers.
When I picked up Corinne Bailey Rae – Corinne Bailey Rae (a pretty rare record) I was faced with few choices on sellers. The album arrived slightly warped, and for a price of over $120, I expected the as stated NM condition of the album.
In my communication with the seller, we negotiated a partial refund, and everyone was happy. Good rating + good interaction = good purchase
Establish Price Limits
I never had any hard and fast rules on price, I’ve also overpaid for records that I found a short while later for sometimes half the price I paid. If there’s an album that you simply must have now, look at a few online retailers before pulling the trigger.
Understanding the Goldmine Scale
This is a separate post in and of its self, but here are the fast and dirty rules. If you want to see an article that goes deeper, look here. Keep this in mind, from 1 (poor conditions) to 10 (a perfect and unplayed record); the Goldmine gradings are equivalent to Mint-10, Near Mint-8, Excellent-7, Very Good Plus-6, Very Good-5, Good-2.
Don’t buy anything less than VG (Very Good) for playback. If you’re paying a few dollars for a record for wall art, that’s fine. The exceptions are rare records that are hard to find in any condition.
If you have any questions feel free to comment below or send me an e-mail here.
Speaking of digging the crates I’m hosting our first Vinyl Lovers Happy Hour is on March 3rd, 2017 at Taste & Thirst in the Gaslamp District here in beautiful San Diego. Can’t wait to see you there. Get your free tickets here.
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