Collecting Vinyl Records



Posted: Monday, July 12, 2004

by
The Laughing Papillon

Collecting Vinyl Records

The Laughing Papillon (www.thelaughingpapillon.com) : Collecting Vinyl Records

There are many different reasons for collecting vinyl records.

  • Many younger collectors find that for the same price they would pay for a CD they can own multiple vinyl records.

  • Older vinyl record collectors can connect to the music they grew up with.

  • Collectors of any age can see their vinyl collections as not only fun but as an investment.

  • Vinyl records don't corrode like CDs or stretch like cassette tapes. This means they last much longer and, if well cared for, will give the same rich sound year after year.

  • The artistic vinyl album covers are unique and, if framed, can make interesting and sentimental art for the home or office.

    • Collecting records is a great hobby. There are so many interesting stories surrounding each album, and sometimes just discovering information about an album can be a challenge. Records in good condition at garage and estate sales can be rare treasures. An album that you pay 25 cents or $1.00 for may be worth hundreds of dollars. Many people try to get complete collections from an artist, or look for a rare version of an album.

    Learn what you can and dive in - you won't regret it.

    Most of the topics on this page could be covered in much more detail, but this will get you started.

    Valuing Vinyl Records

    Vinyl to Digital

    Cleaning Vinyl Records

    Bibliography

    Valuing Vinyl Records

    The value of any given vinyl record can be anywhere from nearly nothing (if the vinyl is in very poor condition) to thousands of dollars, or anywhere in between. One rare Doo-Wop 78 rpm was recently bid up to $19,000 on eBay. Like most collectibles, there are a number of factors that must be considered:



    So, where do you start?

    The first thing you need to do is understand how the condition of vinyl records and albums are graded. Generally, the conditions are Near Mint, Very Good Plus, Very Good and Good, and each down grade in condition lowers the price by about 50%. So an album may be priced at $100.00 in Near Mint condition but only $50 in Very Good Plus and $25 in Very Good. So, you can see that knowing exactly how a person grades records is important if you are collecting or want to know the value of your own collection.

    Some collectors and businesses have their own standards, so it is necessary to ask if you don't know.

    At The Laughing Papillon (www.thelaughingpapillon.com) we use the grading standards as laid out in the Goldmine Catalogs put out by Krause Publications. We use their grading standards because they are clear, concise and widely accepted among collectors. The Goldmine Catalogs are also easily referenced by almost anyone as they are carried by many of the large book brick and mortar stores as well as most online book e-tailers. The Goldmine Catalogs also list values for each vinyl record depending on the condition grade. There are several Goldmine Catalogs - one for 78s, one for 45s and several for LPs based on the year of the release.

    Do some research. Write down the artists, label numbers and album titles of your records and go to a Barnes and Noble or other large bookstore, get a coffee and look them up. If you have a lot of records, then you will probably want to purchase the catalog that covers most of them.

    You can also do research on the Internet. We own some records that aren't in the books - some from small labels that aren't around any more, Beatles bootleg albums, and other oddities. Let's face it, there were a lot of albums pressed over 100 years.

    On some albums you will find that the value varies with the coloration of the label, position of wording on the label, the album cover or some other small details. These telltale signs tell us what pressing that particular album was a part of, or where the album was distributed.

    Vinyl to Digital

    Now that converting vinyl records to digital format is possible and inexpensive your music can become portable in the form of MP3 and WAV files. This means that the music on vinyl records can be used with the new MP3 players, computers and newer home and car CD players.

    It is also inexpensive to start an Internet radio station. I have seen offers starting at $10.00 per month that will allow you to listen to your music anywhere you have access to the Internet. An Internet radio station can also be a home business.

    I have put some information together specifically about this topic, and you can get to it at this link.

    Cleaning Vinyl Records

    How important is it to clean records? A study was done in 1976 that reported on tests of LP record wear and on cleaning devices and agents, measuring the increase of noise and distortion in successive plays of discs cleaned each time before playing. It concluded that the sound quality of these records was almost as good after 200 plays as when new. I would imagine that with the new turntables the wear and tear on the vinyl is such that the number would be significantly higher today.

    Playing a record without cleaning it can result in damage to the record, so we recommend that records be cleaned before playing.

    Cleaning solution is readily available from multiple sources on the Internet. We use a Nitty Gritty Professional cleaning machine on every record we sell. If you purchase from us, the record will be cleaned before it leaves our hands and on it's way to yours. Their cleaning solution can be purchased at www.nittygrittyinc.com.

    To give credit where credit is due, the bibliography is from the Library of Congress.

    BIBLIOGRAPHY

    GENERAL INFORMATION

    Child, Margaret S. Directory of information sources on scientific research related to the preservation of sound recordings, still and moving images, and magnetic tape. Washington, D.C.: Commission on Preservation and Access c1993. 14 p.

    Gibson, Gerald D. "Preservation and conservation of sound recordings." In: Henderson, Kathryn Luther Henderson, William T. Conserving and preserving materials in non-book formats. Allerton Park Institute Conference 1988 November 6-9 Urbana. Urbana-Champaign, Illinois: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Graduate School of Library and Information Science 1991. 27-44.

    Media Stability Studies : Resources for archivists, records managers, and individuals responsible for storing information at www.nml.org/MediaStability

    Pickett, A. G. Lemcoe, M. M. Preservation and storage of sound recordings : A Study supported by a grant from the Rockefeller Foundation. Washington, D.C: Library of Congress 1959. vii, 74 p.

    Note: Bibliography photographs illustrations diagrams. Reprint available from Association for Recorded Sound Collections attn Elwood McKee 118 Monroe St., Apt. 610 Rockville, MD 20850-2511. The basic document on the preservation and storage of all audio recordings before CDs reports on a study of preservation and storage of the more common sound recordings of the period. Conclusions include information and-or recommendations on storage environment, control of mold and fungus, furniture, and packaging.

    Schiller, Dietrich. "Handling, storage, and preservation of sound recordings under tropical and sub-tropic climatic conditions." IN: Fontes Artis Musicae 1986 (33): 100-104.

    Varcla, Allan. "Art of audio archiving in the '90s." Pro Sound News. 1994 Mar 15

    Note: Presents the complications in archiving that have taken place with the advent of digital audio recording technology, most notably incompatibility of systems and/or media. Presents comments on analog tapes from John Matarazzo, manager of technical services for Sony, concerning binder breakdown, crystallizing or oxidizing of lubricants, and treatment resulting in temporary stability in order to make working copies continues with uncertainty of how well digital tapes store and critical nature of temperature and humidity in storage, with information on metal evaporated tape, with some of advantages of optical recording technology, that Open Media Framework (OMF) is addressing problem of incompatibility and back up systems. "The requirements of OMF are that we continually keep it backwardly compatible so, as we extend the capabilities in the file format and the specification, we will continue to support the things that were in there originally. That means that you can never have an OMF file that you can't go back to and open and process with the capabilities that you have at that time."

    DISC RECORDINGS

    American National Standards Institute. Optical disc media : Storage. New York LANSI,

    1997 (ANSI/NAPM IT9.25-1997).

    Berger, Myron. "Record Cleaners and the Real World." High Fidelity 3 (7): 43-46 (July 1980)

    Bouley, Raymond J. "The Life and death of CD-ROM." CD-ROM Librarian. 1992 Jan : 146-151.

    "Compact disc problems." Conservation Administration News. 1989 (36): 20.

    Note: Information on problems with compact disc in relation to deterioration caused by label ink, oxidation of aluminum, and storage conditions.

    Day, Rebecca. "Where's the rot? A Special report on CD longevity." Stereo Review. 1989 Apr 54(4): 23-24.

    Fantel, Hans. "Pampered record can live to be 100." New York Times. 1976 Oct 10 D: 26-28.

    Note: Reports on tests of LP record wear, and on cleaning devices and agents, measuring the increase of noise and distortion in successive plays of discs cleaned each time before playing. Concludes that such a disc almost as good after 200 plays as when new, but that a dirty, neglected disk may be badly damaged in less than twenty plays.

    Fantel, Hans. "Keeping it clean : Solutions for record care." Opera news. 1977 Apr 2 41: 38-39.

    Note: Includes information on Zerostat, Staticmaster, Discwasher, Radio Shack's Hydro-Stor, Audio-Technica's AT610, Watts' Disc-Preener and Manual Parastat, Audio Technica AT6002, Vac-O-Rec, and Fidelipac's Spin & Clean Record Washer.

    Foster, Edward J. "A Selected--and Selective--Bestiary of Disc-Care Accessories." High Fidelity 28

    (2): 43-48 (February 1978)

    Hyperion Bronzed CDs : A Note about corroding CDs manufactured by Philips and DuPont Optical

    Lumley, Enid. "Record Cleaning Machines." IAR Hotline 23: 7-17 (July 1982)

    Lumley, Enid. "Record Cleaning Fluids." IAR Hotline 23: 1-7 (July l982)

    Maier, Bruce. "In Search of the Perfect Record Cleaner." High Fidelity 22 (9) 52-55 (September 1972)

    Mastricola, Scott. "Record Wear." Stereo Review 36 (6): 56-60 (July 1976)

    Pisha, B. V. "Record Cleaners Revisited." Audio 54 (5): 40-49 (May 1970)

    Ranada, David. "How to Handle Records." Stereo Review 47 (9): 62-63 (September 1982)

    Saffady, William. "Stability, care, and handling of microforms, magnetic media, and optical disks." Library Technology Reports. 1991 Feb 27(1): 5-116.

    Note: Bibliographic references. Reports on survey of currently available information about the stability, care, and handling of non-book media, including microforms, magnetic media, and optical disks. Organized according to media type, each including an introduction to the media and to its physical and application characteristics description of recording technologies and technical processes scientific information about stability discussion of environmental and other factors which can affect the chemical behavior and physical properties of the media and guidelines for care, handling and storage.

    Woodcock, Roberick Wielage, Marc. "Laser rot." Video. 1987 Apr : 49-52.

    Note: Includes description of deterioration of signal on video discs and possible causes gives partial list of some titles where problem has been found.

    TAPE RECORDINGS

    Ampex Corp. Guide to the care and handling of magnetic tape. Redwood City, CA:

    Ampex Recording Media Corp.

    Note: Modified reprint included in VanBogart, John W. C.: Magnetic tape storage and handling : A Guide for libraries and archives (Washington, D.C., St. Paul, MN Commission on Preservation and Access, National Media Lab, 1995)

    Ampex Corp Ostertag, John. Product Information : 467 R-DAT Digital Audio Tape : Competitive Performance Review [press release]. Redwood City, CA: Ampex Recording Media Corp. [1994]. 3 p.

    Note: Reviews the performance characteristics of the cited Ampex product in doing so, includes the strongest statement yet from a manufacturer concerning use of R-DAT as an archival medium: "Ampex's position about archiving valuable source programming to R-DAT is simple. We do not recommend it." They, then, give three reasons why it is not advocated: retrievability of damaged analog vs. total loss of digital data future access to recorders and lack of experience with media and systems and doubtful interchangability of tape and machines.

    Audio Engineering Society. AES Recommended practice for audio preservation and restoration:

    Storage of polyester-based magnetic tape. New York AES. 1997 (AES22-1997)

    DeLancie, Philip. "Sticky-shed syndrome: Tips on saving your damaged tape."

    In: Mix Magazine 1990 May: 148-152.

    Note: Describes the problems, the likely causes, and a proposed solution to the sticky-shed problem with magnetic tape.

    Fox, Barry. "Master tapes come to sticky end." In: New Scientist 1992 September 22 127(1735): 15.

    Note: Reports problem of deteriorating sound recording tape, result of which is that the tapes are very difficult to run and may, in serious cases, jam in the recorder. The cause is thought to be the deterioration of the polyurethane binder used to hold the magnetic material onto the tape base, probably caused by hydrolysis of the polyurethane brought about by atmospheric moisture adsorbed onto the tape surface. A method for temporarily reducing the problem so that copy recordings can be made is described.

    VanBogart, John W. C. Magnetic tape storage and handling : A Guide for libraries and archives.

    Washington, D.C., St. Paul, MN: Commission on Preservation and Access, National Media Lab 1995. [4], ii, 34 p ISBN: 1-887334-40-8.

    Note: Available from Commission on Preservation and Access 1400 16th St., NW, Suite. 740 Washington, D.C. 20036-2217. Illustrated bibliography glossary. Includes reprint of Ampex 'Guide to the care and handling of magnetic tape' estimation of magnetic tape life expectancies and a resources list for transfer and restoration of video and audio tape. Focuses on how to properly store and care for magnetic media to maximize their life expectancies. Includes technical explanations for the rationale behind recommended procedures, written specifically for those who do not have a significant background in recording technology. Topics covered include what can go wrong with magnetic media, preventing information loss, life expectancy (how long will magnetic media last), prevention of premature degradation (care, handling, storage, staging, refreshing of media), and a reprint of the Ampex 'Guide to the care and handling of magnetic tapes.'

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    Top-level comments on this article: (2 total)
    » left by Nancy Morrison
    from PA     5 years 196 days ago.
    Hi, Are vinyl records worth anything without the album sleeve? Tna
    » left by franstuff
    from Snohomish, WA     4 years 12 days ago.
    Yes the article was very imformative and helpful, also giving other websites of interest and lots of instructive information
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