How to Judge an LP

Hm, hm TWL you make the whole used lp thing sound soooo appetizing! I bought my first lp in over a decade (possibly a decade and a half) the other week (Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, Caravan, a German import on ZYX, originally a Riverside release) and it was brand new. I have not played it yet for fear of causing it harm or of the ultimate vinyl let-down... It takes a strong constitution to go for used vinyl. I always believed lps were quite fragile. If you wanted to keep them in good shape, only TLC would do. Now with this vinyl renaissance, it appears the aficionado believes that they are very sturdy and accepts records in really inferior condition. Obviously, they still produce sound even when scuffed and scratched, but is it what most people would want to hear? I got quite a shock in the shop where I bought this lp to see the fellow there going over some sad looking newly received used lps and cleaning them with a hand towel or dish towel! He had some lighter fluid on the counter as well as some other cleaning agents. I really don't know if he was using the lighter fluid on the records' surfaces themselves, but one thing I noticed is that the records looked quite shiny once he had finished with the towel treatment. So shiny records in shops, beware! Unless your hobby is vinyl record collecting, do yourself a favour, buy them new, or at least from an original owner who you can believe took good care of them. TWL your list of defects is accurate. I think they are way more prevalent than what you think and way more objectionable. You seem to almost like these defects and think it something of a challenge to play these records, good for you. Whether vinyl is better than the other little discs should be assessed only with pristine lps, I think. Sort of like a handicap race come to think of it. From the mid-fi trenches. Good day.

I have found slight warps can be straightened out by placing the album between two pieces of glass, and putting weight on it for an extended period of time.

Also, I don't know why, but older mono records can look really bad and still play fairly quiet.

A trick for finding records at yard sales. If you don't see any records, ask loud enough so everyone around can hear. More than once I have been led to another location to find a nice stash.

The above points are good, but even new LPs are a gamble. For instance, I recently purchased the new Linda Thompson LP and it's a bad pressing. A huge mark on one side (which is audible) and random noises throughout. You never know what you're going to get new or used, but with used LPs the rummage sale prices often make them well worth the gamble (if they look relatively scratch free, that is).

Peter,

Listen to Twl. You'll get the hang of buying used once you've taken the plunge a few times. The gouge thing is something you should pay particular attention to. I've seen quite a few gouges on new LP's and they play perfect. You'll get to a point where you can tell with reasonable accuracy if the gouge is a manufacturing event or caused by mishandling.

Pbb, would you please stop with the negative comments when a poster wants some analog help? Again, I assert that you have never heard an excellent analog player set up properly. It seems all you want to do is "take the wind out of his sail". Most of us vinyl-heads don't do a wholesale condemnation of digital even if we believe vinyl to be sonically superior. Please post the general location where you live. Perhaps a member in your area will be gracious enough to invite you over for an audition. You may email me and arrange a visit. I promise to be a gracious host and will make a great meal if you bring the wine. I'll let you select any vinyl from my collection for critical listening and promise that for desert you'll be eating your words.

I won't go into detail, since Twl has it covered, but I have found many, many LPs in thrift shops. Some play perfectly and some are trashed. I am often surprised to find that the one that looks the best on visual inspection is noiser than the one with all the scuffs and dust. I also frequently find new, sealed LPs in the bins with the old. What you find might depend on your musical interests. I have found classical LPs to be in generally in better condition than rock. Broadway shows are the worst of all--at least in my area.

One thing that I've found is that if you clean your LPs by hand (Disk Doctor) they will sometime have a fair amount of background noise on the first play, but will quiet down after another play or two.