New LP Returns


I have recently begun buying a lot of new LP's, new pressings that is. In general they have been great, but in a couple of instances I have had problems that I never encountered "Back in the day". I got a version of Tres Hombres with a dimple in the vinyl. I took it back immeadiatly, and the guy was great, ordered me a now one, which sounds great by the way, but told me that they manufacturer does now warranty the records and he will have to eat it?

Is that right?

At another shop, which I frequent and really try to give them a lot of business, I got a 180 version of Zenyota Mondata recently, and it had a scratch in the groove from the first playing. No cleaning could get the scratch out, he of course took it back and gave me store credit, but did say it looked like a "needle burn" scratch (not from my needle!!) but he also said he would have to eat that cost.

I find that a bad business practice if the record companies are doing that. I am at a quandry as to what to do with my favorite record store because when I brought in the Police album for return I picked up a new 180g version of the Joshua Tree and it is the worst pressing of an album I have ever gotten. Marks all over it across the grooves. The 4th side has a loud rythemic rasp from the mark in it. No amount of cleaning has helped.

Should I bring this back? I feel weird doing that, but I don't think I should eat the album, I won't play that side again. They all look bad, that is the only side that plays poorly. What should I do? Can I go to the record company? I really like the relationship that I have struck up with this guy, he has ordered me some great stuff, and will call me if he gets something used in that he knows I will want. Great guy, I don't want to stick him with these records, so what's the solution??
macdadtexas
"Back in the old days" LP producers never took back returns either. The thing was dealers and distributors could usually shuffle the defectives into the 'overstock' and process them out. (Record companies used to make huge quantities of 'pop' records they knew would not sell..)
Now, the records are pressed in small (comparatively) batches.. and no-one has any wiggle room.
The dealers ARE 'eating' the cost of returns 100% now.
Makes you wonder why anyone would bother selling LPs.
I bought a pretty expensive 180g Blue Note recently that looked like it had been dropped at the factory. Scratches on both sides and at least one skip. Acoustic Sounds took it back and replaced it with no problems at all. That sucks that they have to eat that because it was clearly something that happened at the factory. It was sealed like that when I got it.
I noticed the last 3 albums I purchased were warped and 1 {Lucinda Williams} was warped and looks like it had been dropped and finger prints on it! Brand new!

My Coldplay Parachutes was so bad I ate the $20 I spent on it and took it to my record store for credit.

Is there a way we can start an email thread on our dislikes of the record companies? How could we get it to the right people?

db