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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
theo's avatar
theo
2,331 posts
 
I have heard that some dealers will actually refuse to do business with you if you are returning too many. I guess
we as consumers need to send the record companies a message. BUt it could backfire and we lose the records altogether. But economic boycott is a strong message for anyone expecially now. I have really slowed down on buying records because it is ridiculous to spend 30 bucks plus shipping and hear the ticks and pops right out of the sleeve. I am all for a strong letter to the record comapnies if we can get organized. I would think that the Music Direct and Acoustic Sounds of the world would be behind it as well. Keep us posted.
cyclonicman
693 posts
 
It's crazy that this is happening not only to you as a consumer, but to your dealer. Furthermore, if you are getting bad pressings, so are his other customers and he will be unable to survive if his customers decide that they have had enough. You should ask him how many other customers have had this problem and maybe he needs to compile some sort of list of complaints and forward it to these record companies. The dealers are the ones that should start the ball rolling with this, as it will affect their business profits and perhaps they will lose customers that make other types of purchases as well. I just can't fathom this lack of quality control, especially with the prices they are getting for vinyl nowadays. Good Luck!!
viridian's avatar
viridian
4,184 posts
 
I usually eat them and am just glad to be able to purchase new records locally at all. Lost Highway and Scorpio seem to have virtually no quality control at all. I did break with tradition and return the Nick Drake "Fruit Tree" boxed set. It was just miserable, pressed somewhere in the Eastern Block and warped, dull, scuffed, vinyl that you would pass up in a second at the Goodwill. Then again, I have British Island pressings of most the albums anyway.
elizabeth
6,726 posts
 
An aside about LPs. Back in the day when LPs were the only choice.. the records were pressed every day all day.. in real factories. The folks pressing them had YEARS of experience.. and knew how to run the pressing machines.
Now.. All the old dudes who USED to make LPs are either dead or retired. The LPs are pressed in (relatively) small batches, from cold equipment. And they are probably in a hurry.
The making of good pressing was an art. The speed and temperature has to be just right for each sampling of vinyl stock. Who has the time to make certain that it is right? the guys pressing them most likely do not give a damn. The warping is from improper temps while pressing AND after the LP is removed from the mold. Cleanliness is a problem too.
Anyway.. Realize the LPs pressed today are small-batch products.. Made by neophytes.
theo's avatar
theo
2,331 posts
 
I agree with Cycloniman on that piint that the dealers should be the catalyst of a formal protest. But the record companies need to realize that the end user is unhappy and that if they were to try to bypass the dealer with direct sales that we would not be interested. The only factor in that is that they most likely won't take that avenue as we would be returning to them. That might be the only way to have it corrected. Squeaky wheel get the oil.
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