One recent question had to do with grading vinyl records. How does a newcomer to record buying and selling accurately judge the quality of a record or get a good idea of the record album’s condition as described for sale on eBay, Discogs.com or Etsy?

An Introduction To Vinyl Grading

Many record sellers use the Goldmine standard or a variation of it. Basically, Goldmine standard grading runs from Good, Very Good, and variations of VG (Very Good Plus, VG++. etc.) to Near Mint, and Mint.

Grading applies separately to album covers and the vinyl records themselves–or at least it SHOULD.

Some use an alternative system of vinyl grades like “Clean” or “Exceptionally Clean”, but some of us in the vinyl collecting and selling community distrust such descriptions because they seem to be trying to hide something.That is obviously not true in every case but for some buyers it can be a red flag.

No matter–nobody forces you to buy vinyl without inspecting it and if you’re uncomfortable with a seller’s grading system, don’t buy unless you can inspect.

Mint condition records are generally those that have never been played or seem to have never been played. A conservative grader is your friend when it comes to buying records on line, and those who claim that a vinyl record is “Mint” are usually saying it’s never been played or played once.

That does NOT mean “still sealed” but obviously sealed records are in Mint condition unless there’s been poor storage and handling.

Rather than take the time to run down the entire list of possible record conditions and hope it’s been communicated properly (we WILL do that in another post, this is a GETTING STARTED guide) there is an easier way for you to begin learning what record grading is all about.

Find a record store that sells used vinyl and lists the condition of that vinyl on a label on the sleeve. Study what that record store considers to be a “Good” condition record. Records in Good condition are often anything but.

Now compare what that store considers to be in Near Mint condition. See the vast difference? Once you get an idea of what the extremes are–again, according to THAT STORE–have a look at the Very Good condition records and compare them with the Near Mints.

You may begin to notice less difference in some cases between Very Good or Very Good Plus and Near Mint.

That’s because every record grader, like it or not, has their own pet peeves. Some will decide one vinyl LP that is considered Near Mint by one grader is actually Very Good Plus album because of a certain type of scratch, nick, or other type of wear.

Conservative record album graders–the fussy ones, the people who don’t give away Near Mint status very easily–are your best friend when it’s time to buy online. Near Mint records are not always pristine and perfect, but Very Good records aren’t always scratchy or obviously worn, either.

What you’re after is a better idea of the range of tolerances in your own purchasing and/or selling habits.

What does Very Good or VG+ mean to you the buyer when you play the record? Do you care if the album is NM or NM-?

Some do and some do not. It’s all down to personal preference. In another blog post (several, I expect) we’ll tackle the more in-depth complexities in record grading. In the meantime, the more records you study yourself, the better you’ll get at determining condition and whether you’re personally comfortable buying an album in the specified condition.

Don’t forget that this is NOT an exact science and your preferences have much to do with how you interpret the grading system. I’ll be writing much more on this subject in the weeks to come.

–Joe Wallace

Lovely to watch, isn’t it?

My major complaint with most of the vinyl documentaries I’ve seen over the past year and a half is that the filmmakers all seem compelled to spend an inordinate amount of time discussing why vinyl is superior to digital. This is completely unnecessary and really sounds like a sales pitch. But that doesn’t spoil my enjoyment of this production in the long run…

And while I’m feeling feisty, additionally vexing to a nitpicky writer/editor is referring to more than one record album as “vinyls”. People! “Vinyl” is both singular AND plural.

–Joe Wallace

Vinyl Road Rage gets off the highway tomorrow (Wednesday December 21) and the record store reviews begin in earnest…

Also stay tuned for a new Vinyl Road Rage video sometime tomorrow (Friday December 9, 2011).

Jack White’s Third Man Records isn’t just a label, it is also a boutique-y record shop with loads of great atmosphere and interesting vinyl & merch. Tiny, but very well done–an impressive shop indeed!

Landlocked Music in Bloomington Indiana is a favorite stop…highly recommended, as is the shop pictured below, also in Bloomington–TD’s CDs and LPs.

Oh, to own this pricey-but-essential Nurse With Wound box set…agony of the damned is mine now that I know it exists, yet own it not.

Elvis on 8-track? That’s like asking if Stereolab is available on compact disc. I kept having to remind myself that I was in Tennessee and would be seeing a LOT of Mister Elvis over these few days.

Long before the New Kids on the Block, The Partridge Family was carrying the torch as a kiddie sensation–except the New Kids didn’t feature a mom, just some (probably) Svengali-esque manager.

Nashville’s answer to environmental activism: Think Globally, Act Hillbilly. Does that include squealing like a pig at the command of someone wearing a trucker hat and a shotgun?

The soundtracks to movies like The Grasshopper are almost always peppered with groovy/funky interludes, plus some nice Morricone-influenced swells and such. Check the middle part of the trailer for some nice fuzzed out 70s guitar action…you’ll see. That sort of thing is right up our alley here and helps forgive/overlook the cheesed out “Look Again” track (more on that in a moment).

Apparently The Grasshopper has a bit of a following–on YouTube people rave about it. The cover art pretty much sums up this movie, and for the time it was released that artwork is pretty edgy, as you can see.

The theme for the trailer (see below) is by The Brooklyn Bridge. “Look Again” sounds like pretty schmaltzy stuff, but some really dig it. The same people probably dig the theme from Ode To Billy Joe or the theme from Billy Jack. If that’s you, don’t let this pass you by. The Grasshopper soundtrack is available here–we have a single copy in stock. When it’s gone, it’s gone!

Buy The Grasshopper Original Soundtrack LP from Turntabling for $16.00 plus shipping.
This is an unsealed vinyl record with a gatefold sleeve–the vinyl is in Near Mint condition. There is a small hole punch on the lower right hand corner of the album cover right next to the Buddah Records logo.

This item ships overseas-shipping costs may be extra depending on the destination. We bill shipping according to weight and destination. Turntabling will invoice you for any extra shipping charges required or reimburse you for any excess shipping paid.

I’ve got plenty of cool rarities on vinyl and CD coming up for sale here–watch the posts and you’ll see a steady stream of lust-worthy titles. I’ll be adding items for sale in the sidebars once again, too. Everything goes on back up for sale Friday April 8, 2011.

Everything is NOW AVAILABLE for sale as listed here. Supplies are limited in many cases–if we are sold out of something, we’ll let you know.

I’m taking a new approach with Turntabling which should make the whole experience much easier to manage–every album for sale here is listed individually–one album, one listing. While I do have multiple copies of some titles, some of those are slated to be sold at conventions like Flashback Weekend or Horrorhound.

If you want to buy a title that you discover is out of stock, please drop me an e-mail to see if I have any additional copies. I’d be happy to hook you up with one when the are available. I also have record collector friends who may have copies to sell and I can pass you on to them if I’m currently out of stock on anything.

All vinyl and CD sales directly support Turntabling, so when you buy here you are helping to keep the site running. Many thanks to everyone who has been purchasing and supporting the site in the last couple of years–your love for this music is greatly appreciated.

And as usual, Turntabling continues to blog about all things related to enjoying records, collecting, playing and performing with them. I’ve never wanted this site to be a purely commerce-driven thing, which is why the record sales posts are interspersed with WTF album covers, gear reviews and writeups and other relevant posts.

Thanks, as always, for reading and supporting Turntabling.

Seems completely mad to me, but maybe I’m just too stuck in my own ways. Or maybe I don’t like the idea of gumming up my vinyl. If anyone’s tried this successfully I’d be most interested in reading about the experience.
–Joe Wallace