Grading Issue?

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by cporcp, Sep 14, 2018.

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  1. cporcp

    cporcp Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Kentucky
    Hey there - this is bugging me - some input would from the collective here might help. Received this today, described as such:

    Marshall Crenshaw - Marshall Crenshaw (LP, Album, Win) (Warner Bros. Records - BSK 3673)
    Media Condition: Near Mint (NM or M-)
    Sleeve Condition: Near Mint (NM or M-)
    Gorgeous record! Not sure it was played. Sleeve also beautiful along with original inner sleeve. Fabulous record and sleeve!

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    I'm far from an expert - but this doesn't even remotely approach other NM/M- condition albums in my possession - many also purchased from Discogs. Haven't spun it yet, and the vinyl appears to be in nice shape.

    The ring wear alone, and stickers on the back relegate this to VG at best, I would have thought. I have yet to go back to the seller, and thought a sanity check was in order. I didn't pay very much for this, so that's not the issue - just bugs me that it was advertised as NM/M- :wtf:

    Maybe he sent the wrong one? What do you think?
     
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  2. Scott in DC

    Scott in DC Forum Resident

    Location:
    Washington, DC
    I would contact the seller. The LP shown above is definitely not NM, VG or VG+ at best. How about the LP itself?

    Scott
     
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  3. cporcp

    cporcp Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Kentucky
    Haven't listened yet - visually it checks out as NM-.
     
  4. GroovyVinylDood

    GroovyVinylDood Forum Resident

    Location:
    Eastern Canada
    I'm seeing what you are. I know grading can be tough and somewhat subjective but that is no where near NM or M- IMHO. Per above, I'd reach out to the seller with your valid concerns.
     
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  5. cporcp

    cporcp Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Kentucky
    I'll go ahead and contact them. I dislike leaving negative feedback, and hopefully some communication will clear things up.

    Thanks!!
     
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  6. The Hud

    The Hud Breath of the Kingdom, Tears of the Wild

    Not a vinyl expert by any means, but it is obvious to me that this isn't NM.

    You deserve some money back if you decide to keep it, or a full refund including shipping both ways if you decide to return it, IMO.
     
    Dave and All Down The Line like this.
  7. c-eling

    c-eling They're made of light,We never would have guessed

    No kidding. N/M to me cover wise would look like it was just pulled out of the shrink (if applicable)
    It should not have ring wear for one.
    Think I saw a nicer copy (cover wise) at my thrift for a fiver a few weeks ago.
     
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  8. cporcp

    cporcp Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Kentucky
    I thought so too - and agree that gradings can be somewhat subjective. That said, NM for this seemed like a big reach.
     
  9. cporcp

    cporcp Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Kentucky
    I've checked locally too. The sleeves are usually great but the vinyl not-so-much.
     
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  10. InStepWithTheStars

    InStepWithTheStars It's a miracle, let it alter you

    Location:
    North Carolina
    Let's not jump to conclusions - I'm sure the area under the sticker is NM! :p
     
  11. c-eling

    c-eling They're made of light,We never would have guessed

  12. cporcp

    cporcp Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Kentucky
    :rolleyes:
     
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  13. The Hud

    The Hud Breath of the Kingdom, Tears of the Wild

    Let us know what the seller says.
     
  14. InStepWithTheStars

    InStepWithTheStars It's a miracle, let it alter you

    Location:
    North Carolina
    Jokes aside, Discogs sellers are their own graders. Some (like me) would probably label a NM disc VG+ to err on the safe side. On the other hand, I once bought five CDs from a seller which were VG at best. Grime, scratches, torn inserts, faded spines, and unpleasantness abound. Two had water damaged inserts, and one had a gouge in the disc that ruined the last two tracks. All marked as NM.

    And some sellers will correct their mistakes. Once bought a rare LP - prior to last night when I bought an extremely rare single, this LP the only circle o' wax I ever bought off Discogs - which was marked as VG+. Upon preparing it for shipment, the seller contacted me and told me it was probably closer to VG and knocked five bucks off the total. I said it was fine. After a quick cleaning it played with barely any noise.
     
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  15. Maranatha5585

    Maranatha5585 BELLA + RIP In Memoriam

    Location:
    Down South
    Home run of filth! ... absolute crap grading : ring wear, seams, writing, and sticker.
    And you haven't gotten to the record yet ?!? - You gotta set the guy right, always a chance he just made a mistake.
     
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  16. Tim1954

    Tim1954 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Cincinnati, OH
    Looks like your standard VG+ cover to me. Not even close to NM but to say "VG at best" is also overstated unless there are seams splitting or something I'm not seeing in your pics.
     
    cporcp likes this.
  17. ScaleTheInferno

    ScaleTheInferno Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brisbane
    To my eyes there is a bit too much spine wear and creasing (plus the ring wear) for this to be VG+. It's borderline, but nonetheless closest to VG.
     
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  18. Eleventh Earl of Mar

    Eleventh Earl of Mar Somehow got them all this far.

    Location:
    New York
    That cover is not NM

    Ringwear for sure denies that, stickers are absolutely a deal breaker

    Assuming not much is like the normal price on Discogs - I'd just call it okay since that's about the condition it's in.
     
  19. vinylontubes

    vinylontubes Forum Resident

    Location:
    Katy, TX
    Ring and edge wear. Not NM. Not even VG+. Goldmine is the standard on discogs. If it only had edge wear, I could let it slide as VG+. You are even allowed very slight edge splits. But ring wear is not mentioned by Goldmine until VG. So definitely VG.
    Record Grading 101: Understanding The Goldmine Grading Guide
     
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  20. EdogawaRampo

    EdogawaRampo Senior Member


    NM or M- ? Nope, not in this world.

    I always find this a tip-off to the seller being either full of BS or a complete dolt:

    "Not sure it was played."

    It's an decades old record with a beat cover. You can be sure it was played. You are very, very safe in that assumption.

    I assume open records that are not new have been played no matter how shiny they have remained, especially with a beat cover like this one. It is only in the last decade or two that I remember seeing this "may not have been played" schtick. I find it idiotic.

    You can say "looks unplayed" for an old record and still be in safe territory as long as it actually looks and shines like new. Or "does not appear to have been played much."
     
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  21. Maranatha5585

    Maranatha5585 BELLA + RIP In Memoriam

    Location:
    Down South
    Tim.. there's enough scraping and/or splitting on that top seam for me to definitely lean on the seam split part.
     
  22. cporcp

    cporcp Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Kentucky
    Agreed - and for what I paid for it I will not lose any sleep if I do not get a response.
     
  23. cporcp

    cporcp Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Kentucky
    It's not split entirely through - but worn pretty thin.
     
  24. cporcp

    cporcp Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Kentucky
    If it were something rare & expensive I'd definitely be more concerned - if fact I wouldn't have purchased anything other than a play graded example, preferably from someone here, if that was what I was after.

    Be that as it may, I'll be satisfied with an acknowledgement of the mistake and a few bucks back. I have to give them the opportunity to make it right, right?
     
  25. EdogawaRampo

    EdogawaRampo Senior Member

    Yes, I would, with some gentle pointers that he or she needs to figure out that most grading schemes define NM or M- as pretty much "like new", which this certainly is not.
     
    cporcp likes this.
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