advice for attending record shows?

So I went to my first record show yesterday, and while I loved it, I'm still reeling from the overload of vinyl acquisition possibilities! I found myself overwhelmed by not only the amount of records, but how to go about browsing them... and I was told it was a relatively SMALL show!
Basically, every vendor had their full-price records organized by genre and/or time period, sometimes alphabetical but not always. Many had a new arrivals bin, a slightly discounted / sale bin, and just about all had boxes on the floor of their most discounted pieces.
Now, I already have a decent collection, so I'm a budget- and space-conscious record shopper. While I normally love digging through my local store's dollar vinyl bin for a few interesting things, I went to the show hoping to find a few select items, which I did get a couple by asking the vendors... but I couldn't help worrying about what cool things I might've missed by not going through all those uncategorized / discounted records!
So my question is -- do you have a strategy for shopping at record shows?

 

1. Get there as soon as the doors open
2. Never pay marked price for anything
3. Don't waste your time with dollar bins (yes, there may be something worth $5, but it's a time waster trying to find a one in a million score)
4. Bring Purell

 

Sometimes it's best to go with a detailed list of what you're specifically looking for. If you know you're looking for a certain pressing on a certain label, blah blah blah, it's best to have a list with all that info written down so you don't buy something else by accident. You may also want to research the price of what you're looking for is going (on average) so you don't end up getting ripped off.

Also, don't bring large bills. If you bring $100 with you, make sure they're all in denominations of $10 or less and lots of singles. I found it's easier to ask someone if they'll take $4 for something marked at $6 if you're putting $4 in their face as opposed to a $10 bill.

 

My strategy is never worry about what you missed. Just go with the flow and get what you get and don't sweat what you don't have time to look at. You will be much happier focusing on what you got than what you missed. That way lies madness.

 

Be prepared to hear a bunch of 55 year old guys talking about how they saw Led Zeppelin once.

 

I always try to be extra careful at record shows because you may never see the seller again.

1. Bring a small LED flashlight to shine sideways across the vinyl--deep scratches will be much more visible.
2. Bring a price guide to help verify different pressings.
3. Look at the labels closely to verify they are well-centered, if this matters to you.
4. Look across the vinyl for warps. If there's a turntable nearby, ask if you can briefly check for them.

 

I think that one's open for debate. If there's only one record in the booth I want I wouldn't ask for a reduction, for fear of looking like a weenie. If I did, I wouldn't be surprised if it was rejected. I think discounts start at three, or maybe stretching it 2 if the items are pricey. (Dollar bin more like 10). There's many a time that I've seen the marked price be a good deal that I wouldn't mind paying and bought immediately.

 

Bring a friend & have them hold your wallet.

 

Don't be afraid of lightly scratched, smudged vinyl if the price is right. I picked up a horrible looking copy (I mean HORRIBLE) of Pink Floyd's Animals for 1.00 and it seriously sounds AMAZING. When I first started going to record shows, this is one I would never have considered but now I am open to less than mint vinyl -again if the price is right.

 

Brace yourself for a complete disregard for basic personal hygiene by many of your fellow shoppers.

 

My humble opinions ...

- arrive early so you get round as much as possible before the crowds
- a "wanted" list is good but don't let it get in the way of having some fun
- be prepared for some rude behaviour from some of the shoppers (develop a thick skin)
- be prepared for some rude behaviour from some of the sellers
- try and have a very quick look round all the stalls and decide which ones are worth revisiting (otherwise you may well blow the budget at the first decent stall!)
- be careful taking extra cash "just in case" ... you will spend it!
- if there is no price be careful ... a lot of sellers just make up something random on the spot
- the $1 - $5 bins are worth a dig, some sellers make no distinction between rare and common items ... it is just one price
- wet wipes, something to drink and your own bags all help
- check everything ... the number of times I have found the wrong disc in the jacket
- if you buy several items from the same seller try to work out the total before handing the items over (seen some strange math from sellers at record fairs)
- cell phone with internet access always useful for checking up on an item when in doubt
- watch out of counterfeits

 

I often try to go to record shows closer to closing time. Dealers seem much more willing to bargain when faced with the likely reality of carrying their records back to their car.

 

Get to be the first 10 people in line...go early!
Bring small flashlight, these places tend to be dark
Reading glasses for those tough to see marks/scratches
Cash in the front pockets...these shows can be so crowded you can`t move.

I was at a show on Dixie Rd (Toronto) 2013 and didn`t get 1 thing. Condition was bad, prices way too high and beyond crowded I was happy to get out of there and I was the third person in line, before the show. First time I went to a show and came out with NOTHING.

sean

 

+1.
"Singles rule the world," as X sang in "Adult Books."

 

Bring nose plugs

 

Funny I was gonna say just bring 5s and 10s not even 20s....use 2 front pockets left lower bills, right 20s! Works for me...lol

Most of all have fun

sean

 

A lot of great advice so far.

I always spend all the money I bring. My friend always spends his money and then goes to the bank machine to get more because he never brings enough thinking this will be the one time he actually sticks to his budget.

One option you should consider is early entry. Depending on the fee (always more than regular entry) it may be worth it as you get first (well first after dealer deals) crack at the goods and there will be less of a crowd. I went with the early entry option for the first time last year and it was well worth it. By the time they opened up for regular hours my friend I and were pretty much done.

Once you hit the same shows you'll start to get an idea of where your favourite sellers set up. This does make it easier as you can go straight to your favourite sellers. You also start to develop a relationship with them which can help when looking for certain titles.

I then have a quick look around before digging in. Sometimes I have a quick look around first and hit up new sellers and then go to the ones I'm familiar with. It really depends on what I'm interested in buying. I change my strategy for each show pretty much. E.g. At the last show I was really looking for some 50's and 60's rock n roll sort of stuff so I hit up sellers with that first.

I pretty much avoid the $1 or $5 bins until I'm done. Some go for those first. It really depends on what you want. For me hitting those first or not last means I waste time and might miss out on other items I'm looking for that my regular dealers tend to have. Nothing wrong with either method it just depends on what you are looking for.

The thing I find hardest is to just get a space to look through bins. I try and put myself on a sideways angle if a table is too crowded but there are many rude "I'm going to block you from crates either side of me type people" sometimes which can be annoying.

 

I tend to miss this show since it's so close to the Downtown Record show (and a hassle to get to since I live in Toronto but don't have a car). This show can get very crowded and the last couple of times I went (over a year ago) I thought the selection was lacking for such a big show. The downtown one has better records.

Nothing like over crowding, bad selection and prices to make record shopping = no fun!

 

If you go to the trouble to do all of the above at a record show, wouldn't you also ask for the seller's contact info?

 

LMAO

 

Sure, although I'll do the checks anyway to help minimize the need for a return. In my case, the vinyl quality isn't so great at our local record convention, so doing checks like those I've mentioned has helped me screen out a ton of duds.

 

Bring deodorant. Lots of it. Not roll on or stick. Aerosol. Not for you. For everyone else.

 

Yeah, in 15 years of attending record shows, I think I've only attempted to haggle on a couple of records. They were $50-ish, and they were records I really wanted. It worked too! In most cases, I don't care enough to argue over a buck or two.

The one thing I've finally caught on to is that it's good to buy a bunch of stuff from the same vendor because a lot of them will cut you a deal if you buy enough stuff from them. Then again, maybe I'm just getting lazy. It's nice being able to blow all my money at a few tables and get out of there.

 

This ^^ pretty much covers it. I would also add that once you got to a particular show a few times, you start to figure out which dealers to hit first. I tend to hit the $1-5 dollar bins first if I know the seller tends to put good stuff in there. Sometimes those are the best tables in the show! I tend to hit those first and then work my way up to the sellers where the stock is priced accordingly. In the early admission, you have a better chance of still finding what you want in those stalls a bit later, at least from my experience.

As others mentioned, bring change. I also stick my 20s and larger in a separate pocket, lol

Almost every time I go to a show, I wind up buying at least 1 or 2 amazing records that I didn't even have on my want list or realize I needed until in hand

 

That is a very good point ... about going to the same fair a few times and getting to know where to go first. Generally each of the fairs I rotate around here tend to have its own "regular" dealers and once you get to know them life gets easier.