Crate Digging for Vinyl

Finding and buying used Classic Rock vinyl in VG or less condition for $1-$2 each doesn't really interest me. Let alone buying collections of the stuff, especially since most are usually run of the mill US pressings. Nice import or audiophile pressings at $10 each.......now you've got my interest!

 

I started buying music properly again in 2013 after a few barren years. Thrift stores and bargain crates in record stores have been my mainstay. If I see something that is cheap that looks vaguely interesting I will take a chance on it. My favoured era is UK late 70s to mid 80s and although living in Canada now, I have found quite a few albums on vinyl that I wouldn't have expected to see over here. That is always a thrill. Now and again I will find something from the classic rock era and will usually take a chance on it for a couple of dollars. I would say my vinyl collection has easily doubled if not tripled in the last five years, although I have seen a significant slowdown in the last year. Which is OK, because I have also started looking at the $1-2 CDs as well and have no qualms between the two formats.

 

That reminds me of a thrift store in a warehouse I used to go to occasionally about five years ago. This guy had stacks of records - some in crates and some just in huge piles. There had to be at least 10,000 records but you had to get on your hands and knees to go through them all. I think his specialty was toys so he had a limited knowledge of what he was selling. I would spend hours climbing around and come out all dusty with a handful of great finds in good shape - stuff like mono Kinks and Animals and Love and Buffalo Springfield and Moby Grape - and usually a few common records worth about a buck or two each. I would have to bring them to the counter and he would examine each one carefully and look at my face to see my reaction. While holding some he would say "This is a pretty rare record" and then look me in the eye. It was like a bad game of poker. The funny thing was he would always choose the most worthless record when he said that. I would just give no reaction. Finally he would give up and say $20 or $30 for the pile. It was always a ridiculous game but I got some great deals there.

 

Similar to my experiences.

 

I have no issue with this as long as you're not blocking all the bins while you do it. As long as people pull titles they are interested in, then go to another area to look them up, I'm fine with that. But don't just stand there blocking all the bins while you're looking up titles on your phone. That's just plain rude.

Edit: And for God's sake, put them back where you got them from if you decide to pass on them!

 

The only thing I use my phone for is to look and see if it's already in my collection and what grade I've given it to determine if I should upgrade or not.

 

That Is exactly how I see it - quality, not quantity.
I would gladly pay even $20-30 for the nice import VG+ pressing that I like. Unfortunately today in most NYC record stores that is not the case because they just sell all the good stuff on eBay and Discogs. Usually nine out of ten times there's nothing to buy there for me.

 

There's room for all types of collectors. I'm the opposite. I'm trying to fill in gaps in my collection. There is so much I couldn't afford to buy when it came out. First pressings, imports, etc. are incidental to me. If I can find an acceptable condition copy of a common record that I don't already have that makes my day. If something turns out to be special in some way then that is just an added bonus.

 

About a decade ago when I was in college and getting into vinyl the only places carrying vinyl were old mom and pop joints with tons of classic rock which didn't interest me much. Now it's nice to be able to walk into places like Barnes and Noble and find new releases on the shelf.

 

I am the same, and I will happily take a beat up copy today and upgrade it down the line. I use the old covers to line my garage wall.

 

I like both, I have bought all new Led Zep, Iron Maiden, Pink Floyd and Joy Division catalogues in the last 5 years, but I will happily augment those with second hand copies of XTC, Elton John, or whomever I can find for $1-3.

 

Years ago I used to buy a rare US Beatles record in rough shape just to have it in my collection. Those type of records weren't played but purchased for their rare label or cover variations. I sometimes would be able to upgrade a lesser copy but not always.

Nowadays I'm only interested in playing my vinyl and obtaining the best sounding pressings available. A beat up copy of a record, no matter how rare. Would not be placed on my turntable, let alone played. I'd rather buy a new re-issue if available, than an original pressing that's in rough condition.

At this stage in my record collecting. I probably need to start downsizing, as I don't have unlimited space or the desire to have records everywhere. That said.... I'm getting more selective in my purchases these days and I'm not really regretting it either.

 

When I say beat up, I don't mean to the point where it is unplayable. I've got some amazing records for a couple of dollars that play great. If the sleeve is past a certain point, or the record is dull, scratched etc I won't buy it. If I can get something that is ok, then I will and will happily get a replacement down the line if I find something better, swapping out record, or cover whichever needs it the most.

 

Sounds like the condition you're describing is what I consider about VG+, which is acceptable and definitely playable after a good cleaning.

 

This has been an interesting read. I started out with OP’s strategy, many years ago at this point. Over time I moved away from that model. I was picking up too many records just because they were cheap, then realized I couldn’t really get rid of them due to lack of desirability and/or condition. So I got more picky. Mostly, just paying attention to condition went a long way. I don’t bother with anything that has an audible scratch. I had some great soul records in VG or less condition that I never should have brought home price notwithstanding. It’s easy to start off with the dollar bin mentality but in my case I eventually had to get rid of some schlock. They pile up quick at $1-2 a pop.

 

Agree! I've never bought stuff just because it was cheap, I'd have to have some modicum of interest in the album. Otherwise, it seems like a great way to accumulate 'junk' that may be difficult or effortful to get rid of. I have no interest in building a big collection for the sake of size. I'd rather have all 'killer no filler'.

Life and listening time are just too short to bother with the 2nd rate. As some one who is struggling to cull, I can tell you that the really worthwhile stuff doesn't spend enough time on your turntable or CD player because you are constantly distracted by all the other stuff.

 

Try to invent a time machine and go back to the 1990s. That was the golden era for vinyl.

 

I'm living the nightmare

OTOH,it is an education listening thru copius boxes of LP's,or CD's,tapes,etc.. On my last large buy of over 1,000 LP's plus reel tapes,45's 78's,and ephemera, all for $100, I've found a nice selection of rare and just plain great Jazz albums and a few choice Rock and Country. I'm living with the dross and have been slowly eliminating it thru various methods....sell/trade/donation. I agree though it takes a lot of time and effort from your life and the very best of your keeper collection. I'm trying to be more selective especially on condition and that weeds a lot of stuff out right off the bat.

Of this big buy I'm talking about, a fourth went right to the dump, another fourth to GW as donations,a fourth I'm in the process of selling/trading with friends or B&M stores, and the remaining fourth is the cream for my collection and/or another listen to see if they
make it to the keeper pile. So, another small number may end up as sell/trade.

I've already far surpassed my initial $100 investment just with great/rare keeper Jazz and Rock LP's so the rest is gravy.....time consuming though it is.

 

Part of it for me is discovering how much I like things that I seldom or never listened to when it first came out, or have never heard of until I picked it. I will definitely need to cull the collection as time goes by. I'll given some to the charity thrifts I frequent, trade some, try to sell some for a $1, etc.

 

I read an article that quoted a B & M owner as saying that when they buy collections they hoped for a breakdown something like this when they priced them for resale. "Searle said that when buying collections a retailer will hope that 25 percent are $4 to $8 records, 10 percent are $10 to $25 and two percent command $40 and up." So basically if there are 100 records that would be something along the lines of low end $300, high end $700. What stands out to me is that they are calculating that 63% of the records are worth somewhere between $3 and 0, or 88% of all the vinyl out there is worth significantly less than double digits. If someone is selling there personal collection I would suppose $1-2 per is reasonable to expect from a collector and maybe $2 to $4 if they haul them to a used record store. But the thing about a used record store is that they only want the records they know will move out of their store so if someone wants to unload their gathering dust records they are going to be hauling them around all day from used record stores, to goodwill. Or they could just get a collector to come over and pay less per but take the whole lot off their hands, or just give them to a charity thrift and be done with it.

 

Yeah I don’t even look in the dollar bins. Too much crap or even if it’s a good title scratched to hell.

 

When I go to the record shows I spend 90% of my time in the $1-3 boxes. I've found it to be the best of both worlds. There are lots of good selections and they are usually in good condition. The sellers are selective about what they acquire in the first place and they often clean the records. I assume they are trying to move slow moving stock / unload records quickly when they are piling up. I've picked up lots and lots of great classic rock, country, and bluegrass that way. I've got one coming up at the end of the month and money to spend.

 

The '90s.

 

What goes around comes around. Vinyl will dip in popularity again. I might be long gone by then but it will happen.

 

Found at thrifts:

Sun Ra on Saturn label
Slim Harpo Excello label 45s
Sealed 80s rock and new age-many titles
MFSL waiting for Columbus
MFSL Dark Side of the Moon CD
Almost every Billy Joel, Grateful Dead, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty in VG+ or better


More importantly, I have discovered bands and albums that have become favorites that I never even knew about