I've gone from buying $50 LPs to 50¢ LPs

Ain't nothing wrong with a nice copy of Whipped Cream, nothing at all

 

I've had virtually no luck in the dollar bins. I don't even waste my time anymore. Currently it's quality over quantity for me. The chances of an expensive record in the dollar bins is virtually non existent in the days of the ebay and popsike.

I'm glad the OP is able to pad out his collection in the dollar bins. They're the last bins I look through at record shows, and I scan very fast. I've only ever found something worthwhile twice - REM Adventures in Stereo ($6, so not quite a dollar), and Smiths Queen is Dead promo ($2). And that's in 15 years of collecting. Everything else is super common fodder that takes up shelf space.

But if you're looking for the less obscure, sure, they're a good place to look. There's no need to buy some 200 gm deluxe edition of Rumors when you can definitely find one for about a dollar. Same goes for a lot of other reissues of common records.

 

If you like classical music (or have a desire to start getting into that genre) your chances of getting enjoyment from shopping for vinyl at thrift stores will increase exponentially. Nothing thrills me more than finding nice mono Westminster classical LPs from the early 50s in thrift stores these days........
----------- Chris

 

Yeah Classical is definately the majority for the most part although even now I don't see the same caliber that I used to.I was lucky enough when I got back into vinyl that there were some nice thrift store finds.This was about five years ago.Now I don't know what happened but the ts finds are very uncommon now.

 

I was thinking the same thing!

 

And I of course wound up picking up *two* clean copies of Whipped Cream -- one mono, one stereo -- when I went back this afternoon for the 50% off sale.

 

Hell, the 25 cent LP's I would pick up at library sales were some of the best loot I got. I would leave with 40 to 60 or more LP's of great quality. When radio stations dump their LP's at these sales, the finds are incredible. Promo copies abundant.

 

I agree that you can find good stuff at thrifts, but you have to be thorough and patient. I enjoy looking, but I rarely have the time or patience. I've found a good store that has VG+ and NM stuff for 6.99 to 9.99. I'm not a huge collector, so I buy a lot there. I may start to frequent the thrifts more though. Nothing like a great find fo $0.50.

 

I've poured over thousands of dusty, moldy records only to find one or two I really wanted in acceptable NM condition.I'd leave filthy with allergic reactions going full blast. But I did find a Zep II RL that way. And a shaded dog of Brahms #1 that goes for hundreds online (and one member is selling a used copy here - not me). I'm not sure it's worth the effort anymore. It's the time. I'd rather spend a few bucks to get a cleaned record with some info on the background.

At a few estate sales over the years I've been forced to buy an entire boxes of records to get the few I really want. More dust. I found myself with a box of VG-NM classic rock full of Stones, Who, etc. I'll never listen to those. I'm not a huge fan and it's too much trouble to clean them all. Maybe we should organize a swap meet for forum members. If you have any kind of a list of what's avail, send me a pm.

 

I've got a boatload of those! And a few Westminster Stereo pressings. Which are the standouts? Boult conducting the Planets?
Also love the London early Mono's. If you can find a minty one, the sound will blow you away. Elgar's Falstaff and Rachmaninov's Isle of the Dead come to mind. Better than many later stereo's. I've thought of starting a thread about those. They're relatively easy to find in very good condition.

 

I have a bunch of those as well, the ones with the shiny red label with gold print, pressed on 200g vinyl as thick as a 78. Those sound soooo good you swear you weren't listening to mono. This is one I'm looking for:



That cover is so cool.
I have the Richmond reissue that sounds OK (styrene press) but I would love to find a London original.

Here's another of my favorite London monos, the playing is over the top.

 

As a classical music fan, odds of finding playable copies of LPs for 50¢ at a thrift store are as good as finding the same titles in the same shape for $3 at a "real" record store.

 

Used to have the "Richmond" mono reissue of Campoli playing the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto. Definitely OTT.

 

So I did go back today, lured by the prospect of 24.5¢ LPs (50% off sale). I think I picked through the best yesterday but still came away with a dozen selections.

Besides the aforementioned mono/stereo Whipped Cream pick ups, some of the more interesting finds today:

• Flatt and Scruggs at Carnegie Hall! Columbia first pressing mono, super clean
• Steely Dan Aja, ABC Records
• Christmas Sing Along With Mitch Columbia 6 eye pressing w/ perforated sing along lyric sheets!
• Rolling Stones Out of Our Heads maroon London label (2nd pressing mono?) -- this one was LP only, no cover

So now the question is how often does the inventory get freshened up?

 

How was the condition? Usually library records are trashed.

 

Ten or more years ago the 'dollar/dime' bins were good.
Now? I never go to Goodwill type stores looking for music.
I am to where I only buy a few items which are exactly what I want. I have all the stuff I need that i found cheap already.

When I can find something good in the junk bin ..days are long long gone.
Maybe I am just tired? I do not know. But the search was fun. and good luck to those who continue the search through mountains of Firestone Christmas albums/Mitch Miller Singalongs.. in the hope of at least one album worth buying.

 

I didn't find them... I looked through twice! Maybe some poor soul bought ATMP without the Apple Jam.

 

Records that are loaned out at the library are usually in tough shape, true. But when people donate their records by the box full to the library for the (Friends of the Library) book sales these come into the library not to be loaned out, but just to be sold at the book sale only. I've found many good records at these library sales. Even some cassettes and CD's all for 25 cents each. Of course there is going to be some junk, but that's the way it is everywhere you go unless you want to pay more money at your local record store.

 

If you want to find something good in the dollar bin at a record show, you have to be the very first person to look through that bin. You're guaranteeing disappointment by looking through them last, after dozens of other collectors have already picked through them.

 

That London looks like the earliest mono pressing. Later pressings, also good, have silver text. Those early London FFRR labels are gorgeous and more beautiful than shaded dogs. You've got to see one in front of you to really appreciate it.

 

or just got rid of it...it IMO it is a waste...I consider ATMP a 2 album set....although we have to have the third for completion.

 

Some of my two-dollar records are the ones I treasure the most.

 

My local thrift store always had LPs for 1 Euro, until suddenly they bagan to think that all vinyl is rare and they get priced around 4 Euros or more. Including Andy Williams, James Last and the like. So nowadays records are sometimes more expensive than in my local record store!

 

To quote Curly Howard,Moe's brother,I resemble that remark.
Just last week I picked up nine Tijuana Brass LPs,most of them imports from China,Brazil,Germany & England.Total cost-under five bucks.Interesting that of all the imports that I find,Whipped Cream doesn't show up often.On Monday,the usual first question at work,"How was your weekend?"was met with this info,adding that I was probably the only person in the huge corporation I work for that could make that statement.Rolled eyed response fom one friend:"I think its safe to include the entire world!"

 

goodwills around here only have junk... i've checked it out hundreds of times and only found anything good maybe three times.. somebody is cherrypickin' at the source..

i used to find good stuff around town but like elizabeth posted above my experience is those days are long gone... now i find CDs are the bargains with unlimited upside and very cheap