Your vinyl collection: thrift store bargains or high-end pressings, or anything and everything?

First off, thanks for all of the information and friendly conversations. Ya'll are my kind of people and I've had a blast here since joining about a month ago and getting back into vinyl as a 50th birthday present to myself. Can't believe I've waited so song to get back into this!

So in terms of getting back into vinyl, I've been lucky enough to receive some new high-quality pressings as gifts, and I also found my record collection stashed away in the closet with a lot of my favorites from the 70s and 80s. As I ponder how I will acquire new records to add to my collection and surf the Steve Hoffman forum, I am wondering how everyone is building their collections.

Over the last month, I've added to my collection by purchasing new records from Amazon and Best Buy, but I've also found some used gems at Half-Price Books that are in amazing shape (and I clean them with with an anti-static brush). For the cost of a new record I've been able to buy 4-5 used.

For my favorite artists like Steven Wilson or Rush, I'm going to get the high end stuff. For stuff I enjoy but wouldn't consider myself a superfan, I'm good with a used record as long as the vinyl plays well, even if the sleeve is a little beat up. I have not gotten into buying used records online yet but understand that there are some incredible original pressings to be found, and know there is a robust classified section on SHMF that will unlock for me at some point.

So out of curiosity, how are your collections comprised? Are you pretty discriminating about where and you buy and the condition? Or are you all over the place like I am?

 

I'm more all over the place like you are, of course you would like to have condition to be as nice as possible, but sometimes that's not practical with certain records, so an acceptance of that opens you up to listen to any and everything, take a chance on some of those dollar bin curios and sometimes be amazed. Of course records should be playable and not trashed.

 

My personal advice that has been learned through trial and error- do not compromise on the condition or you will just want to upgrade down the road, if there is an album you want search the Hoffman forum for best pressing and then get the forum favorites. I don't buy much newer reissues anymore as there are so many great original pressings out there typically at lower prices than the new stuff. You will have a blast, enjoy!

Jim

 

For me I buy mostly on the cheap. Good records can be found under 10 dollars if one is patient. My collection is roughly comprised of:
eBay: 45 percent
Record stores (mostly dollar bin) 25 percent
Thrift Stores- 25 percent
Other (flea markets, friends, family) 5 percent

 

I'm listening to a Pat Metheny record right now that I bought for $4 yesterday at Half Price Books. I looked pretty closely at the record before I bought it and as I play it, hardly a pop or crackle - it sounds new!!! Happiness!

 

Mostly 1970's originals I bought when I was young. Any used LP's I've bought since then pretty much the same, I won't own a vinyl album with a UPC bar code on the cover.

 

Everything.

High end audiophile & standard new releases plus...
finds from car boot sales, charity shops, junk shops, 2nd hand record shops, record fairs.

 

bargains abound if you know where to look. I've found collections at goodwill years ago that were stunning, you walk into the store hoping maybe you find a nice record and BAM there's about 50 original Chuck Berry Bo Diddley early Elvis you name it and I'm giggling like a little schoolgirl

 

Still got some of my old albums from the late eighties, my more recent vinyl purchases have been cheap good condition titles, no collectibles.
However, in the last week I treated myself to the 2014 Sgt. Pepper in mono and the speakers corner reissue of Elvis is Back!
I too am enjoying a resurgence of vinyl!

 

Jackson C Frank original uk pressing.
Not in great shape at £60 pounds.
Thought pricey for OXfam.
Should have got it.

 

I have a little of everything. In my younger days, I would hardly ever buy used because I was too picky about the condition of the record and you never know what kind of stylus was used to play it. Due to budgetary restrictions, I mainly bought sealed cut-outs and only paid full price for an album if it was by an artist that I knew very well and wanted to support them.

When MFSL pressings hit the market, it was perfect timing. I was a little older and had a job so I could afford to pay 2X the regular price of a new album for one audiophile copy. I bought some of my favorite albums on MFSL and other audiophile labels and am generally happy with all of them. Around this time, I also discovered Japanese pressings and consider those to be on par - and sometimes better than - the audiophile releases.

Recently, I've been buying a lot of used, vintage records - especially since I got a RCM (a Record Doctor V - it has a vacuum but you have to spin the record manually). The cleaner really makes a world of difference on records that are dirty, moldy and full of fingerprints. Sadly, it doesn't take care of records that are worn out or badly scratched, so I do inspect them at the store before I buy. But for the most part, my used records come from yard and estate sales. More than not, they're in playable shape and sound good to very good. Of course, a record that looks perfect under the magnifying glass can still sound terrible if it's a bad pressing or been played to death (a vintage Chet Atkins RCA Living Stereo, sad to say). Or it can look like junk but play perfectly (a Mozart Columbia Masterworks pressing from the 1940's). My limit on these kinds of purchases is $3 an album.

 

Yes.
Exquisitely remastered audiophile pressings, ordinary bought-new back when releases, yard sale roughies, and all points in between.

 

I almost never buy used vinyl anymore since Hastings closed. The Goodwill here has a lousy selection. I don't like buying used vinyl sight unseen (but I have done it on occasion).
For new - mostly Amazon and label websites like Polyvinyl, Sub Pop, Music Matters, etc.

 

I'm lucky to have 4 independent record stores to choose from within 40 min and quite a few more in the 2 hour range. I also work in one of those 4, so many used and new records obviously come from there since I get a discount, but I do plenty of bargain bin, thrift store, antique mall hunting and the occasional rare used lp or new album from labels I like lacking wide distribution. I'm all over the place in terms of taste and buying habits

 

The majority of my collection (when I got back into vinyl 2012) was comprised mainly of records I purchased from the mid 70s to about 1990. These were roughly 90% purchased new from my local record shops. The remaining 10% were from record fairs, used shops or hand-me-downs.

Since 2012 I would say the percentage flipped and did a 180......I mainly purchase from record shows, online (Discogs, Ebay etc.) and new vinyl purchases are reserved for releases that are special or have garnered great reviews in terms of sound quality. For used records....VG+ and above only and from reputable sellers.

JQ

 

Is it on ECM? If you see stuff on that label in the used bins, there's a 95% chance that both the music and sound quality will be top notch. Usually pretty affordable too. I think the vinyl was ditched en masse years ago when they were replaced with CDs by their owners. I'd suggest perusing the many ECM threads here for some listening examples.

 

95% thrift store and record store clearance bin, %4 regular priced used item. %1 actual new pressings.

 

While I certainly had a lot of LPs prior, most of my vinyl buying occurred in the 1990s. I bought at record shows, record stores, thrift stores, flea markets, yard sales, and estate sales.

This was the decade when no one knew or cared about LPs. Also, it was a little before eBay, so no one knew what anything was worth, let alone what it was.

People who did not buy used vinyl during that decade cannot even begin to imagine all the amazing records that were readily available for under five bucks a throw. I was buying jazz, Latin, Brazilian, soundtracks, funk, soul, classical, and space age bachelor pad stuff. It was best if you lived in or visited areas that were close to civilization but not entirely picked over by suave urbanites.

I buy CDs now for the same reason that I was buying vinyl in the 1990s.

 

Yeah - I was one who traded in a lot of LPs back in the late 80s for CDs. Thankfully I kept a few dozen of my favorites and am enjoying them again. I wish I'd kept more!

 

I've been collecting for just over a year now. (A return to vinyl after a few years collecting when I was a kid, before moving to cassettes.)

I've probably bought 70 percent in record stores (mostly used) 20 percent on Discogs or eBay, and 10 percent in other kinds of shops.

I'm surprised by how much I've been able to buy for prices that are even cheaper than when I was buying vinyl in the 80s.

I'm also surprised at how fine the cheaper items are in terms of quality. I'm more worried, personally, about the actual quality of the vinyl, so I tend to focus on that and not worry so much about sleeves (unless they're really musty/moldy).

I'm lucky that one of my favorite local stores has a bargain basement where items are fifty cents. Yes, fifty cents.
Of the nearly 800 titles I have now (I know, a newbie) probably at least 100 of them were either from that store's fifty cent stack or purchased at another store for a dollar or less.

I like a lot of 80s and 90s British artists, so I do order some things from Discogs and eBay. I'm a little wary of ordering things from overseas, but so far I've had good luck the few times I've done it.

I try to keep an open mind about where to look. Not just record stores but antique shops, flea markets, and thrift stores. Some of my best finds have been in non-record store spaces. A few mid-century vintage/antique malls here in Chicago, as well as a vintage furniture store that also had records, and an art gallery that also had vinyl. In San Diego there was an awesome thrift shop where I found a half dozen items I'd had on my wantlist - and got them all for five bucks.

The thing that really helped me was making that wishlist on Discogs and really knowing and understanding the availability of the items I wanted. So I have a really good idea of when to make the leap and jump on something at a higher price, because I know its availability is limited, and when to not jump on the first copy of an album I see, because I know I might find it elsewhere. It takes a little time and research, but it's well worth it. I only have maybe three or four pieces in my collection where I have that unpleasant "ugh, I paid too much for this item" aftertaste.

 

First of all you have great taste. ECM vinyl (if that's what it was) is legendary for its quality. You're lucky you got one that's pretty old and in such great shape.

 

I'm an original pressing/hot stamper/deadwax note reading/VG+ minimum nerd. I haunt the GW and used record store bins only. I will occ. buy LPs on ebay. It's getting less dicey in the past few years as negative feedback will suspend those dodgy sellers. I do not buy 180g new repressings.

Collection nearing the 1.4K mark. RYM LP collection (a few CD reviews too) linked below if really curious:
libertycaps's music - Rate Your Music

 

I sold my entire collection in 1983 before I joined the Air Force. I wish I found a way to keep them.
I started buying records again in 2012.

 

Agreed. I was fortunate to live in two vinyl-heavy locales back then (Kansas City and Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill) and am still amazed at the stuff I picked up for next to nothing that today would be either overpriced reissues or even more overpriced originals.

 

OK, I know it's not kosher to ask another fisherman about his secret fishin' hole, but I'm curious: I live in Jefferson City and know of In the Groove here and Renaissance in Columbia--what are the other two?
But yeah, Between Kansas City/Lawrence to the west, St. Louis to the east, and a couple of great spots in my own backyard, plus the occasional record shows, shopping's pretty good around here.