Value hit of expensive LP with labels featuring owner's writing.

Discussion in 'Marketplace Discussions' started by Strat-Mangler, Sep 22, 2019.

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  1. Strat-Mangler

    Strat-Mangler Personal Survival Daily Record-Breaker Thread Starter

    Location:
    Toronto
    If an LP is otherwise mint but has labels which have writing on them from the previous owner, how much of a value hit would you attribute to it? In this example, let's say it's a $100 LP.

    To make things easy, this isn't one of those albums where the cover is the precious item but rather the actual LP.
     
  2. Gonna depends on the specific title (some collectors of specific bands are more sensitive to WOL than others), but for a range I’d say 10%-15%, if the LP was otherwise NM. If it was in, say, Good condition the % would be less.. Depending on how noticeable/big it is etc.
     
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  3. Christian Hill

    Christian Hill It's all in the mind

    Location:
    Boston
    Was the previous owner Paul McCartney?
     
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  4. ggergm

    ggergm another spring another baseball season

    Location:
    Minnesota
    To my way of thinking, the label's condition is the least important thing to get right.

    It may swing a price ± 10%.

    Have a record with a label mistake, like the sides swapped or two side B labels, and you might get 10% more for the record. Have writing on the label, and you might get 10% less.
     
    Shawn likes this.
  5. Dream On

    Dream On Forum Resident

    Location:
    Canada
    It almost depends on the album and perhaps the buyer. I really hate writing on covers, to the point where I just pass and move on to the next copy. So for me it's pretty much 100% less.

    But if we are talking Led Zep II RL in good condition, or something comparable, I would make an exception. One can always find a good condition replacement cover.

    10% seems reasonable when you are accounting for the entire market, not just picky buyers like me. Especially if it's the record itself that has a lot of value. In the case of an RL LZ II I would even say the cover is pretty much irrelevant. To me it wouldn't bring down the value but only increase it if it was in great shape.
     
    Shawn likes this.
  6. Strat-Mangler

    Strat-Mangler Personal Survival Daily Record-Breaker Thread Starter

    Location:
    Toronto
    Just so we're clear, I'm referring to writing on labels ; not covers.
     
  7. Dream On

    Dream On Forum Resident

    Location:
    Canada
    Sorry, yes I caught that. Writing on labels (that can't be peeled off), or on inserts, isn't much better. Just speaking for myself of course.
     
  8. uzn007

    uzn007 Pack Rat

    Location:
    Raleigh, N.C.
    According to the Goldmine/Discogs standards, I think it's more common for writing (on the label or the cover) to affect the grade of the item, rather than taking a standard price reduction. The change in the grade will affect the price differently for different albums, depending on demand.

    Here's Discogs' page, which I believe is the standard Goldmine guide:

    How To Grade Items

    This implies that writing on the label will make the album a VG at best, and writing on the cover will knock it down to a G+. In cases where the cover and vinyl are graded separately, then obviously the writing wouldn't affect the "vinyl" part of the grade.
     
  9. Dream On

    Dream On Forum Resident

    Location:
    Canada
    Duh! Just realized what 'label' meant. 24 hour brain fart. Not sure the OP is clear though, as it says the cover in this case isn't precious, but the record itself is. The label is on the record, so I think that threw me off.

    To me it still depends on the album. LZ II RL is valued for the grooves, so even if there is writing on the label, if the grooves are in great shape then I would overlook the writing. For most albums, however, it would definitely annoy me. Any record that has value due to cover, inserts, a specific label, really anything other than the sound quality of a certain pressing, that part of the value would probably take a big hit.
     
  10. Raunchnroll

    Raunchnroll Senior Member

    Location:
    Seattle
    A $100 album says little about its availability or rarity. The rarer and harder to locate the LP is, the less the name on label affects it. Whatcha gonna do if the LP comes up only once or twice a year? On the other hand if its a readily available $100 item, buy it for whats comfortable....... and keep your eye out for another copy with a better copy of the LP. You can upgrade the vinyl when its convenient.
     
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  11. Strat-Mangler

    Strat-Mangler Personal Survival Daily Record-Breaker Thread Starter

    Location:
    Toronto
    It's pretty clear. Labels are always on the record. :D
     
  12. Dream On

    Dream On Forum Resident

    Location:
    Canada
    True enough! I think the comment about the cover not being precious made me think the damage was there. Wrong assumption on my part!
     
    Strat-Mangler likes this.
  13. hvbias

    hvbias Midrange magic

    Location:
    Northeast
    I think this would be case by case, IMHO if it is something rare that is play graded and is primarily of interest to audiophiles I can see the value hit being little to none. At least not that I experienced when I was buying play graded LPs from highly reputable dealers, their records with writing either on record, jacket or both sold for as much or more often even more than the average sales price for visual graded only items in similar condition.

    The second highest record I ever sold was Sabbath's self titled UK Vertigo, the first label version and it had I believe full name on one label side and owner's initials on the swirl side and since the play grade was clean reissue quiet I sold it for much more than just a visually graded copy alone.

    Now if it wasn't play graded and was of interest to the general collector market as well, I am not too sure how much loss we'd be talking about.
     
  14. Strat-Mangler

    Strat-Mangler Personal Survival Daily Record-Breaker Thread Starter

    Location:
    Toronto
    Well, I asked the seller if it'd be possible to get a play grade as it is an expensive LP and he has that strange restocking fee. Never heard back. Says all I need to know, IMHO.
     
    uzn007 likes this.
  15. zongo

    zongo Forum Resident

    Location:
    Davis, CA
    Depends a little on how the writing is done, on the cover or on the label. If it's a giant scrawled mess then it seems worse than if it is a little tiny carefully noted initials in an unobtrusive place.
     
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