Anyone else tired of new LP's arriving like this (pics) ...?

Do I assume you deleted my post - which made a perfectly valid point.

 

Absolutely real. My friend I got it from had it a couple years, got it from a most reliable seller.
Everything is right on the cover, and LP but the label. Sometimes this is how the cookie crumbles...
I've seen practically everything after 45 years.

 

I'd recommend sending the pics to both the issuing label with a note and to Rainbo.

It's all well and good to get all of us stirred up, but the way to combat the problem is by holding the issuing parties responsible!

 

I just bought a three lp Waterboys album off Amazon a few months back. I really should have returned it, as the cover was beat to hell. But the records were all fine.

 

Had I better check in with you before any future posts just in case you have some objection.

 

Which album is that? I know the local shop has one or two Sword titles in stock.

 

Too true! I've been going through some of my 30+ years old vinyl Lp's and perhaps surprisingly nearly all of them are FLAT compared to LP's purchased in the past 10 years where the ratio of flat to warped / dish is about 3 : 10

 

I see that Finish present on almost all of my GZ vinyl pressings along with some US pressings I've had in the past, sometimes it's just visual but most the time it also effects playback, makes them sound 30 years old, all pressing plants are starting to churn out an increasing percentage of garbage now, even the good ones, had serveral bad pressings from optimal just lately, off centre, warped 180g, noisy whooshing sound on some sides, pallas US gave me a scratched and scuffed pink vinyl of the RHCP's The getaway, also not pleased with manic street preachers, everything must go limited blue vinyl & The holy Bible, though I didn't know who pressed these, I must add maybe it's just luck but most my issues come with the 180g vinyl, very few issues with standard weight stuff, even with GZ,
MPO is the only plant not to give me garbage so far..
I'd still take these modern problems over some of the utter crap vinyl which was produced in the UK and some European pressing plants in the early to mid 1990s (1992+) badly mastered, crammed full single pressings, poor packaging, ultra thin vinyl made from what looked like utter **** left lying around, I have a few pressings from this period that you can tell how they will sound just by looking at them, a tell tale subtle 2 tone splurge effect in the vinyl stretching from the middle in some areas, produces tones of static and background noise in that section.

 

I had the same issues with the Ozzy Osbourne Blizzard 30th anniversary (supposedly limited, but not really) box set. Both 180 gram LP's were scuffed and the album cover seams were busted open through the tops. I bought it direct from My Play Sony. After many emails, I first received a replacement set of CD's (???) and then after more emails, replacement LP's without covers (???) that were as scuffed as the first ones. They never sent the replacement album covers. Horrible customer service and frustrating experience.

 

I'll refrain from comparisons. My point was, vinyl is what it is, faults will always be present in some form or another. Apart from vintage 45's which I collect, I avoid buying new vinyl with all the attendant issues especially as most of it is only obtainable via mail order and impossible to check before purchase. Sometimes, for instance with FTD vinyl which always looks enticing, I struggle with this rule but so far I'm continuing to hold out.

 

Almost looks like after they were pressed, the loose records were stacked on each other, and as they grabbed each record to put into a paper sleeve (yuck,) they scraped the records against each other.

 

Only a problem if noisy. Warps are unacceptable. This is not related to sleeves but to the plating and pressing process. I have had dead silent backgrounds with vinyl that looks like this. Over the years noticed it is mostly with US pressings.

 

Lucky you. It's been the other way around for me. Pristine-looking used crackfests. With sealed Lps, great sound with minor to no noise issues.

 

May not be a popular sentiment, but Vinyl isn't really made for the Internet age - it's too fragile. Back in the day, when most if not all purchases were made down the local record store, things worked well. But in the modern age of Internet buying, it's surely a minefield. So much can happen to Vinyl to degrade it, let alone the covers. Our mail services aren't too good with fragile things. Hell, I receive CD's where the case is smashed, what hope Vinyl?

 

Your post reminded me of something - from like 35 years ago when I used to buy vinyl at local music stores.

I can remember - all the time - going and flipping through LP's in the racks. Hundreds of people. This was just how it was done. Since vinyl was the standard - anyone looking for music was flipping through the vinyl. And over time - you started to notice that many of the corners of the outer sleeves were bent. I admit - I'm sure I was a culprit as I was only 10 at the time looking for KISS and other records that had really cool covers

But I find that now - with all my 'new' internet orders from Amazon etc - they arrive in pristine shape (at least on the outside) but I've had no internal quality issues yet.

 

Well, times were different - these days people seem to throw their arms up if the corner is bent - back in the day, not so, in my experience.

 

You're not alone. I rarely get records that are damaged and I buy a lot of them. Now, I have received some records with damaged covers where it looks like the post office drop kicked my record on to my porch. But even that's rare. I think a lot of this gets exaggerated on this forum.

 

Yeah- I am sick of this too. I just received all 4 of the new Kings X vinyl reissues (pressed at United I believe) and they ALL look like the pictures in the OP. All 4 of those titles - the vinyl is housed in plain paper sleeves and perhaps that is why. Unfortunately, it is NOT simply cosmetic, these records are very noisy.

 

I ordered about 50 during a holidaze buying binge last year (into early this year) as sales prices were too low to pass up. Opened about 10 so far. The Byrds 5TH Dimension was so warped the whole album cover was bent. Nice red vinyl but oh, that warp.... (Friday Music Re-issue, 180gr vinyl). Ditto my Creedence Bayou Country tho not as bad. Fortunately my various Shure V15 Typexxx's track them ok and surprisingly, no "rushing" noises. Kinda crappy tho, I don;t remember a 20% warpage rate from back in the day. Hopefully (fat chance) the unopened LPs will all be perfect.

 

I don't open my LP's until it's time to listen to them. And I'm trying to enjoy my new record purchases by listening to them - and listening to them a bunch of times - like the old days (when I was a kid and could only afford one a month). So, while I've received 15 LP's this month, and have about 10 more on the way (I'll slow down then I promise ) - I've only opened 4 so far.

If I get burned and a bunch are in bad shape when they get opened I might change my ways - but for now fingers crossed!

 

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It's a bit hit and miss with vinyl. It is annoying, but it is what is. The quality controls just don't seem to be what they were. It's pot luck now whether vinyl arrives in decent quality or not. I always used to buy vinyl and CDs, but this situation has put me off so much that dropping the format was my only option. Now I only buy vinyl if it's something like the Queen coloured vinyl box set. I buy it purely to look at, not to play.

 

True, we have had these threads before, but I think the OP may have been genuinely shocked by how bad it can be. The OP pics remind me of thrift store vinyl.