Do UK dealers overrate their LP's?

Hyperbole, anyone?

 

I can add two more to that list:

muffmasterh
gunsight

I have bought dozens of LP's off both of them and all have been correctly graded. The first guy tends to have higher end stuff that goes for a premium and insists on signed for delivery which adds to the postage cost.

The second one has more regular LP's, the garden variety pressings rather than super rare 1sts, but all of the ones I have got off him have been better than I expected.

 

I just received a record from this UK seller, cmiddl1016. His grading was spot on, and he shipped the record really quickly. He has 100% positive feedback on 18500 ratings.

 

Just a couple of days ago :

The Hollies' Greatest Mono UK 14 Track
Discogs
His listing : Media Condition: Very Good Plus (VG+) Sleeve Condition: Very Good (VG) Laminated sleeve has light creasing. Some staining on back. MONO.
I send a message asking does it play through with no skips ?
He responds that he'll play grade it for me, give him a day or two.
He responds that there's a little SN, but no skips, or pops.
Impression so far is he's a nice guy that's trying to do right.
373 ratings at 100 %.
Record store vet of 25 years with a large collection he's selling off.

 

Yeah sorry, it is partially the sellers fault. The seller shouldn't state that the album sounds great when it doesn't. If the seller is commenting on the sound quality, then he better do his homework too. Obviously the seller doesn't have a clue either.

 

There are plenty of the US sellers that overgrade their vinyl too. It's not just the British.

 

Mike: Don't forget that a UK mono LP from this time period with even a few marks will play really well. I have a -1 mono Rubber Soul, with more than a few marks on it, and it is truly to die for. I have another mono -4 copy that is visually flawless, but plays no better than the -1 does. EMI knew what they were doing when they pressed these records. They are a joy to own and listen to.

 

Mike: Don't forget that a UK mono LP from this time

The German ATMP is = to if not better than the UK. Plus it comes with German made hard stock inners, which the UK copies neve did. All UK copies came with USA made paper inners.

 

Sorry this is absurd. It's not the sellers job to do a review of the album for you other then defects.

 

Put me in the same boat as well. A guy that I bought a bunch of Beatles stuff from gave me a -4/-4 mono Rubber Soul to make up for a mistake he made. It was marked up all over the place, and I was sure I'd never keep it until I tried it. Listening wise, it plays as well as anything I own.

 

Yes, having heard a good quality UK pressing since acquiring the German version, I have no complaints at all, and no plans to acquire a UK (unless a smokin' hot deal came my way!).

 

Sorry, but you're failing too see the other side of this and being somewhat narrow minded. I understand it is not THE JOB of a seller to do a review of the LP, but if he advertises that the album sounds great, but in reality sounds like a POS, then it's partially on him too, not the just the buyer who failed to do research. Absolutely not absurd.

 

Isn't sound quality a bit subjective? I've heard LPs that people have raved about that I think sound like mediocre mastered CDs.

 

I'm with ridernyc and hvbias on this one. Sound quality is subjective. If the seller says it sounds good and it does sound good to him then he's telling the truth isn't he?

 

Learning a lot from this thread. Had my first bad experience with a UK seller ever. I usually by action figures from the UK that were never made here in the US, 70's Mego figures, and have never had a problem with a UK seller. Figures you can see the damage done in pictures. Records are a whole other animal when it comes to grading. I know it is subjective, I'm also a comic book buyer, but when something is graded excellent it should have a few minor flaws. Won a Bad Company "Bad Company" LP from a UK ebay seller and he graded it as excellent. I figure it was going to have a little bit of surface noise and a few pops...but nothing major. Play the 1st side and it plays beautifully with a few crackles and that's it. Flip the record over and see a scratch that goes through "Bad Company" and part of "The Way I Choose". Feel the scratch and when you can physically feel the scratch it means it's not going to play well. Sure enough it's skipping all over the place. 3 different times through "Bad Company". I am ticked because after everything is said and done with paying shipping to the US this record cost me $17. Opened a case with ebay. I don't even want a refund...I just want to let the seller know that he needs to play grade his records. With the amount of money and time it's going to take I don't want a refund...it's not worth it. I'm all for starting a thread with reliable UK Sellers and reliable US sellers when it comes to grading. I'd also love to say who my UK seller was...but I don't know if that is allowed on the forum or not.

 

My expediences of vinyltap are very good
Mark at sugarbush records is pretty decent having used them several times.

 

Sometimes you just get lucky. I bought an early pressing of the Elton John S/T on DJM from a UK bookseller through Amazon. I had my doubts, given the source. This thing was remarkable- the vinyl was like new, so was the jacket. After I clean her out of everything she has, I'll consider revealing my source.

 

Except for a few select dealers, most LPs from UK sellers on ebay are overgraded. I only buy EX+ (US VG++) and NM now.

 

I agree. Why do you think lots of sellers have mediocre audio systems at best? Better for THEIR peace of mind. Now they can honestly say that the sound is good. But, truth be told, this is the same with lots of collectors too, especially 45 rpm collectors. Play grading makes sense if you know the guy or gal that is playing it and you know what equipment he/she plays the record on. Usually these people are vinyl lovers too. On quite a few occasions I had the feeling in the old days that whenever you visited a store/space/shack where they had lots of used records they made sure that the lighting was appropriate for the seller, NOT for the buyer who couldn't inspect the condition properly and thus would have to take a gamble...

 

If you're that suspicious about the whole thing, why don't you bring one of these along when you do your vinyl shopping?

 

From the UK yesterday : a SHINY BLACK copy of The Hollies' Greatest, on Parlophone, 1968. Cover as described, no splits, no tears, no damage, except for a coffee stain on the back of the flipback cover. AS DESCRIBED.

Vinyl : graded at VG+ as I said, visibly shiny, and black. No marks, scuffs, or scratches. No surface noise I can hear. No skips or pops. BETTER THAN DESCRIBED.

SIX DOLLARS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Result. My copy was inexpensive too. You just gotta keep those 'peepers' open for them.