whenever I buy new or used records I clean them properly and then re-sleeve the inner and outer with proper covers. On some of my records I have left the cellophane wrap on them and then put the jacket in an outer sleeve. Im not sure if that's a good idea or not. I guess I'm just trying to keep everything like new. Overkill? I've noticed as some of them age the shrink wrap becomes smaller and at that point it looks like it is bending the jacket and I take the wrap completely off I just use my outer sleeve. It doesn't happen all the time but I have to keep an eye on them. That tells me I may just want to take them all off. What say you? Any real real value to leaving the cellophane on the jacket?
Should be a poll. I usually leave them on, but I have specifically taken ones off that are 20+ years old and have gotten soiled or cloudy.
I can only answer in part because I don't buy an album for its value...myself, the cellophane comes off to be replaced by an outer sleeve.
Seriously I hate shrink wrap over my album jackets and I don't even like those plastic sleeves of people use. I like mine au natural!
I leave them on for a minute if they have a hype sticker. If not, it comes off. I will usually soon after peel the hype sticker off and cover the UPC code with it. If it wont come off. The cellophane is gone regardless.
I usually leave them on to keep the cover clean but then keep them out of the sun because they will continue to shrink on one side if subjected to heat and that's bad news. If they get partially ripped through use, they're gone.
Unless there is an issue with the shrink such as shrinkage then leave it on, it protects the sleeve and adds to the record's value, no downside.
once an LP was opened I put it in a clear LP cover.. If the shrink was pristine I left it on...double whammy protection!
Like others have said, cellophane stays on (with hype stickers) on singles, and on gatefolds hype stickers are removed from cellophane and cellophane is removed. Both get record bags thrown on them and the removed hype stickers from gatefolds gets stuck on the bag.
Some on, some off. All go into 5 mm mylar/ non-yellowing outer sleeve to protect the jacket, and they slide nice and easily on/off the shelf. Sometimes the hype sticker comes off easily and I stick it on the mylar; if I really want the sticker, will just cut it off with the shrink wrap on the back. If the shrink is too tight, I do the surgery, as I have seen records in old shrink wrap that damaged the jacket
I've left a few on over the years but I usually take it off as I always put them in an outer sleeve with an information sticker in the top left corner. If there is a hype sticker on the wrapper I try to remember to peel that off an put on a outer sleeve before I cut it open. It makes it easier to peel it off. I don't see any benefit in leaving it on as the outer sleeve serves that purpose.
I take the shrink off, and then carefully peel the hype stickers off and apply them to the outside of the poly sleeves I use
i have never left shrink wrap on a record , i was always told it could warp the record if left on too long. i do cut out the hype stickers and just stick them in the sleeve with the record.
