Record stores in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island & Connecticut!!

Prices were very decent we thought. charlies was cheap even! out west is where they get pretty bad. we were in Arizona in February. that was a bit much.

 

Thanks for the review. Pity about Orpheus.

 

Interesting, and a completely different perspective of the store than I had. I went there a few weeks ago and was utterly unimpressed. Every record I pulled to check the condition on was VG or worse. Which I found completely unsurprising since the record they were playing in the store was scratched and making a loud pop every revolution. There were a few things I might have bought but not in the conditions they were offering. But then I generally avoid records that aren't NM or damn close to it.

Were the records you found in good condition?

 

Article on greater Boston Record stores

https://www.boston.com/community/re...-record-stores-greater-boston-ultimate-guide/

 

great question. I am not the best shopper, checking every record that is. it depends on the venue. the bai conte record was nearly unplayable and was shocked that they would even try to sell it. I haven't had time or energy to call them and say as much. I assume a certain level of professionalism, but ultimately my bad. the other records that were used sounded fine, a couple were new. I always run used records through the record washer mk2.
there is a massive warehouse sale twice a year (occurring now), the friends of the library, with about 30 bins of vinyl. I certainly inspect those carefully. as many boxes of cds also, and have to mention that this year ALL classical cds are being sold for $0.25 a piece. popular cds $1.00. tiring on the eyes but there are a few gems to be had. I pulled an Olga Kern Rachmaninov disc that she autographed, quite a surprise..

I can see though why that store is not for everyone.

 

Took my son to see Monster Jam in Foxboro yesterday and stopped by the Newbury Comics in Norwood. Hadn't been there since a couple of days before the Plague Times started in earnest. And there is still a good quantity of used vinyl at completely reasonable prices. Picked up a few nice things. Definitely worth the stop if you're passing through.

 

Newbury is only worth perusing the clearance racks as far as I’m concerned. Some gems I’ve found there for sure but their normal prices are ludicrous.

 

I paid below Discogs and eBay prices for nice copies of these 3 and none of the regular haunts on the Northshore would have had them for less or even close to the prices I paid. None of the used prices I saw were at all out of line for MA/NH stores.

Skip James - Skip James Today!

Bobby Bland - The Soul Of The Man

John Mayall - Blues From Laurel Canyon

 

I bought Siamese Dream recently for $45 online. My NC had it for $62. Went on RSD for Chet and it was $42 (most stores had it for 30-35). Prices are usually 20% over asking at my local store.

 

I’m talking used prices. The Norwood store has a large used section that seems to be somewhat semi-independent (I’m speculating, but it seems that way). Most of the other Newbury Comics sites around here don’t carry any used records at all. And I myself wouldn’t really go for any new records not on discount and with a coupon. So don’t pay attention to differences in new vinyl prices.

 

Yeah my local doesn’t do used so it’s all new that I’m referring to.

 

I think you are confusing what zbarbera said; he was referring to their used inventory not new. The Norwood store has a fair bit of used inventory that is reasonably priced, compared to other used record stores in the area. You aren't likely to find any "wall records" there but for average bin stock it's comparable. It is a good place to pick up recent releases used, I've bought a few VMP's there for example.

 

That Skip James is definitely a wall record! But generally, yeah. They have a ton of Mofi releases, but not my thing. They had some expensive Beatles on the wall, but no titles I am looking for any particular version of, so didn't check what made them so expensive.

 

I thought that the used LPs at the Norwood store were there on consignment? I know that the used LPs in the Portsmouth Bull Moose store are all on consignment. I just met the guy who stocks their used section last week. He's been doing it for a long time. He used to do the Salem, NH store too but I think that ended when they moved to their current location.

 

I'll add that as far as new/sealed stock goes, the last time I was there (a few years ago now), they still had specials on certain albums, e.g. I picked up a copy of A Night at the Opera for about $17.

 

Nope, the Norwood store will buy used vinyl. It's the only one though.

Pretty sure the Salem NH store does it's own used vinyl now. I've brought records back there before and the manager has asked me if the return was so bad that he should not put it in the used section.

 

I agree with the comments regarding Newbury's Norwood location. They also seem to have more pink special stickers on new stock than do the mall locations. On my last trip there I picked up the MOV pressing of Miles Smiles for $22.

As to Bull Moose, the Portsmouth location is an outlier as to how they managed their used stock. The other stores have increased their purchases of used stock. I'd been to their Scarborough store for RSD and they were ecstatic about a large jazz purchase they had made that needs to be rolled out over time. It's a combination of commercial and bucket list releases.

 

Big Dig Records, on Mass Ave. in North Cambridge recently got an incredible mint-looking collection of OG post-punk and related lps and 7"s—99 Records, tons of Factory, Crepuscule, Wire-related (like 3 Dome lps! Duet Emmo!), Killing Joke, etc. Priced a bit less than Discogs, I'd say. Stuff you never see these days. I guess it was put out last week and a lot of it's gone, but lots of great stuff left.

A few weeks ago I visited Music Research Library in the North End. Really nice space, nice people, very eclectic selection. Unfortunately both lps I left with were in kinda rough shape for the price. I would've examined them closely in the shop but they package lps in those re-sealable plastic bags and it was too unwieldy. SO,,, I'll go back, but I'll examine things.

The Boston store scene definitely seems to be looking up.

 

Johnny's In Darien, CT

Gerosa in Brookfield, CT

RPM in Hanover, NH

All worth a visit

 

Lol. I got in an argument with the owner of the collectibles (mostly comics, you can tell records are just an afterthought) place up in the Rockingham Mall because of those stupid bags. I found a few things I might be interested in that he hadn’t way overpriced and I was checking condition and the sleeves stuck a couple of times. And I carefully unstuck them and carried on and he suddenly insisted that I give them to him and he will take them out for me. Yeah, I’m not a 5 year old, thanks anyway. I walked out.

In all my years and with all of the thousands of records and comics that have passed through my hands I've never damaged a sleeve or cover with a sticky outer. Now, old school comic sleeve scotch taped shut? Yeah, that's happened.

 

Pretty good record shows.

 

Ugh, hate those.

It wouldn't be hard to do, though, if the glue were too sticky. But if store owners are worried about damage from those sleeves, maybe don't use them?

 

No offense, but IMO if one prefer “NM or damn close to it” unless You are pretty wealthy, which most people aren't, I'd stick to modern digital reissues or CD's.

Personally, I never understood this “elitist mentality”, IMO with vintage LP's it's always a some kind of compromise between rarity and condition and that's what makes it interesting. Simply dropping 3-4 digits sums for best possible rare “museum piece”, well even If I was rich, I'd find it pretty boring. Again, no offense and nothing personal.

 

Having been to Deep Thoughts, I don't think there's anything in there that's routinely in the $100+ category, used. Judging by their discogs, they only have one item close to $100. I think it's entirely fair to want a decent sounding record if your used price is nearing what a new record costs.

 

Last time I went to Newbury in Norwood was late April when they had the RSD return coupon and there was definitely less used vinyl than there used to be. I was really disappointed.