The jacket is meant to protect the record. Ideally it would never get damaged, but if the corners are dinged I try to think of it as well, it did it's job...the record itself is still pristine.
I see what you’re saying but for me, the jacket and artwork is an integral part of the album (or single) and is part of the reason I love vinyl. Most of my vinyl are now in plastic sleeves to make sure that wear and tear is minimal.
@@tomboyd8 Don't get me wrong, once I have the record I take good care of them best of my ability, but I don't plan on selling them so I'm cool with a bit of initial damage.
When records where popular we didn't care too much about the packaging. These recordings were disposable commodities. We treated them like newspapers. Music soon went out of date and we all wanted the latest hits so only the most anal retentive people looked after them... the same type of people that collected newspapers.
GROW UP!!! That’s NOT the way the world is. You CAN’T get immediate satisfaction all the time. Besides, if you save for a record and then buy it when you have the money, you’ll enjoy it even more, for you’re savoring the fruit of your labors!!!
My biggest beef is when I buy an album from like the 80s or the 60s and it’s in absolute pristine condition. I’ve been fortunate enough to stumble upon these frequently. That part is fine. The part that kills me is that these records have so much history and they make it through so many hands and then I do something dumb like crease the corners or drop it on accident and it’s like “damn this thing survived all these years and all it had to do was to get into my hands“ LOL
It drives me nuts too, but I agree, I feel better about it now too, knowing I’m not alone! A record clamp, not a weight, solves this issue 99% of the time. You can get one by Mitchell for under $100
When you see a record slightly above what you would pay for it so you don’t buy it and 6 months go past now every copy of that album will be going for like $100 more than the price I could’ve got for. It just hurts man....
When a drop sells out in 10 seconds. Adding insult to injury, seeing pics of the digital image being used by flippers selling a record that they haven’t even received yet for 5x the price.
@@izziedrizzle lol Daupe only sells out when it's a Westside Gunn release. They had an album release a couple weeks ago and that sold out in 30 minutes
This is seriously one of my favorite videos you've done. I have learned a while ago to just love the records the way I receive them. With their dings and slight creases. Thanks for posting!
Most annoying thing to me personally is 99% of everything on RSD is stuff I don't want or stuff I never heard of and the one or two releases I want sell out to scalpers
@Billy Mueller Billy, I was always so afraid to admit this, but that’s my experience too...I always look forward to seeing the list, and I never know 80%, and only 5% I’d be interested in buying...
The warped record business is what really bugs me. I can deal with a corner ding, but it's SO hard when it comes to a warped record dancing on my turntable- especially if it's an artist I really like. I think I need therapy for that.
Great video as always Matt, this is one of my favorites that you've done in a while! As a vinyl collector there are a number of things I have grown to accept over the years, and I feel like too many people today get hung up on these minor annoyances. As you said, these issues a lot of the time aren't probably with the time and energy. Just sit back and enjoy the music.
I pay $35 to $60 on average for my LP's. If they are not perfect when new, they go back. Fuck that. If I pay $15 - $20, then I can forgive. But companies who put out special LP's want me to spend more money, then they better give me perfection. I don't even think twice about it. I guess you can settle if you are that type of person, but I don't settle. I pay top dollar for quality and I better get it. 'nuff said.
Great reminders, especially for those of us who took a 35 year hiatus from vinyl and are jumping back in again due to the resurgence of popularity. I’m glad to see you approaching things realistically and reminding others of what the expectations should be going in (or in my case, back in)
@@josephshelton4599 The only problem could be that some labels switch pressing plants on occasion. Best advice would be to compile your own list based on Discog comments and the Steve Hoffman Music Forum. And even good-reputation labels have the odd pressing issue.
I'm gonna sond old here but I have been collecting off and on from about 1970. Alittle warping was the norm even back then. The sound of the needle drop is electric to me and most of my friends. It's like a signal that says get ready for some goodness.
One of the most annoying problems that I've had is with off-centre pressings. I've had to send a few records back because this issue has caused the music to sound weird -- kind of off-pitch or wobbly. I'm not sure what the technical term is for this sound, it is "wow"? In any case, I'm quite sensitive to this sound! edit: I'm in agreement with you about corner dings and slight warps. These things happen, and as long as the music sounds good then that's all that matters. Great video!
Nakamichi came out with a turntable in the mid '80s, the TX-1000, that was self centering. I don't remember the list price, but I'm sure it was hyper expensive. They don't come up on the used market very often, but if one ever does, I'm sure you'd have to sell your Ferrari to get the funds to buy it.
@@DetroitStars Nakamichi Dragon CT. very expensive (in Australia it was about 8k in the 80's) and still expensive on used market. worked well, just never sold because of price. sells for about 10kusd now. Iam working on a kit that will centre the record on any tt. will release info soon.
I think people overclean them, and it ruins the ease and enjoyment of the hobby IMO... most records are good to go with a good quality carbon fiber brush sweep before each side.
I buy a lot of used records. Before they go on my TT, I wet clean them. Of course, I swipe them with a carbon fibre brush before I play them. I even do new records because they have a thin coating on them which makes them easier to remove once the pressing is done. I find it exciting to wet clean my records. It's just like sex. A bit of love play before you get to the real deal! Stay safe.
I came to grips with slightly warped records as soon as I started buying new ones. Matt is right, the perfectly flat record is a bit of a unicorn. I don't accept all of them, but small humps I'll let pass.
I can get behind some of your points. As a former record store clerk a lot of people would bring records back with complaints when they are using some questionable players. I’m not anti Crosley. Everyone has to start somewhere. But oftentimes a better player would solve a lot of their complaints. I agree there is a balance of some small imperfections vs defects that degrade the experience or fun. But to deny the rise in demand pushing on quality control doesn’t work for me. I’d rather wait longer for quality than have rushed product. And sometimes when pay hundreds of dollars for a box set and the seams are split that can be tough to swallow. I totally let stuff go alllll the time. It’s a balance otherwise you can go nutty. Nice topic and I see lots of great comments here. Some I can get behind and some no. Thanks Matt!
It drives me nuts when people harp about jacket damage. I have close to 3000 records and a small.fraction of them are pristine. They were bought to be listened to. Shipping is a bear. The delays don't bother me much. As long as the label/seller makes good on the product, I am happy. *Except Weezer delaying Van Weezer for a year. Lol
Great video to put things into perspective, especially the first few minutes talking about splits, corner dings, etc. I just got a bunch of records in the mail this week and a few have minor dings here and there that I know shouldn’t bother me as much as they do. Nice video! 👍
You can also improve with better cartridge. I bought a lot of classical records and was week sound. I happen to have several tables with different cartridges. By using the ones with the Shure M91ED brings these records alive. I know not everyone can have more than one table. So you find a cartridge that is a medium to you.
While the number of records I collect increase in number, the amount of time I have to sit down and listen to them in peace remains the same, or sometimes decreases. Thus, some albums may never get heard unless I stream them on the computer.
@@TooManyRecords I concur. i am addicted to collecting records and don't even open 80% or them. But i don't want to sell them either, even the ones that are drastically increasing in price. Honestly i mostly listen to the actual music digitally, in the gym on youTube music. Will i ever open many of the records.........who really knows?
same here. a wife, 2 kids, etc. makes it hard to listen to vinyl in peace unless it's 1am and they have all gone to bed. i buy more vinyl yet have less time to listen to them.
Right now the used stores with restrictions are getting very few trade-ins. People are selling everything on line at maximum price + shipping & buyer beware.
Awesome video Matt great topic. I also would like to say is I like your new room and the background. The most annoying thing about collecting records is when you miss out on a record on record store day. But like you said it happens you get some and you miss some. Just move on to the next Album you want. Unfortunately can't get them all.
I have had vinyl long long before you were born. Everything you point out as regards album warping slight damage to jackets has always existed. I will say however, the difference today is they cost like a premium product, and we should expect a premium experience. It is not like going to the record store in the day and choosing it on record, cassette or 8-track.
I agree 100% Matt. I recently received an album from UK which was packaged well but contained a very minimal warp which was only noticeable when you stood over the turntable but the record store did give me a 16% discount beforehand so all good. Years ago I purchased an Italian white vinyl pressing of Dark Side Of The Moon which normally goes for good money on Discogs but unfortunately the album is unplayable because even though the album looked in good condition it popped and crackled all the way through- obviously a poor pressing. I took it back to the record store and they played it and agreed and gave me another pressing and let me keep the poor copy.Keep up the great work Matt
That's what you get for buying records online, you should be supporting your local new/used record shops as much as possible. The thrill of digging through boxes of records and finding something you didn't know you wanted beats buying ten records online.. And as online record shopping is killing record stores, you're helping to put your local stores out of business. That's why most of the best record shops from 15/20yrs ago are gone now.
Amen. I demand perfection and it's bullshit to give the pressing plants any leeway over this. I guess if you spend 15 bucks for an LP then you're use to it, but the prices I pay, fucking perfection.
This video was needed 👌 I’ve been collecting for about two and a half years now and I’m apart of the newer group of collectors and most of us constantly complain about everything little thing and it gets annoying sometimes.
Every seller should use whiplash cardboard packages. They 100% prevent corner damages on the jackets. Overall they're the best packages I have ever received in the mail.
Loved this video Matt! I wholeheartedly agree with all of your sentiments here, and really the only one I’m still coming to grips with is drops selling out so fast and then immediately seeing those releases on the aftermarket for outrageous mark ups. On that note, this was super timely considering what happened with the Punisher variant restocks this morning (you really couldn’t have planned it better if you tried), so I’m taking comfort in your thoughts on the matter here haha
Album quality is the number one problem with new vinyl ! The amount of money people spend on this hobby is frustrating when you actually are buying a less dependable medium . It’s a love / hate relationship for me . Also word of advice don’t run up credit cards to buy vinyl because you will develop some serious anxiety from it haha.
totally agree.. buying records since the mid 80s and although quality control was better back then, i hate vinyl snobs today going crazy about every minor scuff and shit.. great video.. had to be told... oh and awesome shirt, man!! 😁
The most annoying thing is watching labels reissue thing like Herb Alpert's Whipped Cream album (when you can find copies EVERYWHERE) while masterpieces that haven't been reissued in DECADES, or never issued on vinyl, go below their radar. Rumors is an AMAZING Fleetwood Mac album, but it's not hard to find GREAT pressings of that. ISSUE STUFF WE JUST CAN'T/NEVER COULD get on vinyl....please!!!!!!!!
agree with you on pops on clicks... specially new made records has that problem. I own sevral original US Pressing from the 50s on RCA & Columbia etc wich look terrible but they play super!! Re-issues in NM is often shit pressings...
You sir are an excellent therapist. You have put all these things in perspective, we listen to the lp not the cover, and yes pops and clicks do exist. Like you say we need to live with it. Love your videos.
Good video, thanks for sharing your thoughts. I must disagree about warping though. In my experience 90% of modern pressings are slightly warped and that's not acceptable. For me it's down to the pressing and possibly the inexperience of the person doing it. However, unless we hold the record companies to account over this, things will never improve. Almost all of my vintage records are perfectly flat and I see no reason why modern record companies should not be striving to achieve the same.
Most annoying thing are private seller of used vinyl who think, their record in the worst condition must be worth hundreds of euros because its a Michael Jackson (or another big and famous artist) record 🙄
I try to be cool with jacket damage, it's hard to avoid ater all, but man did it suck when I took my copy of Blackstar home and one of the corners was crushed in. I must've messed it up in transit and not noticed. :)
I think my biggest problem is the storage space. I began collecting in july/august 2020, and now i have over 250+ records 😅 Moslty Elvis Presley since i am a huge fan of his! But beside the run down records from time to time, for the most part my records have been in good shape even though i mostly buy used 60/70s. also buy new from time to time 😁
You can't expect a 50 year old album to play perfectly unless its sealed. Took me a while to deal with that, but its true. I can put up with that but jumps or sticks is a no-no.
Thank you for doing this video, Matt. I see so many comments online about a record with a small flaw and they make a big deal about it. You're right, we just don't need to sweat the small shit!
Good video and totally agree. People have to watch how much we willing accept. Very small part for quality issues. Companies will push to see how much they can get away with. It wouldn’t surprise me if some companies knowingly ship inferior quality. Mostly because of money.
Minor annoyance for me (before I learned the fix) were records when the center hole was too small to fit on my spindle, or fit on the spindle too tightly. Getting those records off the platter made me fear I was going to warp the hell out of those records that had that issue. I get this with about 1 in every 15-20 records I buy (new, never had the problem with a used one before) If you have a decent pair of scissors, all you have to do is shave a bit of vinyl from the center of the hole with one edge of the scissor, but it works. Hate having to do that, having pointy objects and semi sharp edges around my vinyl gets me a bit anxious, and I worry if Ill shave too much and ruin the record and/or the label, but I haven't done so yet.
Thanks for this , definitely helps me keep my sanity LOL! I sometimes get caught up in the tiniest defects and start thinking of ways to upgrade a record - when the "upgrade" might show up and be worse LOL! Great points made in this vid.
Just got animal collective mpp the other day, brand new for a lot of money, ordered from another country and the whole inner spine was creased, as well with both inner sleeves containing seam splits. It's the worst feeling but both records sounded amazing so i just deal with it, but man it just dampens the whole experience
Great video. I’ve been reckoning with a lot of slightly warped records recently and trying to figure out where the line is as far as requesting replacements goes.
awesome video, really really true stuff. Comer damage never bothered me anyway, got some super super cheap motorhead records because they were packaged wrong, still sealed!! Sound great, vinyl is absolutely not for the perfectionist but most of us just get used to the pops and crackles anyway! Best wishes from PA!
I don't like it at places that bother filling up space with garbage. I don't me the type of music, as everyone has different taste. I mean covers really ripped up or records with deep grooves through out. Record covers do not need to be perfect, as I buy it for the music inside. The thing is the condition of the cover can be an indicator to a lack of care for the records. I have never stopped playing records and have a lot. Many not popular and some are. I like an array music styles. One thing you will notice even the most played records over 40 years old, still play pretty good and clean. Records were always put away after use. If cover started separating I made a repair. In the last 15 years started using plastic otter sleeves.
good video. i dont like 90 day/3 month wait for vinyl pre-orders. Some good labels have the 1 month waiting period or the odd time when pre-orders go live once the label has the records in hand and ready to ship the following week
This was not a problem 60 years ago. Today, records are not made for audiophiles, so quality does not matter. I don't agree that collecting records is supposed to be fun. Collecting and Listening to records is an emotional experience.
The thing with warped vinyl is strange! I've got badly warped records that sound perfect but other one's that are slightly warped that have a hiss when the needle hits it. Like you say it's not the end of the world so just enjoy the music!
I listen to my records at least twice a week as that is usually about as much time as I can. When I was single and alone I spent almost every day playing an album or a few 45s. Now I have a partner and animals around I tend to the house chores more than records but I still try and find a balance. The thing is, albums KEEP COMING OUT. New reissues, first time pressings that never were avail on wax. Just when I am good with my collection for example, something keeps me buying...and you better get it while it hot...as I have even seen a Britney album go from $25.00 to $95.00 in a matter of a year due to exclusivity. Back in the day it was casual shopping...now it is a craze. They def have great marketing for us collectors and I am here for it.
The most annoying thing for me is we're paying a good amount of money for brand new records yet some aren't mastered properly for vinyl. If you see companies like Analogue Production or MoFi on the cover it's a guarantee that it's done right and worth spending the extra money, but with the music labels themselves it can be hit or miss. So far there's never been a vinyl release of Metallica's Death Magnetic that hasn't got the awful Rick Rubin music
I bought a copy of Court of the Crimson King which has quite few quit passages it had lot of crackle and surface noise.. I bought another which was produced by Steve Wilson and Robert Fripp, no crackles or pops. It'shard to know which pressing will be good and which is bad. Also I tried the Milty anti static gun which did remove sound of crackling from Love's L.P. Four Sail. The Milty is not cheap however,I was a bit flush with cash at the time.
I was lucky and ordered the alexisonfire Live At Copps record and it was slated to arrive to me this Saturday but I actually got it today. I was super surprised and excited lol
hey i just wanted to say that i just bought my 1st record online last week and its supposed to come tomorrow this video was helpfull for me thank you man
@@TooManyRecords it was Lux Satanae a split album between satanic warmaster and the band archgoat limited to 111 copies and i got a hold of it on discogs and the reason why i bought a record on discogs was bc of your video so thanks man
One of the comments by viewer Glen Scott brought up a problem with vinyl pressing nowadays; and I am going to elaborate on this topic. Thank you, Glen for reminding me of this defect in producing today's vinyl. The topic is about that hole that should be drilled in the CENTRE of the record. Therefore, here is what I've got to express. I've been listening, collecting, records on, and off from the late 1980s; and have vinyl from the late 1960s, and 1970s. It is factually rare for that seriously inaccurate condition of this annoying, and ridiculous defect of a record to be off-centre in those good old days. A friend of mine has THOUSANDS of records mostly starting from the late 1950s, 1960s to the nineteen eighties; very rare to have a hole drilled off the centre point of a vinyl disc! As for way off the centre of disc, he has answered that he has no such vinyl that has this odd, and very inaccurate defect. We are digging further into the 21 Century. Henceforth, here we are with new records that are off-centre! In fact, I've watched on RU-vid whereby there was one such record that was way off the centre; maybe by at least an inch! I'm from Generation X - I was a little kid in the nineteen sixties. However, I remember the 1970s well enough; and the nineteen eighties that still had wonderful, exciting pop, and rock and roll music. Furthermore, the era of the '70 to the end of the 1980s was certainly not the dark ages when high technology, and accuracy are concerned! Then what is happening now with these off-centre records I hear about? How ridiculous.
What's the best way to make sure as best u can u know a record is going up for pre order? I miss these EVERY time & flippers r making bank off me. Also this video makes me realize what a pushover I am. I've only requested a replacement once when color was not what I ordered & I've gotten a chipped record, 1 so warped it's amazing it plays cuz it barely touched the platter, gatefold w/ 3 inch scratch on cover, etc.
This is partly why I primarily focus on used and vintage vinyl for my collection. I know I'm getting something pre-owned, that nothing about it will be perfect, even if it's listed as mint. So long as it plays through without skipping and the noise isn't overpowering, great! I'm happy! If not, well that was the chance I took, it's all on me.
I agree for the most part. I will say there are some premium priced records that have specially designed artwork and packaging. Part of their selling feature is the artwork and should be treated as such. It would be like ordering a nice car and it arriving with a huge scratch. Yes it's to get from A to B, but if you bought a Porsche you want it to drive and look good.
Intentional Foot stomping by your friends and house guests while your record player is running and skips the needle. It became a thing in the Late 1980’s when tapes and CD’s became the norm.
The Flippers are there due to the Limited Edition releases. Look at McCartney III a perfect example with all the color variation vinyl. All the other stuff is minimal that you mentioned.
Do a video on the importance of inspecting used records before buying. I got burned a few times buying use warped records(recently the Woodstock soundtrack) to the point of not being playable. Or a non-returnable used Tom Petty greatest hits album and the double album is a duplicate of the first disc. Live and learn. lol
Liked this one quite a bit. I think the thing that bugs me the most is the built in FOMO psychology. Fear Of Missing Out? I vibe with an album. It meets my personal requirements to be considered for purchase and then I find out that there is some super awesome extremely limited to rando website being sold exclusively via Bandcamp and I buy it. Find out there a super awesome extremely limited copy being sold on another website or retailer or whatever, but I already have it. FOMO. Do I buy the variant? Do I buy the variant and sell my other copy? Do I just keep this one sealed? Do I try to make some extra scratch for more records and flip it? I would have ordered this one instead if I had known! I know if I don’t get this one it’s going to be the one I wished I had. Probably worth a fortune on the secondary market. Probably sounds better than my other copy. FOMO. It’s what keeps you up late, waiting in a line, in the cold, on a sidewalk outside of your favorite record store all night before RSD with a plan on how to complete your list before going to the next store!
Since the pandemic started i am getting at least one record with a loud pop per order. Light warps and small damage to the cover are the smallest issues
Hey Buddy , thank you well put im on the same page but sometimes need to be reminded.I often think about those Pet Peeves and what annoys me, but then i let it go. For example... You've mentioned issues with warped records... I dont come across them that often , lucky enuff but there's one instance where a warped album got the worst of me.... I sent out for a oop record very hard to find in the wild . it was a 2 lp gf. It took forever to arrive and when it did it turned out to be warped, 😲 omg wtf, what now? I could of sent it back for refund but it couldn't be replaced. So now what? Right away Im searching for remedies . could go through the Oven prossess but the cons of it melting cause i didnt do it right Spooked me. I had to hear it and low and behold it sounded amazingly good 👍 and i was very happy about that. But still i was crushed over the fact that it was warped and had to look at it that way.... I took the next route and sandwiched it between two very heavy round stepping stones for over a month , and it did straighten out , somewhat. I played it again and even with it being "now" slightly warped it still played amazingly. Thats when i threw up my arms and surrendered to the fact. I now can live with its warp😏😌👍 thanx for making it easier to deal with if it ever happens again appreciate your thoughts and suggestions..... Peace ✌
Not sure I agree with you, in the past maybe, when records cost 2-5$ BUT today they cost 25-hundreds $ they should come in as perfect as possible. Then if I, damage it well then I don’t stress about because it’s on me.
Hey man, great video and many valid points. I’ve been collecting records since the mid 90’s and recently got back into collecting in 2016. I have about 5,000 albums in my collection and have noticed that most of the recent pressings aren’t quite as good as the older stuff. Heck, I have 30 year old albums that sound 10 times better than some of the new stuff. Again, great video. You got yourself a new subber!
good points here. and yes some of these things are more annoying to certain people than others. One of my biggest issues are with off center records and the pressing quality of them. overall buying vinyl has become a complete crap shoot. When you open the packaging, you have no idea what you are getting. Does the record sound good? is it off center? slightly warped? (that I can deal with). center hole the right size? How do you explain how (in a previous video) you mentioned the copy of "Wildflowers" by Tom Petty that you ordered had something on the vinyl that made you have to send it back, while mine was completely on-center, quiet, and flat? was it a bad batch in some parts of the country? last night I was listening to a 7" from this past RSD that was warped and slightly off center. it annoyed me to no end...sounded fine though. It's still readily available online for retail. If I order another one, how do I know it won't have the same issues? The overall problem is, yes, vinyl is an imperfect medium. but if that is going to be the case, then the cost of the actual record itself...and some of the ridiculous shipping fees that labels are charging...should not be so high and continuing to climb. looking forward to your thoughts on flippers.
OMG! I never thought those things were issues. When I get one with dings, I try my best to fix it. Then put it in a sleeve protector and seal it away. I use dual pocket protectors, the additional pocket in the back holds the record. I don’t handle the record sleeve once I seal it, it prevents from adding to any damage that it already has. I see a ding as a finger print, it’s one of I kind and easy to identify as yours. 😏
