I love shopping garage sales for records. It’s usually a wife forcing her husband to sell his collection- so yes, there’s guilt attached to profiting from his misery- but at least they’re being adopted into a good home!
One thing I always try to do when I walk into a record store is have a limited list of what I'm looking for. Now the hard part is sticking to that list.
I also on most occasions will walk in with my budget in cash, so if I am impulsive and blow it on one album, then I'm done.
Thanks for your comment, Bob! I don't do lists at physical stores because I want to keep options open. However, when buying online, I'm very focused and make a point of only buying what I initially wanted.
As for sticking to a budget, I'm with you 100%: I have a rough idea of how much I'm ready to spend each time, and if it means blowing it all on one record, then that's it.
The biggest problem I have, is that I've reached that point in my life where nostalgia kicks in, and almost everything in the store spark some memory. And a memory drives the, got to have it syndrome.
Ah, yes. I only buy on vinyl music where I want the particular experience of listening on vinyl, meaning only albums of extreme substance and weight -- those perfect albums where I want to listen to the whole thing all the way through, with no skipped tracks or filler. (This is why I will never own Double Fantasy on vinyl...) That limits things.
I am familiar with the nostalgia impulse. I occasionally see an record and go oh! and pull it out just because "I used to have this album!" and then I come to my senses and remember that it's really not that great an album, or it's lightweight and streamable. But every once in awhile, I come home with something fluffy... and then I just bring it on back to be sold to the next person with the same impulse.
Although I must point out the one one problem with having a list, is having multiple lists.
I have a list for albums by, genre, sub genre, guitar, solos based on which guitar manufacturer they're played on, albums that I should have based on cover artwork, albums that I can only purchase on days ending in Y, and many many more.
However, I think the most important list is the one for the albums that I think I can get past my wife...lol
LOL. That last bit though 😅. My husband actually encourages me to buy more records. So I end up splashing all this money on Mariah’s latest anniversary boxes and the like. Moral of the story: I may be married to a man, but I end up spending most of my money on a woman 🤣🤣
Do you always have a list? Because I'm at the point with my list where it's down to mostly things that are $$$ on Discogs (Let It Be Naked, etc.) that I'm not going to pay those prices for. At some point, I'll have everything I want on vinyl and there will be no list -- I'm curious as to what I'll do when that happens.
Yes, most of the time I try to have a list. My wants far exceed my budget. Sometimes though, my list is by genre, sometimes it's a list of 5 or 6 bands, and then sometimes it's specific to album said I'm looking for.
However, the list don't always work as I was in a store the other day and came across a Bikini Kill album that I've wanted forever and it was not on the list but it did go home with me.
I also travel for work, and I go to record stores in my free time, so I tend to spend more than I should.
I do that, too. I was in Spokane, WA for two weeks a few months ago and for whatever reason given it's only a small city barely more than a large town, they have about a dozen first class record stores. ???? That was my #priority during my off time.
I'm from the PNW and now in Maine (when I'm not in Liverpool) and I miss the PNW too, although New England is growing on me. Still, Bangor is about the same distance from Portland as Spokane as from Seattle, and there are only two semi-good record stores. There's something else going on there...
Thanks, Andres, for sharing your thoughts and article with us! I have a constant mental list of records I am always seeking, but I enjoy the hunt and just flipping through the bins.
I am very fortunate to live in a city with no shortage of record stores. I know them all well enough that if I'm looking for something in particular, I know which store will most likely have it. I also know which will have it for at least $3-$5 cheaper than the others. I've even had an owner of one local store call me when some rare records came in that she knew I'd be excited about. If I do see something rare and can afford & justify the purchase, I struggle to wait because I have lost out on some records I now regret snoozing on.
It's definitely harder to find really good deals. Gone are the days when a mono 1966 Love record could be found for a fiver!
Thank you, Michael! It’s great to build that kind of relationship/friendship with sellers. And yes, absolutely: once you spot that rare record which took you ages to find, it’s almost obligatory to indulge! Ahh… such a great feeling!
Great advice, thanks Andres! As you know, I’m planning to get into vinyl when I have more time in retirement. I’ll be coming back to so many of your posts when I do that (and will be asking lots of questions when that time comes!)
Thank you, Joe! I agree with all 3. Most sellers I buy from on Discogs are actually independent local stores, so it’s a win-win because it gives me a chance to support stores located miles away from me.
Sage advice all around, Andy! I make it a point to the bargain bins first- what might not mean much to the store owner could be the record you've spent years looking for.
After that, it's on to New Arrivals, then through the rest of the used records before finally making a last stop at the new inventory.
" not produced for the masses (save for a few exceptions)" -- what are the exceptions?
We've talked about this before, but the existence of Discogs still completely messes with head when it comes to record stores. WIth the exception of those rare finds (and maybe those are the point), physical record stores seem to be more of an exercise in the ritual of it than any kind of necessary thing. I'm not complaining, The ritual is literally why I buy vinyl, and we all know it's more rewarding as a ritual to buy a record in a store rather than online in the same way that meeting your true love by chance is more romantic than online dating. It's just... odd to go through the motions of hunting for something that I know is a few clicks away on Discogs. The whole thing is a bit of a mindfuck and I pretty much have to go through the conceit of pretending the internet doesn't exist when I'm in a record store, for it to have any real point.
On another note, there are two decent record stores nearest me. One of them is run by an older guy who knows very little about music and bargain bins things like classic Emmylou and doesn't know who Townes van Zandt is. The other is owned by a younger guy who knows his music and goes to the first guy's store to buy some of his bargain records to resell at market value.... and yet, where do I prefer to shop? The second guy's store, because they know their music and thus the interaction with the owner and the inventory is more fun. I rarely go to shop #1 because it's not fun to browse in a shop where music isn't as understood. So price isn't everything, for sure.
On the other hand, store #2 files their albums by FIRST name, which gives me a sick headache.
Adele’s “30” and Styles’ “Harry’s House” are two examples that come to mind. While their mass production can’t compare to 60s/70s levels, they certainly pressed way too more records than there was initial demand for.
I use physical stores/the net for different things, but yes, I get what you mean. I buy mostly online nowadays but when I shop in store I’m after stuff for which I know I would need to pay shipping if I were to buy online (in my case, this side of the pond, it’s mostly stuff that I know I could only get from the US but for which I’m not ready to pay £20 shipping costs 🤣).
Oh, I hadn't thought about the shipping. In the US, I encounter that with books... because of my specialised Beatles research, a lot of what I need is only available in the UK. So when I'm there, I stuff as many books into a suitcase that I can (often leaving everything else behind on the way back!).
Books is another great example. Sometimes it is worth paying for shipping, when you can combine several items from the same seller. But for a standalone record/book, I find it underwhelming (and expensive) to pay so much for the actual shipping (in some cases, especially records, the shipping costs more than the item!).
The problem I have is that shipping from the UK is utterly unreliable, at least where I am. I've never had anything actually arrive. I have an author contact in Yorkshire with McCartney interview tapes that I very much need, and I'm literally going to have to go to Yorkshire myself to get them because the post isn't reliable. (I have no idea if it's the fault of the UK or the US, but either way.)
Royal Mail is terrible, especially as of late. Hit or miss. So random. The US post is (in my experience, at least) more reliable, but slow. We can never win 😭
PS My first stop iin any record store is always the B's. There is no point to this. I have the whole Beatles catalog of course, and the butcher cover album is not going to be in the B's of any record store. But it's still and always the required first thing -- like making the sign of the cross if you're a Catholic entering a church.
Discogs is so great.
I love shopping garage sales for records. It’s usually a wife forcing her husband to sell his collection- so yes, there’s guilt attached to profiting from his misery- but at least they’re being adopted into a good home!
I love Discogs too. The amount of information is incredibly valuable, and the marketplace is a lot of fun.
Forcing someone to sell their vinyl collection ought to be grounds for immediate divorce in every state.
Lol. Here in England, I’d use it as an example to prove unreasonable behaviour 😆
I mean, it ought be codified by an act of Parliament. No court papers even necessary. Just grab the records and make a run for it, case closed.
Totally agree, though I'd say province. You know their compatibility as a couple is questionable! ;)
This is a great way to find a "forever home" for some great records. They're usually priced to move as well!
I love that too. Win win all round.
One thing I always try to do when I walk into a record store is have a limited list of what I'm looking for. Now the hard part is sticking to that list.
I also on most occasions will walk in with my budget in cash, so if I am impulsive and blow it on one album, then I'm done.
Thanks for your comment, Bob! I don't do lists at physical stores because I want to keep options open. However, when buying online, I'm very focused and make a point of only buying what I initially wanted.
As for sticking to a budget, I'm with you 100%: I have a rough idea of how much I'm ready to spend each time, and if it means blowing it all on one record, then that's it.
The biggest problem I have, is that I've reached that point in my life where nostalgia kicks in, and almost everything in the store spark some memory. And a memory drives the, got to have it syndrome.
Ah, yes. I only buy on vinyl music where I want the particular experience of listening on vinyl, meaning only albums of extreme substance and weight -- those perfect albums where I want to listen to the whole thing all the way through, with no skipped tracks or filler. (This is why I will never own Double Fantasy on vinyl...) That limits things.
I am familiar with the nostalgia impulse. I occasionally see an record and go oh! and pull it out just because "I used to have this album!" and then I come to my senses and remember that it's really not that great an album, or it's lightweight and streamable. But every once in awhile, I come home with something fluffy... and then I just bring it on back to be sold to the next person with the same impulse.
I almost always have a list and almost never stick to it. lol.
Lol. True that you always make lists!
Although I must point out the one one problem with having a list, is having multiple lists.
I have a list for albums by, genre, sub genre, guitar, solos based on which guitar manufacturer they're played on, albums that I should have based on cover artwork, albums that I can only purchase on days ending in Y, and many many more.
However, I think the most important list is the one for the albums that I think I can get past my wife...lol
LOL. That last bit though 😅. My husband actually encourages me to buy more records. So I end up splashing all this money on Mariah’s latest anniversary boxes and the like. Moral of the story: I may be married to a man, but I end up spending most of my money on a woman 🤣🤣
Do you always have a list? Because I'm at the point with my list where it's down to mostly things that are $$$ on Discogs (Let It Be Naked, etc.) that I'm not going to pay those prices for. At some point, I'll have everything I want on vinyl and there will be no list -- I'm curious as to what I'll do when that happens.
Yes, most of the time I try to have a list. My wants far exceed my budget. Sometimes though, my list is by genre, sometimes it's a list of 5 or 6 bands, and then sometimes it's specific to album said I'm looking for.
However, the list don't always work as I was in a store the other day and came across a Bikini Kill album that I've wanted forever and it was not on the list but it did go home with me.
I also travel for work, and I go to record stores in my free time, so I tend to spend more than I should.
My wantlist keeps getting bigger and bigger as well! It’s so big I don’t always remember it 😂 that’s one of the ways in which Discogs comes in handy
Totally understand. I think I can remember everything I have, but alas, that is not a true statement.
I am trying to get my small collection into Discogs so that I can keep track of it. But for some reason, it is a daunting task.
I do that, too. I was in Spokane, WA for two weeks a few months ago and for whatever reason given it's only a small city barely more than a large town, they have about a dozen first class record stores. ???? That was my #priority during my off time.
Spokane is a surprisingly good place for music. I've found a few gems over the years there. I think it's the Seattle influence.
I use to live in the PNW. I am now in a fly over state, and I really miss the mountains.
I'm from the PNW and now in Maine (when I'm not in Liverpool) and I miss the PNW too, although New England is growing on me. Still, Bangor is about the same distance from Portland as Spokane as from Seattle, and there are only two semi-good record stores. There's something else going on there...
At least you have elevation changes in Maine...lol.
I'm close enough to Chicago to get there every so often.
Thanks, Andres, for sharing your thoughts and article with us! I have a constant mental list of records I am always seeking, but I enjoy the hunt and just flipping through the bins.
I am very fortunate to live in a city with no shortage of record stores. I know them all well enough that if I'm looking for something in particular, I know which store will most likely have it. I also know which will have it for at least $3-$5 cheaper than the others. I've even had an owner of one local store call me when some rare records came in that she knew I'd be excited about. If I do see something rare and can afford & justify the purchase, I struggle to wait because I have lost out on some records I now regret snoozing on.
It's definitely harder to find really good deals. Gone are the days when a mono 1966 Love record could be found for a fiver!
Thank you, Michael! It’s great to build that kind of relationship/friendship with sellers. And yes, absolutely: once you spot that rare record which took you ages to find, it’s almost obligatory to indulge! Ahh… such a great feeling!
Great advice, thanks Andres! As you know, I’m planning to get into vinyl when I have more time in retirement. I’ll be coming back to so many of your posts when I do that (and will be asking lots of questions when that time comes!)
Thank you, Mark. This is very kind of you. I’m delighted to hear you find/will find them useful, and I am/will be one message/email away!
1. Discogs is great for harder to find items. Also, it's great to get a general idea of price ranges.
2. Support local record shops.
3. I have added many things via Amazon. Their prices on newer things can't be beat sometimes.
Thank you, Joe! I agree with all 3. Most sellers I buy from on Discogs are actually independent local stores, so it’s a win-win because it gives me a chance to support stores located miles away from me.
Sage advice all around, Andy! I make it a point to the bargain bins first- what might not mean much to the store owner could be the record you've spent years looking for.
After that, it's on to New Arrivals, then through the rest of the used records before finally making a last stop at the new inventory.
Cheers, Kev! Your itinerary is very similar to mine. Great minds!
" not produced for the masses (save for a few exceptions)" -- what are the exceptions?
We've talked about this before, but the existence of Discogs still completely messes with head when it comes to record stores. WIth the exception of those rare finds (and maybe those are the point), physical record stores seem to be more of an exercise in the ritual of it than any kind of necessary thing. I'm not complaining, The ritual is literally why I buy vinyl, and we all know it's more rewarding as a ritual to buy a record in a store rather than online in the same way that meeting your true love by chance is more romantic than online dating. It's just... odd to go through the motions of hunting for something that I know is a few clicks away on Discogs. The whole thing is a bit of a mindfuck and I pretty much have to go through the conceit of pretending the internet doesn't exist when I'm in a record store, for it to have any real point.
On another note, there are two decent record stores nearest me. One of them is run by an older guy who knows very little about music and bargain bins things like classic Emmylou and doesn't know who Townes van Zandt is. The other is owned by a younger guy who knows his music and goes to the first guy's store to buy some of his bargain records to resell at market value.... and yet, where do I prefer to shop? The second guy's store, because they know their music and thus the interaction with the owner and the inventory is more fun. I rarely go to shop #1 because it's not fun to browse in a shop where music isn't as understood. So price isn't everything, for sure.
On the other hand, store #2 files their albums by FIRST name, which gives me a sick headache.
Adele’s “30” and Styles’ “Harry’s House” are two examples that come to mind. While their mass production can’t compare to 60s/70s levels, they certainly pressed way too more records than there was initial demand for.
I use physical stores/the net for different things, but yes, I get what you mean. I buy mostly online nowadays but when I shop in store I’m after stuff for which I know I would need to pay shipping if I were to buy online (in my case, this side of the pond, it’s mostly stuff that I know I could only get from the US but for which I’m not ready to pay £20 shipping costs 🤣).
Oh, I hadn't thought about the shipping. In the US, I encounter that with books... because of my specialised Beatles research, a lot of what I need is only available in the UK. So when I'm there, I stuff as many books into a suitcase that I can (often leaving everything else behind on the way back!).
Books is another great example. Sometimes it is worth paying for shipping, when you can combine several items from the same seller. But for a standalone record/book, I find it underwhelming (and expensive) to pay so much for the actual shipping (in some cases, especially records, the shipping costs more than the item!).
The problem I have is that shipping from the UK is utterly unreliable, at least where I am. I've never had anything actually arrive. I have an author contact in Yorkshire with McCartney interview tapes that I very much need, and I'm literally going to have to go to Yorkshire myself to get them because the post isn't reliable. (I have no idea if it's the fault of the UK or the US, but either way.)
Royal Mail is terrible, especially as of late. Hit or miss. So random. The US post is (in my experience, at least) more reliable, but slow. We can never win 😭
well,on the bright side, I have a continuous rationale for why I HAVE to go back to Liverpool over and over again...
PS My first stop iin any record store is always the B's. There is no point to this. I have the whole Beatles catalog of course, and the butcher cover album is not going to be in the B's of any record store. But it's still and always the required first thing -- like making the sign of the cross if you're a Catholic entering a church.