If it is an easy to find record, I would go with my heart to make the choice. If they are both rare records and this is my chance to grab both, I'd do it. Far too many times I have seen an album and wished I had picked it up. When I went back the next day, some other lucky soul beat me to it. You snooze, you lose.
That said, I just pulled out over 200 records that I am going to purge. At some point I bought them because I wanted them; I enjoyed them at the time, but I can't remember when I last played them; now they are just sitting on my shelves, and I can't see myself ever actually listening to them again. Time to let somebody else enjoy them. I'll use the money I get for them to buy a few rare goodies on my want list (and put some away for when I need to replace my stylus).
Thank you, Michael! The distinction you make based on the rarity factor (or lack thereof) is an essential tenet of building a successful collection — holistically successful, i.e. a collection that brings you joy whilst also allowing you to retain at least part of its value so you can then sell part of it and make room for new “love affairs” that might have piqued your interest as your tastes evolve. Which is exactly what you are doing now. All these points are so important — part of what I try to do here is to help those making their first vinyl steps get a sense of what will “matter” in 5, 10 or 20 years’ time. Thank you so much for your always very valuable contributions and for helping bring that message across! This is exactly what collectors should be focusing on.
Hilarious and informative, Andy, and your VOs are the best! Tough assignment, this, but, I'll answer with my '70s Houston used-record experiences in mind (and occasional early-'80s Capitol Records/L.A. parking lot record swap)....all minus any app/internet quick reference research abilities!
All things being equal, record-wise, I'd lay aside the one record that I somehow deduced I might be able to find later, elsewhere! Maybe even the same carton/table the following week or even month! This assumes I'll have more dough with which to afford this same record I couldn't earlier! Thankfully, I didn't have to face this dilemma often!
On the flip side ('cause records always have them!), I'd give extra love/warmth/likely sale to the one record (of the two) that seemed less likely to be found anywhere else in my travels, whether that be a promo, a rare, known-to-be-deleted, and/or older record.
I do love your choice of photos, too! The spaceman guy is so apt, as he obviously found a rarity in the most unlikeliest places (that AIN'T the Capitol parking lot)! As for your CoffeeCorner doppleganger, separated at birth you may have been, but I'm afraid the qute-quotient meter in the qorner is pinning toward 10 solidly in your direction, and even if he were to pop us a grin with his java, it wouldn't come anywhere close to the mega-wattage of your magnificent😄👍❗☕
Thank you so much, Brad! I am soo happy you enjoy (and approve of) my voiceovers 😅 It’s genuinely my favourite part of it all. I sometimes like to make a little bit of a parody of myself “the writer”, tear down that fourth wall and let the audience see me for myself. It’s nerve racking but I enjoy it so much. Thank you for always listening and putting up with my madness!
Thanks also for sharing your experience which you know is invaluable here. We, the post vinyl revival aficionados, all we are really trying to do is recreate the magic of those times, so your contributions are actually worth more than gold.
I completely agree that focusing on availability is the way to go when you have to make up your mind. The fact you think this way too is reassuring as it means I was and am more or less on the right path!
You are biased by love with your compliments, but thank you! If only my sunglasses skills were at that guy’s level though 😅
Always happy to share my vinyl vittles here, Andy...you know that! This is where they belong, when all is said'n'done! You're right about Mr. Shades (I'll call him Jimmy)....although, I'm guessing he's got a friend on top of a ladder, nearby, manipulating a fishing line tied to his shades, making them hop up'n'down.
Hmmph, I'm not impressed! I'll be showing Jimmy'n'his java out the door!☕👉🚪❗
Thank you, Vrad! 🤣🥰 Your vinyl vattles are always very velcome here!
Jimmy’s sunglasses game is impressive BUT you are right he might be having a helping hand there we can’t see from here… don’t even get me started 😅🤣 Can’t help myself can I?!
In the comedy game, we would call your stand-up, "working blue"....and, I'm all here for it! When next I visit Club Vinyl, I shall expect to pay a well-deserved cover charge, and will happily imbibe a crisp Chardonnay alongside your veddy Vritish Vinyl V.O.!
In fact, allow me to pass along a tidbit from my late brother's '70s stand-up routine (which I helped write, although not this, as it happens): For one V.O. in the future, adopt the persona of "spanking new comic, Red Weltz," and, let's see where you can take it (you'll be Red, working blue....why, you'll be purple)! See if you can get Club Vinyl raided by the local constabulary! We'll band together to bail you out!😁🥂
This was fantastic Andy!! As a rabid collector of Bermuda antiques in a past life, we’ve been faced with the choice of choosing. And gone with both. Knowing full well that we’d be eating rice and beans for the next two weeks. 😂
There’s some great advice here. My immediate thought, given your parameters, was that I’d go with the most rare. But obviously, if there was any way I could, I’d go for both. Ultimately, if and when I start collecting vinyl, that idea of researching and coming to understand what vinyl I actually want and learning about the rarity and what the values should be will clearly be very important.
I’m aware a lot of people use discogs to catalog their collection, both what they have and what their wish list looks like. Do you use discogs? Have you written about it before?
I was at the Old Spitalfields antique market last week browsing through vinyl and to be honest I felt a little overwhelmed. I know nothing about grading. Presumably different vendors have slightly different I interpretations of different condition categories. I wasn’t sure if it was a “done” thing to pull a record out of its sleeve to check its condition. A lot to learn for me here!!
Thank you so much, Mark! I'm glad you enjoyed the post.
I can totally relate: rice and beans or a simple salad for days feels like a small sacrifice compared to the joy a new addition to your collection can bring.
Faced with a hard choice, I'd also prioritise rarity. Resale value is more likely to hold up, for starters, and secondly, it should be easier to find the other record elsewhere. This is, in my view, the smartest choice when we have to pick one.
Yes, I use Discogs a lot: to keep track of my wantlist, my collection list, and to buy records. I wrote a post on Discogs a while back (it might have been before we crossed paths), so here you go:
There's also a grading guide in there which you might find helpful. Discogs uses the more complex scale which is M, NM, VG+, VG, VG-, F and P (Mint, Near Mint, Very Good [in 3 tiers: plus, plain, and minus], Fair, and Poor). Some record stores (especially brick-and-mortar) tend to use the more simplified scale of New, E (Excellent), VG (plus/minus). They rarely sell unplayable stuff unless super rare in which case they'll mark it as Fair or Poor.
The trickiest grading in my view is Very Good as it can mean different things for different people. Last summer I talked a little bit about this here:
And yes, absolutely: whenever you can, it's good practice to inspect the record when buying second-hand. You don't need to spend ages scrutinising it, though. I tend to have a quick look just to make sure there aren't any big marks or anything that would affect play (dust is annoying but can be removed easily).
Hope this helps! Thanks again for reading and commenting!
As I said last week, I don’t even collect vinyl—but I love these VOs. Exactly the right blend of cynicism (we all need a bit of that, right? I laughed out loud at the “we’re all in this together” line) and humor. See (hear) you next week!
Thank you so much, John! The fact you don’t even collect vinyl is hilarious but I love that because it proves that vinyl is just an excuse to connect and have a bit of a laugh together. Thank you soo much for tuning in! You have no idea how much I appreciate it. Seriously. One day I’ll get arrested by the vinyl police for some of the stuff I say, because I so desperately want to tear down that wall of snobbery so typical of record collector circles. But you can rest assured I’ll keep on live broadcasting from my cell! 🤣🤣🤣🤣
"sometimes I get a a little bit excited" 😁😁 That’s why the read-aloud version is always so good, Andy! I’m just like you—I’ll take both and figure out where to save later 😃
Love this! And hate having to make these decisions. I had to make a decision a few weeks ago between a used copy of INXS’ Shabooh Shoobah VG for $12 or a new copy of an anniversary (can’t remember which) reissue (clear vinyl) for $26… I splurged on the pretty vinyl.
Thank you, Kristin! Tough choice but I think you made the right call in terms of resale value. I suspect that second-hand record is probably not too difficult to get. Pretty colured vinyl is usually issued in limited batches so I wouldn’t be surprised if in 5 or 10 years time you can resell it and buy 5 other records with the profit! 😅
If it is an easy to find record, I would go with my heart to make the choice. If they are both rare records and this is my chance to grab both, I'd do it. Far too many times I have seen an album and wished I had picked it up. When I went back the next day, some other lucky soul beat me to it. You snooze, you lose.
That said, I just pulled out over 200 records that I am going to purge. At some point I bought them because I wanted them; I enjoyed them at the time, but I can't remember when I last played them; now they are just sitting on my shelves, and I can't see myself ever actually listening to them again. Time to let somebody else enjoy them. I'll use the money I get for them to buy a few rare goodies on my want list (and put some away for when I need to replace my stylus).
Thank you, Michael! The distinction you make based on the rarity factor (or lack thereof) is an essential tenet of building a successful collection — holistically successful, i.e. a collection that brings you joy whilst also allowing you to retain at least part of its value so you can then sell part of it and make room for new “love affairs” that might have piqued your interest as your tastes evolve. Which is exactly what you are doing now. All these points are so important — part of what I try to do here is to help those making their first vinyl steps get a sense of what will “matter” in 5, 10 or 20 years’ time. Thank you so much for your always very valuable contributions and for helping bring that message across! This is exactly what collectors should be focusing on.
(taking notes)
So flirt with the records, you say... okay got it! Lol.
Flirt away! 🤣🤣 If someone tries to kick you of the store, you can always blame me 😅
Hilarious and informative, Andy, and your VOs are the best! Tough assignment, this, but, I'll answer with my '70s Houston used-record experiences in mind (and occasional early-'80s Capitol Records/L.A. parking lot record swap)....all minus any app/internet quick reference research abilities!
All things being equal, record-wise, I'd lay aside the one record that I somehow deduced I might be able to find later, elsewhere! Maybe even the same carton/table the following week or even month! This assumes I'll have more dough with which to afford this same record I couldn't earlier! Thankfully, I didn't have to face this dilemma often!
On the flip side ('cause records always have them!), I'd give extra love/warmth/likely sale to the one record (of the two) that seemed less likely to be found anywhere else in my travels, whether that be a promo, a rare, known-to-be-deleted, and/or older record.
I do love your choice of photos, too! The spaceman guy is so apt, as he obviously found a rarity in the most unlikeliest places (that AIN'T the Capitol parking lot)! As for your CoffeeCorner doppleganger, separated at birth you may have been, but I'm afraid the qute-quotient meter in the qorner is pinning toward 10 solidly in your direction, and even if he were to pop us a grin with his java, it wouldn't come anywhere close to the mega-wattage of your magnificent😄👍❗☕
Thank you so much, Brad! I am soo happy you enjoy (and approve of) my voiceovers 😅 It’s genuinely my favourite part of it all. I sometimes like to make a little bit of a parody of myself “the writer”, tear down that fourth wall and let the audience see me for myself. It’s nerve racking but I enjoy it so much. Thank you for always listening and putting up with my madness!
Thanks also for sharing your experience which you know is invaluable here. We, the post vinyl revival aficionados, all we are really trying to do is recreate the magic of those times, so your contributions are actually worth more than gold.
I completely agree that focusing on availability is the way to go when you have to make up your mind. The fact you think this way too is reassuring as it means I was and am more or less on the right path!
You are biased by love with your compliments, but thank you! If only my sunglasses skills were at that guy’s level though 😅
Thanks again!! You’re the best!
Always happy to share my vinyl vittles here, Andy...you know that! This is where they belong, when all is said'n'done! You're right about Mr. Shades (I'll call him Jimmy)....although, I'm guessing he's got a friend on top of a ladder, nearby, manipulating a fishing line tied to his shades, making them hop up'n'down.
Hmmph, I'm not impressed! I'll be showing Jimmy'n'his java out the door!☕👉🚪❗
Thank you, Vrad! 🤣🥰 Your vinyl vattles are always very velcome here!
Jimmy’s sunglasses game is impressive BUT you are right he might be having a helping hand there we can’t see from here… don’t even get me started 😅🤣 Can’t help myself can I?!
In the comedy game, we would call your stand-up, "working blue"....and, I'm all here for it! When next I visit Club Vinyl, I shall expect to pay a well-deserved cover charge, and will happily imbibe a crisp Chardonnay alongside your veddy Vritish Vinyl V.O.!
In fact, allow me to pass along a tidbit from my late brother's '70s stand-up routine (which I helped write, although not this, as it happens): For one V.O. in the future, adopt the persona of "spanking new comic, Red Weltz," and, let's see where you can take it (you'll be Red, working blue....why, you'll be purple)! See if you can get Club Vinyl raided by the local constabulary! We'll band together to bail you out!😁🥂
This was fantastic Andy!! As a rabid collector of Bermuda antiques in a past life, we’ve been faced with the choice of choosing. And gone with both. Knowing full well that we’d be eating rice and beans for the next two weeks. 😂
There’s some great advice here. My immediate thought, given your parameters, was that I’d go with the most rare. But obviously, if there was any way I could, I’d go for both. Ultimately, if and when I start collecting vinyl, that idea of researching and coming to understand what vinyl I actually want and learning about the rarity and what the values should be will clearly be very important.
I’m aware a lot of people use discogs to catalog their collection, both what they have and what their wish list looks like. Do you use discogs? Have you written about it before?
I was at the Old Spitalfields antique market last week browsing through vinyl and to be honest I felt a little overwhelmed. I know nothing about grading. Presumably different vendors have slightly different I interpretations of different condition categories. I wasn’t sure if it was a “done” thing to pull a record out of its sleeve to check its condition. A lot to learn for me here!!
Thank you so much, Mark! I'm glad you enjoyed the post.
I can totally relate: rice and beans or a simple salad for days feels like a small sacrifice compared to the joy a new addition to your collection can bring.
Faced with a hard choice, I'd also prioritise rarity. Resale value is more likely to hold up, for starters, and secondly, it should be easier to find the other record elsewhere. This is, in my view, the smartest choice when we have to pick one.
Yes, I use Discogs a lot: to keep track of my wantlist, my collection list, and to buy records. I wrote a post on Discogs a while back (it might have been before we crossed paths), so here you go:
https://vinylroom.substack.com/p/buying-on-discogs
There's also a grading guide in there which you might find helpful. Discogs uses the more complex scale which is M, NM, VG+, VG, VG-, F and P (Mint, Near Mint, Very Good [in 3 tiers: plus, plain, and minus], Fair, and Poor). Some record stores (especially brick-and-mortar) tend to use the more simplified scale of New, E (Excellent), VG (plus/minus). They rarely sell unplayable stuff unless super rare in which case they'll mark it as Fair or Poor.
The trickiest grading in my view is Very Good as it can mean different things for different people. Last summer I talked a little bit about this here:
https://vinylroom.substack.com/p/the-benefit-of-hindsight
And yes, absolutely: whenever you can, it's good practice to inspect the record when buying second-hand. You don't need to spend ages scrutinising it, though. I tend to have a quick look just to make sure there aren't any big marks or anything that would affect play (dust is annoying but can be removed easily).
Hope this helps! Thanks again for reading and commenting!
Thanks Andy, I hadn’t seen the post on Discogs and grading quality. It’s exactly what I was looking for and have saved it for future reference.
So glad to be able to help! I should do a part 2 with more info at some point 😊
As I said last week, I don’t even collect vinyl—but I love these VOs. Exactly the right blend of cynicism (we all need a bit of that, right? I laughed out loud at the “we’re all in this together” line) and humor. See (hear) you next week!
Thank you so much, John! The fact you don’t even collect vinyl is hilarious but I love that because it proves that vinyl is just an excuse to connect and have a bit of a laugh together. Thank you soo much for tuning in! You have no idea how much I appreciate it. Seriously. One day I’ll get arrested by the vinyl police for some of the stuff I say, because I so desperately want to tear down that wall of snobbery so typical of record collector circles. But you can rest assured I’ll keep on live broadcasting from my cell! 🤣🤣🤣🤣
"sometimes I get a a little bit excited" 😁😁 That’s why the read-aloud version is always so good, Andy! I’m just like you—I’ll take both and figure out where to save later 😃
Thank you, Pe! 😅😅 I love writing, but I prefer performing 🤣🤣 It’s unscripted and it’s a mess, but I am so glad you enjoy!
Love this! And hate having to make these decisions. I had to make a decision a few weeks ago between a used copy of INXS’ Shabooh Shoobah VG for $12 or a new copy of an anniversary (can’t remember which) reissue (clear vinyl) for $26… I splurged on the pretty vinyl.
Thank you, Kristin! Tough choice but I think you made the right call in terms of resale value. I suspect that second-hand record is probably not too difficult to get. Pretty colured vinyl is usually issued in limited batches so I wouldn’t be surprised if in 5 or 10 years time you can resell it and buy 5 other records with the profit! 😅
Love it. I’ll apply this to going into a record store with my £50 voucher!! 🫠😅😂
Enjoy!!