How to Buy Used Record Albums
From LoveToKnow Buy
Shopping for used record albums has become an obsessive hobby for some diehard music lovers, and for good reason. As music technology advances, more and more people are dumping their old record albums off at shops to sell for cash to buy such items as iPods, CDs and MP3 players. If you love the sound quality of vinyl records and are ready to shop for some, take the below advice into consideration.
Tips for buying used record albums
- Begin by picking up your local yellow pages or doing a search online for used record shops close to your home. Jot down the phone numbers of shops nearby, then give each shop a call to be sure they sell used record albums (most probably will, but many just sell used CDs these days).
- Head out to the used record shops with a list of records you’re interested in looking for. Going into a record shop without a wish list can be maddening and head spinning, so it’s important to take this step.
- Seeing as how the product you’re looking at is used, it will be easy to inspect each used album you pick up. Look for surface scratches on the vinyl, as well as any other irregularities. If a used album looks to be in particularly bad shape, ask the shop’s salesperson about its condition, and whether or not it plays okay. You may even be able to convince the salesperson to let you put the record on in the shop for a listen.
- Learn about the shop’s return policies! It is very important to do this, for you’re buying used merchandise, and used merchandise can be a gamble. To be on the safe side, listen to the used albums you purchase as soon as you get home to make sure they play correctly. If they don’t, return them immediately.
- While vinyl record albums have become quite disposable, there is a huge international vinyl collectors market in existence. This means that many times you may find a used album with a steep price tag, and the reason the price is steep is because the album is rare (for instance, a copy of The Beatles’ “Sgt. Pepper’s” on vinyl that’s barely been played is going to cost a pretty penny). Keep this in mind while shopping, for many people are surprised when they pick up a used record album that costs over $50.
Caution
If you find used record albums at a garage sale, closely examine them (even more so than you would in a record shop) before purchasing. There’s going to be no return policy or the promise of money back if you buy damaged used record albums at a garage sale!
Where to buy used record albums
While it’s always best to shop for used records in person, there are some good, dependable spots online to go to as well.
eBay is one of the most popular places on the Web to shop for used records. Conduct a search by artist or band to find used records for sale.
Sonic Recollections carries a wide selection of used vinyl records for the serious collector and the purely nostalgic. Use their search engine to find the used record album you’re after.
MusicStack allows users to shop for new and used record albums from some 3,000 record stores by a variety of formats, including vinyl and CD.
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