Used LP's, mistracking and groove damage?

[Spur07]

It's all in the title really. Most of you have more experience of vinyl collecting then me, just wondering how many of your 'used' LP's are groove damaged (or suspected to be worn)? Is this more common than people think, or can distortion in the upper frequencies be accredited to mistracking or poor pressing more often than not?

and I just wanted to say I wont be tolerating any cheap shots at my new avatar based on the lewd misquoting of my words, such as 'poor pressing', or even comparing the crack between a woman's breasts to the inner walls of a record groove :)

[Rare Bird]

I don't worry as it's one of the reasons i refuse to buy 2nd hand records unless i really realy have to..

[The Grand Wazoo]

And I'm almost the exact opposite to Andre!
I've been buying 2nd hand lp's for over 30 years and, armed with a RCM, I've made a tiny percentage of purchases that I've been badly unhappy with.

[Rare Bird]

The difference is i have a serious case of OCD, one single mark or crease sends me nutz :eyebrows:

[Spur07]

And I'm almost the exact opposite to Andre!
I've been buying 2nd hand lp's for over 30 years and, armed with a RCM, I've made a tiny percentage of purchases that I've been badly unhappy with.

that sounds like a good result chris, i guess dirt in the groove that causes mistracking can be mistaken for groove damage. i use the disco knosti cleaning system (2 baths) but in general I must have been a bit unlucky with some of my 'used' purchases - siblance in the upper frequencies - unless my carts aren't tracking that well :scratch:

[Spur07]

The difference is i have a serious case of OCD, one single mark or crease sends me nutz :eyebrows:

yeah andre, I can see your point. nearly all my 'new' purchases play fine, except some of the shitty 're-issues'

[Rare Bird]

siblance in the upper frequencies - unless my carts aren't tracking that well :scratch:

If your hearing it going towards 2/3rd of the record it maybe an anti-skate issue!!

[prestonchipfryer]

I have bought secondhand from various sources and yes, groove damage is quite prevalent on some of them., even after cleaning on my Moth.

If I hear groove distortion then I get rid of.

Even so, some new pressings that I've bought from Amazon and HMV, etc. are sometimes marked; which is bloody annoying when they are relatively expensive.

[Spur07]

If your hearing it going towards 2/3rd of the record it maybe an anti-skate issue!!

ok andre, thanks.

[Spur07]

I have bought secondhand from various sources and yes, groove damage is quite prevalent on some of them., even after cleaning on my Moth.

If I hear groove distortion then I get rid of.

Even so, some new pressings that I've bought from Amazon and HMV, etc. are sometimes marked; which is bloody annoying when they are relatively expensive.

isn't there a temptation to hang on to them preston, just in case its your cart or something else going on? I have two arms on my TT - one arm might have trouble playing an LP but the other arm will cope relatively well, and vica versa. that's what confuses me sometimes, although I haven't done extensive testing tbh. I think I read someone somewhere on another thread saying they never throw out an LP for that exact reason.

[Mr Kipling]

I once had a mate that was happy to buy secondhand records. After he got his new Rega 3 however, secondhand records weren't good enough to grace it.

If I find something interesting or a bargain, I'll buy it. Looking at it won't tell me if it has groove damage or not.

I have that gif Paul. Have you got this one? Still amuses me!

[Audioman]

Few of my second hand records have more than the slightest of flaws due to groove damage as I have always been highly selective. Less than genuine EX+ copies are binned, sold on or returned for refund from the seller. Frankly it is surprising how much ex to mint vinyl is still about.

Aquiring hundreds in said condition has been made possible from the internet. In the past I could get a few decent pressings from the Birmingham used shops such as Reddingtons until they closed. Fairs I have always found hard for finding realy good vinyl at a decent price and internet sales haven't likely helped what is available.

I have to admit in recent years obtaining top notch used vinyl has become harder unless price is no object. Fortunately the choice of decent reissues has steadily increased though 99% of the vinyl catalogue is never going to see a repress especialy from an all analogue source.

An RCM is essential if purchasing a lot of used vinyl. A fair amount of surface 'faults' can magicaly disappear.

[Spur07]

I once had a mate that was happy to buy secondhand records. After he got his new Rega 3 however, secondhand records weren't good enough to grace it.

If I find something interesting or a bargain, I'll buy it. Looking at it won't tell me if it has groove damage or not.

I have that gif Paul. Have you got this one? Still amuses me!

Yes, I find them quite mesmerizing, have you got the other version Stephen? Shame AOS can't handle GIF avatars.

I haven't got your one though, I think I've seen it somewhere before.

I think your right, sometimes you just need to take a chance on a title, especially if its rare. i've had some right dirty vinyl come up trumps before.

[Spur07]

Few of my second hand records have more than the slightest of flaws due to groove damage as I have always been highly selective. Less than genuine EX+ copies are binned, sold on or returned for refund from the seller. Frankly it is surprising how much ex to mint vinyl is still about.

Aquiring hundreds in said condition has been made possible from the internet. In the past I could get a few decent pressings from the Birmingham used shops such as Reddingtons until they closed. Fairs I have always found hard for finding realy good vinyl at a decent price and internet sales haven't likely helped what is available.

I have to admit in recent years obtaining top notch used vinyl has become harder unless price is no object. Fortunately the choice of decent reissues has steadily increased though 99% of the vinyl catalogue is never going to see a repress especialy from an all analogue source.

An RCM is essential if purchasing a lot of used vinyl. A fair amount of surface 'faults' can magicaly disappear.

Paul, have you ever found that even a decent copy can exhibit signs of groove wear? I think I may have a few, although that could be the pressing.

It depends where I buy from, like you I insist on genuine EX+/Mint from discogs or musicstack, even though quite a lot of stuff there is misrepresented :rolleyes: At local record shops or fairs I'll take a chance if its going cheap, say between £2 and £6.

[Mr Kipling]

It doesn't take much to amuse me, Paul. A bit of motion and I'm happy.

If you care to send your email address I'll send you some. Got a really amusing boob one. One or two good Batman ones too.

[prestonchipfryer]

isn't there a temptation to hang on to them preston, just in case its your cart or something else going on? I have two arms on my TT - one arm might have trouble playing an LP but the other arm will cope relatively well, and vica versa. that's what confuses me sometimes, although I haven't done extensive testing tbh. I think I read someone somewhere on another thread saying they never throw out an LP for that exact reason.

I don't throw them out, should have said relegated to my garage. :)

[Rare Bird]

Nice pair of knockers Stephen, they yours? :eyebrows:

[Mr Kipling]

If they were Andre, I wouldn't leave the house!

[Rare Bird]

:lol:

[Spur07]

i think i may have started a trend for boob avatars

[Rare Bird]

Hey Paul you've got a loverly pair anorl, you stay indoors alot too? :eyebrows:

[Mr Kipling]

I like this one.

[Audioman]

Paul, have you ever found that even a decent copy can exhibit signs of groove wear? I think I may have a few, although that could be the pressing.

It depends where I buy from, like you I insist on genuine EX+/Mint from discogs or musicstack, even though quite a lot of stuff there is misrepresented :rolleyes: At local record shops or fairs I'll take a chance if its going cheap, say between £2 and £6.

I've had one or two from ebay that looked mint but played with terrible distortion. Always got a refund from the vendor. Fortunately that is a rarity. I do go a lot by feedback. Less than 99.5% I check comments carefully. Also worth checking description carefully or maybe more importantly lack of.

[steveledzep]

I have bought a lot of used vinyl from ebay also. Less so recently because of rising prices of both item and postage. I too check the feedback and experience of the seller. I've rarely had to return an item. I always clean the vinyl and put in a new poly sleeve. My MC25FL fine line stylus is helping a lot, it gets into the groove where a stylus hasn't trod before I think. Recent reissues are generally rubbish IMHO, original 1970's stuff is far better !

Just my opinion for what tit's worth.

[Rare Bird]

One of the problems i'm faced with is the music i buy warants anything upto £1K each on the used market, a Re-Issue cost around £20.00, if i could afford those 1st issues i would'nt buy them due to condition they'd be in.. It was the large quantity of rare Prog/Psych re-issues that took me back to vinyl, if not i would still be suffering in misery with CDee..