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The Black Adder
04-04-2013, 07:40
Hi all.

Just wondering if any of you keep or collect original sealed LP's? I have a few of which I have other copies to play obviously so I was just wondering if this is a collectors thing or just for when the played copy has worn out?

Is there something about an LP that hasn't seen the light of day since it's pressing? Especially older recordings.

Alex_UK
04-04-2013, 08:19
Surely it is a collector's thing? I've got a few that I've acquired over the years, but all duplicated - a few I've picked up that weren't duplicates and opened them - there's something nice knowing you're the first person to play a record since it was made 40 odd years ago. Records should be played! (But I can understand why some might not want to!)

daytona600
04-04-2013, 08:50
Know a few of my customers keep them sealed for future investments or for resale and never open them , shame really as music is supposed to be enjoyed not stored away on a shelf

The Grand Wazoo
04-04-2013, 08:54
Get 'em open and played.

myles
04-04-2013, 09:06
Get 'em open and played.

Agreed. I just bought the John Lennon Singles Bag, a special from the US Record Store Day in 2010. I was under the impression (wrongly) that it was sealed. it wasn't 9but still minty). In a way I was relieved because I could play the singles without any guilt!

The Black Adder
04-04-2013, 09:43
Thing is the price of sealed copies of LP's are going nuts... Even reletivaly recent stuff so would this make people want to store them as an archive copy?

I've seen some LP's go for nuts money and then a few months later the price drops considerably as everyone wants to cash in saturating the market for the LP but then a sealed copy comes up and it's back up to premium.

Must be the nature of the beast.

I must admit though I do like to collect sealed copies, just don't want to pay the price... lol - I have sometimes bought two copies from the off...
- I must be weird.

trio leo
04-04-2013, 10:43
At a HiFi show back in 1984 I came across a new sealed copy of Thelma Houston and Pressure Cooker on Sheffield Lab, I was told it would be an investment, so I bought 2, IIRC I paid £25 each.
recently I saw one for sale at £30, big deal.

I can understand the attraction of having a sealed 2nd copy of a record, you know you can enjoy it all over again (if you don't keep it to sell).

However I have many 30 year old records that still sound great, so I'm not to bothered about a record being "worn out", so far it hasn't happened, although I have records I have only ever listened to one track only.

I do have a sealed copy of Kate Bush Aerial though.

enjoy your music

regards Al

Alex_UK
04-04-2013, 10:44
I do have a sealed copy of Kate Bush Aerial though.

Trust me - don't EVER open and play that one Al! ;) :lol:

sparrow
04-04-2013, 10:55
I always open and play sealed LP's..I do like to buy duplicate copies of albums if it's a particular favourite or a different pressing. My local store had two Pink Floyd originals of Dark side and Wish you were Here sealed he was looking for £400 a piece..he still has them and I would never pay that for an LP unless I won the lottery. Also some sealed records are resealed by the dealers I bought Nirvanas Bleach LP sealed and it was covered in greasy fingerprints..

Rare Bird
04-04-2013, 11:44
Get 'em open and played.

+1 cos they wont be worth anything more than an opened mint issue. tbh if i saw an old record still sealed id steer clear of it.

Audioman
04-04-2013, 11:51
Trust me - don't EVER open and play that one Al! ;) :lol:

Don't sell it without opening is my advice as this pressing run was notorious for bad copies. I had 3 copies from Amazon at the same time and mixed and matched to get a good set.

Keeping OOP LPs sealed is asking for trouble. I would put my overall fault rate for vinyl at around 10% plus over the years. Chances when you open it there will be a scratch or warp. Personally I would pay more for a near mint play graded LP than a sealed NOS copy. Unfortunately there are too many 'collectors' and 'investors' out there now that are forcing prices artificially high. You may be surprised to see the amounts bid on trashed 'collectables' on ebay even when the seller is up front about the condition. Eventually the bubble will burst and people will be moving these on at lower prices.

I can't understand anybody who pays just to look at the spindle marked label on a ground up piece of old vinyl. I buy vinyl for the music. The only reason for buying expensive (mint) early pressings of any title for me is if I know that these are by far the best SQ. Also with sealed vinyl you can never be certain in most cases of the label version and pressing matrix hidden inside, so making it impossible to establish you are getting what you are paying for. Also beware of reseals. I suppose you are safe for records from the last 20 years or audiophile titles that have one limited pressing, but still run the risk of a bad copy.

The Black Adder
04-04-2013, 13:04
Bloody ell.. Kate Bush Aerial goes for nuts money... I thought Goldfrapps Felt Mountain was crazy...

It would be nice if we could get figures to how many of each pressing were originally pressed.

Audioman
04-04-2013, 14:20
Bloody ell.. Kate Bush Aerial goes for nuts money... I thought Goldfrapps Felt Mountain was crazy...

It would be nice if we could get figures to how many of each pressing were originally pressed.

Don't know how many of Ariel but I would bet 1 in 3 will have serious pressing flaws. Strange about Felt Mountain as Amazon were selling them cheap only a few years ago. Appears profiteers move on as soon as something goes OOP. This was a slow mover for 6 or 7 years or they must have pressed a lot of copies.

MartinT
04-04-2013, 14:43
Don't forget to reseal them when you're done.

The Black Adder
04-04-2013, 15:07
Don't know how many of Ariel but I would bet 1 in 3 will have serious pressing flaws. Strange about Felt Mountain as Amazon were selling them cheap only a few years ago. Appears profiteers move on as soon as something goes OOP. This was a slow mover for 6 or 7 years or they must have pressed a lot of copies.

Felt Mountian seems to be on average £80 - £100. Glad I've got a copy to play... not paying that.

Rare Bird
04-04-2013, 16:04
Well times are hard £££ everyone seems to be taking the piss these days. :steam:

The Black Adder
04-04-2013, 16:31
+1 - Yep... my recent experience with a seller on Discogs has shown that.

Thing Fish
04-04-2013, 18:02
When I was a young man I used to collect Queen Vinyl and have a few still sealed including most of their 12" singles from Germany.

I sold a mint Roger Taylor album about 2 years ago for £700. So it can pay to keep them sealed...:)

I haven't done it since though.

WOStantonCS100
04-04-2013, 18:14
"Still Sealed" or "SS" = We've no idea what condition it's in or whether the pressing is good or junk. Nevertheless, we want you to pay crazy money for it. Poo's on you if it turns out to be a turd. Good luck and place your bid!

Audioman
04-04-2013, 18:52
Felt Mountian seems to be on average £80 - £100. Glad I've got a copy to play... not paying that.

Just Checked my Amazon account - paid £7.99 each for Black Cherry and Felt Mountain in 2006. A copy of FM went for £50 recently on Ebay.

Rare Bird
04-04-2013, 19:28
If i were to be pickey & choosey regarding pressing quality, i think id be down to a handfull of LP's (Probably letting the Sound Quality dictate my music style like a lot of peple do ;) ) . These days i just don't care too much, things like slightly wavey records & tiny dings on the sleeves do annoy me but i soon say to myself who really cares.

For instance i bought a new pressing of Pink Floyd 'Atom Heat Mother' the vinyl has very tiny traces of colour in the black, sign they had previously pressed off coloured vinyl but been a bit careless possibly coloured pellets have found their way into black, who knows. I wasnt happy but you know i couldnt be arsed to send it back. Seems my life long OCD driven perfectionist streak is breaking down as i get older.

Alex_UK
04-04-2013, 21:00
"Still Sealed" or "SS" = We've no idea what condition it's in or whether the pressing is good or junk. Nevertheless, we want you to pay crazy money for it. Poo's on you if it turns out to be a turd. Good luck and place your bid!

You do make me chuckle Biff, always rely on you to keep it real! :) :lol:

Rare Bird
04-04-2013, 23:03
Regarding collecting Records & the unbelievable high prices some go for, i don't think Quality, Scratches & the overall state of the thing comes into the equation.. It's all to do with owning a genuine item, a 1st issue according to an old collector mate of mine!

I used to cringe at the state of some er thur records he used to pay big cutter for mi bruvvers. :mental: Where as i was reverse mentality, Minto condition or I aint wasnt playing.

MartinT
05-04-2013, 06:12
It's even harder than that. Some used vinyl I've bought looks pristine but plays poorly because of groove damage caused by a badly setup deck. Others have had surface scuffs which you don't hear, the record having cleaned up superbly.

As long as I don't see deep scratches I'll often take a chance on it and put it a couple of times through the RCM.

Visual checking only goes so far with vinyl.

Haselsh1
05-04-2013, 06:34
I have a still sealed copy of ELP 'Brain Salad Surgery' that I bought from the Lanes in Brighton back in 2000. I know its not worth anything but for the time being, it is going to stay sealed.

Stratmangler
05-04-2013, 22:46
I have a still sealed copy of ELP 'Brain Salad Surgery' that I bought from the Lanes in Brighton back in 2000. I know its not worth anything but for the time being, it is going to stay sealed.

Waste of a record IMO.

The Grand Wazoo
05-04-2013, 22:48
No I think that one's best left where it is.
(I think we've done this converstation before)

Rare Bird
05-04-2013, 22:52
:D

Shaun:

Is it that Castle Re-issue with the Blk/orange Obi Strip + free 7'' single ?

Gissit :eyebrows:

Stratmangler
05-04-2013, 22:56
No I think that one's best left where it is.
(I think we've done this converstation before)

:rfl:

MartinT
06-04-2013, 08:18
No I think that one's best left where it is.


:eek:

The Black Adder
06-04-2013, 08:23
In a way it's quite logical, if the record is rare enough to be found factory sealed and there are plenty about to buy and play then quite rightly it should remain sealed.

The Black Adder
07-04-2013, 16:58
Just Checked my Amazon account - paid £7.99 each for Black Cherry and Felt Mountain in 2006. A copy of FM went for £50 recently on Ebay.

This Felt Mountian is now up to £85..!
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=321099652269&ssPageName=ADME:B:WNA:GB:1123

Audioman
07-04-2013, 17:47
This Felt Mountian is now up to £85..!
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=321099652269&ssPageName=ADME:B:WNA:GB:1123

Pretty ridiculous as it certainly does not qualify as a rare record. I would guess many thousands have been pressed. It was widely available for some years after release. If this is bought as an investment it's not a wise one. There are several sellers on Discogs asking even more.

The Black Adder
07-04-2013, 21:04
I agree entirely... But £117 ending bid some people think the opposite unless we are both missing something... ?

Audioman
08-04-2013, 09:38
I agree entirely... But £117 ending bid some people think the opposite unless we are both missing something... ?

Unfortunately many people are under the illusion that certain titles from the 90s an 00s are extremely rare. Now is this because of ebay sellers claims or lack of copies on the market? If Amazon sold it at a substantial discount 6 years after release I would say a fair number exist. Now there are a number of titles that came out around this period that had such small pressing runs of popular artists that they sold out day one and you would have had to preorder to get a copy.

This is certainly not one. Robert Plant's 'Dreamland' or Elvis Costello's 'North' would fall into that bracket. This one was still easy to find at the peak of Goldfrapp's commercial popularity. Now ask yourself why these records are fetching similar amounts to some rare 70s prog titles? Obviously I'm missing something then.

Paul.

The Black Adder
08-04-2013, 10:08
LOL.. makes two of us then..

Another crazy priced record is Moloko's Statues.

Saying that, there are hardly ever any for sale, so that might suggest that not many were pressed. ? maybe?

walpurgis
08-04-2013, 10:14
I've got two. They were special high quality pressings marketed by the long gone 'Music for Pleasure' magazine about thirty years ago. Rickie Lee Jones first album and Floyd's Wish You Were Here. Don't have a clue if they're worth anything.

MartinT
08-04-2013, 10:18
Rickie Lee Jones first album

That's worth having in as good a pressing as you can get.

Audioman
08-04-2013, 10:23
I've got two. They were special high quality pressings marketed by the long gone 'Music for Pleasure' magazine about thirty years ago. Rickie Lee Jones first album and Floyd's Wish You Were Here. Don't have a clue if they're worth anything.

You don't mean Practical Hi-Fi which morphed into Hi-fi Today (to celebrate the arrival of Cd)? If so these are the Nimbus Supercut. RLJ I would put at £100 to £150. WYWH £300 to £600. I have both and a few more.

Paul.

MartinT
08-04-2013, 10:28
Yes, I have the Nimbus RLJ, Joan Armatrading and Mile Davis Kind of Blue. They sound exceptionally good.

Audioman
08-04-2013, 10:37
Yes, I have the Nimbus RLJ, Joan Armatrading and Mile Davis Kind of Blue. They sound exceptionally good.

The Joan Armatrading Nimbus can't be beat (Speakers Corner is close). The Warner 180g reissue of RLJ (still available I think) is substantially better. Not heard their Kind Of Blue but I would bet on the Classic Records version being better. Superbly quiet pressings but some titles did tend toward a smiley face EQ. WYWH is the ultimate version out there until Universal/EMI can produce a proper AAA reissue.

MartinT
09-04-2013, 22:46
I have the Warner 180g RLJ and it is very good, as you say. I think the Kind of Blue SACD is the best I know. WYWH has never been well represented until now, but the new SACD beats all other versions I've heard.

Audioman
09-04-2013, 22:51
I have the Warner 180g RLJ and it is very good, as you say. I think the Kind of Blue SACD is the best I know. WYWH has never been well represented until now, but the new SACD beats all other versions I've heard.

Martin you've just cost me some more money.

MartinT
09-04-2013, 22:51
:)

Barry
09-04-2013, 23:18
You don't mean Practical Hi-Fi which morphed into Hi-fi Today (to celebrate the arrival of Cd)? If so these are the Nimbus Supercut. RLJ I would put at £100 to £150. WYWH £300 to £600. I have both and a few more.

Paul.

Are they sealed and therefore mint? A friend of mine sold his used copy of the Nimbus WYWH for £85 on Amazon. No doubt he could have got more on eBay.

keiths
09-04-2013, 23:55
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't recall UK releases ever being 'sealed' back at the beginning of my record buying days back in the early '70s. Most record shops just put empty sleeves in the racks and stored the actual LPs behind the counter. Some of the larger stores (Virgin, HMV) did have 'sealed' LPs in the racks, but my suspicion is that these were sealed by the retailer and NOT by the pressing plant. I believe US pressings have always been supplied 'sealed' from the manufacturer?

Recent reissue pressings do always seem to be sealed, however.

Audioman
10-04-2013, 17:46
Are they sealed and therefore mint? A friend of mine sold his used copy of the Nimbus WYWH for £85 on Amazon. No doubt he could have got more on eBay.

They like any UK/European release (up until recently) were not sealed. I'm talking used copies and usually not in mint condition. Any sealed vinyl was done by the major record stores when they did away with browsers.

Barry
10-04-2013, 17:55
Guess then I ought to treasure my Nimbus pressings of Joan Armatrading, Miles Davis, Rickie Lee Jones, etc. (amongst others).

The Black Adder
10-04-2013, 21:13
I heard that some factory plants seal records. Some LP's are requested to be sealed due to the colour of the sleeve too. For example if the LP is white or a light colour then it can be requested to be sealed to avoid transit damage.

The Vinyl Factory seal some of their stuff for sure.

Audioman
12-04-2013, 09:28
I heard that some factory plants seal records. Some LP's are requested to be sealed due to the colour of the sleeve too. For example if the LP is white or a light colour then it can be requested to be sealed to avoid transit damage.

The Vinyl Factory seal some of their stuff for sure.

It is common even normal practice in Europe now. Has been in the US since the 60's. Of course there were exceptions. Very early copies of DSOTM were sealed and WYWH came in black shrink wrap - replicated in a resealable form on the latest vinyl reissue.