Buying Vinyl

[bbbiker800]

Hopefully this is in the right place and its a fair question to ask ?

For a long while I have been taking vinyl mainly from charity shops and the odd independant when travelling (charity shops have long since dried up around here).

The reason for asking, is that recently I've been looking for a number of 180gm's remastered albums. Frustratingly, the suppliers i looked at were out of stock of ALL of them ! and they seem to take ages to replenish and I'm not interested in imported stuff either. Plus, with previous orders, approximately 50% of all new vinyl has been returned as its been pants.

I've mainly used Amazon (very good at returns but bad at describing the release details) and WhatRecords (some good offers but constantly having stock issues it seems to me).

So, I'm looking to try someone new but recommended ie reliable suppliers/independents who do mail order; who seem to carry good stock and importantly are good with returns.

All suggestions gratefully received :) ta !

richard

[mikeyb]

Burning Shed are pretty good. Not a big range of artists stocked but good service both during purchase and after.

Juno Records are good too

[YNWaN]

I buy from Amazon, eBay, Cherry Red records, Burning Shed, record shops and quite often directly from the artists website.

[struth]

Juno, amazon and music on vinyl mostly

[bbbiker800]

Thanks guys for some quick feedback - I'll check them out.

Thanks also for moving the post to the right place.

Hopefully get some more ideas too!!

[yolakim]

I've bought a bunch of stuff from Juno this year, but the return rate has been about 30% due to warped vinyl, mis-pressing, labels in the wrong place, etc. Juno have been very good and quick to replace.

Of the Amazon sellers, I find Assai tend to have the best packaging and so vinyl turns up in good nick. They have a web store too assai-records. Much more limited stock though.

[Cyrus]

Diverse Vinyl.

[YNWaN]

Oh, I do sometimes buy from Discogs but I don’t buy a lot of second hand stuff - and I only buy records (vinyl).

[Idlewithnodrive]

Bandcamp, Norman Records and many labels direct here.

[bbbiker800]

Thanks again guys.... Juno just sent alerts for 2 that I was wanting so they are ordered. Searching the other sites now.
😁😁😁

[struth]

Thanks again guys.... Juno just sent alerts for 2 that I was wanting so they are ordered. Searching the other sites now.
������

good. I buy often from them. got a load of Morricone remasters there. Let you listen first too.

[YNWaN]

Yes, I also use Bandcamp and Norman Records.

[Simon_LDT]

I usually stick with amazon, mainly for the ease of return process (can mix/match if any artwork is damaged or if a multiple LP set and different LP's are faulty).

I also use Juno Records, Burning Shed, Banquet Records & Rockbox.

[bbbiker800]

Thanks to everyone for their contributions.

I had 2 180gm remastered LP's delivered quickly from Juno - no sleeve damage; vinyls are flat, they don't 'swing' and there's practically no surface noise.

Now thats a 1st !!!!!!!!!!!

[struth]

good news. not had a problem with them really

[Audio Al]

Car boot sales :)

[YNWaN]

I’ve never been to a car boot sale.

[Audio Al]

I’ve never been to a car boot sale.

I go for two reasons , A decent walk , May get some LP's cheap , £1 - £2 each

[Barry]

Most of the records on sale at boot sales are compete rubbish IMO: 'naff' artist(e)s and titles and usually poorly looked after with scuffed surfaces and dog-eared sleeves. Those for sale by dealers are in better condition, but the asking price is often unreasonable because all the dealers go by is what the Record Collector's guide says.

Surprisingly, the best used vinyl comes from charity shops now. Recently picked up 18 classical LPs in excellent, near perfect condition, from my local charity shop at a £1 apiece.

[Audio Al]

Most of the records on sale at boot sales are compete rubbish IMO: 'naff' artist(e)s and titles and usually poorly looked after with scuffed surfaces and dog-eared sleeves. Those for sale by dealers are in better condition, but the asking price is often unreasonable because all the dealers go by is what the Record Collector's guide says.

Surprisingly, the best used vinyl comes from charity shops now. Recently picked up 18 classical LPs in excellent, near perfect condition, from my local charity shop at a £1 apiece.

Looks like you attend when its all over ? you need to be a very early bird or the dealers hover them up ;)

[mikeyb]

Most of the records on sale at boot sales are compete rubbish IMO: 'naff' artist(e)s and titles and usually poorly looked after with scuffed surfaces and dog-eared sleeves. Those for sale by dealers are in better condition, but the asking price is often unreasonable because all the dealers go by is what the Record Collector's guide says.

Surprisingly, the best used vinyl comes from charity shops now. Recently picked up 18 classical LPs in excellent, near perfect condition, from my local charity shop at a £1 apiece.Our local charity shops sell all they're best LPs to dealers and we get left with the crap.

They don't even put them out on display, dealers have first dibs on everything [emoji848][emoji17]

[bbbiker800]

Our local charity shops sell all they're best LPs to dealers and we get left with the crap.

They don't even put them out on display, dealers have first dibs on everything [emoji848][emoji17]

This is my experience with all the charity shops in my area that I can think of. I do go and look but it's now rare to find anything worth playing & keeping. I have spoken to staff at say 4 or 5 of those shops and all have the same arrangement - dealers get in 1st and its the residual that goes in the shop. I've also found out that it's not uncommon for staff to buy the LPs too! Local oxfam shops transfer the best LPs to their dedicated book & record stores where they charge dealer prices and sometimes more - chelmsford is my nearest example of that. So seems to me you're lucky if u can get vinyl from a charity shop but for my area its been as above for some 4/5 years now .

[Barry]

This is my experience with all the charity shops in my area that I can think of. I do go and look but it's now rare to find anything worth playing & keeping. I have spoken to staff at say 4 or 5 of those shops and all have the same arrangement - dealers get in 1st and its the residual that goes in the shop. I've also found out that it's not uncommon for staff to buy the LPs too! Local oxfam shops transfer the best LPs to their dedicated book & record stores where they charge dealer prices and sometimes more - chelmsford is my nearest example of that. So seems to me you're lucky if u can get vinyl from a charity shop but for my area its been as above for some 4/5 years now .

Oxfam in Chelmsford is the one of the worse for that: their vinyl stock is way overpriced - even the staff there think so. Once whilst I was in the shop, their 'record expert' was in, pricing up some new stock. I asked him how they went about pricing, and he told me they look at ebay, and other on-line guides, as well as the various price guides. When I said I didn't think ebay was a reliable pricing guide, and if Oxfam priced their goods a little lower they would sell a lot more, he didn't say anything.

Now I realise charity shops need to maximise their assets, but if my Oxfam shop had asked reasonable prices I would have spent hundreds of pounds in there over the years. Needless to say I don't visit there anymore, nor do I donate items there - they go to other shops.

[bbbiker800]

You are right Barry - I was being diplomatic about their pricing 😋 and yes i too would have brought a lot. So far - zero from there. I respect the need for the charity to make money but a smaller profit turned over faster surely is a better strategy. Not our call though!

[Barry]

I ought to say in Oxfam's defence their other shops around the country ask far more reasonable prices for CDs: £1 - 2, depending on location, whereas the Chelmsford 'specialist' branch charges £4 for most, regardless of title, artist(e) or condition.

[bbbiker800]

I ought to say in Oxfam's defence their other shops around the country ask far more reasonable prices for CDs: £1 - 2, depending on location, whereas the Chelmsford 'specialist' branch charges £4 for most, regardless of title, artist(e) or condition.

The other Oxfam shop i used to go to was brilliant - Saffron Walden - but that one is now pants; their decent stuff ends up with dealers and the Chelmsford shop.

.....You will have to PM me Barry with your list of Essex decent charity shops http://theartofsound.net/images/smilies/10481.gif - I'm in Dunmow and there's nothing here ! http://theartofsound.net/images/smilies/rolleye0011.gif

[Barry]

The other Oxfam shop i used to go to was brilliant - Saffron Walden - but that one is now pants; their decent stuff ends up with dealers and the Chelmsford shop.

.....You will have to PM me Barry with your list of Essex decent charity shops http://theartofsound.net/images/smilies/10481.gif - I'm in Dunmow and there's nothing here ! http://theartofsound.net/images/smilies/rolleye0011.gif

Sorry Richard - that's privileged information! :eyebrows:

[bbbiker800]

LOL - I knew that ! but I had to ask !

(BTW - Shame about the gifs i inserted... will get it right next time)

[yolakim]

Bandcamp, Norman Records and many labels direct here.

Thanks for the heads-up on Norman Records - can't understand how I'd missed them. First order arrived yesterday and was exptremely well packaged. Their website is great (the staff reviews can be very amusing) and their weekly e-mail update is useful.

[Minstrel SE]

I used to love finding records at the charity shop and doing a bit of experimenting. The disc had to look spot on so it was often a second choice selection that paid off in enjoyment. I was only paying a pound each. Oh and Oxfam are way overpriced by the way and I dont always agree with the motives and structures of big charities...the shops are there and I wander in to a couple I like.

The selection has dried up now to the usual dealer rejects and tat. Any interesting stuff is in such bad condition that its obviously been rejected by the dealers. It seems clear to me that dealers are getting at it first (or handing in their rejects) and I dont expect anything amazing to get past the dealers and the sorting staff.

I dont know where Im going with vinyl again. I bought a new record a few months ago and where there is a quieter passage "Rose" "Ive got a little black book with my poems in" all I can hear is the low beat of the stylus riding a lump in the vinyl.
Im not putting up with flaws in vinyl beyond a few nostalgia purchases just to say I have them on vinyl again. I know enough about the upgrade path to know that the best platter, bearing and moving coil will not overcome flaws in the pressing

Although I like dabbling with vinyl, its moments like that which sell streaming to me

[Pigmy Pony]

Hi Martin,

"Rose" "I've got a little black book with my poems in"

What track is this?