Thrift Store and Yard Sale Records.......

[Mr.White]

......are sometimes in perfectly fine condition. Brand new records are a crap shoot given the lousy QC in some pressing plants. Quite often these expensive new records suck. Plenty of testimony to this online.

Can we stop using "thrift store and yard sale records" as terminology to describe poor quality records?

It's just plain stupid.

 

[Djcoolray]

I agree....

I’ve gotten literally hundreds of perfectly quiet LP’s originals with deep soundstage from many sources. I don’t keep noisy vinyl at all. But I will tell you that if you don’t know how to inspect vinyl, you’ll end up with stuff I would reject. If you don’t know how to hold up a record horizontally and use reflected light when tilting the record back and forth looking into the reflection for scratches......you’ll never find any good classic vinyl. I like both new vinyl and vintage, you can't get everything on new vinyl, so you have to know that the larger part of the selection of music is original vintage vinyl. I sell my rejects of DiscDogs like everyone else does. Hamfests as in Ham radio festivals are a good place to look as well as Estate Sales.

 

[bobsvinyl]

I also agree. Many of the best quality records I've found were at thrift stores, yard and estate sales. This includes MFSL, 45 RPM LPs and sealed albums.

I've also seen poor quality records at record stores for much more money than yard sales.

 

[DustyOldPile]

I'd say that 80% of my collection or more came from thrift stores and yard sales. If not there, then the $1 section of select used vinyl stores. Sometimes they just don't bother to clean titles that they either feel won't sell quickly or that they have too many of. Only in recent years -- say, the past 5 -- have I started purchasing new vinyl or paying more than a buck or two for them.

Almost all of those sound excellent. We're talking about several thousand titles.

I have come to the conclusion that if you're hearing a lot of snap crackle and pop, you need to examine your cleaning method (if any) and/or your choice of stylus, preamp and setup.

 

[Condorsat]

Not in my experience ... exactly the opposite. I've had no problems (of late) with modern pressings and thrift store/yard sale records I've looked at in my area are in really poor condition and basically cast offs that nobody wants.

Again (in my area, if yours is better good for you) ... the Vinyl revival is no secret and most folks are aware you can get better trade/sell in money at record stores. Even Half Price Books .. which pays bottom feeding dollar for trade in .. is seeing lean inventory (rightfully so).

 

[vinyl1]

There is definitely a shortage of vintage records. Dealers I know say that ten years ago, they had a chance to buy dozens of good collections every month for fifty cents per LP, but now they're bidding against other dealers for the few collections that become available.

However, more high-end collections are becoming available as audiophile baby boomers either die or quit the hobby. Nowadays, you see a surprising number of opened audiophile reissues on dealer's tables. A much higher percentage of these records survived in top condition, although every once in a while you see a really beat-up MFSL.

 

[dfunghi]

FWIW visual inspections can also fail. I have terrible looking LPs that sound pretty good and spotless LPs that sound like crap. Certain pressings hold up better to beatings. My DG BN stuff can look pretty scuffed and still sound very nice.

 

[johnebravo]

I'd say that 80% of my collection or more came from thrift stores and yard sales. If not there, then the $1 section of select used vinyl stores. Sometimes they just don't bother to clean titles that they either feel won't sell quickly or that they have too many of. Only in recent years -- say, the past 5 -- have I started purchasing new vinyl or paying more than a buck or two for them.

Almost all of those sound excellent. We're talking about several thousand titles.

I have come to the conclusion that if you're hearing a lot of snap crackle and pop, you need to examine your cleaning method (if any) and/or your choice of stylus, preamp and setup.

That's largely true with music that has a high noise floor -- rock, soul, jazz, etc. Loud drum kits, typically electric bass, etc. If you can hear a little surface noise in between tracks, it's no longer audible once the music starts again.

Classical LPs can sometimes be an exception, though. I find that with some classical LPs, the quiet passages sometimes have surface noise that can be seriously distracting and just can't be eliminated. I've had brand new ones that, right out of the shrink wrap, have substantial surface noise and no cleaning will remedy it. I don't see the "vinyl revival", such as it is, making a lot of headway among classical listeners. On the other hand, they're such a tiny niche group it probably doesn't really matter!

By the way, good Anthony Burgess quote there . . . perfect for this group.

 

[Grbluen]

FWIW visual inspections can also fail. I have terrible looking LPs that sound pretty good and spotless LPs that sound like crap. Certain pressings hold up better to beatings. My DG BN stuff can look pretty scuffed and still sound very nice.

I've learned to remember faces of those flea market dealers that are unloading their noisy stuff! There's a guy here in Michigan that usually has some of the nicest looking used vinyl. You guessed it, every slab was WRECKED in some way or another.

 

[HowlerMonkey]

For the most part I agree with the OP observation; but things are changing fast and the statement might not necessarily be true for too long. Specially depending on the demographics and trends in the buyer's area...I have been checking thrift shops / vinyl shops in the SEA area at least twice a month (sometimes weekly) since I moved here 6 years ago and finding great used LPs gets harder and more expensive every year.....

 

[the_nines]

Sorry OP, but absolutely no problems with new pressings here. Nada. Been burnt a few times before trying to cut corners and save a couple of bucks by buying from some second and third rate pressing outfits. Lesson learned. I get what I pay for, YMMV.

As for garage sale and thrift store records, at least where I am, most look like they've been used as door mats or to play Frisbee with the dog.

All my records (new and used) are bought from my local store who I have established a great relationship with. There's never an issue.

I don't bother with thrift, flea market, or yard sales. I gave up years ago.

 

[4-2-7]

I fail to see the need for and reason for this thread which is a extreme generalization. I would imagine the OPs sample pull on new records is very small. As far as used records here from a yard sale or thrift sore they're junk. We have record stores here and they sell both new and used, they both can have the same manufacture issues at times. However used records can also have condition issues.

Anyway I have thousands of new records and I would not agree with the op in any of their assertions

 

[bimasta]

Classical listeners... they're such a tiny niche group it probably doesn't really matter!

Sadly true. Classical music is only 4–5% of the market, and has always been small — yet they keep recording and reissuing it. It's a cultural obligation, the greatest music, in the greatest performances. But we don't need a 1000th Beethoven Fifth, and the cost of recording a symphony orchestra or opera dwarfs the cost of Pop, Rock or any other genre — all for a "niche group". Do they ever recoup?

Thrift shop classical is often in immaculate condition. It seems many people buy it for prestige, and never actually play it. These are older, higher quality pressings. I'll buy any genre if I like the music, but classical and jazz often offer silent surfaces and great sound. The Musical Heritage Society is a goldmine — they were like Book-of-the-Month club, buy them but not read/play them. They often come in as collections, lots to choose from. And they're all re-labeled from great companies (Decca, Philips, Erato, etc), true audiphile recordings.

 

[DustyOldPile]

Wow. I have heard this for years...I can't believe that Wisconsin is some magical land of pristine used vinyl... Again today I picked up a stack of records in the cheapy bin that were there mostly because they were too odd to appeal to today's vinyl shopper -- only old farts and fartresses like myself would probably buy them, and they're all in VG+ condition.

 

[Sam Cogley]

Not this thread again...

 

[likebike23]

I have been finding some really good stuff lately at the thrifts. It's not always like that though. This winter was a complete bust, there was nothing coming out.
Bottom line with thrifts and tag sales is you have to be in the right place at the right time. Anyone who says you can't get good records at the thrifts just got beat out by the other guy.

 

[onwardjames]

I buy the cheap stuff so I can experience all sorts of things I'd never get to hear. For me, in Ky, it's a mixed bag.

For what it is worth, about 50% of my NEW vinyl I buy sounds like ass. Big 60 cycle hums, failing bearings at the pressing plant (you see the trademark waveform when digitizing) and off center presses.

One Shelby Lynne record I bought is HISSY all the way thru. The final inside track runs me out of the room immediately (of course, that's the best song on that side, sigh....)

 

[petemcfc]

I fail to see the need for and reason for this thread which is a exstream generalsation. I would imagine the OPs sample pull on new records is very small. As far as used records here from a yard sale or thrift sore they're junk. We have record stores here and they sell both new and used, they both can have the same manufacture issues at times. However used records can also have condition issues.

Anyway I have thousands of new records and I would not agree with the op in any of their assertations

8 hours working,6 hours sleeping,9 hours dealing with life,a short amount spare to listen to a record.Thats my life,(sob).
How do you get time to listen to thousands of new records?
Just an observation.

 

[4-2-7]

8 hours working,6 hours sleeping,9 hours dealing with life,a short amount spare to listen to a record.Thats my life,(sob).
How do you get time to listen to thousands of new records?
Just an observation.

yeah I work also and only get so much time to listen to records. But to give you a answer "Years"

 

[4-2-7]

This is the way I see it and I'll generalize also, since no one said anything specific like...

This old record sounds better than...

More Images

Black Sabbath ‎– Paranoid
Label:
Warner Bros. - Seven Arts Records ‎– WS-1887, Warner Bros. - Seven Arts Records ‎– 1887
Format:
Vinyl, LP, Album
Country:
US
Released:
07 Jan 1971

This copy thats a new remaster

More Images

Black Sabbath ‎– Paranoid
Label:
Warner Bros. Records ‎– R1 552927,Rhino Records (2) ‎– R1 552927,Warner Bros. Records ‎– 1887
Format:
2 × Vinyl, LP, Album, Deluxe Edition, Reissue, Remastered, 180 Gram
Country:
USA & Canada
Released:
22 Jan 2016

For one thing you would be wrong. But the point is lets generalize and bash all new records because I can't afford them anyway. You see no one can argue when we have no specifics.

Now if we look at this piece of junk that some people would buy because of the low price of $20 and normally they are only $18 they might be right.
https://www.amazon.com/Paranoid-Gra.../ref=tmm_vnl_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

That might be what some who only buy $1.00 used record would think was a lot of money. However it's about the cheapest new record prices one can find, but they would expect it to be perfect. Dammit that's my hard earned money and doesn't sound as good as my used copy.

Well had one taken the time to shop right, learn what's out there. If one has bought enough new records to learn who's doing good work. If one shops in local stores you can read the record. If one shops online I would not buy from a place like Amazon who doesn't give any specifics of the record your buying.

The problem with people complaining about new records is they are the ones that will cheap out and buy the title and price point. They don't care about getting the best record until they get a piece of crap so they can go online and complain about it.