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Poly Jacket Covers, Do You Use Them?

sandinojones said:
Anyone else on the fence about poly-lined sleeves? I thrift-shop all the time for vinyl and can't tell you how many 'casualties' I've seen from poly-lined record sleeves. Though the area where the pvc leeched onto the disc usually looks terrible, I have yet to decide that the audible damage was readily apparant.

Paper has been known to cause scuffs too, so I'm undecided as to which I prefer.

Opinions?

DD
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I'm not "on the fence" on this issue. I've been using a variety of plastic innersleeves on all my LPs since the early/mid 70s. I have dozens of poly-lined paper sleeves that have 'gone bad'. It's not from being stored too hot or under extreme conditions. They're just bad. I think the adhesive holding the plastic to the paper is the problem.

Now I'm using polypropylene innersleeves from Sleeve City. It's a better choice from an archival standpoint.

I also use plastic outersleeves on all LPs.
 
Yeppers! I use them on all my "keepers". Kind of a PITA with double lp's. Anyone know of a source of covers for Double lp's?
 
I put them on all my vinyl after cleaning thats how I tell what's done and what needs done, also use poly lined inner sleeves if the original is messed up I save them if they have anything on them just slip it in with the other. I get mine from Bags Unlimited I get the 3mil outers and the poly lined paper inners.
 
I always go with 5 ml's from Sleeve City. Seems like the 3 ml's I run across on used lp's have turned cloudy and are just are plain floppy. I toss 'em.
 
For many years, I have used nothing but the Japanese Resealable Outer Sleeves on all my Vinyl.

The benefits are as others have mentioned, as well as keeping a vast majority of settling dust at bay.

The best of the Japan Sleeves, were from MusicDirect years ago, but very recently I ordered a new batch of them from MD, and they were not comparable to the Sleeves of old. I in fact I believed them to be nothing more than cheap bootleg knockoffs trying to be passed off as the genuine article. 200 of them were shipped back at my cost, and was able to find the proper comparable Sleeves from Elusive Disc, but at a heftier price.

Of the many of dozens of time dealing with MusicDirect, this was the first time I was totally disappointed. Mark
 
ampegdan said:
I hate those things. I usually take them off. Then my daughter grabs them and puts them on her records. Fine with me.
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Hi,
I agree, sort of. I have few records that are collector items. These definitely get poly cover sleeves. All I'm trying to do is prevent normal wear to the jacket. It's important to collectors.

The vast majority of my 4000+ collection are not collector records and never will be. With these I dump the poly covers as soon as they come into the house. They take up too much room on the shelves, they are too hard to handle, and they offer little up side.

Collector value aside, I'm not sure why people use them. Most of their records are worth about what they paid for them (and will never be worth more) so collector value is not an issue. From over 50 years of vinyl experience I don't see the value. Assuming the records are stored properly (very important) the poly covers don't keep the records cleaner which is the only issue I care about.

I think it must be that folks are simply appeasing their anal instincts. Trust me, I am plenty anal about my records; probably as much so as anybody on this forum. But this does not extend to poly covers.

I do use poly inner sleeves on ALL my records. I hate those damned paper inner sleeves-nothing but trouble. Understand, this is a playability issue; it's not about cosmetics.

Sparky
 
Karma16 said:
Collector value aside, I'm not sure why people use them. Most of their records are worth about what they paid for them (and will never be worth more) so collector value is not an issue. From over 50 years of vinyl experience I don't see the value. Assuming the records are stored properly (very important) the poly covers don't keep the records cleaner which is the only issue I care about.
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I use them on all LPs because it reduces if not eliminates ringwear. I don't collect for "value". For me, it's an issue of aesthetics and the desire to keep my collection in top condition.
 
cactuscowboy said:
I use them on all LPs because it reduces if not eliminates ringwear. I don't collect for "value". For me, it's an issue of aesthetics and the desire to keep my collection in top condition.
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Yes, I can understand that. But here is the problem. Of all the records I have had since they were new none suffer from ring wear or any other kind of wear. My collection has been moved many times as it grew which means that it was subjected to the vibration from the moving vehicle. Yet, no wear. Some of these records are over 40 years old and most are at least 20 years old.

It is also true that I have records with ring wear though not too many. Usually records that have worn covers also have worn and noisy vinyl. I don't mess too much with these. All of these records were bought used. In other words the wear occured before they came into my possesion. I can only conclude that proper record storage is more important to the vinyl AND the sleeve than poly covers.

How many records do you have and how long have owned them? How many are used?

Sparky

Sparky
 
I have covers on a few of my albums.. some of the better ones... but I'm not a fan of them other wise...

The problem I have with them is it's such a pain to put them back in my rack.. the sleves want to slide back off them.. I have to pull an album on each side where I want to put it in.. put the sleeved one between them, then slide all three back in... just looks crappy, and makes the spine hard to read if I don't do it like that.. I couldn't imagine all of my albums covered.. that would be a real pain restoring them.. not to mention a very expensive cost..
 
similost said:
I have covers on a few of my albums.. some of the better ones... but I'm not a fan of them other wise...

The problem I have with them is it's such a pain to put them back in my rack.. the sleves want to slide back off them.. I have to pull an album on each side where I want to put it in.. put the sleeved one between them, then slide all three back in... just looks crappy, and makes the spine hard to read if I don't do it like that.. I couldn't imagine all of my albums covered.. that would be a real pain restoring them.. not to mention a very expensive cost..
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If you put the sleeves on backwards this is not a problem.
 
Here's something to consider, although it is admittedly an unusual situation.

With over 9,000 LP's, I haven't been able to afford to put all of them in jacket covers. I have about 1,500 in covers, and carefully chose which ones would get covers based on rarity and condition of the covers. I put the LP's in covers with the open end facing up, so that the LP wouldn't slide out the side. I had a pipe burst in the basement last Tuesday evening. It was over one of my shelving units for my LP's. Because I caught the leak fairly quickly, most of the LP's underneath received only minimal damages. However, those LP's that were in sleeves were damaged the most, as the water flowed into the sleeves and pooled up around the base of the cover. From now on, all LP's in covers will have the open end facing out.
 
I've taken pretty good care of my albums, some of which I've had since the 6th grade. Most of those are in pretty good condition while some newer ones have developed ring wear, yellowing and rough edges. I think one of the problems is the paper and ink used for particular jackets are inferior.

As an artist I know that paper/ink high in acid can degrade considerably faster and can leech to it's neighbor. I wished I would've been smart enough to start using sleeves years ago.

I love the artwork and reminiscence that they bring. I enjoy selecting an album pulling it out of the sleeves, looking at the art, dusting and setting to play. When a jacket is worn, faded and has tape holding it together... it's just not the same.
 
Ashfan said:
Here's something to consider, although it is admittedly an unusual situation.

With over 9,000 LP's, I haven't been able to afford to put all of them in jacket covers. I have about 1,500 in covers, and carefully chose which ones would get covers based on rarity and condition of the covers. I put the LP's in covers with the open end facing up, so that the LP wouldn't slide out the side. I had a pipe burst in the basement last Tuesday evening. It was over one of my shelving units for my LP's. Because I caught the leak fairly quickly, most of the LP's underneath received only minimal damages. However, those LP's that were in sleeves were damaged the most, as the water flowed into the sleeves and pooled up around the base of the cover. From now on, all LP's in covers will have the open end facing out.
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Ok then here is my story: I had my albums along with my wife’s stored in the basement through most of the 90's. This was before I got back into playing lp’s. Our house was built in the 20's and every once and a while the basement will leak if we have a heavy storm. All the albums were stored in a laminate covered particle board bookcase. Overtime the particle board began to wick the water from the floor slowly towards the contents on the shelf. One day I went to move some things around down there and to my dismay found a bunch of water damaged titles. All my albums were stored in the poly my wife’s were not. Guess which ones had to be thrown out.
 
I ordered mine from Bags Unlimited-good prices

Using the Rice paper style album sleeves(s12w-rp)
and the 3mil Jacket sleeves, the kind with flap(slp3f)

the ad said resealable flap, I guess so as long as you provide something to reseal it with. Guess I need to find some stickers or something.

What do ya'll use for resealing?
 
Every album I own gets a new plastic inner sleeve after it has been cleaned on the RCM. At that time, if it is in good condition and a "keeper", it also gets a new outer poly cover.

EXCEPTION: If the outer poly cover is better quality (heavy, clean, etc...) or looks as good as new, then sometimes I don't replace it. I ALWAYS replace the inner sleeves, though, after cleaning the LP; no point in putting a cleaned LP into a sleeve that may have dust or grit in it.

If the original paper inner sleeve is plain white and not pristine, then I'll throw it out when the new sleeve goes in. However, if there is printing on the inner sleeve, especially something particular to that LP, I will leave it inside the cover, alongside the new plastic inner sleeve. I think it is part of keeping the LP package more "as original", just like leaving any posters, etc... in place.

I get both inner sleeves and outer covers from a local manufacturer (they also make plastic bags in all sizes and types) who has been making them for many, many years and has a "retail" counter where I can just go and get them by the 100s. Decent quality (non-acidic, etc...) affordable and easy to buy. Almost perfect, for me.

My only complaint is that I really like the extra-thick, heavier covers that are on most Laserdisks I find --presumably the extra thickness and weight of LDs made heavier covers a necessity-- or maybe it's just the way LDs were better quality (and higher-priced) altogether in their day. Unfortunately, the company I buy from doesn't make the covers as heavy; they make regular "LP weight" covers. Not sure if anyone does make those nice heavy ones any more(?). Some of the used LDs I get have dirty poly covers - so dirty that I just won't keep them. The poly covers obviously did their job of keeping the cardboard covers inside in clean and undamaged condition, but it is time to replace them. I have the choice of trying to wash them :no:, replace them with lighter-weight covers :sigh:, or let them go without covers :nono:. It's frustrating!

I do believe that the poly covers help protect and preserve the cardboard covers inside. Of course, if there is flooding (as others have mentioned experiencing), then the poly covers can hold water in, and cause worse damage. Since I don't expect floods (I live "upstairs" in a building) as much as handling damage, I choose to use the covers.
 
spartanmanor said:
Ok then here is my story: I had my albums along with my wife’s stored in the basement through most of the 90's. This was before I got back into playing lp’s. Our house was built in the 20's and every once and a while the basement will leak if we have a heavy storm. All the albums were stored in a laminate covered particle board bookcase. Overtime the particle board began to wick the water from the floor slowly towards the contents on the shelf. One day I went to move some things around down there and to my dismay found a bunch of water damaged titles. All my albums were stored in the poly my wife’s were not. Guess which ones had to be thrown out.
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Oh, I agree with using the poly jacket covers and I will continue to buy them as I can afford to. I just won't be pointing the open end up.
 
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