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Use flashlight to check record condition - lesson reinforced

Donal64

Donal64

Well-Known Member
I've learned a lot since becoming acquainted with AK. One big thing I learned was to carry and use a good flashlight for checking record condition when out record hunting. I learned that checking records with just the available ambient lighting leaves a lot of flaws unseen. A good flashlight will help reveal most flaws. It has sorta become my rule not to record hunt without a good flashlight. Since I have started doing this, the quality of what I bring home has increased tremendously. Last evening I stopped by a Half Price Books and found I had forgotten my flashlight, that I always carry in my pocket. I decided to check records anyway. I love the clearance bins. I found 15 records, almost all of them looked pristine in the available ambient lighting. When I got home and started cleaning the records, I was reminded why I don't do record hunting without my flashlight. Of the 15 records, 9 passed muster. Two or three just barely passed. The other six records had a lot of hairlines and will be donated somewhere. They likely will play ok, but I don't like the hairlines. I did clean all the records and that was a lot of work. Anyway, it reinforced what I had learned - don't record hunt without a good flashlight.
 
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Same here, pops and clicks drive me crazy. Skips and sticks as well.
I rarely buy used records now days.
Got one off ebay a while ago, after searching for an early pressing in very good or better condition clicked the BIN and then the seller sent the wrong one, said he "had multiples of that album" and sent the wrong one.
I did get a few at a local garage sale that were in VERY good condition, being able to hold and examine in person is about the only way I'd buy used records now.

ADDED--just looked for the same album, US only location, the ones that specified shipping were priced at $25 to $30 just FOR SHIPPING.
One album.
Shipping is ridiculous right now.
I'll stick to local.
I usually buy cd's anyways. Don't like the song click a button to go to another track. No pops and clicks, etc.
I did buy 5 cd's at GW a few weeks ago. One I really would have liked was all scratched up which in my experience is very rare, so it stayed at GW.
 
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I use a LED flashlight and a 15 X photo loupe for quick checks of the stylus and record surfaces. As I only play LP's a few times each year when I am being serious. The rest of the time for casual listening I play the CD dubs.
 
As a child, I stumbled upon the value of using a flashlight to better see into cabinets, closets, and look for tiny items on the floor, just put the light on the floor and sweep the long beam around until the little bugger shows itself. Since bright and very small LED lights became available some 15 - 20 years ago, I've usually kept one in my pocket or on the belt -- often along with a knife or Leatherman, depending on what's comfortable to carry at the time. Especially around the house, if I don't put a light in my pocket I almost always could use one. Small, bright lights have become an essential tool.
 
Smart... Condition for me is everything when buying records and these days I don't like to buy anything no matter how cheap that's in questionable condition. Sometimes "questionable" actually plays pretty well, but usually things play only as well as the look... and I don't like to gamble. I've made the stupid mistake of walking into a record shop unplanned and only having my prescription shares with me and particularly if the place isn't so brightly lit it can mean not seeing a lot of flaws.

I keep a few little pocket flashlights on my audio gear rack as my room isn't that well lit and sometimes I want to see if there's dust on the stylus, make an adjustment on the turtable, etc... and it's good for that.
 
Great advice I'd say. Excellent idea to bring something if you are out used record shopping.

Which made me think of the Red LED Astro Lights. Which I have a couple. Wonder how they'd work?

I have played with these at home and under the night sky, but never out at a store or on records. I know well, how you can take one of these lights, shine it at a thought to be pristine clean Telescope Lens or Mirror, and be totally shocked by what you'll see.

These lights are a little brighter than say what comes with the KAB Strobe Disc. One I have has variable intensity.
 
kwayde said:
I quit buying used because I dislike the clicks and pops. I only buy new, but some of the new aren't in the best shape either. It's a gamble these days.
Click to expand...
I didn't like all the pops and clicks I was getting, and I wondered why I was getting them. The records looked so good when I examined them in the store. It was when I examined them with the aid of a good flashlight, that I discovered why all the pops and clicks. They were from all the scratches that were not showing up using the available ambient light, but they sure showed up when using a flashlight. I stopped having a problem with pops and clicks when I started using a flashlight.
 
Major gouges are a problem but hair line marks on the surface of a record are rarely audible. I've got records that are absolutely unlistenable but look fine, even under a microscope. Others that look like they seen some abuse are quiet after an US bath and vacuum afterwards. Modern cleaning methods take care of a lot of issues that would have sent a record to the sale bin before.
If I was really that concerned, I could bring my USB microscope that has a ring light on the business end and plug it into my phone for a very close look. I'd still buy the record if it was something I wanted and the price was OK.
I find I've become less concerned with the occasional click and pop and more concerned with getting good music.
 
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This is the LED light I carry. A no-name 2 AAA, I bought on Ebay in half dozen bundle. Hardly know it's in your pocket.
 
I rarely buy used records that I can't hear first. Our local record store has listening stations. Have bought a few used records off the bay but only If the seller has a very high rating and specializing in vinyl.
 
I ran into the same dilemma at some point, and started to get ultra-choosey with my used purchases.

Ultra sonic cleaning turned it around for me. The US bath doesn't do anything about bad scratches, but things with light hairlines tend to clean up really nice. For ~$100 bucks, I have to say it was among the best investment I made in my turntable set up. But like Kyle says above, some are just bad no matter what they "look" like.
 
If you forget your flashlight only buy M+ or better. Whatever scratches you missed will be insignificant. :cool:
 
Donal64 said:
I've learned a lot since becoming acquainted with AK. One big thing I learned was to carry and use a good flashlight for checking record condition when out record hunting. I learned that checking records with just the available ambient lighting leaves a lot of flaws unseen. A good flashlight will help reveal most flaws. It has sorta become my rule not to record hunt without a good flashlight. Since I have started doing this, the quality of what I bring home has increased tremendously. Last evening I stopped by a Half Price Books and found I had forgotten my flashlight, that I always carry in my pocket. I decided to check records anyway. I love the clearance bins. I found 15 records, almost all of them looked pristine in the available ambient lighting. When I got home and started cleaning the records, I was reminded why I don't do record hunting without my flashlight. Of the 15 records, 9 passed muster. Two or three just barely passed. The other six records had a lot of hairlines and will be donated somewhere. They likely will play ok, but I don't like the hairlines. I did clean all the records and that was a lot of work. Anyway, it reinforced what I had learned - don't record hunt without a good flashlight.
Click to expand...
Is there some advantage to having the light flashing?
 
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