Online Record Stores

[Rat44]

I have never bought records online.
Who are the preferred stores?
Thanks for any tips.

[Fast Forward]

buying vinyl on line whether its from a record store or an individual is a crap shoot,, see how they grade their product ,actual play or visual,, check their feed-back and see if they offer any deals on shipping for multiple purchases ,sometimes the shipping can be as expensive as the record itself

[Rat44]

I'm aware of the hazards of online purchasing.
We just don't have many places local that carry new vinyl.
There is a lot of used stuff though.

[Mr. Lin]

If you're looking for new pressings, I would go with Elusive Disc (my favorite, also because they carry XRCD's), Music Direct, Acoustic Sounds, or SoundStage Direct.

[Rat44]

Thanks.
Those are all places I have seen before.
Some of my bookmarks got erased when my motherboard was replaced last week.

[clhboa]

If you are looking for accurately graded used vinyl as well as new stuff check out Jack Wolak's Rare Neccesities. I've ordered from them quite a few times.

[gamve]

Good new and used try Euclid records

[no1maestro]

Gamve is correct. I have worked with Euclid records for years. The owner, Joe, usually guarantees his records. I have sold him jazz lps for years!!!

[USR]

The current record company policy is they won't take any records back from dealers even if they're defective. *fit* In other words, the dealer gets stuck with the records. But some dealers simply re-wrap the LP and resell it until someone eventually doesn't bother returning it. I know this is happening because before we started selling LPs again, I bought an LP from a certain large dealer and the shrink wrap was not the usual shrink wrap found on an import LP, there were stickers missing from the shrink wrap, and someone wrote their initials on the label. This was really annoying! They did take it back but with a bit of a battle. Besides, the grooves looked like they had been played by a tone arm with a stack of quarters on it. If we get a return, which is exceedingly rare, we donate the LP to a local library unless it's really bad. Luckily, records currently being pressed are generally far better than what they were years ago. 180 gram issues are the new standard, and so far RTI or the now defunct CISCO seem to be the very best although the imports from EMI/Parlophone are quite good.

I would never buy a record online from anyone using LP mailers rather than real boxes with some sort of corner protection. I've had so many squashed corners in the past that it was the first thing we made sure we didn't do. Also, beware that many online stores don't tell you if they even actually have the item in stock, even though it's listed on their website. In the past I've waited forever for an LP that they actually didn't have but still charged my card.

This is important especially now because the releases are all pretty much limited edition. The Doors box set is a prime example. We sold over 5% of the entire production run and they're all gone now, and probably won't be making it again. Right now we have some Led Zeppelin Mothership box sets, but the record company sales guy claims it is now out of print.

US Recording Media

[Larry N]

What does the 180 gram pertain too. Sorry I am not up on this stuff, I'm a 8 track addict with a few combo players with record players which I love to spin a little vinyl on.

Larry N

[BroonsBane]

What does the 180 gram pertain too. Sorry I am not up on this stuff, I'm a 8 track addict with a few combo players with record players which I love to spin a little vinyl on.

Larry N

The weight of the vinyl. It's nice and thick, solid and stable feeling. The 200 grammers feel like manhole covers. I have read that there are no sonic benefits to varying thicknesses of vinyl.

[clhboa]

When I was back in Ohio this summer I went to my favorite independent record store. They had a fairly large selection of new vinyl with a big sign that said "All Vinyl Sold As Is, No Returns". I wondered who in their right mind would plunk down 20.00 bucks with no guarantee. A while back I had to return a copy of Johnny Cash's "America V". It had tons of surface noise and pops. They ordered me a new one with no hassle and the new one sounded great. I also had to return 2 copies of the double 7" of Mattew Sweet and Sussanah Hoff's "The Pillowcase e.p.". Both of them had what appeared to be dots of pink dried glue all over the vinyl. After the second bad one they just gave me a refund and told me to try elsewhere. I got one mail order and it was fine. Back in the 80's when I worked at a record store we regularly rewrapped(per the owner's instructions)records. I remember they made me wrap a copy of John Mellencamp's "Scarecrow" that we had been playing in the store for month's to sell as new. I still shudder over that one.

[Larry N]

Thanks Broonsbane,

I figured that was what it meant but wasn't positive. That would sound like a old 78 dropping down, I wonder what one of those old 78's weigh.

Larry N

[BroonsBane]

I wonder what one of those old 78's weigh.

Larry N

Ask and ye shall receive :D Just weighed a Red Label RCA Victor and it weighs exactly 200g.

[Larry N]

Ask and ye shall receive :D Just weighed a Red Label RCA Victor and it weighs exactly 200g.

That was a quick answer Broonsbane. No wonder it sounds like a rock dropping.

I'm sure the new ones are not as fragile as the older 78 with improvements in materials. I actually cracked one last week cleaning it. *fit*

Larry N

[BroonsBane]

Indeed. The old ones are to be handled with care.

[joeljoel1947]

Personally I like Elusive Disc and Music Direct and Acoustic Sounds, but when I want to cheap out, I use these guys.

Try here:
http://www.thestore24.com/Music/NewReleases.aspx?si=fredmeyer

But make sure you choose things IN STOCK or you will wait a looooooooooooooong time for your order to ship.

[Doug_Olitsky]

among the usual suspects...

newbury comics

j&r

gemm

[Rat44]

I just had to return a new Supertramp.
I was anxious to hear a clean copy of Breakfast In America.
The hole was wayyy off center.
Thanks a lot for the tips.
There goes my allowance!

[Eldorado]

I've used Acoustic Sounds and recently Amazon Japan. The Amazon Japan records are as often as not US imports, and generally higher than the US price, but (for me) it's a domestic shipment and the free shipping price threshold is extremely low (1500 yen, which is usually less than the price of a single LP). With anything from an American mail order site, I have to pay for air shipping which isn't too cheap. There are plenty of other companies within Japan I could use, but I haven't got around to seeking them out, and I find enough already to soak up my budget.

You might want to take a look at the Fat Possum Records site. It's a very interesting company (see the excellent DVD documentary You Hear Me Laughin'). They release great blues albums, and they seem to have Townes Van Zandt's back catalogue as well. A lot of the FP albums are $13, which looks like a good price to me.

[clhboa]

I've used Acoustic Sounds and recently Amazon Japan. The Amazon Japan records are as often as not US imports, and generally higher than the US price, but (for me) it's a domestic shipment and the free shipping price threshold is extremely low (1500 yen, which is usually less than the price of a single LP). With anything from an American mail order site, I have to pay for air shipping which isn't too cheap. There are plenty of other companies within Japan I could use, but I haven't got around to seeking them out, and I find enough already to soak up my budget.

You might want to take a look at the Fat Possum Records site. It's a very interesting company (see the excellent DVD documentary You Hear Me Laughin'). They release great blues albums, and they seem to have Townes Van Zandt's back catalogue as well. A lot of the FP albums are $13, which looks like a good price to me.


As far as Fat Possum goes my favorite is T-Model Ford's lp "Pee Wee Get My Gun".

[Eldorado]

I've got some Cedell Davis on order. It hasn't arrived yet, but I'm looking forward to it. I also saw T Model Ford on the documentary, and he's next on my list.

[stuwee]

Ask and ye shall receive :D Just weighed a Red Label RCA Victor and it weighs exactly 200g.

I just couldn't let this go by without: *naughty*, just happened to have the digital scale handy...eh?? :D