Find the best record store in Melbourne using our staff compiled list of their most loved record shops in Melbourne.
269 Johnston street, Abbotsford VIC 3067
313A Smith St, Fitzroy VIC 3065
3/30 Perry St, Collingwood VIC 3066
236 Gertrude St, Fitzroy VIC 3065
93 Smith St, Fitzroy VIC 3065
93 Smith St, Fitzroy VIC 3065
301 Johnston St, Melbourne VIC 3067
167A Johnston St, Collingwood VIC 3066
294 Smith St, Collingwood VIC 3066
519 Brunswick St, Fitzroy North VIC 3068
www.strangeworldrecords.com.au
Find the best record store in Brisbane using our staff compiled list of their most loved record shops in Brisbane.
179 Latrobe Terrace, Paddington QLD 4064
Queen Street Mall, 245 Albert St, Brisbane City QLD 4000
12/360 Logan Rd, Stones Corner QLD 4120
557 Old Cleveland Rd, Camp Hill QLD 4152
72A Vulture St, West End QLD 4101
3/147 Musgrave Rd, Red Hill QLD 4059
74 Wickham St, Fortitude Valley QLD 4006
www.catalogmusic.co
Find the best record store in Sydney using our staff compiled list of their most loved record shops in Sydney.
143 York St, Sydney NSW 2000
413 King St, Newtown NSW 2042
3 Wilson St, Newtown NSW 2042
498a King St, Newtown NSW 2042
Find the best record store in Adelaide using our staff compiled list of their most loved record shops in Adelaide.
160 Magill Rd, Norwood SA 5067
154 Magill Rd, Norwood SA 5067
60 Pulteney St, Adelaide SA 5000
Shop 2/15 Vaughan Pl, Adelaide SA 5000
Find the best record store in Hobart using our staff compiled list of their most loved record shops in Hobart.
127 Elizabeth St, Hobart TAS 7000
Stall 226 Salamanca Market, Hobart TAS 7001
148 Elizabeth St, Hobart TAS 7000
www.raregrooverecords.soldasmusic.com.au
Find the best record store in Perth using our staff compiled list of their most loved record shops in Perth.
36 Pier St, Perth WA 6000
Shop 3/1251 Hay St, West Perth WA 6005
55 Aberdeen St, Northbridge WA 6000
]]>Is a particular vinyl record in demand? And to what extent? That's what you need to find out if you want to know whether it's really worth selling that box of LPs. Unfortunately, we have to disappoint you immediately: Michael Jackson's LP "Thriller" is not the gold mine you had in mind. Yes, after 35 years it is still a very popular album, but that doesn't mean it has great value. Over the years, more than 50 million copies of 'Thriller' were sold, so it's not hard to find a copy. As a music lover, you definitely want to collect good albums by good artists, but these aren't necessarily the albums you should buy if you see it purely as an investment.
Classic rock and pop albums are the most perennially popular - you will see that a record by the Beatles sells much better than a record by James Last. Easy listening and light classical music is almost impossible to sell, as are children's songs, opera, ballroom dance and musicals. Classical music is also harder to sell, but with a few exceptions; most classical records are not worth much at all, but some composers/compositions can be in demand.
Although the artist and the specific album largely determine whether an LP is valuable, the pressing is also important. Purists often look for the first pressing from the country of origin, often the U.S. or Britain, and so build their collection with first editions of vinyl records. First pressings are particularly hard to find in the case of albums that have been issued many times - the most popular albums of all time have all been pressed hundreds of times over. Other albums to look for are limited and special editions. Members of The Beatles, for example, and their studio managers, received a special edition of "The White Album," with serial numbers A00000, A000001 and so on. These copies are sold today for thousands of dollars. Out-of-print albums are often sought after as well, such as the Beatles album 'Yesterday and Today' with the original 'butcher's cover'.
It is also a good idea to check the catalogue numbers on the vinyl record label and the sleeve: they must match. The matrix code in the run-out grooves at the edge of the label gives information about the exact version of the album; is it mono or stereo, where was it pressed, who mastered the disc and so on. Some versions are much more valuable than other similar versions.
Condition is extremely important in determining the value of the vinyl. To determine the condition of the record and sleeve, a grading system exists. From the worst condition to the best, the commonest gradings are: Poor, Fair, Good, Very Good, Very Good+, Near Mint or Mint. If you find a vintage album you want to sell, you should check the condition first. Are there any major stains or scratches on the cover, or is the cover damaged in any other way? What about the record itself? Does it show any serious scuffs or scratches? When you play the record, can you primarily hear the music, or do you hear unwanted noise or crackling, as if you were sitting next to a fireplace? Is the record warped or defective in any way? Is the label damaged or off-centre? All of these factors determine the overall condition of the record.
In short, the value of an album is determined by these three factors: rarity, pressing and condition. For example, if you have the original album by The Velvet Underground & Nico in near mint condition, with the famous unpeeled banana on the cover, you can ask almost any price you want!
Is the record signed, was it a limited edition, does the record have a special sleeve, are any attachments present and intact, is it a misprint or a promo? Signed records, with a certificate of authenticity, will usually be more valuable so it’s worth getting these valued.
Determining the value of a record collection can involve a lot of work - that is why we invite you to bring your collection into our Melbourne or Brisbane store for appraisal. For larger collections, we are happy to come and visit you. We have decades of experience in valuing records and we will quickly and professionally provide you with a price.
We are open for walk-ins 7 days a week in both our Melbourne and Brisbane store. Please contact us if you have a large collection or are dealing with a large deceased estate.
]]>Vinyl records are always precious items, so treat them with care. When you take the record out of its sleeve, make sure you don't touch the grooves. When fingerprints are left on the vinyl, they can change the sound, and that would be a shame. When you grab vinyl, do so only at the edge and the label in the middle.
The paper inner sleeve can attract dust and will also scratch your vinyl like sandpaper over time. It is therefore advisable to keep your records in a special inner sleeve with an anti-static layer to ensure that no dust gets on them. Use a plastic outer sleeve for around the cover to protect it. Do not place the record in the outer cover, but behind it to avoid ring marks.
Your records should be stored upright. Never lay your vinyl flat, and especially not stacked on top of each other, because the records on the bottom will eventually be unable to support the weight, and will eventually bend once. A rack system will allow you to store them vertically.
When you have a large collection of vinyl records, it can be frustrating when you can't find the record you want to play. Bring some structure to your collection by sorting the records into categories, using record dividers. Sort them by genre, chronologically or alphabetically. It will give your collection an even more professional look.
Clean your records regularly before and after playback to keep them dust-free. We recommend using a carbon fibre brush before each play to keep the dust away.
For records where some dust and grit has gotten on them you can use a special cleaning spray on your records along with a microfibre cloth. The next level of cleaning is using professional cleaning machines. It is incredible how much music you get out of your records once the dirt is removed by such machines. And don't forget to clean the turntable and the stylus as well. These also affect the condition of your vinyl records. Make sure the tip of the needle is always clean, as it picks up dust easily.
With some loving attention, your collection will survive the next generation. It is worth the time and effort because vinyl records are now highly sought after collectibles.
If you are looking to sell thousands, hundreds or a handful of special records the team at Dutch Vinyl would love to see what you have to offer as we are always looking for nice collections and pay good prices.
]]>From the 60's onwards Japanese records improved in quality as companies started to use virgin vinyl and high quality materials for the covers. Beside this record companies started paying particular attention to the the pressing and mastering processes with the aim of producing the best sounding records.
By the 80's Japanese vinyl records were being sold worldwide to quality conscious and audiophile record collectors. Around the same time American record companies were producing records of much lower quality due to the use of recycled vinyl and worn out stampers.
Collectors are mostly attracted to Japanese vinyl for their good sound and high quality covers.
Many Japanese records produced in the 60's and 70's had covers that differed from UK and US pressings.
The obi is a paper strips of about 5-6 cm wide that (mostly) vertically wraps around the left hand side of the record cover. Sometimes the obi slots over the top of the record cover.
The obi was used to convey in Japanese what was written in mostly English on the record cover. The obi strip on second hand records are often missing as they are fragile and this easily tear. The inclusion of an obi usually results in a higher price.
]]>Below is a list of records we have ordered and, if all goes well, we may actually get some!