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Our Story

I was raised on records.  If my dad was home the stereo was on and the soundtrack of my life starred Judy Garland, Ella Fitzgerald, Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, Al Hirt, Woody Herman and countless other legends and bit players via Show Tunes, legendary live performances and wonderfully orchestrated studio albums.  I didn't so much love it as lived it.

My dad loved his music but drew a rigid line at The Beatles and virtually all that came after.  I tried many times to convince him of the virtue of the songwriting abilities of Lennon\McCartney and the musicianship of Stevie Ray Vaughn and Elton John but he wouldn't have it.  The turntable wasn't mine unless he was absent.

I've been the master of my turntable for many years now and my dad is no longer with us, at least physically, but his love of music has passed through me and my sister and on through our tribe with at least the same passion intact.  Unlike my experience with my father, in fact because of it, I've been determined to be open to music that didn't get forever linked to some youthful rite of passage - first love, first breakup, building a family and a home.  I learn new things from my nieces and nephews and now their children about genres that didn't exist back in the day but still serve the same basic function of music - to stir passion and emotion in a generation, to eventually evoke memories sweet and bitter.  I love that.

Like everyone else I truly appreciated the digital revolution that made music so easily omnipresent.  My albums became CDs, my CDs yielded to Ipod then streaming.  Ever more convenient, ever more private.  But over time i started to miss the social, ritual aspects of the world of vinyl.  The selection of an album, the act of placing it on the turntable, the focus that yielded.  Music as a guest rather than a background accompaniment.  

One day not too long ago my wife and I made a rare visit to a mall and happened on a closing of what was once one of the retail music giants.  The deal was too good, the absence too heartfelt.  I purchased a ton of albums, ones my father would have bought, ones my children, nieces and nephews would have bought, ones their children would have bought.  I bought a turntable and speakers.  It only took the ride home to doubt my sanity.  But their were no returns.  

I muddled through vague memories of stereo setup until i accidentally succeeded.  Then a decision.  What to play, what to play as my first taste of vinyl in over twenty years.  I looked through my treasure trove and my fingers remembered how to riffle through music of generations.  My mind remembered how to make a decision for the moment, for the mood and i selected The White Album.  The needle dropped, my anxiety melted amidst a warmth and detail that the digital world sacrificed for excellent convenience.  

That's our story.  We want to make it yours.

We find our inventory everywhere.  Distributors. tag sales, thrift shops, flea markets, online, offline - everywhere.  We don't seek specific genres, we seek music that we think someone will love.  We focus on vinyl but recognize that much of the world is understandably in the digital camp so CDs are part of what we seek.  

In all cases we conduct a comprehensive review and grading process for all used inventory.  Unless otherwise noted the process followed is the Goldmine Grading Process (see the standards described below).  We can't possible listen to every item but the Goldmine process is based upon visual standards.  In some cases, where we can not be sure of the quality of the record we do listen to it.  In those cases the fact that the product has been play tested will be noted in the description.  We try hard to not oversell their condition, rather to highlight their blemishes so our customers can make informed decisions.  We believe there are happy homes for Acceptable graded products as well as for Mint condition products but we want no unhappy surprises so we strive for accuracy and promised quality in what we deliver.

Goldmine Standards (according to Goldmine Magazine)

• Mint (M) - Absolutely perfect in every way. Certainly never been played, possibly even still sealed.(More on still sealed under "Other Considerations"). Should be used sparingly as a grade, If at all.
• Near Mint (NM or M-) - A nearly perfect record. Many dealers won't give a grade higher than this implying (perhaps correctly) that no record is ever truly perfect.  The record should show no obvious signs of wear. A 45 RPM or EP sleeve should have no more than the most minor defects, such as almost invisible ring wear or other signs of slight handling.  An LP cover should have no creases, folds, seam splits or other noticeable similar defects. No cut-out holes, either. And of course, the same should be true of any other inserts, such as posters, lyric sleeves and the like.  Basically, an LP in near mint condition looks as if you just got it home from a new record store and removed the shrink wrap. Near Mint is the highest price listed in all Goldmine price guides. Anything that exceeds this grade, in the opinion of both buyer and seller, is worth significantly more than the highest Goldmine book value. 
• Very Good Plus (VG+) - Generally worth 50 percent of the Near Mint value. A Very Good Plus record will show some signs that it was played and otherwise handled by a previous owner who took good care of it. Record surfaces may show some signs of wear and may have slight scuffs or very light scratches that don't affect one's listening experiences. Slight warps that do not affect the sound are "OK". The label may have some ring wear or discoloration, but it should be barely noticeable. The center hole will not have been misshapen by repeated play. Picture sleeves and LP inner sleeves will have some slight wear, lightly turned up corners, or a slight seam split. An LP cover may have slight signs of wear also and may be marred by a cut-out hole, indentation or corner indicating it was taken out of print and sold at a discount. In general, if not for a couple things wrong with it, this would be Near Mint. All but the most mint-crazy collectors will find a Very Good Plus record highly acceptable. 
• Very Good (VG) - Generally worth 25 percent of Near Mint value. Many of the defects found in a VG+ record will be more pronounced in a VG disc. Surface noise will be evident upon playing, especially in soft passages and during a song's intro and fade, but will not overpower the music otherwise. Groove wear will start to be noticeable, as with light scratches (deep enough to feel with a fingernail) that will affect the sound. Labels may be marred by writing, or have tape or stickers (or their residue) attached. The same will be true of picture sleeves or LP covers. However, it will not have all of these problems at the same time, only two or three of them. Goldmine price guides with more than one price will list Very Good as the lowest price. This, not the Near Mint price, should be your guide when determining how much a record is worth, as that is the price a dealer will normally pay you for a Near Mint record.
• Good (G), Good Plus (G+) - Generally worth 10-15 percent of the Near Mint value. Good does not mean Bad! A record in Good or Good Plus condition can be put onto a turntable and will play through without skipping. But it will have significant surface noise and scratches and visible groove wear (on a styrene record, the groove will be starting to turn white). A cover or sleeve will have seam splits, especially at the bottom or on the spine. Tape, writing, ring wear or other defects will start to overwhelm the object. It is a common item, you'll probably find another copy in better shape eventually. Pass it up. But, if it's something you have been seeking for years, and the price is right, get it...but keep looking to upgrade. 
• Poor (P), Fair (F) - Generally worth 0-5 percent of the Near Mint price. The record is cracked, badly warped, and won't play through without skipping or repeating. The picture sleeve is water damaged, split on all three seams and heavily marred by wear and writing. The LP cover barely keeps the LP inside it. Inner sleeves are fully seam split, crinkled, and written upon. Except for impossibly rare records otherwise unattainable, records in this condition should be bought or sold for no more than a few cents each. 

Other Considerations

Most dealers give a separate grade to the record and it's sleeve or cover. In an ad, a record's grade is listed first, followed by that of the sleeve or the cover. 

Packaging and Shipping

It's beyond disappointing to open your new shipment and find shattered vinyl or jewel cases.  For you and for us.  We believe that part of quality differentiation is the quality of the product delivered.  As a result we take great care (and extra cost) in packing our product so they reach you in the same condition as they left us.  

We also ship as soon as we possibly can and strive to exceed but at least not fall short of expected delivery dates.

We charge a flat rate of $4.00 for shipping using Media Mail where possible (all Vinyl and CDs). We don't cover our shipping and handling costs entirely through this policy but it does allow us to fulfill our desire to eliminate disappointments when you get your package of goodies while making sure that you don't incur a large shipping cost when purchasing multiple items.  Other calculated options are available to you at checkout should you want to expedite your order.