monk0nuggets Posted April 16, 2017 Share Posted April 16, 2017 (edited) Am I alone in finding that 90% of the new records I buy these days are already scratched (or worse) upon opening them for the first time? What's the deal? In the past couple weeks I've opened some that were really bad. Anyone else having this experience? Edited April 16, 2017 by monk0nuggets Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thievedrelic Posted April 16, 2017 Share Posted April 16, 2017 Not having this problem at all. I buy probably 2 albums a week. Where are you buying your LPs? Buy them somewhere else. aopps42 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjorn Posted April 16, 2017 Share Posted April 16, 2017 Last year I bought a copy of the most recent pressing of the Smashing Pumpkins MCIS 4xLP box and most of the sides had significant scuffing. I returned them and got a relatively pristine copy. That's the most egregious example I can think of, but I expect to see some light scuffing along with some dust/paper bits on the majority of new records I buy. It's definitely an issue, but probably could be isolated to certain pressing plants that are rushing the process to keep up with demand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monk0nuggets Posted April 16, 2017 Author Share Posted April 16, 2017 In my experience, there isn't a single place I can pin point. I get things from local shops, when traveling, and online, all of which I've continuously had this happen. It's kind of disheartening. Last week I bought 4 records, 2 had severe scuffing/scratching, 1 had light scuffing, 1 had some kind of chemical marking on one side making it almost unlistenable due to noise. pizza face 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rooks Posted April 16, 2017 Share Posted April 16, 2017 It's just you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
youspinmeround Posted April 16, 2017 Share Posted April 16, 2017 90% of records you buy are scratched? That seems like a gross exaggeration or you manhandle things when opening aopps42 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rip Posted April 16, 2017 Share Posted April 16, 2017 (edited) I buy my records at the sandpaper store, so no. It's not just you. Edited April 16, 2017 by FiggyPuddling aopps42, fuckinandsuckinandtouchin, vinyl addict and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monk0nuggets Posted April 16, 2017 Author Share Posted April 16, 2017 Believe me, as a librarian and person who used to release records, I handle records like babies. Honestly, most of the records I inherited from my parents are in better shape than most of the new records I've bought recently. It makes no sense. pizza face 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGhostOfRandySavage Posted April 16, 2017 Share Posted April 16, 2017 19 minutes ago, monk0nuggets said: Believe me, as a librarian and person who used to release records, I handle records like babies. Honestly, most of the records I inherited from my parents are in better shape than most of the new records I've bought recently. It makes no sense. You're right, it makes no sense. I can count on one hand how many new records I've bought that had scratches on them in the last 13 years. lexicondevil, vinyl addict, DecayToDeath and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monk0nuggets Posted April 16, 2017 Author Share Posted April 16, 2017 So, apparently, it's just me. Great. What could possibly be the cause of this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
youspinmeround Posted April 16, 2017 Share Posted April 16, 2017 12 minutes ago, The Ghost of Randy Savage said: You're right, it makes no sense. I can count on one hand how many new records I've bought that had scratches on them in the last 13 years. But he is a librarian. A true historian vinyl addict 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dawhizz Posted April 16, 2017 Share Posted April 16, 2017 17 minutes ago, monk0nuggets said: So, apparently, it's just me. Great. What could possibly be the cause of this? Hipster curse? Pissed off any gypsies lately? Metal Mike, aopps42 and chrisapple 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monk0nuggets Posted April 16, 2017 Author Share Posted April 16, 2017 I have been feeling a bit cursed, tbh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pizza face Posted April 16, 2017 Share Posted April 16, 2017 It has happened to me too. When Polaris released the music from Pete and Pete on rsd I exchanged it 2 times due to scratches before getting a good copy. When I first starting buying records from bullmoose this happened a lot to the point where I thought they got the shit end of the stick because their prices were so much cheaper than other places. It was just my luck but I don't feel bad exchanging records that have scratches or surface noise because I'm spending money on a new product and I expect it to be in that condition Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hyperg1ant Posted April 16, 2017 Share Posted April 16, 2017 Almost half of the records pressed in pirates press that i've bought, always came with scratches and dust Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewOldStock Posted April 16, 2017 Share Posted April 16, 2017 Only one I can recall showing up anything but excellent was Sufjan Stevens - Carrie and Lowell. However, it played through fine so I didn't care. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
faaip de oiad Posted April 16, 2017 Share Posted April 16, 2017 DJ's love scratches Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Han Solo Posted April 16, 2017 Share Posted April 16, 2017 Haven't had that problem myself. If I buy a haze variant or something similar often there's sand and some light marks, but that's about all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hammertime Posted April 17, 2017 Share Posted April 17, 2017 Happens to me all the time. Usually I can feel the grit rubbing against the record when I take it out of the sleeve for the first time. I assume plants are super busy with the vinyl revival and can't be bothered to blow the records off with compressed air. I don't remember this being an issue 10-15 years ago. Little bits of vinyl + static = scratches. Sucks. pizza face 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unknown pleasures Posted April 17, 2017 Share Posted April 17, 2017 I think part of the problem here is one person's scratch is another person's mark is another person's nothing I would notice. I had someone return a new, unplayed 7" I'd sold on eBay years ago for being "scratched to hell" (their words). I gave them a full refund and took it back. When it arrived, it looked and played fine and I had to use a super strong spotlight just to see a few light hairline marks. They were completely insulted that I listed it as EX, and it was only about ten bucks, so nothing super special. I think if 90% of the sealed records you buy are "scratched to shit" or "worse" something just doesn't add up. aopps42, Han Solo and One Hundred Fifty-Two 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paynegretzky Posted April 17, 2017 Share Posted April 17, 2017 I have new records with scuffs that play perfectly and records that look perfect that jump a beat. Kinda sucks but I just deal with it. I've noticed my Built to Spill records Keep it like a secret and the Live LP are all hazy and scuffy but play perfectly. They are Warner Brothers releases. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Vool Posted April 17, 2017 Share Posted April 17, 2017 Get in touch with Gumbo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vinyl addict Posted April 17, 2017 Share Posted April 17, 2017 Do you notice if the majority of the scratched records come from a certain specific pressing plant? My other suggestion is trim your fingernails. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
One Hundred Fifty-Two Posted April 17, 2017 Share Posted April 17, 2017 9 hours ago, unknown pleasures said: I think part of the problem here is one person's scratch is another person's mark is another person's nothing I would notice. I had someone return a new, unplayed 7" I'd sold on eBay years ago for being "scratched to hell" (their words). I gave them a full refund and took it back. When it arrived, it looked and played fine and I had to use a super strong spotlight just to see a few light hairline marks. They were completely insulted that I listed it as EX, and it was only about ten bucks, so nothing super special. I think if 90% of the sealed records you buy are "scratched to shit" or "worse" something just doesn't add up. I'm in agreement with this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Out Of Time Posted April 17, 2017 Share Posted April 17, 2017 I haven't had anything too awful. Most recently when I bought the repress of Hot Fuss, there were a couple minor scratches the first time I removed it from the sleeve. Annoying, but I can live with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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