Sealed Vinyl?

[scallywag]

Sorry if this has been discussed before... I'm just kinda confused.

I've read that keeping records sealed in shrink wrap can cause them to warp, which is kind of ironic since people brag about sealed records being worth more. Of course if they're sealed I guess there's no way to even tell. As a collector I just want to know what's best. Any thoughts on this?

[steventangent]

lol.

Sealed records aren't always necessarily worth more, especially for stuff that has long been out of print or "classics." New records can occasionally come scratched or otherwise have playing problems, and anybody who plans on listening to their records (you know, the reason they exist) would be foolish to pay significantly more for a copy that could potentially be unplayable.

Furthermore, yes, leaving the plastic wrap on them can warp records. The plastic can shrink with changes in temperature and put pressure on the jackets.

Also, people should stop being assholes and listen to their goddamn records.

[scallywag]

haha, awesome. I actually don't keep my records sealed because I do listen to them, it just bothers me when I see ebay listings advertising as such.

[desensitizedbyu]

And they can stick to the jacket, NOT GOOD.

[moonbeams]

I recently bought a sealed copy of a record that was 20 years old and out of print.

I opened it to find it was really warped and there were purple strings on the vinyl itself. I cleaned it, but I recently bought and expensive cartridge, so I avoid playing warped records on it.

I bought a used copy and it plays just fine.

I have two copies of two of my favorite long out of print records that are sealed. There are my back-ups. Maybe I'm a horde. They will be repressed soon.

[steventangent]

You know what else is gross (and I've had happen a few times) - records with gatefold jackets or printed booklets sticking together. My copy of Jimmy Eat World's Futures is like this. I definitely wouldn't pay a premium for that to happen.

I'd rather know what I'm buying, personally. Maybe there are other people that don't feel that way.

[theebadassmofo]

I have a sealed first Canadian press of Boston's s/t... should I open it or just let it sit there???????

MORE THAN A FEELING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Dillhole]

I never keep my records sealed or shrinked. Using outer sleeves beats shrink anyways. Plus its more fun to play the record than look at it still sealed.

I don't like to buy old records still sealed since its pretty much impossible to find out what pressing/who mastered it and all that stuff. The few times I have, I have been lucky and the 35 year old record was still flat and mint. That old shrink was stuck to the jacket, but not in a manor that wrecked the jacket. It was like peeling a sunburn, if that makes any sense.

[newestindustry666]

Plus, places like EIL actually seem to have a shrink wrap machine so "sealed" could be bullshit anyway. I always rip it off my records, it does warp the sleeve and fuck the vinyl up otherwise.

[blanketbyday]

Sticks to the Jacket, Bad Idea.

[swoopdog]

who the fuck listens to records? I just frame em to show people how cultured I am.

[fueledbymike]

i can understand why people pay more for sealed, it (somewhat) guarantees that it will play better (since its never been played) ie no pops or anything. and of courses the fucking frame collectors

[rtw88]

I keep all my vinyl sealed.

[weare138]

vinylz

[kurtz]

[kurtz]