Collecting is as addictive as any drug, but hopefully far less destructive and probably second only to hoarding on the OCD meter.
My wife and I share a passion for collecting vintage vinyl records. We became vintage record dealers as a way to expand and enhance our collection without going broke. We would buy whole record collections just to get our hands on a few records that were on our want list, but it turned out to be a very enjoyable and lucrative business venture that lasted well into retirement and only ended because of covid which made it impossible to restock.
We attempted to set up and sell at record shows but it was a lot of heavy lifting and the travel expenses cut into our profits. I was/am a software engineer so I built an e-commerce website initially for online sales but competing for visitors with Reverb, Etsy and eBay was a full time job so I decided that eBay was the best venue for selling online.
There was an awfully lot to learn before entering into a business like this. For example, being able to discern a first pressing from a later repress or a reissue is critical so you don’t buy something you’ll take a loss on or worst case can’t resell at all. The record grading process is another aspect of sales that is too often either abused or not taken seriously enough. Every record you sell that is not what you claim it to be, incorrectly graded or God forbid over embellished is going to be returned and your reputation suffers along with your bottom line because sellers eat the return and replacement shipping costs.
Avid record collectors are extremely picky and they need a warm fuzzy feeling that they are dealing with honorable sellers who know as much or more about the product they’re buying than they do. Success on sites like eBay is made and lost by your feedback score, photos and descriptions. We were very good at it because as collectors we understood what buyers wanted and because we never embellished or cut corners.
There is a certain satisfaction in the cleaning and grading processes as well as selling itself but the real thrill is the hunt and the rush you get when you find that first pressing of a rare highly sought after gem in great condition.
Our record collecting weaknesses fell into 4 categories of which the contents often overlapped:
- First pressings of the top 500 albums of all time as published by Rolling Stone Magazine. The original list was updated in 2012 and again in 2020.
- First pressings of renowned artist’s debut albums due to their rarity and significance. There were, generally speaking fewer copies pressed of artist’s first album. Then, if the record sold well the record label would repress and eventually reissue more records to meet the demand.
Examples:
3. Banned and recalled record covers due to their rarity as there were usually only a small number released prior to their recall, purge and re-release with new cover art.
Examples:
4. Early pressings of super collectible records for their value.
Examples:
A great source of knowledge for record collectors is Discogs.com. It is arguably the most comprehensive online source of information on recording artists and nearly every version of every record ever pressed.
Record collecting is engaging and rewarding on several levels. I won’t go so far as to say it’s a good investment. That depends on your initial investment and the market going forward although it has been very strong for a long time now and sales of turntables and records increase year after year.
Many people today have never heard the unique sound produced by vinyl or even thought of music as being a tangible product, to be held, cleaned, played and cared for. The process stimulates a whole new appreciation.
We reduced our collection by almost half a while ago, culling all but the rarest, most collectible, most valuable, and personal favorites. It was difficult but now that it’s been awhile, oh hell, who am I kidding, we still wish we had them all.
So go for it, you’ll love it!… I’m Just saying is all !
Ridge © 2023
