rplace Posted July 22, 2005 Share Posted July 22, 2005 Any of you guys buy a lot of LPs on ebay? What do you do about the auctions that advertise NM and NM- LPs and when you get them they look like they have been run over with a belt sander? I realize grading is subjective. I am also new to this so dont want to have unrealistic expectations but check out this auction. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4742727386 Based on the title, description and the sellers definition of NM. Am I wrong to expect a very nice LP with minimal scratches that plays perfect, has little to no background noise? Sure I only paid 5 bucks for it, then another 5 for shipping. 10 bucks is not going to change my life, but the record is simply unplayable. I am waiting so see if the sell sent me the wrong LP by chance and will give them the opportunity to make it right. I have had good luck with the MFSL LPs I have bought. But I cant build a collection on those aloneI would go broke. If I buy this LP 3-4 times with the same results I would be better off paying 30-40 for the reissue on heavy vinyl. With 200 positive feedbacks and 99.5 percent positive I was expecting a really nice copy of this. How do you weed out the bad sellers and focus on the good ones? Do you just keep buying 2 and 3 copies of every thing till the cream rises to the top or is there a better method Anybody want to buy a NM copy of Led Zepps P.G. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clipped and Shorn Posted July 22, 2005 Share Posted July 22, 2005 The secret is to snipe NM items that nobody else wants, then develop a taste for such. C&S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frzninvt Posted July 22, 2005 Share Posted July 22, 2005 $10 for an LP! Yikes, drive up to VT and I'll sell you 715 of them for $250. Most are in primo shape. I even have them listed on an MS Excel spreadsheet, I just want to get rid of them all at once. I'll throw in a stack or two of old '78's for free! Then I can get rid of my Technics SL-DL5 TT and NAD PP2 Preamp but I need the records gone first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rplace Posted July 22, 2005 Author Share Posted July 22, 2005 ---------------- On 7/22/2005 2:19:15 PM Frzninvt wrote: $10 for an LP! Yikes, ---------------- Well it is a double LP and a classic at that. You can't really fight the shipping as the person does have to mail it and deal with the P.O. mess. I don't mind paying for the NM quality...I just think I should get it when I do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garymd Posted July 22, 2005 Share Posted July 22, 2005 Most sellers will give you your money back. You need to complain through email and let him know you will leave negative feedback. About 90% of the LPs I buy from ebay are as described. I've had some dissappointments but almost always, the seller apologizes, refunds my money and some even tell me to keep the LP for my troubles. MFSLs are almost always as described since anyone who bought them in the first place is serious about sound quality and most likely has nice gear. The few dissappointments have been mostly rock LPs, even a Zeppelin in there. It really wasn't bad enough to complain but it certainly wasn't as described. Most rock LP sellers are getting rid of the crap they played to death on their Emerson 6 LP record changers. Unless it's an MFSL, I won't buy a rock LP from ebay. Learned my lesson. They're beginning to reissue many rock LPs anyway so you're better off buying the new 200 gram reissues, looking at thrift shops or coming over to my house (thrift shop in basement). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rplace Posted July 22, 2005 Author Share Posted July 22, 2005 GMD, Agree totally on the MFSLs being well taken for the most part. I guess the part that bothers me is that if you say NM it should not look like it was used as a placemat for dinner. In all honesty this was an all out lie. Did you read the auction...am I wrong? NM=Near Mint; Shows very little or no obvious signs of wear. Their words not mine. I have contacted the seller and waiting for a reply. For the most part the other have been close to my expectations. What are the hours of your thrift store again? I don't expect to find a MN copy of Led Zep II MFSL version in the 10 cent bin. That is why I was going with this purchase. Figured 5-10 for a standard issue was not out of line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrot Posted July 22, 2005 Share Posted July 22, 2005 Be extra cautious when buying classic 60s psychedelic-era titles. Jimi Hendrix's "Electric Ladyland," for example, was played by thousands of LSD-eaters, who would go crazy when his guitar would jump from one channel to the other. Acid freaks were notoriously casual about caring for records. Same goes for Deadheads. A large percentage of Grateful Dead albums were used as convenient surfaces for rolling joints on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garymd Posted July 22, 2005 Share Posted July 22, 2005 ---------------- On 7/22/2005 2:58:57 PM rplace wrote: GMD, Agree totally on the MFSLs being well taken for the most part. I guess the part that bothers me is that if you say NM it should not look like it was used as a placemat for dinner. In all honesty this was an all out lie. Did you read the auction...am I wrong? NM=Near Mint; Shows very little or no obvious signs of wear. Their words not mine. I have contacted the seller and waiting for a reply. For the most part the other have been close to my expectations. What are the hours of your thrift store again? I don't expect to find a MN copy of Led Zep II MFSL version in the 10 cent bin. That is why I was going with this purchase. Figured 5-10 for a standard issue was not out of line. ---------------- I have one for you (I think) although they don't sound particularly good. It's one LP I find sounds better on a recent "Best Of" HDCD. Maybe the best Zep LP is the 1st. It was kind of downhill after that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garymd Posted July 22, 2005 Share Posted July 22, 2005 ---------------- On 7/22/2005 3:05:33 PM Parrot wrote: Be extra cautious when buying classic 60s psychedelic-era titles. Jimi Hendrix's "Electric Ladyland," for example, was played by thousands of LSD-eaters, who would go crazy when his guitar would jump from one channel to the other. Acid freaks were notoriously casual about caring for records. Same goes for Deadheads. A large percentage of Grateful Dead albums were used as convenient surfaces for rolling joints on. ---------------- You've had experience with Dead LPs on ebay? So have I. Small world. Every Dead LP I've bought on ebay (about 4) were better then advertised, however, I've only purchased the really obscure, hard to find albums. I think most Deadheads used the cover to roll joints while the LP was playing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrot Posted July 22, 2005 Share Posted July 22, 2005 I'd also advise buying common LPs in person. That way you can visually inspect them and you don't have to double your overall cost with shipping and handling. If you are like most people and don't have a great used LP store nearby, just save your money until you travel to the right city, and buy a whole lot of titles at once. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragonfyr Posted July 22, 2005 Share Posted July 22, 2005 ...used the record itself to role a joint upon? Back then it had seeds (so I'm told!)! In fact in querying all of the people I know who MIGHT have known people who MIGHT have done such a thing, NO ONE is aware of anyone ever using a record to clean or roll a joint on... A cover maybe, a tray, a frisbee, anything flexible or with an 'edge', more likely - but my friends tell me that worrying about THAT kind of abuse of a record is unheard of. ...But I can state from personal experience that of every 10 albums from the mid seventies on, ~3 would go back for exchange, often for multiple times, due to pressing/vinyl problems! Parrot is right... Wait and buy them based upon visual inspection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebes Posted July 22, 2005 Share Posted July 22, 2005 There are tons of primo lp's waiting for you in B'more, just use a little leg work. Estate sales, garage sales etc. Be patient. Buck or two apiece, never pay more than that. For example, hit an estate sale on the way home today (Virginia suburbs), picked up among other things, Ten Years After "Undead", Beatles Revolver, Sgt. Pepper's and Magical Mystery Tour as well as several jazz, and, for a little variety, Holst, The Planets (Westminster cut, Vienna State Opera Orchestra). Pristine, not a scratch, brand new etc. etc. You have to go through a lot of rock and roll before you find something that isn't beat to death, but it's still out there. Target your estate hunting to the anal retentive neighborhoods, you'll do well. Even got a minty Neil Young, Harvest. I may go back and get more. Even if I don't like them I can ship a few to Fourm buddies. Comprende? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joessportster Posted July 22, 2005 Share Posted July 22, 2005 one more note about the background noise you need a good cleaning machine for all these old albums alot of the noise if not all is from being dirty even if it looks clean, i have bought near 2000 albums from ebay and there are always a few rough ones but that is almost to be expected, check feedback carefully and only deal with sellers that are near 100 percent as they value there feedback and are nearly always willing to refund your money over getting neg feedback. i tried the 2 most popular cleaning machines nitty gritty, and vpi 16 the vpi wins hands down Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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