any vinyl collectors out there? if so, what kind of vinyl are you into? new releases (90s-00s) or classic (older) pressings?
I like collecting post-punk singles from the late 70's through to the mid 80's. Albums dont excite me that much. I love singles, because, given that you can only fit 2 songs on them, that forced the bands to put their best two songs on them. No fillers.
Not a fanatic, but I like to buy some of my favourites on vinyl every now and then. Since most of them are new albums they're new pressings I do have some old stuff as well though, but those were mostly from my parents
I wouldn't say I am a fanatic, but perhaps I am well on my way. Most of my vinyl is rock and folk from the '60s and '70s, and while I'm not too picky if it's been rereleased recently, I still prefer an excellent/mint copy of the original release than a sealed copy of the new release. It's all for aesthetics to me; I just like the authenticity of holding the real artifact from the times. I'm no audiophile, but I do agree that vinyl has a warmer quality than CDs which can be too glossed over and sterile a lot of the time. I also the love way you put the needle down and there is that brief pause before the music....life's simple pleasures. Then there's the wonderful artwork, which I can sit and look at for a long time, unlike CD covers which are usually a few second deal. Hell, I just love vinyl. My main focus right now is completing my collections with certain artists, I'm almost complete on King Crimson and Neil Young so far. Also the coolest psychedelic covers from the '60s, and it doesn't matter whether the album is popular or obscure. As long as it's colorful and absurd, I'm down with it. We have a used record store in town where lots of great old albums are only about 5 bucks. Sometimes it's great to go sit in there even when you don't have any money, flipping through the records for an hour or two. So relaxing, lol.
Tangerine, you've got it all figured out. One can find great satisfaction from owning simply a turntable and at least a small collection of classic rock vinyl. I (and most other vinyl lovers) agree that the sound is warmer and more enjoyable than digital, and owning the vinyl is sort of like "the" way to own the music now especially since many new releases include free digital downloads. I think anyone from our generation who hasn't experienced the joys of finding that one album you love to death in mint condition for $5 at your local record store should set out to do so. Theres also a great deal of satisfaction one can gain from obtaining a great album like Crosby Stills & Nash's first album, an album that defined the woodstock age, and place it on a turntable just as the first owner may have done back in 1969 to enjoy the essence of real music in its original format while you admire the beautiful cover that features the real, original artwork. Theres a vinyl revolution happening right now and its so glorious!! The record stores are overflowing with new releases and re-released pressings for audiophiles and just vinyl lovers alike as well as marketing for the average music consumer, (with the mp3 downloads and such) Simply put, if you haven't discovered the joys of vinyl yet, invest some $$ into a good turntable and some of your fav albums and you will grow a new love for music altogether.
My turntable at the moment isn't so great, but it works better than none at all. Someday when I have my own place I will invest in a proper one, even it it means I won't be able to afford a couch for a few months. Music comes first. Yep, and lots of times the $5 copy is in better condition than most of the $30 ones on ebay. Garage sales are another great way I find vinyl. Lots of times it is nothing than boxes of musty '50s country with the occaisonal Neil Diamond thrown in....but other times, you find excellent copies of Led Zeppelin's entire discograph in one shot, paying no more than 25 or 50 cents per album. True story. Gatefold covers with lyrics printed in them are my favorite, it's great to sit down after you put the record on and open the cover like a book to read along with the lyrics.
If your turntable has a removable stylus cartridge it can make a world of difference. I bought a used Technics quartz turntable (a classic) for $20 at a local auction and then invested in a brand new $50 audio-technica stylus cartridge and the sound quality from the combo is outstanding to say the least. The only thing that sucks about buying an older turntable is that you need to get a pre-amp and ground them and all that junk. It depends on whether you prefer to have a newer one with more convenience and drop about $300 or roughly $100 for a classic with a good stylus which can produce just as good, if not better quality sound. Also, if your looking for cheap vinyl and your bored, go to your local goodwill or salvation army. Some of them have boxes and boxes of vinyl you can go through for an hour or two.
I'm pretty sure our salvation army only has pat boone albums 99% of the time. Goodwill I've found some decent ones at. I also love when the first side of a record clicks to an end and then I pick it up from the edges and spin it real quick around to the other side....just the way it glides so gracefully in the circle. more of life's simple pleasures.
I cant even imagine how many thousands and thousands of times i've done that over the years and how many times i put surface scuffs on records from doing that in the dark and missing
I have a collection of records, ranging from some 78rpm's from the 30's and 40's, to, I think the most recently released album in my collection is Nirvana - Bleach. I bought my turntable with a stereo I bought in a thrift store last year (it's a Realistic) to replace my Sears turntable (made in the 70s). I've been collecting since high school.
I spend entirely too much money on records from ebay. Never yet run into a problem, either. My collection is all '60s and '70s, maybe a few '80s. I would love to have some of my favorite Modest Mouse albums from the '90s, but not when the cheapest I can find is a hundred bucks a piece. Someday.......
I know how you feel! The only MM i have is we were dead before the ship even sank but i even paid like $22 for that. This is a long drive for someone with nothing to think about is my cream dream MM album but ive seen that go for over $100 on eBay. Also, try finding an affordable Flaming Lips album from the 90s like clouds taste metallic, sadly its just not possible BTW, anyone whos interested; here's a cool site for music collectors Discogs You can browse the almost definitive database and add the pressings you own to your own collection profile to sell/trade/buy with other ppl. It's also very useful if you need to find a catalog number or w/e other info you might need. I'll be posting a link to mine in a little when i finish updating. An excellent site.
