Vinyl Records 101: Grading
Whether you’re dusting off your old collection from the attic or grabbing Taylor Swift’s Folklore as your first record purchase, vinyl is back and here to stay. This installment of Ominous Synths Read & Learn is all about getting you up to speed on the basics of record collecting. In this issue of Vinyl Records 101 we go over the low-down on typical lingo, tips, and things to know when it comes to judging the condition of your vinyl.
The most important thing when buying used vinyl is understanding the condition. This is often done through a process called “Grading”. Each record store has a different process and criteria when it comes to grading, but some basic rules are pretty consistent. These days, most record stores (OSR included!) base their general grading scale off of the Goldmine Grading Standard abbreviations and scores: M for Mint, NM for Near Mint, VG+ for Very Good Plus, VG for Very Good, G+ and G for Good Plus and Good, and then the dreaded F for Fair and P for Poor. When it comes to the super tiny details that record nerds can debate all day (can an album be Near Mint if it’s been played before? Does EX/E for Excellent describe a record better than VG+?), that’s where stores and graders differ. If you want the extensive list of how we grade our own records, you can take a look at our Grading Page. But for now in this issue we’ll go into the some more of the jargon you might hear people talk about when they’re describing the condition of an album cover.
Foxing
This may be one of the toughest words to figure out from context clues when people talk about albums, and collectors talk about foxing a LOT. Foxing is said to be derived from the chemical Ferric Oxide, which what can cause paper and pulp to deteriorate over time when exposed to oxygen, causing a rust-colored blemish.
All that to say, over time, record covers with paper backings like those popular in the 60’s, often have suffered from turning yellowish brown or reddish-rust colored over the long decades. This is what people refer to when they mention foxing (assuming they’re not talking about the Indie band of the same name).
Our copy of this Mamas and the Papas album is beginning to show light signs of foxing on the sides -- one of the reasons why we graded the cover VG+Ringwear
If foxing is an annoying problem, ringwear is its older meaner sibling. Ringwear is a little more self-explanatory, it’s the imprint that a record has left on the cover over time, causing discoloration and an ugly stain very similar to the one your friend may have put on your favorite coffee table with his beer because he didn’t use a coaster (looking at you, Danny…). Along with foxing, there are no sure-fire ways to remove ringwear, but you can prevent it with plastic outer covers for your album. The proof is in any album in the original shrink wrapped plastic that has a ringwear. 9 times out of 10, you will fine that the eyesore comes off with the plastic, leaving your album good and spiffy as new. Those without plastic covers, aren’t as lucky.
This Graham Nash/David Crosby album is suffering from a very unfortunate case of ringwear. Thus, this copy was given a VG cover grade.Seam Splits
While the last two issues were more cosmetic, seam splits are a bit of a bigger issue because they can potentially cause your records to become damaged. A seam split occurs when the cardboard of an album literally splits at the seams (or comes unglued, in the case of later records from the 70s/80s). This can be a small issue, especially when the split is less than 1”. However if the split happens across an entire side of a cover, it may make it difficult or impossible for the cover to hold the record inside it, which is always a bummer.
Record Store Cutout/Clipping/Punchout
Now this one is a little fascinating and one a lot of collectors still get puzzled about, whether it’s a strange hole punch or a clipped corner or a little notch in the edge of a cover. There are two main ways an album would get to a punch-out state, and one is a lot more glamorous than the other.
The first scenario would be in the case of promo copies of albums. When record stores would send out promotional versions of records to DJs and radio stations for airplay, they would often punch a hole out or clip the corner of a cover, in order to prevent them from reselling them or returning them for a refund.
The second scenario is more common and likely the case for most vinyl cut-outs. When record stores had products that were not selling well enough, they would return them back to the manufacturer. They would then make the punch-out or cut-out and re-sell the album to record stores at wholesale, deep discounted prices. Those copies would then find their way into the bargain bins of the stores.
While that may seem like another defect, this one is a little controversial for albums. Since they represent a record that sold poorly, that means there are not many copies of it out there, and in modern days will make it much more difficult for a collector to find. So in some cases a punch-out can symbolize a hidden gem of an album to add to your collection.
Ouch! Looks like this Skinny Puppy single didn't make the cut when it first debuted, and got a punch-out as a result.Did you like this? Then stay tuned for the next installment in our series on Vinyl 101, where we’ll take a deep dive on album types, from white labels to the difference between EP and LP, and album sizes! And you can sign up to our newsletter below to get these blogs posts delivered straight to your inbox.
