I thought twice (and then kicked myself) today about putting an original Joy Division LP on. And wondered if anyone owns any valuable/irreplaceable vinyl that they don’t play as a result?
(The “offending” article above is not super mint, nor particularly rare!)
I tend to play most of my rare records irrespective of age or value as I believe they are supposed to be cherished through use. Although I am little more careful with the original Beatles Monos I’ve been recently acquiring as even though there are loads about, not many in (truly) NM/EX condition. That said, I am little hesitant about certain albums that have personal importance and remind me of a key time, place, person, pivotal incident etc, as those dog ear creases, cover stains and clicks and pops define part of a life.
No. I bought the records to play and that is what I do, even though they are handled with the utmost respect. Touch wood, I have only caused accidental damage to one record since I first bought one in 1978. Luckily it was at a time when I could go straight out and replace it so I understand where you’re coming from.
I did plan to catalogue my entire collection using Discogs but gave up. Now I just tend to look up albums after I’ve played them and am surprised at the value of many records. But to me the pleasure is in the playing and listening.
There would be no point - for me - to buy records that I was afraid to play.
I treat all my records with great care, and I don’t remember damaging one of them. I must have played many, many hundreds of them in the last few years alone.
I have no idea what monetary value all my LPs and CDs may have. I treat each one as priceless.
It was the first time I’ve really thought about it. And I don’t know what brought it on just today!
Playing my most treasured album now, ACR, MCR. Bought from a friend back in the '80s. I know every crack and pop on it.
Good to hear the feedback so far, and now I think about it, I cannot recall a vinyl accident, at least since drunken teenage parties X)
I bet other people have similar stories.
My Father-In-Law worked for Fords, and brought many a new Fiesta. As soon as he got them, he would put on his scruffy old seat covers to protect the material underneath. However it always meant that it was the next owner that got the benefit of nice new seats.and not him.
I think I should add the one damaged record was the result of an attempt to clean with “permaclean” and a “duopad”, a method never employed again.
None. Matter is that i buy records to listen to music and not for value. I have records i bought for few euros that now are worth hundreds but, again, leaving records sealed is the real waste.
Btw i already know i’ll not get to my eighties and did not find someone to leave the lot to yet.
So why wait and let a group of idiots in overalls grab and bin all this great music?
I catalogued mine by using ‘bespoke’ database that i generated muself using MS Excel because i couldn’t find an off the peg programme that really suited my needs, and you’re right about an unknown value it became important for estimating yearly insurance cover so i extended it to cover books, CDs, jewellery etc, the values were very surprising!
For anyone who either buys to collect (and there certainly appear to be quite a few on this forum), or who buys as an investment, then it might make sense to actually buy a second copy of music they want to play, and so preserve one pristine untouched copy. (A bit like buying wine or malt whisky to collect or invest.) These days a good alternative for collectors would be for records that they do want to listen to, to play once immediately after buying to check its condition and at the same time rip it and from then on stream the copy from their music store.
We don’t own vinyl to hang it on the wall.
Having said that, I doubt we’ve anything mainstream worth more than 20 quid which gets a regular outing.
I do have some dance stuff which is rarer but it’s not going anywhere so the value is irrelevant.
I inherited a collection of first release Beetles albums but their condition is not great so its more out of concern for my cartridge rather than their potential value which makes me reluctant to play them… must get them cleaned one day.
The ‘Wolf’s Glen’ Scene in Weber’s Freischūtz, as conducted by Mr C. Kleiber, is pretty damn scary, but I’m just about able to listen to it without hiding behind the settee.
That did make me chuckle 
My collection is catalogued in an Excel spreadsheet too: Artist/Title/Catalogue #/Label/Format (CD or LP).
Easy to update with each new purchase.
Before I had a PC I recorded them all in an A6 notebook. When I created the spreadsheet I only had to catalogue a couple of hundred albums. If I started now on Discogs it would be a couple of thousand. I just couldn’t face the prospect of that.
It is an epic recording. Mr Kleiber’s first ever (and totally epic) major label recording - for DGG in 1973.
Never been bettered.
Wow, you’ve exceeded the numbers in my collection by just over a thousand. I’m always tinkering with my spreadsheet, i turned it into an Excel database, but also added a series of ‘IF’ parameters so at any given time it will show the number of lps, cds, singles etc the format column, i need to get out more!!.
I have several in my collection which I’d be embarrassed to play. Do those count?
Me too, lol. A simple drop down menu can filter between LP & CD, Artist and Label.
Singles are on a separate tab …
I have bought sealed copies of records that were somewhat collectible. The first thing I do after getting them home is to crack them open, clean them and play them…and play them again…and again.
I don’t buy or own any records I don’t intent to enjoy by playing. I have some records in my collection I have seen go for stupid money,…and after seeing that I carefully remove the record from my shelf, lay it down carefully…and pull the disc out … and play it.
I have over 4000 LPs in my collection. Nothing that enters my collection ever leaves it again. When I pass away my trust will sell the collection to a buyer (like Acoustic Sounds) and the proceeds will go to cancer research and no-kill dog shelters. Ditto for my Clearaudio/Naim/Dynaudio system (or whatever I have when I pass).
