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My record player doesn’t work. My kids don’t want my records and would toss them if I let them. My records are taking up space literally and mentally. Does this sound like you? I promised my kids this would be a year of purging. And my vinyl records are on my “things to let go of” list. Here are 7 tips for keeping, selling, repurposing, and donating vintage vinyl records. Some are obvious. Some, not so much.
1st Tip: Condition is king when it comes to vinyl records
Whether keeping or selling your vinyl records, condition is king. Even sought after records should be clean and free of scratches, dirt, and fingerprints. The outer and inner sleeves should also be present and in good/great condition.
Always handle by the edges or the record label, keeping your fingers off the grooves. This helps keep the listening experience optimum. Dirt and oil from your fingers and environment result in skips, hissing, and other hiccups.
Things that affect the value of vinyl records:
- mold – on the sleeve or the record
- writing, such as the name of the owner written on the sleeve or record label
- wear on the sleeve or label
- scratches on the record
- evidence on sleeve that the record was stored flat in a pile
- missing sleeve or inner sleeve or record notes
2nd Tip: Desirability, availability, condition, and re-issues make a difference in value
Some bands and singers just aren’t desirable, even if once famous. Some records are readily available and others have been re-pressed, or reissued with updated sleeves and changes.
Some bands may have slightly different versions of a record issued in the United States, as opposed to other countries.
You may own an album still in its shrink-wrap that nobody wants.
Record stores and consignment shops I researched or dealt with refuse to buy or consign classical music, Broadway musicals, or show tunes albums. They aren’t particularly interested in 45’s, either.
They don’t want records that don’t have sleeves or if the sleeves show the outline of the record indicating that the record was stored flat in a stack.
3rd Tip: Why and how to clean your records for yourself and for sale
If you want to keep and enjoy your records, you need to clean them regularly. I never knew that it’s recommended that you clean them before and after using them. I do have a record brush that I used occasionally.
You can’t just pull your albums out of the cellar, garage, or attic and expect to use or sell them as is. Well, maybe at a yard sale when expectations are lower, but so are the prices they command.
Record sleeves can reveal a lot about where and how a record is stored. Dust, dirt, and mold on the sleeves and records kill interest.
I discovered that using an antiseptic wipe does wonders for the sleeves. It didn’t seem to damage either the shrink-wrap or the cardboard sleeve. After realizing that my records probably had mold on them, I washed my hands and put on plastic gloves before handling them. Now, this is what I chose to do, taking a chance. You need to decide for yourself as far as using wipes or the method below for cleaning the records themselves. I take no responsibility for your choices.
I discovered a great way for me to clean records on YouTube. It seems that the most efficient way is to have a sort of assembly line and commit to cleaning a batch all at once. There are cleaning kits and cleaning fluids available, and several videos on You Tube. I found I liked holding the record with suction cups to cover the label and washing and spraying with a homemade cleanser the most appealing method. Here’s the link to Dean Cook”s “How To Clean Vinyl Records 4 Minutes.”
4th Tip: Deciding how and where to sell your vinyl records
First, you probably want to get a general idea of pricing. I used Google to research my records, which brought up examples on Ebay, Etsy, and other sites.
I discovered later that the go-to website is Discogs. This website has a massive database and lots of information about how to grade and price your records.
Note that this is time-consuming. If you don’t want to put the time into it, or your first results show that generally your records aren’t worth that much, you may be better off just selling in bulk to a local store or on consignment.
Some reasons not to try selling your records individually yourself online:
– expectations of the buyer may be higher than what you graded your record
– packing up your records to ship involves buying special packages
– shipping fees and time involved in preparing record for shipping aren’t worth it
Except for a couple of albums, my records weren’t in great shape. Some sleeves were in poor shape or written on. I didn’t think it was worth while to try to sell my records online due to their condition, moderate value, packaging expense, and shipping prep. A core group were originally my records, purchased in the 1960’s and 1970’s. Others I bought second hand when I owned a consignment shop in the 1970’s, as well as picking them up at yard sales. In short, most of them had more sentimental than actual value. I also didn’t want my reputation as a seller dinged on Etsy or eBay if a seller disagreed with my assessment of condition, or if the record arrived broken.
My goal was to weed out duplicates and those I bought as curiosities. I had some special commercial editions, like a Frank Sinatra tied into an airline due to his song “Come Fly with Me.” Interesting, but not a hidden treasure. So, I decided to try consigning them and then sell the rest wholesale to a vintage record store. I hoped as much to pass my records on to folks who appreciated them, as much as to make a little money.
5th Tip: Be prepared to have your records rejected when you go to sell them
Due to the lack of salability of a record for the reasons above, what’s precious to you, may be of no value to others. Or, of such low value that it’s not worth the store owner’s space and time to take your records, even for free.
You might see a record like one you own for sale online, but when you go to sell it, at least in person, no one bites. Just because someone posts a record for sale doesn’t mean it will sell, or that yours is exactly the same and in as good a condition.
I cleaned my records and sleeves (see cleaning tips) and brought only the ones that I thought were in the best condition to a local consignment shop. (Not my beloved Classic Consignments.) I was very annoyed with the employee who was the store’s “expert” on accepting records. She said she will look at them and see if they are salable or “only worth using as Frisbees”. I kept my cool but asked that they contact me if they don’t want any of them. They would do that, as they didn’t want to have to deal with disposing of them. Although the owner had approved, by email, for me to bring in my 45’s, they were rejected in the spot. The “expert” said they didn’t sell many. I had several Beatles with their sleeves, but nope, not interested.
The store did sell almost all of the records they did accept, a few for $25, so “The Expert” appears to know the customer base, but she doesn’t know good customer relations.
On the other hand, I took the “rejects” to a record store that buys them outright. I had to leave them for a few days to give them time to look them over. In the end, the owner bought a stack of them. They were pretty much those that I thought had appeal and some Beatles albums. He also took a couple of what I’d call novelty or curiosity albums, like Kate Smith of “God Bless America” fame and a Liberace Christmas album. I still had to take home about three dozen. Plus he said his 45’s just aren’t moving so he wouldn’t take a peek at mine.
6th Tip: What to do when you can’t sell your records
When you don’t want to keep or throw out your records, there are three options: donate, offer to friends and family, or repurpose in craft projects.
When I discovered that my local record stores and consignment shops didn’t accept classical or Broadway musical albums, I donated them to the local thrift shops. Any others I have after I’ve explored other options I will donate, or offer on Facebook or Freecycle.
At a family gathering, someone of my generation mentioned that he had vinyl records that he didn’t know what to do with, but didn’t want to throw out. The “twenty-something” cousins at our table perked up. They both said “Don’t throw them away, let us take a look!”
I decided I would let them take a peek at mine, too.
While searching online for ideas of what to do with my vinyl records, I discovered there are all kinds of ways to repurpose them. I recalled that, when I was in my teens, a idea for repurposing 78’s. I made a fluted “bowl” out of one by placing it on top of an empty soup can in a heated oven until it softened and loosely cupped around the can. Once it cooled, the idea was to spray paint it in gold or silver, and perhaps sprinkle glitter on it. A very 60’s decorative item.
I have seen clocks made out of records, both 45’s and albums. Some have songs that have to do with time, like “Rock Around the Clock” so they are whimsical as well as nostalgic and practical. Other ideas are wall art, coasters, and a cupcake stand. There are kits to make your own cupcake stands and the hole in the records makes them ideal for DYI.
7th Tip: Keeping the vinyl records important to you
Music equals memories, and hearing certain songs can trigger them. When I hear “More Than a Feeling” by Boston, I’m back dancing at a party in a frat house basement in Boston, Mass. Like the song says, I slip away, mentally dancing back to that time when my college roommate and I would sign up for every frat party that invited girls from our campus and provided transportation.
Owning certain records with special meanings can be important to you. If you find it difficult to give them up, find a way to enjoy them and not just store them. Buy a new record player, or frame them and decorate your walls, or find another way to feed your soul that doesn’t cause clutter or take up too much space. It may help to write notes about them and insert them in the sleeves so that your kids will understand why you didn’t want to let them go. And let them know you’d appreciate it if they found new owners for them and not just toss them.
What are or what did you do with your vinyl record collection? What are your tips? Please share in the comments below.
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