Cheap used LP's: They're still out there!

I paid $.99 + $3.65 shipping for a copy of Wishbone Ash's Locked In at an eBay auction last week!

eBay is a great source for reasonably priced albums in excellent shape.

Just remember to check seller feedback.

If you are diligent, there are deals to be had on almost anything, but usually it requires a healthy does of dumb luck.

@tony1954: And perseverance. I have two used LP stores and an antique "mall" a ten minute drive from my house that I check in with weekly. Admittedly prices aren’t as low as they were in the pre-Discog days. Yesterday at one of them I saw a Tony Rice LP in my to-find book, but it was priced at $75. I can wait for a cheaper copy.

Jose Records with locations in MO, KS, OK, and TX is having their Memorial Day weekend sale. 20% off on used items. We order from them quite a bit. 

Oh, and earlier in the week I found all the following in the dollar bin at one of my LRS:

- Emmylou Harris: Last Date.

- The David Bromberg Band: Reckless Abandon.

- Les Paul & Mary Ford: Swingin’ South, an album focusing on music from the Southern States---Blues, Bluegrass, Hillbilly.

- Ray Price: Night Life. A great singer, one of Willie Nelson’s favorites.

- Wanda Jackson: Right Or Wrong. Wanda is a fantastic Rockabilly singer, once dating Elvis for awhile. In 2011 her 42nd album (!) was released, Jack White producing (entitled The Party Ain’t over---a reference to an early hit of hers, the classic Rockabilly "Let’s Have A Party"). In 2017 Wanda’s autobiography was published, with a foreword by the other Elvis---Costello. And in 2021 her final album (she has retired) was released, produced by Joan Jett. And yet I’ll bet most of ya’ll have never even heard of her!

- L. A. Express: 1976 s/t album. Band members include Robben Ford, Victor Feldman, and John Guerin.

- Kate & Anna McGarrigle: Dancer With Bruised Knees.

- Don Nix: Gone Too Long. Don is a fantastic songwriter, singer, musician, and producer, a big part of the Tulsa and Muscle Shoals musical communities. He has worked with Booker T & The MG’s, Leon Russell, Delaney & Bonnie, Freddie King, John Mayall, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, and The Staple Singers. His song "Goin’ Down" has been recorded by a LOT of people, including Freddie King, J.J. Cale, Clapton, Beck, Stevie Ray Vaughan, The Stones, Pearl Jam, The Who, Led Zeppelin, Joe Satriani, and Sturgill Simpson. He’s probably lived off his royalties from that one song. ;-)

- The soundtrack of the film Diva, composed by Vladimir Cosma.

Nine bucks out the door.

I’ve found that with a truly proper cleaning, many records assumed to be VG or VG+ are actually NM.  The best cleaning isn’t cheap, but with a large collection or lots of purchases can pay for itself.  It seems to be an area where people who spend thousands on cables get cheap.  Personally, I think my record cleaning system has made more difference in the quality of my system than any other investment.  YMMV

@thecarpathian The seller feedback is critical!  I know everyone has to get a start, and on rare occasions I’ll take a chance.  But my general rule of thumb is at least 1000 ratings and at least 99.8%.  I still get burned on rare occasions, but overall I have few complaints.  

The Rumour - Max? Dang, I haven't run into anybody else who even knows the Rumour put out a couple of albums without Graham Parker. I've got that LP and 'Euro' from when they came out... 

I haven't started buying used LP's yet, but a good record cleaner can make a big difference with those. 

Freddy Hubbard's First Light on a 1971 CTI LP bought from an eBay seller for $8 + $4.35 shipping last week! I will cherish this more than any new made-from-a-digital file 180 gram reissue!

@larsman: Yeah, The Rumour were great. Graham Parker's albums with other bands aren't nearly as good as those with them. And then guitarist Martin Belmont went to work for Nick Lowe, playing in his band for quite a while (he was with Nick when I saw the latter live in the late-90's). English (and Welsh) musicians are an incestuous lot. ;-)

I used a Discwasher from the time it was introduced in the mid-70's (before that it was the Cecil E Watts Disc Preener. How's THAT for an English name!), then got a Nitty Gritty when it was introduced in the 80's. But it was the VPI RCM that finally gave me LP cleaning I was satisfied with. I now use an HW-17 in conjunction with a DIY ultrasonic. I don't buy LP's in less than VG+ condition, but ALL used records can use a good cleaning. 

Try Estate sales

MFSL BREEZIN by George Benson

ORIGINAL DIRTY MIND by Prince

Both Mint

$ 2.50 a piece 👍

@bdp24 - sorry, just saw that post. Yes, Welsh musicians are most certainly an incestuous lot; were you ever into the Man band and the other related Welsh hippie/psychedelic musicians from the 70s and 80s? I was, very much, and got to see Man several times; they liked playing in San Francisco, where they often jammed with their hero, John Cippolina... 

Garage sales, used good stores, used book stores, eBay.

@larsman: I was unaware of Man when they were active. It wasn’t until their drummer Terry Williams became involved with Dave Edmunds (another Welshman) that I learned of them. I don’t remember them coming to the Bay Area (I lived in the San Jose area until mid-’79).

I saw Cippolina live once in ’68 (when he was in Quicksilver), at a small club in Sunnyvale. A local San Jose hero---Jim McPherson of Stained Glass (two albums on Capitol Records)---joined Cippolina in Copperhead, whom I never saw or heard. I’ve been meaning to get their debut album. Jim died quite a few years ago, but Stained Glass drummer Dennis Carrasco is still around. In 1967 I was in a band with his brother Bobby.

@bdp24 - I got to see Copperhead a few times at Winterland and at the Longbranch in Berkeley - great band! 

Man played around 7 or 8 times at least around here, first supporting Hawkwind at the '1999 Party' back in 1974 in Berkeley, but later doing support slots at Winterland and headlining at the Savoy and Keystone Berkeley; also saw them supporting Todd Rundgren's Utopia in San Jose around 1976. When KOME in San Jose was a prog-rock station in '74 - '76, they really championed Man, which is one reason they were so popular here. 

Maximus Darkness a live  album by Man features John Cippolina  on side two. It's a 20+ min. Jam. One of my favorite live albums.