How to Judge an LP

Hm, hm TWL you make the whole used lp thing sound soooo appetizing! I bought my first lp in over a decade (possibly a decade and a half) the other week (Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, Caravan, a German import on ZYX, originally a Riverside release) and it was brand new. I have not played it yet for fear of causing it harm or of the ultimate vinyl let-down... It takes a strong constitution to go for used vinyl. I always believed lps were quite fragile. If you wanted to keep them in good shape, only TLC would do. Now with this vinyl renaissance, it appears the aficionado believes that they are very sturdy and accepts records in really inferior condition. Obviously, they still produce sound even when scuffed and scratched, but is it what most people would want to hear? I got quite a shock in the shop where I bought this lp to see the fellow there going over some sad looking newly received used lps and cleaning them with a hand towel or dish towel! He had some lighter fluid on the counter as well as some other cleaning agents. I really don't know if he was using the lighter fluid on the records' surfaces themselves, but one thing I noticed is that the records looked quite shiny once he had finished with the towel treatment. So shiny records in shops, beware! Unless your hobby is vinyl record collecting, do yourself a favour, buy them new, or at least from an original owner who you can believe took good care of them. TWL your list of defects is accurate. I think they are way more prevalent than what you think and way more objectionable. You seem to almost like these defects and think it something of a challenge to play these records, good for you. Whether vinyl is better than the other little discs should be assessed only with pristine lps, I think. Sort of like a handicap race come to think of it. From the mid-fi trenches. Good day.