Ideas for something to hold LPs ??

For someone with a little bit of ambition with the end result a lot more self-satisfaction may I recommend that you:

Buy some veneered 3/4" plywood of your choice with 1/4" plywood veneer for the back of the case. Prices for cabinet grade plywood will vary from 50.00-90.00 for 3/4" and 30.00-65.00 for 1/4", depending on the area you live in. You will also need a few tools including a tape measure, a 7 1/4" power saw with a thin kerf panel blade, a straight edge and a hand plane. For trim on the case edges and shelves of the plywood you may want to add some round molding which you could order by the lineal foot or if you are really ambitious you might buy some solid stock of matching wood and a router and make your own.

In addition to the above you will need a fine grit sand paper, 220-320 and a few coats of finish. A satin or semi-gloss urethane is simple to apply and tough but for the more ambitious, a laquer or oil finish might be preferable and certainly more attractive.

I know this may sound like too much work for some but the end result is something custom made for your needs and in the process you save money and have the satisfaction of making it yourself. A bookcase/record cabinet is a quite simple beginner woodworking project. In the event you don't want to go the route of building it yourself you may consider a local cabinet maker/woodworker who could custom make it for you to fit your specific needs and space requirements at a nominal cost.

As a long-time LP owner (I've owned some of my 3000 LP's for more than 30 years), I've found that just about any storage device is fine, PROVIDED it keeps the LP's upright, and allows the LP's to be stored firmly next to each other, but not tightly. I use a pair of inexpensive book cases that work fine.

Bear in mind that vinyl is a viscous material that will, over an extended period, warp or slump at the edge if the LP is not kept upright, so be sure that your LP's do not lean away from the perpendicular, or get a curvature in the jacket. If there is room at the end of shelf, use a bookend or solid item to fill the space so the LP's don't lean over. Boxed sets are usually best stored lying flat, since there is usually enough room inside the box to let the LP's "slump" a bit.

I had one made that holds several hundred in a record store rack format; all LPs face forward and I flip through to find the one I want. The front of the cabinet is roughly 3/4s the height of an LP. The lid is hinged and completely covers the vinyl. I keep it fairly full of favorites and the construction prevents warping.

Yes, IKEA is also a very good option. Their furniture design is improving all the time, and they're very affordable.

Abstract7, that's a very impressive looking system you have, and the LP rack is super cool. If it's not a problem I'd like to have a copy of your plans. Thanks!

If you have any IKEA store next to you, they have book-shelf racks that are realy designed to hold vinyls. Nicely finished and having square cells all arround that are exactly 12" X 12" X 12"! I've got it last year without paying extra for the brand names (only $175) and I'm holding there my collection of 650 vinyls.
If you cannot find it in IKEA I believe that the HOME DEPOT has everything to build such rack. The idea is to place them in small groups standing vertically and organized by your taste. Placing them in small groups will prevent vinyl gatefolds from excessive tension when you're trying to grab your desired record.

I built one. You can see it at the following address
http://home.mindspring.com/~rrbird/_uimages/speaker2.JPG
It's made of poplar and aluminum. If you (or anyone else) is interested you can send me an e-mail and I will send you the plans (I did them some time ago for another A-gon member).

Per Madsen Audio Designs in San Francisco area. Check the ad in TAS or Stereophile for the number. Nice, stackable wood racks; can also combine them with his CD drawers.

Hi, I have a few suggestions for you.

Currently I'm using a Wood Technology LP/laserdisc Base Module for my laserdiscs. It's cube shaped. The Wood Technology line includes stackable drawer and component modules. All require assembly, and they can be placed in any order. Castors can be placed on any of their units. I bought mine through Crutchfield. For a look at their stuff go here:

http://www.crutchfield.com/cgi-bin/S-R71kKqmhbJZ/ProdView.asp?s=0&c=1&g=15700&I=188CM1CK&o=&a=

My father owns 3 VHS cabinet units from Lorentz Design. They also make a unit for LPs and laserdiscs. All their units come fully assembled and have a higher fit and finish than the Wood Tech stuff, but aren't stackable. These also can be purchased with separate castor bases. For a look at their stuff go here:

http://www.lorentzdesign.com/laser.htm

Another racking system my father uses for storing his VHS tapes is made by Boltz. All their products are made of very heavy gauge steel and are made to be leaned against or attached to walls. I use these also at work for storing CDs and DVDs. They recently introduced a line of steel furniture that includes TV units, component racks, and shelving that can support LPs. If you're curious about their materials, they'll send you free samples that make great paper weights. For a look at their stuff go here:

http://www.boltz-usa.com/shelving/shelving.html

Billy Bags also makes a small rack [by their standards] for storing LPs. Take a look here:

http://www.billybags.com/S-pro90.html

All the companies mentioned above make great racks. These days I'm in the process of building a wall system to fit my specific needs. Good luck with your search!

I think the Boltz racks look cool, and you can configure and connect as many shelves as you need, but you or wife may think they look too industrial. There are pictures of them in all the audio magazines and undoubtedly on their website too. Otherwise, go to Ikea and buy one of their "Billy" bookcases in whatever finish you like, with as many shelves as you like. I use a Billy down in my listening room, a really tall one. If you don't like the Billy, they have dozens of other models available. Shelf depth should be 11" or 12" for the LPs to look their best.