The Hardest Naturally Occurring Substance on Earth

.. folks who decide which turntable to play the LP on based on the condition of the LP.

another audiophile nonsense, unless you’re not collecting vinyl in VG or VG- condition, which is impossible to listen to, even on dedicated turntable.

Fair VG+ or NM are fine for all cartridges and they will not damage the stylus.

People who afraid the nature of vinyl are digital freaks  

I did know that audiophile are using rough/scratchy records.

I was thinking even a MINT- copy considered rough by audiophiles who clean every record with vacuum cleaners before each play, especially those who would like to hear vinyl as digital.

I am surprised.
Personally, I try to avoid scratchy records, no reason to buy them and many reason to replace them with better copy sooner or later, if the record is really good one. Is it a problem to replace VG+ for MINT- and sell VG+ then ?

Yes Chak
Real enthusiasts and lovers of music will play less than mint records on their systems.

As already stated it may not be possible right away to locate a mint or EX copy or quite likely not financially viable!

I have a lot of VG/VG+ records that I have no qualms playing on my rig although none of my carts are to the order of Mulvelings but still a few 2 to 3k mc carts in the mix.

I agree about real music lovers and their VG records, they will not likely spend even $500 on a phono cartridge, but will likely spend $500 on 1 record to fill the collection (even if it’s their last $500 in the pocket). For this reason people selling and buying records always. Luckily many 70’s records purchased in the 90’s for $1 now cost $100-300 and easy to sell online.

The question about grading is also tough one. When i buy from the Japanese sellers it is a quest, because when they say the record is "GOOD" it can be MINT- ... In the rest of the world when you see G (Good) it means Unplayable Junk according to traditional grading system.

Those Japanese who sell internationally on discogs can often describe a MINT- record as a VG/VG+. In their own country the grading is different and can be just: A, B, C, D

Unfortunately the situation with amateur sellers from Europe or USA can be totally different when MINT- can be a VG

P.S. I’ve noticed many audiophiles prefer re-issues and those "audiophile pressings" to the old original vinyl, they are cleaning new records (re-issues) more than i clean my 40 year old OGs in VG+