I dislike adding the "EX" grade in between VG+ and NM, or the use of "++" or "-" anywhere. Too much BS wiggle room. Folks should just stick with NM, VG+ (or EX, take your pick but not both), VG and G. Everything else is just the symptom of creeping grade inflation -- when you no longer define VG as actually being "very good" but "fair" instead, you run out of enough gradations at the top and start needing to add more. The solution is to grade properly to the real definition, i.e., VG should literally mean "very good" and G should mean "good", not "awful". This is the same nonsensical situation Stereophile has boxed themselves into by allowing a grade of B to become the lowest possible grade a component that's not inexpensive can earn without it being seen as a total failure, and assigning a grade of A to 80% of what they review. Therefore they've added a new grade of A+, and sometime they'll have to start adding A++. Meanwhile none of the grades any longer mean what the definition key they ridiculously keep on publishing says they're supposed to mean.
Vinyl records grading scale
I am sort of new to vinyl and am building up my LP collection. A very prime source for it is the internet used market where appears to be sort of a grading scale system to rate condition of vinyl records on sale (G+-, VG+-, EXC, NM, etc). Is there any place I can refer to for the criteria or guidelines as to what to expect from the different ratings?
Also, what has been your experience buying used, and what is the lowest acceptable rating to get substantially noise free (tic/pops) records? Please let me know, thanks.
Also, what has been your experience buying used, and what is the lowest acceptable rating to get substantially noise free (tic/pops) records? Please let me know, thanks.