Purchasing used lps on Audiogon

I have bought a number of used albums from audiogon sellers such as Kaleidakol, Albumhead, LPGal, and emil_anghel. I have been extremely pleased with my purchases, none was very expensive, and all of the albums were as represented--excellent to very good. I don't know how to grade LPs myself and from shopping in used record stores for years I am aware of how greatly quality can vary and how hard it is to tell from looking at the vinyl. It's a crapshoot, really, unless you know the seller and he/she has played the album before listing it for sale. But for $10 or $20 I have considered it a worthwhile gamble, and have not been disappointed on Audiogon. I would most likely not spend more than $50-60 on an album sight unseen, however, unless I knew the seller or had had other transactions w/him or her.

I have purchased a number of lps on Audiogon. For the most part they were as described as far as condition. I think the prices are sowewhat high though. I don't understand why so many people think that every record is collectable and worth higher prices. I see lps going for 15 -20.00 here that can be purcahsed in used record stores for 3-5.00. I guess if you don't have access to record store online buying is necessary. It kind of takes the fun out of collecting when you see some of these prices. I think that Audiogon members have a reputation of being into vinyl and sellers sell here to max their profits.

My Audiogon LP purchasing experience has been - - excellent. I've bought quite a few from the likes of Ferrari, Aunt_Tana, Recordron, Kaleidakol and Emil_anghel, and in only case (one LP) was I disappointed - seller offered an immediate refund - - so I was happy in the end. All in all, better than my experience on eBay, although most of those purchases have been satisfactory as well.

Robert

I bought two LP's, both described as "one of the best copies you will see" (or something very close to that effect) from one of the higher volume sellers that Rshak and Sc53 mention. I one case, the LP was cupped. In the other, the LP was RIPPLE warped with the LP lifted from the platter by nearly 1/2" at the THREE ripple "peaks". When I commented to that effect, he basically accused me of deciding that I just didn't like the music, STATED it was his assumption that I thought I had paid too much, and was trying to wheddle a refund from him. When I explained that I actually loved the music, but that it was an issue of condition, he "educated" me that modern turntables and cartridges are designed to handle such conditions and as long as the stylus didn't mistrack from the groove, he did not feel obligated to issue a refund! When I said that I resented the insinuations, he tried to say I misunderstood what he had WRITTEN, but his "signal was loud and clear". Futher, he said that unless an LP was two grades or more below the advertised condition, he would not refund. Went on to say that I was too picky and that he had had experience with vinyl since the sixites, blah, blah. Well, me too. And I know better, having a collection of some 2,500+ LP's.

After protesting rather vigorously, I did get a partial refund - the reason why I did not leave negative feedback. That, and from the tone of the messages I received, would have expected negative feedback in retaliation.

The moral of the story is that one must be very careful buying LP's sight unseen, even from seemingly reputable sources. Now, I have had many good experiences in this regard. In fact, many more good than bad. But, you are always taking your chances unless you've established a working relationship with the seller.

I will hasten to add that I have purchased from three other Audiogon dealers, and umpteen GEMM.com dealers, with virtually no incidence.

BTW, sorry for the "vent". Guess I hadda get it off my chest sometime. When I saw the dealer's name listed as "recommended" and recalled my experience, the steam built up quickly! ;-) Please, just keep in mind that when someone says an LP is the best example of this LP they have see, they may have only seen the one.

In retrospect, I feel it was unfair of me to merely say that the dealer to whom I referred was mentioned by Sc53 and RShak, since there are only two and the other may well possess the very soul of propriety. Let's just say the dealer's handle did not begin with "K".