Many people see the benefits of vinyl when listening to music. The sound quality is more authentic, and you get to listen to a lot of your favorite music in the format it was first released. For these reasons, many people have regressed to a better time, at least musically, and started going back to traditional vinyl records. In fact, many people enjoy them so much that they continue to buy and collect. If you are starting to pile up records, here are some tips to keep your collection stored well and in good condition.
Make Sure You Have Space for Them
When you first start collecting records, you will start to fill an entertainment center or some other piece of furniture. Of course, after you become a collector, it’s hard to stop. Soon, you might be moving things to make room for the records. Before you know it, you are filling bins and storing them in the attic and basement. You need to be able to house all of your records. In order to do that, you should understand that each crate holds about 50-60 records and weighs about 50 pounds. Unfortunately, you can’t stack the crates on top of each other, either. Be prepared to give yourself the room you will eventually need.
Start Cheap
It doesn’t matter how much you make, you should start your collection by going cheap. Check out different thrift shops and used music stores to see what albums you can get for a deal. This will help you expand your collection. You will also add some pieces that you probably otherwise wouldn’t have chosen. The more involved in the world you get, the more you might want to look into rare items.
Make Sure It Works
People generally assume that the items they buy are going to work. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case. This is particularly true when you’re buying used items. If you go to a used music store or thrift shop to buy your records, don’t be afraid to ask to listen to the quality first. Most of these places only sell items “as is”, so it might be too late if you find out it’s broken or bad quality after you get home.
Stay Organized
Many people who love vinyl can end up with well over one hundred of them. When this happens, it can be hard to remember every record you have. That means you might end up with duplicates, which is unnecessary and a waste of money. Look for a system to keep yourself organized. There are website you can enter in your records. You can even share your collection with friends so they don’t accidentally get you a duplicate as a gift. Or you can try a more old-fashioned approach and physically write down the name and artist of each record. If you do it this way, use note cards and keep everything organized alphabetically by artist.
Play Records Properly
As a collector, you want to keep your records in the best condition as possible. You also want to use them, though. In order to get the best use out of them while still keeping them in good condition, you should play them carefully. Hands can be shaky. Therefore, you should take the time to use the cueing lever and very slowly lower the needle onto the disk.
Do Not Clean With T-shirt or Towel
Even some of the most avid enthusiasts will make this mistake in a pinch, but that’s not the best thing for your vinyl record. There are specific cleaners you can buy that are specifically designed to keep your vinyl clean without accidentally damaging it. The cleaners aren’t very expensive, and they’re necessary if you constantly play your records and collect a lot of them.
Do Not Touch Spinning Record
Some people get impatient and just need to put the next record on as soon as the one in the player is done. However, you can’t just pick up a pinning record. It can damage it. Wait the couple of seconds for the record to stop spinning before you pick it up and put it away. Which brings us to our next point…
Don’t Leave Records Sitting Out
Records have sleeves for a reason. The sleeves protect them. If you just take them off the record player and onto the nearest counter, the record is much more likely to be damaged. Make it easy on yourself by keeping the sleeve of the record in use right by the player so that you have no excuse not to put it right back.
Music is one of the greatest joys in life, and vinyl is one of the best ways to enjoy it. Follow these tips, and you will be able to enjoy your music for a long time.
