Diggin' the Crates: The Hidden Goldmine

I scored.

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One thing that's universal among record collectors is the desire to maximize the value of every dollar spent on vinyl. There are a lot of records in the world, and you'll never ever get all the ones you want. Ever. Most of us simply can't afford to spend $300 on a first-edition copy of Sgt. Pepper's - so if you want to satisfy that craving, you need to be smart.

Hide-and-Seek

There are records - often free ones - hiding under your very nose. Many of them are tucked away in basements, attics, crawlspaces, and other little nooks and crannies. If you've seen the documentary Scratch, you've seen DJ Shadow digging through a particularly spectacular example of such a cache. I'll let Shadow explain the significance of a find like this: it's enough for me to say that watching that video segment gives me the chills.

So, how do you find these caches? Keep your eyes and ears peeled. Talk to other collectors. Make it known that you're interested in this sort of thing. Eventually, you'll develop a nose for records and a set of contacts that helps you sniff them out wherever they are.

This sort of collecting is a lifestyle, not a hobby.

The Big Score

In January (2008), I was visiting a friend who lives in Oakland, California. She lives in an apartment that is the converted top floor of an old quasi-Victorian house on the edge of Berkeley. When I showed up, the first thing she did was take me into her attic. Why? Records. Hundreds of them.

It seems that the previous tenants bolted in the night under questionable circumstances, leaving these records and a lot of other stuff behind. The records were going begging, and - knowing of my habit - she invited me to take what I wanted. I wanted to take everything, but circumstances being what they were I limited myself to about a dozen choice selections.

I scored a number of classic early-eighties hip-hop singles, a few pristine jazz LPs, and some quality funk. I was in heaven. Many of the jackets were water-damaged, and the records were dirty, dusty, and generally uncared-for, but this was a goldmine.

I haven't actually listened to any of these records yet. Why? Because I haven't cleaned them.

Clean Your Records

It's true that if maintained, cared for, and played properly, records sound better than CDs, MP3s, and other digital music. However, records are much more fragile. A dirty or damaged record sounds terrible: pops, skips, scratches - you know the sound. Cleaning records like the ones I found in Oakland is an essential part of listening to them the right way: respectfully.

Here's how you do it:

The Right Equipment

This is just a stripped-down bare-minimums sort of cleaning setup, but it's better than nothing and it's the best a broke-ass like me can afford.

• A decent turnable: You need to have a decent turntable with a decent needle. You don't need anything extravagant, but you do need something that won't actively damage your records. It's better to have a record with a drive system independent from the tonearm, so you can spin the record without having a needle on it.
• A cleaning agent: There are a ton of these on the market. Some are better than others. Record Research's Super Cleaner is pretty decent, but go with whatever fits your budget and works for you.
• A cleaning brush: Some kind of brush designed specifically for cleaning records is a must. Like cleaning fluids, there are a zillion out there. Pick the one that works for you.

These are just the basics. There are a zillion other things out there you can buy or use - specific record-cleaning hardware, more chemicals, etc. Many of them are useful, but these are the bare minimums.

The Cleaning Process

1. Place your record on the turntable and spin it up. Keep the tone-arm off the record and out of the way.
2. Apply a thin line of cleaning fluid to the brush and press it down gradually onto the surface of the record. Work out in a spiral from the center to the edge. Make sure you get the whole thing, and don't forget to do both sides.
3. Let the record air-dry, or wipe it with a lint-free cloth, before trying to play it.

EDIT:

Also, don't forget to clean your stylus! Most cleaning brushes come with a stylus brush included. If you can't find one, an old soft-bristle toothbrush (the smaller, the better) will do the trick.

Proper Storage

If you're digging through a lot of attics, basements, and bargain bins, you're probably going to come across plenty of records that haven't been stored properly. They'll be warped, water-damaged, scratched, and generally abused. Some, you won't be able to keep and use. Others will just need a good home and proper treatment.

Handling and storage are just as important as cleaning. Always store your records appropriately. Don't stack them on top of each other - instead, line them up vertically, in a snug enough space that they aren't resting at an angle. The classic milkcrate is a decent option. Store them in a relatively cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.

Keep your records in jackets. If the jackets that came with your records are damaged, warped, or otherwise insufficient, buy new ones - they're cheap.

EDIT:

To remove a record from the jacket:

1. Holding the sleeve more or less perpendicular to the floor, pop the aperture of the sleeve open so it looks sort of like an oval leaf.
2. Slide your whole hand under the record, taking care not to touch the grooves.
3. Place your middle finger (or your longest finger) on the label--the further away from the grooves, the better.
4. Rest your thumb on the outer rim of the disc and gently slide the record out of the sleeve, balancing with your palm cupped away from the surface of the disc.

That's all I've got for this week. Next week we'll talk about the listening ritual. Stay tuned!

[Edits courtesy of fellow vinylphile stolte-sawa.]

Cross-posted from the new ListenInMusic.com.

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© 2008 Evan Mix for Listen In. Some rights reserved.

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