Downsizing the Collection

pointman

So I'm getting ready to move into a new house with the old lady and I've been busy packing records all week. While packing, I've come across records I've owned and easily not listened to in at least a couple years. I've never been that guy who's trying to die with the fattest stack of vinyl, if you're not listening to them, what is the point of owning them? I've got tons of soul jazz and school band lps I'd be lucky if I could even tell you what they sound like. That just doesn't sit well with me as some other collectro could be rocking out to these records and it could be a little extra green in my pocket.So what are your guidelines for trimming the collection? How do you decide what to purge? I'm scared of regretting selling some records but I'm thinking this really needs to happen too.

volumen

If I know I can get it anywhere then I don't really worry. Plus with the whole MP3 thing there is nothing wrong with getting rid of a bunch of 1 trackers and putting them on your computer. I wouldn't really focus on how long it's been since you've listen to something. If your collection is big enough it could take a year of non-stop listening just to hear everything once. Basically, if you like it and will listen to it again keep it. Plus, a lot of thing are worth it for the art etc. It is a balancing act between sentiment, raer, quality and space. Moving is the best way to weed stuff out. There is a lot of stuff that I'm not willing to haul up another flight of stairs!

DB_Cooper

Moving is the best way to weed stuff out. There is a lot of stuff that I'm not willing to haul up another flight of stairs!

I got rid of a bunch of stuff before my last move, and after hauling it all up four flights of stairs, I think even 1500 records is too much. I'm aiming for 1000.


Or more people to help me move next time.

mannybolone

I did the same thing when I moved and ended up thinning my collection by somewhere around 10-20%. In the grand scheme, I should have been even more selective.

I didn't bother to digitize anything I dumped - though I could have. I think my general policy was that if it wasn't worth digitizing, then it definitely wasn't worth holding onto.

Then I had a sidewalk sale which ended up including two buyers who wanted me to put together 100-LP packages - *sight unseen no less!* - and they had friends pick them up and ship.

I was kind of amazed that anyone would do that without even looking at what they were buying but far as I was concerned, it was a great and easy way to earn some extra record cash.

pickwick33

To me, it was never a question of

if you're not listening to them[/b], what is the point of owning them?

It was more a case of

if you don't like those records anymore[/b], what is the point of owning them?

Just 'cause you own a record doesn't mean you gotta listen to it every day, all damn day. Like a radio station, your tastes change rotation every now and then. You might wish to give your fave records a rest or something. Hell, you yourself might wanna not listen to records at all so you can go off and do something else! :-)

There are records I bought 10-15-20 years ago that I don't listen to that much these days. Not because my tastes have changed, but more because I've played them so often, I don't feel the need to hear them all the time, I have newer records I wanna hear, yadda yadda yadda. It just be's that way sometimes.

ON THE OTHER HAND...if it just flat out doesn't sound good to you anymore, and there's no sentimental value, let it go!!

johmbolaya

Sort and toss, plain and simple. If there's stuff that you think is of collectible value, put them up on eBay, sell them at a show, or make a trade.

It's about "the essentials", and for me it's what I think I will want and/or listen to a few years down the line. Sometimes I'll hold on to something "just in case" but as time goes on I want to trim things down and get rid of what I really don't want or care for. Itemizing and typing titles that can go on for sale does take time, and I don't make time to do everything so for years it will sit. Now, I want to get rid of a lot so hopefully within the next few months I can start trimming again.

troubleman

Sometimes its just a matter of drinking a couple beers and going through the collection and honestly asking yourself do you really need each one. Even pulling out a couple for listening (the chopping block) every now and again. Keep your collection fresh. I remember feeling great after my first big purge and the extra money can go towards grails/rent/dinner/vacation/etc. Do it and don't look back.

pointman

Can I get a chopping block gramelin up in here?


The sentimental stuff isn't going anywhere. But there's the stuff I've just outgrown. Then there's other stuff like my hiphop 12s which I don't have many of honestly but I don't listen or DJ with them either. Do I really need those NWA 12s that are collecting dust? I can't express my love for Eazy and crew but I don't think I need the vinyl these days.

Snagglepus

Moving is the best way to weed stuff out. There is a lot of stuff that I'm not willing to haul up another flight of stairs!

I got rid of a bunch of stuff before my last move, and after hauling it all up four flights of stairs, I think even 1500 records is too much. I'm aiming for 1000.


Or more people to help me move next time.

I just moved about 20 of those Uhaul small boxes of records from one 3rd floor to another 3rd floor. Didn't help that our heat was stuck on about 80 degrees throughout the move.

One thing I learned is that packing those 16 inch boxes full makes damned heavy boxes that aren't popular with girlfriend.

Another thing I learned is that I need to use my new patio space for some serious tag sales to trim the fat [Providence, RI folks who just love that smooth CTI magic yer in luck].

kidinquisitive

Wait, you made your girlfriend move 16 inch boxes? And you guys are still together?

LuckLoop

Can I get a chopping block gramelin up in here?


The sentimental stuff isn't going anywhere. But there's the stuff I've just outgrown. Then there's other stuff like my hiphop 12s which I don't have many of honestly but I don't listen or DJ with them either. Do I really need those NWA 12s that are collecting dust? I can't express my love for Eazy and crew but I don't think I need the vinyl these days.

i need to go through my records sooner than later, especially the hiphop 12"es.
but my problem is i dont think i can sell many of them. there are a lot of mid 90ies underground stuff i just wont listen to ever again. so much of it sounds boring to me nowadays. i will hold on to most of the early nineties stuff though since i can dj some of that stuff.

my only gripe is i doubt that anyone will buy this stuff for more than 2??? a pop.

hcrink

Just think of all the money you'll make which can go straight into more records you won't have listened to by the next time you do this.

Snagglepus

Wait, you made your girlfriend move 16 inch boxes? And you guys are still together?

Hee hee. I think she tried to grab one of those heavy bastards but I resisted. Not that she couldn't handle it, but I wouldn't put her through that arm destroying torture for the sake of my music nerd tendencies.

pointman

Just think of all the money you'll make which can go straight into more records you won't have listened to by the next time you do this.

The truth hath been spoken.

DJ_Enki

Moving is the best way to weed stuff out. There is a lot of stuff that I'm not willing to haul up another flight of stairs!

I got rid of a bunch of stuff before my last move, and after hauling it all up four flights of stairs, I think even 1500 records is too much. I'm aiming for 1000.

I never thought my collection was that big, but it sure seemed fuckin' huge when I had to move it all out of my old spot and into my second-floor apartment.

My collection has gotten smaller over the past year or so as I've sluffed off things I have no use for anymore. I'm sure I've got a bunch more stuff I could unload as well...maybe a spring purge is in order.

matamatic

Wait, you made your girlfriend move 16 inch boxes? And you guys are still together?

Man, I would NEVER ask my girl to move a box full of records for me. Even if she offered I would try stop her.

Although she does offer to carry my lightest bag(the laptop bag) when I dj out. I wish i would have bought a house FIRST, and THEN start collecting records....shit.

Snagglepus

Wait, you made your girlfriend move 16 inch boxes? And you guys are still together?

Man, I would NEVER ask my girl to move a box full of records for me. Even if she offered I would try stop her.

Although she does offer to carry my lightest bag(the laptop bag) when I dj out. I wish i would have bought a house FIRST, and THEN start collecting records....shit.

Nor would I. And I would never "make" her carry anything at all. She tried to grab one and found it to be quite ridiculous. I told her all along that I'd bear the burden of those heavy bastards. My point was that next time I don't think I'll fill those boxes all the way. Mind you, I still won't ask her to carry my horribly heavy habit regardless of the weight of the boxes. I just want to save my own arms and knees some trouble next time around.

Campag_Record

there are a lot of mid 90ies underground stuff i just wont listen to ever again. so much of it sounds boring to me nowadays.
my only gripe is i doubt that anyone will buy this stuff for more than 2??? a pop.

But there is plenty of mid-90's underground stuff that is worth money....get googling.

hemol

In what may be one of the dumbest record moves ever in Soulstrut history I sold my whole collection except for a few odd Polysci/oddball lps (radio and television's most hilarious bloopers, whale sounds, et cetera). I had previously thinned down from around 1,000 to 500-600, then thinned down again to about 300 right before the final purge. It took me a while to regret it, but I do. Unfortunately though, I didn't have a choice. However, it can all be had again (with the exception of one record) if I really feel like I need it, and I'm still finding plenty of good music. The moral of the story is, even if you sell off all your stuff, there is still so much more music to be found that it won't really matter after a few years.

b/w

For the really precious stuff that you're not sure about, sell to friends. You can buy back.

hammertime

i've been doing some major purging this year...it's a good feeling.

pcmr

i've been doing some major purging this year...it's a good feeling.

i am about to get this done again moving in a new place

my trick

i boxed all my records according to genre

so one box a week you review in comparison with others of the genre and you purge

ebay,setsail,store,dollarbinsidewalk and voila

Secret_Chimp

I'm currently pricing 2,000 records for the College Park show. I've been sitting on these for years.

The goal is to return with NONE of them.

NONE.

mrmatthew

i've been doing some major purging this year...it's a good feeling.

An obvious place to start when purging all your raers and non-raers alike, before you hit th ebay, is listing them up in the CLASSIFIEDS Section of Soul Strut!!!
Who doesnt love a set sale?!!!

tripledouble

I'm currently pricing 2,000 records for the College Park show. I've been sitting on these for years.

The goal is to return with NONE of them.

NONE.

how do you hope to accomplish that?

UnconSci

How much will I get for junk records? I recently cut out a couple hundred records to get my shit down to like 1500 records. I arranged them into a 1 dollar pile which is shit... a 2 dollar pile and a 3 dollar pile. Some of the three dollar pile shit is worth more but fuck it. Plus I have a bunch of records that are worth money but kinda suck... basically shit I bought on impulse that wasn't even that good. like 30-50 dollar joints.
I was just gonna sell em on the street sometime... but i really dont wanna sell all the shit record by record.

How much will stores give me for random junk?

kitchenknight

I'm currently pricing 2,000 records for the College Park show. I've been sitting on these for years.

The goal is to return with NONE of them.

NONE.

how do you hope to accomplish that?

By the end, take the CRAP (and I had two boxes of CRAP that went through a house fire) and put it aside and write, "FREE TO GOOD HOME!" Someone gave me $20 for it at SoI's yard sale.

If that didn't work, I was going to throw it away.

You can ALWAYS get rid of it if you want to.

tripledouble

thas what i mean...to really not come home with nothing...expect to give a crate or two away

shooterali

This same dicussion came up on a similar site I frequent.
I'm realizing alot of you have around 1000 or mabye 2000 records.
WHich is good. I know one dealer with around 20,000 records and it took him close to two months to move.

waxjunky

I'm willing to fill a 5x5 Expedit, which would be about 2,000 records. I'm at about 60% right now. It will take quite a few years to get that last 40%, though. Maybe not.

I feel like I'm already at the "all killer, no filler" stage, but I'm sure I could pick out some tepids.

hemol

How much will stores give me for random junk?

Probably nothing. if you are lucky and they desperately need to fill their dollar binds maybe twenty in credit.

b/w

Are you really asking that question?

LokoOne

I had to do sum culling recently. The easiest way i found, and quickest, was to make a rule. If there is not at least ONE song on the record I would listen to completely (not just with a dope sample) then i put it to the side. That said, alot of the shitty ones I didnt want had some nice loops or sounds, so i sampled them into the MP3, and have large stack of records waiting to get turned into bowls (thats another story itself).

This was just a quick cut and run i had to do, but the logic I think is there. In the end if the record hasn't got a song you would play on it...then really its not worth keeping, just sample the shit you want and toss it.