you'd think that a board of people who act like they actually know about records would come correct.
Yes you would, but I could post a doozy of a list of "high profile" forum dudes who've sent me total bullshit. I tend to feel it's mostly due to the fact that somehow most people just don't grasp the concept of record grading rather than anything malicious though.
to be fair i've had some great experiences as well, but DAMN.
Jonny, AP, Tripledouble, Danno, Hcrink & Jinx are all guys that I could buy from in total confidence. I've never bought expensive things from them, but they were all straight up. A lot of the time, you can tell that a dude has skated records from just looking at their weekends find photos. People post pictures of records that look like Brian Boitano did a triple lutz on the motherfucker.
Worst is people who claim they don't "play grade" and only visually grade, when you know that they heard the skip and crackle on the LP and acted like they didn't know.
This happened to me on here with a Meters record and some other shit - shit was warped, water damaged, crackling to the point of no return -- needless to say I won't come back for more, or have any qualms about puttin' hommie on blast. I didn't bother PMing hommie either... it was obvious dude was out for the quick cash.
let's talk about people that sale bootlegs passing them off as original pressings and this happened to me. I just said screw it since it was only a 10 dollar record. So, i didn't put them on blast. And there was one record I got from someone and it had more marks and skips that really made the record out to be more Vg or Vg -,listed as Vg+
I ordered a VG+++ Thesda but received a water damaged jacket for 2nd Chapter Of Acts, no record inside. Needless to say I never bought off the set sales here again.
I too have had nothing but good from soulstrut set sales as a buyer, hopefully the people I've sold to have had the same experience (I haven't heard otherwise).
ditto. the soulstrut set sales are one of my favorite things about this place...
I had one dude on waxidermy who was selling the private Show and AG 12" (the first one, Party Groove EP). It had a small crack and he was asking $30. I messaged him and asked him to check the matrix numbers and specifically stated "please look for the musical notes".
Well, he said he looked and there were musical notes and numbers.
I received a cracked reissue/boot for $30.
And the worst part is, he wouldn't refund my shipping.
That was the ONLY time I've ever been screwed over. Every other time it's been good and I buy lots from set-sails. Sometimes I get a record and I'm like "this doesn't sound good!" but then realize it was advertised as VG
I ordered a VG+++ Thesda but received a water damaged jacket for 2nd Chapter Of Acts, no record inside. Needless to say I never bought off the set sales here again.
haha. that must have been some kind of message. horses head in the bed style
Worst is people who claim they don't "play grade" and only visually grade,
I do this on a lot of ebay stuff, because I dont listen to every single record I put up...some weeks it is close to a 100 LPs...I aint sitting down and listening to a hundred LPs all the way through to see if their is some crackle during quiet passages...
Yeah, if you're selling more than a handful of records play grading isn't really an option. I pretty much only make it a point to play the big money stuff and anything that looks sketchy.
I ordered a VG+++ Thesda but received a water damaged jacket for 2nd Chapter Of Acts, no record inside. Needless to say I never bought off the set sales here again.
Yeah, if you're selling more than a handful of records play grading isn't really an option. I pretty much only make it a point to play the big money stuff and anything that looks sketchy.
well when people don't play grade. then that seller can't complain when they receive some negative shit from some buyer.
Yeah, if you're selling more than a handful of records play grading isn't really an option. I pretty much only make it a point to play the big money stuff and anything that looks sketchy.
what I really hate are dealers who constantly talk shit like "selling records is for the birds, I'm quitting the game and I'm gonna live in the mountains, this is my last auction ever, I'm full of turds, blah blah blah".
Yeah, if you're selling more than a handful of records play grading isn't really an option. I pretty much only make it a point to play the big money stuff and anything that looks sketchy.
well when people don't play grade. then that seller can't complain when they receive some negative shit from some buyer.
I would rather have a visually graded record because it is more objective, play grading is a lot more subjective, "sounds great!" means different things to different people...I might say a record sounds great, but that one single pop/crackle during a five minute passage of only flute might drive some collectros up the wall and claim it was unlistenable...while timmy dig a lot would say a hammered with lots of sizzle copy of Bongo band "sounds great" because the bboy bukkake plays through without skipping...visual grading is how you grade records...if it has some sizzle but looks perfect..thats the pressing, not a fault in grading.
timmy dig a lot would say a hammered with lots of sizzle copy of Bongo band "sounds great" because the bboy bukkake plays through without skipping..
quit calling me out like that, ***c!
nah, I think that is what happened with the dealer I spoke of 'cause on the record I got the SAMPLES BEATS BREAKS track plays pretty well while every other song on it plays like
I would rather have a visually graded record because it is more objective, play grading is a lot more subjective, "sounds great!" means different things to different people...
this is the bigger piece of bullshit I have ever had the pleasure to quote. Inspecting a record under 100 watts bulb light or listening to it are both subjective to me. There are still both your senses.
I don't think I've ever bought a play graded record. I can't imagine anyone sitting down & playing a record to grade it. I'm extremely picky about condition, & rather have an assement of the condition based on how the record looks, not how it sounds, especially because people all rock different set-ups & you can hear alot of surface noise on one turntable, but none on another.
visual grading is how you grade records...if it has some sizzle but looks perfect..thats the pressing, not a fault in grading.
I don't think this is completely true. More often than being a problem of the pressing, it is a problem of a shitty needle prematurely wearing down a record sonically without showing much or any visible signs. Even if a seller can legitimately chalk a fault up to the pressing, how often is that explaination really going to fly with buyers? That's just asking for negative feedback (deserved or not) sooner or later. Personally I visually grade AND play grade, so the descriptions have both objective ratings based on Gold Mine and more subjective additional info that may sway buyers one way or the other: "glossy shine, but some occasional scrackle nevertheless" or "totally encrusted with dookie, but actually has minimal effect on play". That way, you're saying to customers, here's the rating, but here is more info because those ratings don't always tell the whole story.
I would rather have a visually graded record because it is more objective, play grading is a lot more subjective, "sounds great!" means different things to different people...
this is the bigger piece of bullshit I have ever had the pleasure to quote. Inspecting a record under 100 watts bulb light or listening to it are both subjective to me. There are still both your senses.
not bullshit...visual grading is more objective than play grading...lets break down the different levels of "surface noise" in an objective context,you cant, but you can see a scratch...a scratch is either there or it isnt, it is either palpable or it isnt...
visual grading is how you grade records...if it has some sizzle but looks perfect..thats the pressing, not a fault in grading.
I don't think this is completely true. More often than being a problem of the pressing, it is a problem of a shitty needle prematurely wearing down a record sonically without showing much or any visible signs. Even if a seller can legitimately chalk a fault up to the pressing, how often is that explaination really going to fly with buyers? That's just asking for negative feedback (deserved or not) sooner or later. Personally I visually grade AND play grade, so the descriptions have both objective ratings based on Gold Mine and more subjective additional info that may sway buyers one way or the other: "glossy shine, but some occasional scrackle nevertheless" or "totally encrusted with dookie, but actually has minimal effect on play". That way, you're saying to customers, here's the rating, but here is more info because those ratings don't always tell the whole story.
true...I negelcted that aspect, but in all seriousness, I have only really encountered this problem with 45s that must have been big party records during their day and old folks' pop vocal steez...
re: the visual VS play grade debate - I agree that play grading is more subjective than visual, but there are many dudes that will sell a visually EXC record that they KNOW sounds like shit and fail to mention that when selling, which one must admit is some bullshit.
I would rather have a visually graded record because it is more objective, play grading is a lot more subjective, "sounds great!" means different things to different people...
this is the bigger piece of bullshit I have ever had the pleasure to quote. Inspecting a record under 100 watts bulb light or listening to it are both subjective to me. There are still both your senses.
not bullshit...visual grading is more objective than play grading...lets break down the different levels of "surface noise" in an objective context,you cant, but you can see a scratch...a scratch is either there or it isnt, it is either palpable or it isnt...
Just run a record through Microwave or any audio recording software and take a look at the corresponding waveform. Presto...there's your objective context.
I would rather have a visually graded record because it is more objective, play grading is a lot more subjective, "sounds great!" means different things to different people...
this is the bigger piece of bullshit I have ever had the pleasure to quote. Inspecting a record under 100 watts bulb light or listening to it are both subjective to me. There are still both your senses.
not bullshit...visual grading is more objective than play grading...lets break down the different levels of "surface noise" in an objective context,you cant, but you can see a scratch...a scratch is either there or it isnt, it is either palpable or it isnt...
Just run a record through Microwave or any audio recording software and take a look at the corresponding waveform. Presto...there's your objective context.
cool...visual record grades are old hat..from now on, dont buy any records without a corresponding screen shot of a waveform...
Comments
No worries man. I appreciate you letting me know. Drop me a PM when it's on its way.
Record grading is not difficult. Get with the picture.
to be fair i've had some great experiences as well, but DAMN.
hahaha! this is actually an excellent point.
And despite my earlier comments, I will say that the vast majority of my dealings with soul strut people have been absolutely top notch.
And honestly, I must say people on here have actually been better than in the past when it comes to dealing with records.
Although there are some on here who overprice their jawns wayyyyyyy out of range.
I mean waaaayyyy out of range.
...seriously though, who do you think you're fooling?
This happened to me on here with a Meters record and some other shit - shit was warped, water damaged, crackling to the point of no return -- needless to say I won't come back for more, or have any qualms about puttin' hommie on blast. I didn't bother PMing hommie either... it was obvious dude was out for the quick cash.
peace.
Needless to say I never bought off the set sales here again.
ditto. the soulstrut set sales are one of my favorite things about this place...
Well, he said he looked and there were musical notes and numbers.
I received a cracked reissue/boot for $30.
And the worst part is, he wouldn't refund my shipping.
That was the ONLY time I've ever been screwed over. Every other time it's been good and I buy lots from set-sails. Sometimes I get a record and I'm like "this doesn't sound good!" but then realize it was advertised as VG
haha. that must have been some kind of message. horses head in the bed style
I do this on a lot of ebay stuff, because I dont listen to every single record I put up...some weeks it is close to a 100 LPs...I aint sitting down and listening to a hundred LPs all the way through to see if their is some crackle during quiet passages...
You still need a Thesda? I've got several.
well when people don't play grade. then that seller can't complain when they receive some negative shit from some buyer.
Can you imagine AP play-grading 1000 LPs?
I would rather have a visually graded record because it is more objective, play grading is a lot more subjective, "sounds great!" means different things to different people...I might say a record sounds great, but that one single pop/crackle during a five minute passage of only flute might drive some collectros up the wall and claim it was unlistenable...while timmy dig a lot would say a hammered with lots of sizzle copy of Bongo band "sounds great" because the bboy bukkake plays through without skipping...visual grading is how you grade records...if it has some sizzle but looks perfect..thats the pressing, not a fault in grading.
quit calling me out like that, ***c!
nah, I think that is what happened with the dealer I spoke of 'cause on the record I got the SAMPLES BEATS BREAKS track plays pretty well while every other song on it plays like
this is the bigger piece of bullshit I have ever had the pleasure to quote. Inspecting a record under 100 watts bulb light or listening to it are both subjective to me. There are still both your senses.
^^^^AUDIOPHILE IS OUT OF THE CLOSET^^^^
I don't think this is completely true. More often than being a problem of the pressing, it is a problem of a shitty needle prematurely wearing down a record sonically without showing much or any visible signs. Even if a seller can legitimately chalk a fault up to the pressing, how often is that explaination really going to fly with buyers? That's just asking for negative feedback (deserved or not) sooner or later. Personally I visually grade AND play grade, so the descriptions have both objective ratings based on Gold Mine and more subjective additional info that may sway buyers one way or the other: "glossy shine, but some occasional scrackle nevertheless" or "totally encrusted with dookie, but actually has minimal effect on play". That way, you're saying to customers, here's the rating, but here is more info because those ratings don't always tell the whole story.
not bullshit...visual grading is more objective than play grading...lets break down the different levels of "surface noise" in an objective context,you cant, but you can see a scratch...a scratch is either there or it isnt, it is either palpable or it isnt...
true...I negelcted that aspect, but in all seriousness, I have only really encountered this problem with 45s that must have been big party records during their day and old folks' pop vocal steez...
is more subjective than visual, but there are many dudes that will
sell a visually EXC record that they KNOW sounds like shit and fail
to mention that when selling, which one must admit is some bullshit.
Just run a record through Microwave or any audio recording software and take a look at the corresponding waveform. Presto...there's your objective context.
cool...visual record grades are old hat..from now on, dont buy any records without a corresponding screen shot of a waveform...
DIGITALLY GRADED: EX-, some high peaks that don't distract from listening experience