Rant: Used to buy records based on cover art alone, now I research every pressing

Tbh I used to just grab anything with a cool cover from the dollar bin at thrift stores. Found some gems that way but also wasted money on scratched up copies that sounded like garbage. Last year I picked up a David Bowie record that looked mint but turned out to be a late 80s reissue with super thin vinyl. Spent $5 on that lesson. Now I check the matrix numbers and pressing year before I buy anything over $3. Some folks say I'm overthinking it but man the difference between an OG UK press and a cheap reissue is night and day. Am I the only one who changed their whole approach after getting burned a few times?

2 comments

2 Comments

leohart24d agoMost Upvoted

Started doing the exact same thing after getting burned on a Fleetwood Mac record that was basically unplayable. I mean the surface noise was so bad I could barely hear the music through all the crackling. Now I always check Discogs before I buy anything, even dollar bin stuff. Idk maybe I have trust issues now but I'd rather spend 5 minutes researching than waste another $5 on a dud.

paul23324d ago

The real hidden cost is the time you lose when a bad pressing kills your listening mood for the night. I keep a spreadsheet now with notes on what sounds good and what doesn't, and it saves me from buying duplicate copies of records I already own. A little organization upfront beats getting soured on a whole album because of one bad pressing.