Buy Used Record Albums 2021
Many of our customers remember the thrill of going to the record store and finding the new Led Zeppelin, Bruce Springsteen or Rolling Stones album on the shelf. There was nothing quite like ripping off that cellophane and setting the record onto the turntable for the first time. Today, you can relive that experience by shopping used LP records for sale at Record Head.
buy used record albums
Looking for that lost record from your childhood? Or perhaps the one your college roommate "borrowed" and never returned? Import Vinyl contains a breadth of titles not currently available in the US. From classics to obscure gems to new bands, find it here.
The Most Valuable Vinyl Record In The WorldJohn Marshall's love for old records began when he startedcollecting albums from the jukebox distributor down the street from hischildhood home. His collection grew during a 30-year career in radio, when hewould save promo records that flooded the station.
"I bought many of them purely for the love of music, notrealizing then they could be worth a lot of money down the road," he says. "It was probably in themid-70's that I became aware there was a collector's market for records."
The record falls into the category of collectible recordsknown as "Northern Soul," a term that came about several years ago whenobscure soul music from the U.S. became in high demand in northern England.
The record is legendary in rock 'n roll circles. As thestory goes, Frank Wilson, a record producer at Motown who had no interest inbeing a singer, was goaded into recording the song by Motown owner Barry Gordy.Eventually, Gordy prevailed and Wilson recorded the song, but when Gordy wantedWilson to do shows to promote it Wilson refused. After an intense argument,Gordy demanded all copies be destroyed, so the only copies known to exist arepromos sent to radio stations that bear the words "Promotional. Not For Sale."
Of course, it's not the only valuable record. As Marshallexplains, the most collectible records are those recorded by the Beatles andElvis Presley. Original stereo copies of the Beatles album Yesterday and Todaycan be worth as much as $25,000.
Joe Lauro owns Old78s.com,and is perhaps the world's foremost expert on shellac 78 records. He saysplayback quality varies significantly between the shellac records produced byrecord companies.
"The usage of shellac became the norm circa 1900's, andthe better the shellac, the better the sound of the record in terms of lesssurface noise," he says. "The smaller record companies that offeredexpensive records often mixed the shellac with other particles like sand orwood, and the result was a very noisy playing surface. Better companies likeColumbia and Victor used superior quality shellac and the records sounded muchbetter. The circa 1920's to early 30's Columbia and Okeh labels were thebest, as their records were laminated with a cardboard core and much purershellac playing surface."
"The most valuable are rare Delta Blues recorded circa 1929to 1932, which can run upwards of $500," Lauro says. "The most ever paid fora one-of-a-kind Delta Blues record was $50,000, but there are few people thatwould pay anywhere near that price."
Lauro says he will pay thousands of dollars for certainrecords on Paramount and other labels, but cautions: "Not all records on theselabels are of value. It's just that the rarest ones often turn up on theselabels. Value is driven by rarity and desirability. Just because it's 100years old does not make it valuable. It's a matter of what the record is."
Label variations can play a major role in record values. Forexample, an average copy of The Beatles "Yesterday and Today" is only wortharound $10; but those that carry the red Capitol label can be worth up to$10,000.
Reckless Records is a group of three record stores in Chicago IL. We carry new & used CDs, DVDs games and loads of Vinyl. Originally started in London, our first Chicago location opened in 1989. (LPs & 7"s). We would love to have you visit us in person.
During a time when artists can't play at Chicago music venues, it's more important than ever to support your favorite musicians (and some vital local businesses) by shopping at some of Chicago's best record stores.
With locations in the Loop, Lakeview and Wicker Park, Reckless is the biggest record retailer in town, which means that you shouldn't have any problem tracking down the latest new release (on vinyl or CD). Plus, there's a nearly constant stream of used records coming through the doors, so you'll find stacks of pre-owned rock, jazz, metal and experimental LPs to flip through. The chain's Wicker Park shop is home to the most vast selection of music and sometimes hosts in-store performances, signings and other special events.
Nineties nostalgists, this is your classic indie record shop, outfitted with the handmade signs, knowledgeable staff and offbeat curios that likely populated the store where you bought music in your college town (hopefully it still exists!). Apart from the usual records and CDs, Laurie's sells pop culture ephemera such as hard-to-find DVDs, slipmats emblazoned with familiar characters and Johnny Cash action figures.
On a crowded zig-zaggy stretch of Clark Street, a seven-inch record with a piece of paper taped across it hangs in a shop's front window. It makes owner Dave Crain's position quite clear. It reads: "NO CD'S NEVER HAD 'EM!!! NEVER WILL!!!" Lest you think this is some modern vinyl revival, keep in mind that Crain has been selling wax here for years and years, ranging from new releases to used jazz, rare garage and so much more.
Located directly across the street from Thalia Hall, Dusek's and Punch House, Pilsen's latest record store focuses on vinyl from small, international labels like Blackest Ever Black (London) and Exiles (Buenos Aires) as well as albums released by local favorites like Thrill Jockey and Numero Group. Stop by the sleek space to catch a DJ set or browse the selection of turntables, slipmats and other record supplies.
Once located on the second floor of South Loop music venue Reggies, Record Breakers is now slinging vinyl on the hipster highway of Milwaukee Avenue. The Avondale shop is stocked with a wide selection of new and used vinyl, in addition to T-shirts, turntables, posters and everything else a music lover might want to hoard. Don't forget to say "hi" to the shop's resident turtle, Humphrey.
After three years of searching for the perfect neighborhood space, Adam "DJ Shuga Rose" Rosen opened Shuga in Wicker Park, not far from Reckless Records and Dusty Groove. The store houses close to 20,000 records exclusively available at the shop, plus turntables, vintage posters and thousands more titles online. If you're searching for an obscure album, chances are you'll find it here among the well-organized racks.
Just steps away from the 18th Street Pink Line station, Pinwheel Records was the first record store to debut in Pilsen. The interior of the shop looks a bit like a ultra-cool living room, boasting vibrant green walls, framed artwork and an arcade cabinet. Of course, there are plenty of records (and turntables to listen to them on) neatly arranged throughout the space. Stop in for some listening material while you digest your meal of tacos or carnitas.
Set amid a stretch of Clark Street that's home to a Brown Elephant thrift shop and the retro Replay arcade bar, Rattleback Records is a fittingly old-school addition to Andersonville's crop of small businesses. The no-frills record shop isn't very large, but it offers a mighty selection of new and used LPs, including plenty of rock, blues and jazz albums and some new releases. Customers can also pull up a stool to browse more LPs and 45s arranged under the main shelves or sit down on the store's couch to flip through some of the music-centric books and publications it carries.
A cross between a record store, a gallery and a gift shop, there's no shortage of items to browse at Transistor. While the selection of records is relatively small, you'll usually find a smattering of new releases tucked into crates that are stocked with classic rock LPs and popular contemporary albums. Transistor also carries a small but well-curated selection of audio equipment, if you're in the market for a turntable and decent set of powered speakers. The shop's walls are lined with photos and prints created by local artists, and aspiring musicians and podcasters can rent a small recording studio in the basement for an hourly rate.
Pre-1970s vinyl is generally considered as some of the best original pressings you can get. You can even find reissues that were created pre-70s which sound fantastic. A couple of reasons why original pressings sound so good from this period is because it was a golden age for record production and basically the only medium that people bought their records on. Care was taken to produce them and the competition was rife, so record companies would compete to create the best mixes and production techniques. There was also a very skilled labour force and many production plants of which were still relatively new and in perfect working order.
Jamie: At my local record store, I had a conversation with the employee about a record I just purchased on eBay for $30; it was a Barnes and Noble 2015 exclusive version featuring two extra tracks. Now the only listing of that same record is over $170; I am not interested in selling the album and I know the record dealer on eBay is just trying to turn a profit. The employee showed no interest in the conversation which was a disappointment to me. And why I am glad to have found this forum, Your discussion of vinyl (original or reissue) is the type of info I am looking to read,
Not really a simple question to answer, some re-issues sound miles than the originals as the 20-30 years of technology ie half speed masters and better gear can improve the sound significantly (see 2014 beatles mono) probably the best versions of most of the beatles records. But there are also moments where the re-issues are done badly (see rem green). Totally depends on the source analogue tape source sound warm, but digital source can give you more detail, the mastering engineer (see some good ones bob ludwig, kevin Gray, Bernie Grundman) and the technology used, and then also the pressing plant and label. As an audio engineer, some advice is have a listen and do your research. There are terrible re-issues and terrible originals, hope you get the good ones 041b061a72