MVC Record Grades Explained

Here’s more on my scale, subject to being tweaked. At the risk of being overly fastidious about this, I am employing two devices to grade these records: A numerical rating. 1-5, based on an evaluation of the music, its significance within its genre and beyond.

The dollar sign $ = five dollars.

KEY POINT: These are not necessarily what you can get for your records selling them to a record store or flea market. These prices mostly reflect what amount you might fairly expect to spend on these records — if you buy online (Amazon, eBay, Discogs, etc. there will likely be additional postal fees. The $=five dollar are intended to give you an idea about how much you would pay, shipping not included. Record stores will usually pay about half or less (depending on the record, of what they will try to sell it for.

Just to be clear I’m talking mostly about used records in good condition. Try to find those graded at a minimum VG but seeking Very Good-plus VG+, Near Mint NM and Mint. The new vinyl issues and reissues range from $18 to $30, with some special editions  going much higher.

For an example of how it works on my website: King Sunny Ade’s Juju Music, I give 4.5 stars because it is a wonderful melding of African roots music with Western musical touches. I think, based on price and sold checks, you may still be able to find it for under $10 so I gave it two $$’s. However, this one could easily rise in value toward the $15 to $20 mark used. A dollar sign is five dollars so $$$ on a record would mean you should be able to find a decent copy for under $15. Anything with five dollar signs means the lid is off on price. As I’ve said before I don’t believe there are many records in the world worth more than $50, but you will see them out there. Here’s the numerical ratings explained:

5 –A collector’s record. Pay what you can afford and closely look for scratches and vinyl abrasion. This is the real expensive stuff –like sealed early Pink Floyd or obscure psychedelic rock or some classic Blue Note jazz original issue in great condition — but shopping wisely can lead to finding lower prices. This category can be a good investment if you get a good deal. At this level the cover and record most likely needs to be in near mint condition. The factors driving worth are condition, desirability and rarity. Old. well maintained Beatles, the Rolling Stones to obscure guitarists such as John Fahey, Nick Drake, old blues recordings and for some reason much of Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention commands a pretty penny. There’s a whole audiophile angle to higher prices that I won’t go into now, but it’s part of the reason record collectors want first or very early pressings — when that plays into actual better sound quality.

Read my story on the experience of selling two records for a total of $110.

4 — This level is one where status of an album may have fluctuated with trends and fads. Smithereens records at one time were highly sought after but a few years ago, they took it on chin. (I still really like the group). For used vinyl on these I would try to keep it under $10-`12 and that’s for near mint. Might be some very slight surface scratches but generally at $10 or more you’re looking for something that looks barely played.

3 — Here we are looking at well seasoned yet desirable records, there may be some ring wear on covers, album backs are fraying. But the music is good but perhaps not consistently good all the way through. This is the bread and butter of used record stores. I bought many a Kinks album in this range, some even cheaper.  And anyone who knows the Kinks their records can vary wildly on the music.

2 — These are records where you might have one or two songs you love, but the rest of the album – meh. A lot of what you find are records that are torn and frayed — like a Beatles record, Help, that I bought for $2. The disc itself was listenable, few pops and scratches, but the cover had been extensively doodled on and back binder was frayed and it showed its age. A real collector would have ignored that one. Not me. It’s the Beatles and I can hear it without skipping.

1 — The Ray Coniff singers, Englebert Humperdink from the vault, the community choir of the local church, a beat-up Chet Atkins (of which I have two). These are the bottom but there’s always room for surprise and it is not too much of a wager at 50 cents to $2. For 50-cents I got Spencer Davis & Peter Jameson- It’s Been So Long. I had little knowledge of the album but I knew Spencer Davis as a pioneer in early English blues and the Spencer Davis group (I’m a Man, Gimme Good Loving) germinated other groups such as Traffic and Blind Faith. Turns out it’s a great album, low key, harmonies, sweet melodies. I got it for 50 cents and probably is a $6-$9 record in decent shape. So I’d give it ,based on condition and content a 4. and cost to you $$ or under $10.

My ratings are a work in progress. I’ll be working to get them all rated but bear with me.

Also, the three-digit numbers you see in most titles are the numerical order of that particular album. For example, the 411 next to Steve Howe means that there are 410 reviews to do in counting my down my 678 records in descending alphabetical order. King Sunny Ade, my first post is at 678.