# What to do with old vinyl records?



## DebBrown (Sep 28, 2011)

I must have been a pack rat in another life.  

I have boxes of old records that belonged mostly to my grandparents but some from my youth in the 70s.  I'm having a hard time parting with them.  I was wondering if there is anything crafty I could do with my favorites? Occasionally I've seen strange art or bowls, etc. made out of old records.

And if anyone wants tons of brass band records from the 40s or the entire sound track of Oklahoma on 78s, let me know.   

Deb


----------



## loafingcactus (Sep 28, 2011)

Have you looked on eBay to see what they might sell for?  I think I would do that before accidentally turning something into a bowl that would make you cry.


----------



## Patri (Sep 28, 2011)

Listen to them.


----------



## AwayWeGo (Sep 28, 2011)

*Stax & Stax Of Wax -- Those Golden Oldies -- The Grooveyard Of Forgotten Favorites.*

Last year I donated 525 or so LPs to a local charity thrift store -- not nasty old scratched-up records walked on by golf shoes, but a nice bunch that included a few still in unopened shrink-wrap that I never got round to playing before digital media overwhelmed the old-style analogue technology to the point that nobody listens to vinyl anymore, not even me.  

As it happens, that stack of 525 -- not an estimate, an actual count by The Chief Of Staff -- is just the tip of the iceberg.  Lots more are neatly shelved upstairs, approximately 35 feet of'm.  

Plus, I still have lots & lots of old 45-rpm singles & several bushels of nice stereo tape cassettes that have gone unplayed for years & years.  

I draw the line at 78-rpm records & 8-track tape cartridges.  Those are all out of here long since. 

My good friend from high school days who now lives north of Sacramento CA has made a project of digitizing his entire record collection & putting'm all on iTunes.  He says virtually his entire library of old records & tapes is now physically shrunk down to the size of a matchbook & loaded onto his iPod Classic -- something to think about, no ? 

Even so, the question remains -- what to do with all the old original cassettes & disks that are too good to throw out & no longer good enough to keep. 

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


----------



## Passepartout (Sep 28, 2011)

The majority are probably worth very little. If you come across any that may have historical significance, perhaps your library or historical society may be interested. That said, I have seen some rock 'n' roll albums from the 60's and 70's that bring a tidy sum. Maybe only a few have actual value, but wouldn't it be a shame to put 'em all in a dumpster if one or two had some value- historically, musically, collectively or otherwise.  I have a similar dilemma.  I have saved a few boxes of 60's R&R vinyl. They are in a rental storage unit, and could be melted into a useless glob by now. I'm afraid to look. Sigh.   

Good luck. Hope you find some limited editions in mint condition.

Jim


----------



## DebBrown (Sep 28, 2011)

No, there's nothing valuable in my collection.  That's why I sorted through them today.  A couple have sentimental value - my Uncle Phil playing Tuba with the London Philharmonic, my first Jackson5 45 - yet I doubt that the quality is very good.

I thought about ebay but packaging them for shipping, etc. is more trouble than its worth.

BTW, Alan, my daughter has a pretty extensive 8-track collection!

Deb


----------



## pgnewarkboy (Sep 28, 2011)

Haven't you heard? Vinyl is the new old thing. 

I am sure there is a robust market for old vinyl in good condition.


----------



## linsj (Sep 28, 2011)

I don't know where you live; but in the Chicago area, several used music stores still buy vinyl. I'd check into that possibility, as well as listing them on craigslist. After all, one person's trash is another person's treasure.


----------



## dwojo (Sep 28, 2011)

Take out an ad in your local newspaper or on Craigslist. Many people collect vinyl records and some are worth quite a lot of money nowadays.


----------



## AwayWeGo (Sep 28, 2011)

*All Or Nothing.*




dwojo said:


> Take out an ad in your local newspaper or on Craigslist. Many people collect vinyl records and some are worth quite a lot of money nowadays.


OK -- but make'm take the whole bunch. 

Otherwise, they'll just cherry-pick the best of the lot & leave you stuck with all the rest. 

( Just saying. ) 

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


----------



## billwright1 (Sep 28, 2011)

We found a record flee market in Lancaster PA that meets every month or so. It was packed with people buying and selling.
Bing it to see it there is one near you.


----------



## mecllap (Sep 28, 2011)

If grandson hadn't broken the handle on my victrola, I could be tempted by Oklahoma on 78's (I actually may still have an electric turntable that plays 78's).  

I have some favorite albums (in the covers) in frames in my kitchen as wall art (craft stores carry frames just for them -- well, they also fit scrapbook pages), and there are other crafty things to do with them (the melting into bowls that you mentioned, for one).  You could google or bing LP crafts.  There's probably a way to use them for building a recycled materials house -- donate them somewhere, if you don't want the work of selling them (most are probably only worth a dollar or less, unless the cover art is special).

I started working on getting mine onto the computer, but it's slow going -- too many other projects keep getting in the way.

eta:  Oh yes, I am a packrat in this life -- my daughter is scared to death of having to deal with my stuff someday.


----------



## RDB (Sep 28, 2011)

*Looked on ebay*

Set 78rpm *Vaughn Monroe 2 Records* 40s *Seems Like Old Times * 

Buy It Now Price: US $7.49  
Shipping: $4.00


----------



## RDB (Sep 28, 2011)

*Hang on to them*

They may be worth a lot when they are another generation or two older!


----------



## jfbookers (Sep 28, 2011)

*We play them*

Several years ago we bought a box of records at a yard sale for maybe $10.00 including a nice box. Next we bought a cheap record player/CD player/Radio. We seldom used it but them we built a log cabin that we rent short term and most of my renters seem to play something. Our collection has expanded and several review writers have mentioned how much fun they had playing them. The collection goes from early country, to folk, to show tunes to rock & roll and if you can't find one you like you don't like music. At maybe $1.00 per record I don't get too upset when an ipod kid who has never seen a record tries to play it. Now I listen much more that I used to. Try it.


----------



## RDB (Sep 28, 2011)

*I'm keeping the ones we treasure*

TENNESSEE ERNIE FORD: A Treasury Of Inspirational Songs
33rpm  6 record set

ebay  Buy now: $60  $4 shipping

Someday our great grandkid might sell them.


----------



## RDB (Sep 28, 2011)

RDB said:


> TENNESSEE ERNIE FORD: A Treasury Of Inspirational Songs
> 33rpm  6 record set
> 
> ebay  Buy now: $60  $4 shipping
> ...



Henry Mancini Portraits in Stereo 5 lp box set 
Buy It Now $12.95  
or
HENRY MANCINI portraits in stereo 5 LP VG++ 
Buy It Now $50.00  

Depend who offers it and its condition.


----------



## wandering gnome (Sep 28, 2011)

This weekend I visited my son at college this weekend and took us to his favorite haunts--a couple used music/video stores.  One started selling vinyl last year and there was a demand.  Now she had boxes and boxes of vinyl.  So there is a market for them.


----------



## RDB (Sep 28, 2011)

It would seem over time, that sellers buy on the cheap and list for higher prices.
Those I mention have numerous listings.

Magical World Of Melody - 10 Album Set of Records
has only 4 listings on ebay, today.  Price $4 to $17.
Wait a few years... The price will climb.

I suggest you preserve the *good stuff*.

We are happy our house caught a tree rather than fire.


----------



## timeos2 (Sep 28, 2011)

Some, very few, in good shape and by the right artist are worth some money.  Most are trash, 

My daughter, who to my knowledge has never used a record player/turntable although she has seen me with mine many times, recently got a 33RPM classic album from a guy looking for $3 for gas in a parking lot. She gave him the $3 and, to make it up to her, he offered the reord. She laughed about it but was so intrigued by it that she searched out a turntable (at my fathers as it turns out) to hear the thing play. She was amazed at the sound quality & richness most of the MP3 she favors just don't offer.  Well worth $3 to hear that there is/was a difference and a reason the lp has made a recent, small comeback among audio affectationato's. I haven't listened to one in 5 years but maybe Ill fire up a few just to enjoy that again.


----------



## rickandcindy23 (Sep 28, 2011)

Rick and I both have collections of LP's, and many are duplicates.  More of the Monkees is my favorite, and Rick bought me a CD of that album a few years ago, and now it's one on my ipod.  Love that album.


----------



## MuranoJo (Sep 28, 2011)

AwayWeGo said:


> My good friend from high school days who now lives north of Sacramento CA has made a project of digitizing his entire record collection & putting'm all on iTunes.  He says virtually his entire library of old records & tapes is now physically shrunk down to the size of a matchbook & loaded onto his iPod Classic -- something to think about, no ?
> 
> -- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​



This is what DH is doing.  In fact, I got him a new turntable last Xmas just for this project.  He was making good progress over winter, but once the weather got nice, he abandoned it & will return to it again in January.  (We both had a lot of LPs when we married and some duplicates.  I also heard they are making a comeback.)


----------



## timeos2 (Sep 29, 2011)

muranojo said:


> This is what DH is doing.  In fact, I got him a new turntable last Xmas just for this project.  He was making good progress over winter, but once the weather got nice, he abandoned it & will return to it again in January.  (We both had a lot of LPs when we married and some duplicates.  I also heard they are making a comeback.)



Been that route - but no success to date! Why not? Because I purchased a dedicated USB turntable to create MP3's from my (actual count - I have it on a database) 768 unique albums & 1,687 45's - to date (it came from Circuit City so that's a hint how long it's been) I've never opened the box!  

Guess that will be my goal for this winter.  Set it up & get to recording.  I'd really like t hear some of that old stuff despite having the vast majority on CD's now (yes, most on a data base too - don't ask the count or the wife will kill me!)  Wonder if the warranty is still good?


----------



## AwayWeGo (Sep 29, 2011)

*You Typed A Mouthful.*




timeos2 said:


> Some, very few, in good shape and by the right artist are worth some money.  Most are trash


You are correct, sir.

Even so, the stax of wax that I'm keeping -- including possible rarities as well as more commonplace disks -- are the ones that I like even though they might not be everyone's cup of tea.

Shux, I'm sure I've got some old LPs & 45s that Dr. Demento doesn't even have.

That doesn't mean they're worth anything, except to me, but I've got'm anyway.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


----------



## bjones9942 (Sep 29, 2011)

There are several methods available to digitize them, and it's a nice looooong project that you can do here and there.

Mecllap - you know you can get replacement parts/repairs for your victrola?  

There are times when I'm in a mood ... I put on my 78 of the Too Fat Polka by the Andrews Sisters and open the sound baffle doors wide!


----------



## persia (Sep 29, 2011)

Local Costco sells a USB vinyl player, looks like there's still demand for the technology.


----------



## mecllap (Sep 29, 2011)

bjones9942 said:


> .
> 
> Mecllap - you know you can get replacement parts/repairs for your victrola?
> 
> !



Thank you.  Actually, I think I still have all the parts -- they're just lost in the innards, behind more screws than I've wanted to cope with so far - maybe someday.  (I used to be mechanical, but not so much anymore).  I have a gazillion 78's, and also a lot of player piano rolls, that are also suffering from a similarly caused grandson malfunction on the piano.  I'm hoping someday he wants to fix things (instead of just pushing computer keys to shoot things).  (I'm a pack rat/collector, but not a hoarder).


----------



## shagnut (Sep 29, 2011)

I have a Harmon Kardon turntable and hundreds of albums that sometimes I want to get rid of and most of the time I don't.  shaggy


----------



## easyrider (Sep 30, 2011)

My stash of records, mostly 70's rock, made it to the year 1998. I blew up my German made Marantz rocking out to some Nazareth. When I couldn't repair the amp I slowly got rid of the other components or used them in the shop. It was a pretty bulky setup. 4 Bose 901 speakers, Marantz Amp, Marantz duel cassette with mic leads, Marantz tuner, Toshiba turntable, boxes of cassettes and the records. This was kept in the basement but at one time took up an entire wall of the living room back in the day.

I kept two records and gave the rest to a collector. The two I still have are the Rolling Stones - Some Girls - in the first run banned album cover and Steely Dan - Can't Buy a Thrill - because I like it. They now hang on the wall beside my desk.

This last year I have been on a get rid of stuff roll. I tossed all my old text books, old Army stuff and anything that was just taking up room with out any use. Last week I finally tossed my first 10 speed. I bought it in 1972 to do a paper route. It was an Astra, Tour de France. My wife couldn't believe it. Kept all the kids old schoolwork and projects. 

Now if I could only find some old school Adidas Superstar in white with black stripes.


----------



## jfbookers (Sep 30, 2011)

*I take some of my last post back*

Just checking on my cabin and it seems that one of those ipod kids has broken the needle of the turntable. It was cheap <$100.00 but the needle can't be replaced like the old ones so a full repurchase is necessary.
I think I will lable this one "ADULTS ONLY"
The old one lasted several years so I guess I can't complain too much.


----------



## dmharris (Sep 30, 2011)

I can't give up my albums, mainly because of the cover, inside and poster art that came with it.  CD covers just don't have the same impact hidden behind that cheap plastic box and the size loses something in translation.  I agree with Mecllap "(I'm a pack rat/collector, but not a hoarder)."


----------



## kwilson (Sep 30, 2011)

mecllap said:


> eta:  Oh yes, I am a packrat in this life -- my daughter is scared to death of having to deal with my stuff someday.



DW just came home from a week long visit to her 91 year old dad. She spent the whole week cleaning his house and organizing it. 
He has over 1800 vcr tapes and refuses to part with any of them. Yes, 1800. They are all over his house and garage. She is really not looking forward to cleaning it all up!


----------



## timeos2 (Sep 30, 2011)

kwilson said:


> DW just came home from a week long visit to her 91 year old dad. She spent the whole week cleaning his house and organizing it.
> He has over 1800 vcr tapes and refuses to part with any of them. Yes, 1800. They are all over his house and garage. She is really not looking forward to cleaning it all up!



I have a few hundred VHS but over 1000 BETA!  And three working BETA VCR's as we still view some of those.  I'd like to get them to DVD but where or where is the time to do that?  Some technology shouldn't change...


----------



## AwayWeGo (Sep 30, 2011)

*I Have Complete Sets Of Bowling For Dollars & The Gong Show On Betamax.*




timeos2 said:


> I have a few hundred VHS but over 1000 BETA!  And three working BETA VCR's as we still view some of those.  I'd like to get them to DVD but where or where is the time to do that?  Some technology shouldn't change.


We shucked off our Betamax tapes a few years back -- pained me to do it, but once I brought myself to acknowledge that VHS won the format wars (despite superior Betamax technology), it wasn't that tough. 

I have a few movies on DVD, but I am very wary of Blue Ray.  

We (briefly) had a Blue Ray player, but we got rid of it because it nearly always hung up about 3/4 of the way through movies we were watching, irrespective of whether we were viewing DVDs or Blue Rays.  Shux upon it. 

By contrast, our _el cheapo_ $19*.*95 bottom-line Craig DVD player from Rite Aid plays flawlessly every time.  

Go figure.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


----------



## bjones9942 (Sep 30, 2011)

AwayWeGo said:


> We (briefly) had a Blue Ray player, but we got rid of it because it nearly always hung up about 3/4 of the way through movies we were watching, irrespective of whether we were viewing DVDs or Blue Rays.  Shux upon it.



Sounds like a heat issue.  I have a laptop fan unit mixed in the stack of audio/visual equiment in my entertainment center.  So far no problems.

I also have a betamax player and a *few* tapes.  I refuse to give up my copy of 'Aliens'.  I hate the movie, but it was the first beta I bought, and it cost nearly $80.  Maybe watching a few more episodes of hoarders will change my mind?


----------



## ScoopKona (Oct 1, 2011)

I have close to 10,000 vinyl records. This is my main way to enjoy music.

1) Don't bother converting vinyl to digital. Worst of all worlds. Even if the records are perfect, you'll lose quite a lot in the transfer process -- you don't have the original masters. Your software and sound hardware is nowhere near as good as what the pros have. And, you're already working with a fourth-generation copy. (Master tape to the "record in your hands" equals a fourth-generation pressing. There's a few steps involved in pressing a disc.)

1a) Unless your turntable is properly calibrated, that diamond tipped stylus is likely gouging the sonic information right off your discs. And those USB turntables? Absolute garbage. I know I'm sounding "geekier than thou," but unless the listener has used an arc protractor and set the cartridge and tonearm correctly, he or she may as well yank a quill from a porcupine and play the records with THAT.

To give you an idea of how important the cartridge is, the one I'm currently using cost more than my first CAR.

2) The reason for using vinyl in the first place is the analog sound, which is more complete than any digital sample can possibly be. That is why perfectly clean vinyl, played on superlative gear sounds much better than a CD, and far far better than an MP3. (Even for me, digital has it's place -- in the car, on an MP3 player (I hacked mine to play FLACs.) But if I really want to listen, it's on my turntable.

When friends come over, they INVARIABLY ask why I bother with vinyl. I show them by synching a record they know with a digital copy and then switch my tube amp from "phono" to "aux" and show them the difference. It's not just "night and day." Digital sounds like my speakers have been wrapped in tin foil. There is simply no comparison. It's still a LOT of work. But I think it's worth it.

The one advantage to digitizing vinyl is mitigating the effect of "the loudness war" (Google it.) But in general, it's better to just listen to CDs or digital files than to convert.


Now if anyone has any blues (preferably on the Blue Note label), jazz (1948-1965 especially) or classic rock (particularly punk) they'd like to be rid of, I'll take it all and pay shipping -- provided the vinyl is PRISTINE. Dust? No problems, I can clean that. But no scratches or warps. I'd rather go without than have a scratched record. AND no Slim Whitman, Andy Williams, Sing Along With Mitch Miller and similar. I can go to Goodwill and buy that stuff for 50 cents every day of the week.


----------



## bjones9942 (Oct 1, 2011)

ScoopLV said:


> I have close to 10,000 vinyl records. This is my main way to enjoy music.
> 
> 1) Don't bother converting vinyl to digital. Worst of all worlds. Even if the records are perfect, you'll lose quite a lot in the transfer process -- you don't have the original masters. Your software and sound hardware is nowhere near as good as what the pros have. And, you're already working with a fourth-generation copy. (Master tape to the "record in your hands" equals a fourth-generation pressing. There's a few steps involved in pressing a disc.)



Speaking for myself, I find creating a digital copy of my analog vinyl record acceptable.  Is it better than the vinyl?  Probably not.  Do my aging ears hear the difference?  Not without a good pair of earphones and a bitchin setup to play the record.  I have neither.  When I listen to my music, I'm more interested in the content than a pristine listening experience.  So, when it comes to moving my music to the newest media, copying beats out purchasing, for a second time, what I can find of my music library.  Unfortunately I have many recordings that haven't been issued on cd, and if I want them available on my iPad, iPod, ... my only recourse is to copy them.

And sometimes those scratches and pops represent memories that are worth more than the recording.


----------



## ScoopKona (Oct 2, 2011)

bjones9942 said:


> Speaking for myself, I find creating a digital copy of my analog vinyl record acceptable.  Is it better than the vinyl?  Probably not.  Do my aging ears hear the difference?  Not without a good pair of earphones and a bitchin setup to play the record.  I have neither.  When I listen to my music, I'm more interested in the content than a pristine listening experience.  So, when it comes to moving my music to the newest media, copying beats out purchasing, for a second time, what I can find of my music library.  Unfortunately I have many recordings that haven't been issued on cd, and if I want them available on my iPad, iPod, ... my only recourse is to copy them.
> 
> And sometimes those scratches and pops represent memories that are worth more than the recording.



Well, that's one way of looking at it. 

I'm only interested in the best possible way to listen to music. And that way is vinyl -- clean vinyl, played on equipment that 1) won't damage the vinyl, and 2) Provides the closest possible listening experience to what happened in the recording studio (or in the case of live albums, to the concert hall -- Cheap Trick at Budokan, for instance.)

I'm just giving the perspective of someone who DOES have the "bitchin' setup." Vinyl is at least 100% better than digital. But the work involved is not light. I've spent thousands of hours cleaning records. I've spent thousands of dollars on protective sleeves and "magic potions" (like LAST record protector) to keep that vinyl in tip-top shape. 

And my turntable and cartridge, while not the best in the world, is good enough so my 1,000th play of Miles' "Kind of Blue" will sound as good as the first play. ("Best in the world" costs more than my HOUSE. I'm not that hard core.)

Check out acousticsounds.com if you want to see how hard core this can get.


----------



## Rene McDaniel (Oct 2, 2011)

Interesting thread.  I have a question for our TUG audio experts.

I have tons of audio cassettes that I would like to get converted over to CD.  My biggest priority is about 60 Scholastic books with audio tapes that I would like to transfer to CD.  Also my husband has a really large selection of audio books that I would like to convert to CD or mp3 so that we could listen to them in the car.  Quality is not really a big deal.

Thanks for any easy ideas as we have a TON of audio tapes we would enjoy hearing again!

-- Rene


----------



## ScoopKona (Oct 2, 2011)

Rene McDaniel said:


> Interesting thread.  I have a question for our TUG audio experts.
> 
> I have tons of audio cassettes that I would like to get converted over to CD.  My biggest priority is about 60 Scholastic books with audio tapes that I would like to transfer to CD.  Also my husband has a really large selection of audio books that I would like to convert to CD or mp3 so that we could listen to them in the car.  Quality is not really a big deal.
> 
> ...



What's wrong with buying an RCA to 3.5mm cable and plugging your tape deck into the line-in jack in your computer?


----------



## Rene McDaniel (Oct 2, 2011)

ScoopLV said:


> What's wrong with buying an RCA to 3.5mm cable and plugging your tape deck into the line-in jack in your computer?



ScoopLV,
Thanks for the suggestion.  I looked it up online and it sounds like it would work for me.

One additional question.  My el-cheapo Acer laptop does not have a line-in jack, only a microphone jack.  So I would want to avoid blowing out my sound card.  Is this something to do with the volume the tape player is set to?   Here is an info clip I was able to obtain from another website.

Thanks,
--- Rene

_"What you need:

You'll need a cassette tape player with a headphone jack, a computer with a soundcard, the free "Audacity" software, and a 3.5mm (1/8-inch) male-male stereo audio cable. (Though 3.5mm is a standard size, your own hardware may be different.) A six-foot cable can be found for about $5.00 at your local electronics store like Radio Shack.

How to convert:

1) Plug one end of the audio cable into your cassette player's headphone or "Line out" jack, and the other end into your computer soundcard's "Microphone" or "Line in" jack. *To prevent possible soundcard damage, use the "Line in" jack if possible, and not the "Microphone".*

2) Start Audacity, and change the input type to "Line in" or "Microphone", depending on what soundcard jack you're using. This tells Audacity to record whatever it "hears" on the soundcard input. To do this, open the Edit menu, then Preferences. You'll then see a screen that should do what you need: Use the "Device" selector to pick your input (soundcard, microphone, audio jack, etc), and change the "Channels" selector to pick from mono or stereo recording.

3) Press the record button (red circle) on Audacity, then press play on your cassette tape.

4) Press the stop button (yellow square) on Audacity when the tape is finished playing.

5) Use the "File -> Export as WAV" menu item to save your recording. The resulting WAV file can be saved on your computer, converted to MP3, or burned to a CD. Get fancy with Audacity's audio editor features: You can cut, paste and add effects easily.

You should record a ten-second clip at first, so you can play it back immediately in Audacity (green triangle button) and make sure your volume levels are right. If the recorded audio is too loud or has too much static, decrease the volume on your cassette player.

Don't stop with cassette tapes. The same technique can import, record and convert records / LPs / vinyl, 8-tracks, and other older audio formats. You may need a different cable to match your playback device, but the actual dubbing process is the same."_

website:
http://www.andybrain.com/archive/convert-cassette-to-cd-digital.htm


----------



## persia (Oct 3, 2011)

Check out ubid:

http://www.ubid.com/Vibe_Sound_VS-2001-USBT_USB_Turntable%2fVinyl_Archiver/a804193288.html


----------



## ScoopKona (Oct 3, 2011)

persia said:


> Check out ubid:
> 
> http://www.ubid.com/Vibe_Sound_VS-2001-USBT_USB_Turntable%2fVinyl_Archiver/a804193288.html



That looks like an ideal means of ruining a record.

Remember, folks, there is a diamond-tipped stylus at the end of the nose-heavy tonearm, which not only cuts glass, it cuts vinyl really well.

Buy an old Technics 1200 (but not some old DJ table, those are usually beat to hell). If you don't want (or can't locate a good used table) google the Pro-Ject Debut III. This is a real turntable for less than $400. Not some kiddy toy that you'll find in Costco or Walmart.

You'll have to learn how to balance the tonearm, and align the cartridge correctly. But at least with a real turntable, you CAN balance the tonearm and align the cartridge correctly. Cartridge alignment isn't even an option with the el cheapos.

Otherwise, you may as well find an old Victrola and use a cactus spine as a stylus. It will do less damage to the vinyl than a diamond-tipped USB record ruiner.


----------



## hvsteve1 (Oct 10, 2011)

Keep in mind you can't go directly from a turntable to the computer. Unlike a cassette deck, a TT needs a pre-amp. That could be on OLD receiver or amp with a TT input or a pre-amp you buy new. The vinyl will never sound as good, however you can't carry a TT under your arm when you go out.

To get rid of records, there are used record stores all over the place that will pay you something.  You can also donate to a thrift store. When I went to the "World's Longest Yard Sale" (google it up) this summer, there were vendors with big tents and thousand of records. And they were doing business. I collect certain types of music and some recordings are available only on vinyl. I will pay a few dollars for an old record I want.


----------



## ScoopKona (Oct 11, 2011)

hvsteve1 said:


> Keep in mind you can't go directly from a turntable to the computer. Unlike a cassette deck, a TT needs a pre-amp. That could be on OLD receiver or amp with a TT input or a pre-amp you buy new. The vinyl will never sound as good, however you can't carry a TT under your arm when you go out.



That's not quite correct. Many modern amps have "phono in" jacks. Especially those made in the 90s and 00s. No pre-amp is required for those (the gain is built in) although it's still a good idea to have one.

My tube amp on the other hand, needs a pre-amp. And the pre-amp is currently the weak link in my system. I'm currently using an old Dynaco. I'll build a better pre when I have some scratch saved up.


----------



## ScoopKona (Oct 11, 2011)

Just thought I'd ask again -- anyone desperately want to get rid of their punk, blues and jazz?

Drop me a line.


----------



## danieldaniel (Oct 21, 2011)

*HI*

Thanks for telling us that you have brass band records....
 
Vinyl Word Art ||
wall stickers vinyl


----------

