Cheap used LP's: They're still out there!


I often read or hear people complaining about the sky-rocketing prices of used LP’s. Albums that used to be available for a coupla bucks (or even in the dollar bins) now selling for twenty or more. I can’t speak for the rest of the country (or world), but that’s not true here in the Northwest.

For instance: Twice a year or so Music Millennium in Portland has a sidewalk sale, selling thousands of LP’s for $2 each. MM opened it’s doors in 1969, and after all this time has kept it’s counterculture vibe intact (you can almost smell the patchouli oil ;-). To make room for incoming LP’s, the store marks down some $5 albums to $2, and it’s not all junk. Yesterday I found the following LP’s, all in VG+ or better condition (many Mint/unplayed):

- Gordon Lightfoot: Summer Side Of Life.

- Ry Cooder: Jazz (backup copy).

- Cindy Lee Berryhill: Who’s Gonna Save The World?

- Linda Ronstadt: Simple Dreams (backup).

- Barbara Streisand: Live Concert At The Forum (engineered by Bill Schnee).

- Maria Muldaur: s/t (backup).

- Buck Owens: Best Of Vol. 2.

- T Bone Burnett: Trap Door (yet another backup copy),

- Mark O’Conner: Elysian Forest.

- The Dave Clark Five: Glad All Over (mono).

- The Rumour: Max.

- 10cc: How Dare You!

- The Ben Vaughn Combo: Beautiful Thing.

- Barefoot Jerry: Southern Delight (drummer Kenneth Buttrey’s name should be familiar).

- Beethoven: Missa Solemnis, Bernstein conducting The New York Philharmonic.(2 LP’s).

- and for a buck: Joe Ely 12" promo 45 of "What’s Shakin’ Tonight?"

 

$31 out the door, about the price of one new-release LP.

 

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@thecarpathian The seller feedback is critical!  I know everyone has to get a start, and on rare occasions I’ll take a chance.  But my general rule of thumb is at least 1000 ratings and at least 99.8%.  I still get burned on rare occasions, but overall I have few complaints.  

The Rumour - Max? Dang, I haven't run into anybody else who even knows the Rumour put out a couple of albums without Graham Parker. I've got that LP and 'Euro' from when they came out... 

I haven't started buying used LP's yet, but a good record cleaner can make a big difference with those. 

Freddy Hubbard's First Light on a 1971 CTI LP bought from an eBay seller for $8 + $4.35 shipping last week! I will cherish this more than any new made-from-a-digital file 180 gram reissue!

@larsman: Yeah, The Rumour were great. Graham Parker's albums with other bands aren't nearly as good as those with them. And then guitarist Martin Belmont went to work for Nick Lowe, playing in his band for quite a while (he was with Nick when I saw the latter live in the late-90's). English (and Welsh) musicians are an incestuous lot. ;-)

I used a Discwasher from the time it was introduced in the mid-70's (before that it was the Cecil E Watts Disc Preener. How's THAT for an English name!), then got a Nitty Gritty when it was introduced in the 80's. But it was the VPI RCM that finally gave me LP cleaning I was satisfied with. I now use an HW-17 in conjunction with a DIY ultrasonic. I don't buy LP's in less than VG+ condition, but ALL used records can use a good cleaning.