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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@tony1954: And perseverance. I have two used LP stores and an antique "mall" a ten minute drive from my house that I check in with weekly. Admittedly prices aren’t as low as they were in the pre-Discog days. Yesterday at one of them I saw a Tony Rice LP in my to-find book, but it was priced at $75. I can wait for a cheaper copy.

Jose Records with locations in MO, KS, OK, and TX is having their Memorial Day weekend sale. 20% off on used items. We order from them quite a bit. 

 

Oh, and earlier in the week I found all the following in the dollar bin at one of my LRS:

 

- Emmylou Harris: Last Date.

- The David Bromberg Band: Reckless Abandon.

- Les Paul & Mary Ford: Swingin’ South, an album focusing on music from the Southern States---Blues, Bluegrass, Hillbilly.

- Ray Price: Night Life. A great singer, one of Willie Nelson’s favorites.

- Wanda Jackson: Right Or Wrong. Wanda is a fantastic Rockabilly singer, once dating Elvis for awhile. In 2011 her 42nd album (!) was released, Jack White producing (entitled The Party Ain’t over---a reference to an early hit of hers, the classic Rockabilly "Let’s Have A Party"). In 2017 Wanda’s autobiography was published, with a foreword by the other Elvis---Costello. And in 2021 her final album (she has retired) was released, produced by Joan Jett. And yet I’ll bet most of ya’ll have never even heard of her!

- L. A. Express: 1976 s/t album. Band members include Robben Ford, Victor Feldman, and John Guerin.

- Kate & Anna McGarrigle: Dancer With Bruised Knees.

- Don Nix: Gone Too Long. Don is a fantastic songwriter, singer, musician, and producer, a big part of the Tulsa and Muscle Shoals musical communities. He has worked with Booker T & The MG’s, Leon Russell, Delaney & Bonnie, Freddie King, John Mayall, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, and The Staple Singers. His song "Goin’ Down" has been recorded by a LOT of people, including Freddie King, J.J. Cale, Clapton, Beck, Stevie Ray Vaughan, The Stones, Pearl Jam, The Who, Led Zeppelin, Joe Satriani, and Sturgill Simpson. He’s probably lived off his royalties from that one song. ;-)

- The soundtrack of the film Diva, composed by Vladimir Cosma.

 

Nine bucks out the door.

 

I’ve found that with a truly proper cleaning, many records assumed to be VG or VG+ are actually NM.  The best cleaning isn’t cheap, but with a large collection or lots of purchases can pay for itself.  It seems to be an area where people who spend thousands on cables get cheap.  Personally, I think my record cleaning system has made more difference in the quality of my system than any other investment.  YMMV

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