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What do I look for in used records?

I've been absent from vinyl for years. Actually, unless I resort to my 25 year old Pioneer SX-850 and Technics SL-1400, I'm still absent. But after reading some of the posts here, I dropped in the local Goodwill to see what might be found, and picked up a 1955 copy of Brahms Violin Concerto - Heifetz/Reiner RCA Victor Red Seal LM-1903.

I'll admit, I don't really know what I'm getting with this. I'm not even sure this is stereo, since the label just states: A "New Orthophonic" High Fidelity Recording.

Is this good? There were several others that I could have also grabbed, but thought I'd ask here what to look for before proceeding. thanks
wdi
eldartford
4,262 posts
 
The marketing slogans reflected certain technical features, although the marketing aspect was probably most important.

For example: "Dynagroove" (RCA) meant that the signal had been processed so as to compensate for compliance of the vinyl.
jayboard
301 posts
 
Look to see that they have a little hole in the middle.
jes45
293 posts
 
Hey Elizabeth, they have bar codes on record jackets?
toddm
3 posts
 
I'll buy anything I see on Everest and Nonesuch

I love the Nonesuch stuff - kind of an "artsy" label, often with recordings of, uh, less-widely sold music - Japanese zither, Scott Joplins' Rags, "The Play of Herod," "Swedish Court Music of the 16th Century," you get the idea - and are usually (in my experience) very well-recorded and packaged, and the vinyl is usually pretty nice

Everest also had similar marketing strategies, and also produced high-quality LPs - the covers (like contemporary Deccas) are often bizarre/cool/retro-cool - take your pick
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