Loading ...
How to Maintain Your Vinyl Records
Vinyl Records Are High-Maintenance…
It’s unfortunate, but true. While vinyl records provide the sweetest sounds, they won’t for very long if you do not maintain them properly. Vinyl records are victims to many of the same ailments as CDs, particularly scratches, and exposure to sunlight and heat. Vinyl records also suffer from various other problems as well. Here are 9 tips that will keep your vinyl in great shape…
Maintenance Tip #1: Store Vinyl Records Vertically
The first thing to consider when storing your vinyl is the direction. You should always store your vinyl records vertically. By storing them vertically, there is significantly less stress put on the record, ensuring that they don’t bend or deform over time.
Maintenance Tip #2: Don’t Store Vinyl Records Horizontally
Vinyl should never be stored horizontally, especially under a pile of other records, or other heavy object(s). The weight causes damage to the grooves over time, degrading the sound quality over time.
Maintenance Tip #3: Don’t Let Vinyl Records Lean
Vinyl should not be allowed to lean either. This can cause them to warp, and you can imagine the difficulties this causes.
Maintenance Tip #4: Don’t Store Vinyl Records Too Tightly
One other tip, don’t store records too tightly, even vertically, as this also puts pressure on the grooves, deforming them over time. This is the same reason why you shouldn’t store vinyl records horizontally under other records or heavy objects.
Mainteance Tip #5: Keep Your Records Cool!
Vinyl should also be stored in a cooler portion of your house. Heat causes the records to get softer, and prone to bending and damage. You should never store your vinyl near a window or heater.
Maintenance Tip #5: Keep Your Records Away From Humidity
Take care to keep your vinyl away from humidity. Humidity eventually causes mold to grow, which can lead to damage to your record and cover sleeve. It’s really difficult to get mold and dirt out of those tiny record grooves. Treat your vinyl with respect! Don’t throw it in your basement or attic for 20 years and expect them to come out looking good.
Maintenance Tip #6: Always Store Your Records in their Sleeves
Vinyl should not be stored outside of its liner or sleeve. This makes it easier for the record to get dirty, and more prone to scratches. Dirt is one of the main things that scratches records. In addition to dirt causing damage, exposed vinyl can be damaged by the sun’s UV rays. This is another reason not to store your vinyl near a window or natural light source.
Maintenance Tip #7: Always Handle Vinyl Records by the Edges
When handling your vinyl, the same rules apply as with CDs. Be careful to handle the record only by its edges. Don’t be careless with the record in hand, if it drops, you could cause a bad scratch, causing the record to skip, and damaging the record permanently.
Maintenance Tip #8: Be Careful With The Stylus
If you don’t have an automatic turntable, be gentle with the stylus (needle). Don’t set it down too heavily. Be mindful while the record is playing too: Try not to shake the turntable, causing the needle to skip across the record, causing minor scratches that degrade the sound of the record.
Maintenance Tip #9: Brush the Record, and Return It To Its Sleeve
Lastly, when you’re done playing your record, you should give it a quick brush to remove any dust and static. Finally, return it to its sleeve. If you plan on listening to your vinyl for any decent period of time, you should absolutely invest in a carbon fiber record brush.
That’s it, folks! 9 Tips for keeping your vinyl LPs in great shape.
Enjoy the music!
Join the Conversation: Post a Comment!
Topics: Sound Quality | 8 Comments »
Vinyl Art: A Look at one Artist’s Work
***
Hello Vinyl Revinyl faithful…I have borrowed this article (with the author’s permission of course) about an artist that uses vinyl records as an artisitc medium. Very interesting stuff…check it out! And enjoy the YouTube videos!
-Alan (The webmaster guy)
***
Vinyl Art – A New Canvas
Album cover art has a fascinating and long history. From the days of Alex Steinweiss to pop artists like Andy Warhol and Roger Dean, album cover art has evolved; with some highly praised covers (i.e. the Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper LP) to the controversial, including Jimi Hendrix’s “Electric Ladyland” that featured nude women.
But using old, generally unplayable vinyl records (LP’s) as a canvas, artist Daniel Edlen is creating one-of-a-kind ‘Vinyl Art’ masterpieces, adding a new dimension to the art of vinyl albums.
I spoke with Daniel about his love of art and music and how he is able to merge the two on the unique canvas of a vinyl record.
“My Dad introduced me to records with the Beatles’ “Revolver” album,” explained Daniel. “My Mom volunteered for the local library, running the used book sales. They would get records as donations and I got first crack at them because they were usually too beat up and they didn’t sell well. Then I had an art project in my teens with white pencil on black paper and I thought, why not try to paint on some of these old records.”
But as a record collector yourself, isn’t this almost blasphemy, using a vinyl record as a canvas?
“I have struggled with that question, especially after the reaction I’ve gotten from some collectors. My answer is that I do try use albums that would practically ruin a good phonograph needle, and also, I’m turning something that likely would sit in a box in someone’s garage into something they can hang on their wall to celebrate their musical culture. It’s something unique and creative that is a great ice-breaker, starting conversations about music, art, and all things retro.”
When asked about the process, Daniel detailed:
“The actual painting part of the process verges on meditation for me, it just flows. I’m always listening to music while I work, often whom I’m painting. It’s a joy to do what I do, and when I write my blog posts, I often end up adding how lucky I feel that my passion allows me to touch people. The tricky part is finding and sizing the right image of the musician. I place the portrait so the label becomes part of the composition, sometimes highlighting specific information, like the title of the album or certain tracks that make that particular record special or important. I use just white acrylic paint, using the density to create the shading. The whole process takes about a day.”
Recently, Daniel has also begun creating time-lapse videos that he’s uploaded to YouTube http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=dedlen. These show the development of the paintings, using about twenty-five pictures taken as the painting goes through its stages, and are backed by music recorded by the subject of the piece.
So, just who is Daniel Edlen? Obviously a very talented artist, he would draw and paint for fun and enjoyment throughout his formative years and after experimenting with other art media (such as sculpture), he did a few pieces of what he now calls ‘Vinyl Art’ for friends and family as gifts.
His audience not only loved his work, they encouraged him to try selling them. So with the support of his wife, family and friends, Daniel decided to utilize his talent and passion to, not only make something new from something old, but to create a whole new way for music-lovers to share that passion. For Daniel, the payoff is peoples’ reaction when they see the pieces for the first time.
Daniel has opened up a web site and online gallery http://www.vinylart.info/why.htm so the public can see just what he does. Framed simply in a black metal LP frame with the album sleeve behind, the focus is on the original painting.
As a vinyl record collector and enthusiast, I am excited and just marvel at the ‘Vinyl Art’ history and one-of-a-kind paintings that Daniel Edlen creates everyday. Daniel keeps his audiences craving more, and as an artist, that is all you could ever wish for.
Author Robert Benson writes about rock/pop music, vinyl record collecting and operates http://www.collectingvinylrecords.com, where you can pick up a copy of his ebook called
“The Fascinating Hobby Of Vinyl Record Collecting.”
Contact Robert at robert(@)collectingvinylrecords(dot)com
Join the Conversation: Post a Comment!
Topics: Uncategorized | No Comments »
Essential Heavy Metal Albums…Part 1
Heavy Metal reminds me of my younger angst-ridden years, when I was a rebellious adolescent. As a typical rebellious adolescent, I loved my heavy metal music. Metallica was my favorite, but I also liked Megadeth, Anthrax and Testament. Have a look at my list of five essential heavy metal albums.
#5: Megadeth: Rust in Peace
In the late 1980’s heavy metal was getting very progressive. All of the top guitar players were trying to outdo each other in terms of virtuosity and speed, and Megadeth was no exception. With the talented guitar playing of Dave Mustaine and Marty Friedman, Megadeth produced their most ambitious album ever. Rust in Peace is full of the things we all love our heavy metal to have…Shredding guitar solos, awesome drum tracks, and lyrics about the end of the world. Who can resist this classic album?
#4: Iron Maiden: The Number of the Beast
The Number of the Beast is the must-have Iron Maiden album, and why not? It has all of the doom and darkness of any great metal album, some awesome guitar shredding and soloing, and that classic british heavy metal sound. Iron Maiden was one of the great innovators of heavy metal, influencing some of the greatest heavy metal bands that came later. This classic album features some of the great Iron Maiden tunes such as “The Number of the Beast” and “Run to the Hills”. One element of Iron Maiden’s sound that is interesting is the harmonizing of the guitar solos, producing a thicker, more rich sound. Hear it on this classic album.
#3: Black Sabbath: Paranoid
Paranoid is one of the first heavy metal albums ever, and contains some of the most classic heavy metal songs ever written. The songs “Paranoid” and “Ironman” are legendary metal songs, and are both on the album Paranoid. Also a very essential fact: Ozzy Osbourne sings on this album. This is where a heavy metal legend got his start. In addition to the classic guitar riffs and doomy lyrics, Paranoid delivers a unique listening experience: Slightly metal, slightly bluesy, slightly psychedelic, very unique for its time, and hands-down a rock and roll classic.
#2: Pantera: Cowboys From Hell
Pantera was never really my cup of tea, but I always liked this album. It showcases the genius guitar playing of Dimebag Darrell, one of the most original and talented heavy metal guitarists of all time. Cowboys From Hell was released at a time when Pantera was moving from a glam-metal to a thrashy tough-guy metal band. On my copy, Dimebag Darrell’s name is shown as “Diamond Darrell”. Anyway, this album has lots of energy, aggression, angst, anger, and emotion, but is not quite as heavy as later Pantera efforts, such as Vulgar Display of Power. I like the classic songs like “Cowboys from Hell”, “Primal Concrete Sledge” and the thrashy “Domination”. I feel like a real badass listeing to ‘Tera, and you will too!
#1: Metallica: Master of Puppets
Awesome, awesome, awesome. Battery is the best metal opening song ever. Master of Puppets guitar solo…badass! Who doesn’t love Damage Inc or Sanitarium? Songs like “Orion” solidified Metallica’s place as both a badass, dark, metal band, but also as a serious group of musicians who wanted to explore more melodical aspects of metal. Metallica was an innovative band that produced so many classic metal songs, it’s hard to even think of them all. No one can doubt the songwriting skills of James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich, sharpened by Metallica’s musically talented deceased bass player, Cliff Burton. Master of Puppets has so many great things going for it. It has some great mellow parts, thrashy parts, crazy guitar soloing parts, you name it. This album has it all, and was one of the most innovative metal albums of all time. If you even dabble in heavy metal, you have to own Master of Puppets!!
So….That’s it folks. My essential metal post part 1. If you don’t like the list, write your own…Or leave a comment.
Enjoy the music.
Join the Conversation: Post a Comment!
Topics: Rock | 5 Comments »
The Beatles!!!
Hey everyone, so I know I write a lot about jazz, but I need to talk about another great group that has proven to be highly influential and successful…None other than The Beatles.
You see, I was looking through my web stats the other day, and it turns out that about half of the web traffic I get goes directly to my Beatles Vinyl page. In addition, it turns out that most of the search queries on my site are for Beatles related items. This is not very surprising to me, as I know that The Beatles are hands-down the largest selling musical act of all time. I figured I should write about The Beatles since so many people are coming here looking for Beatles stuff…So….
The Beatles are one of the most legendary groups of musicians ever.
In addition to achieving massive commercial success, The Beatles have proven to be highly influential to multiple generations of people, and have attained a spot in the history of all music.
I love every album The Beatles have released. Their songs are classics and have stood the test of time. You really can’t say anything bad about The Beatles unless you’re a hater, and if so…stop hating.
You have to hear their albums on vinyl. They sound warm and beautiful and great. They sound better on vinyl…trust me. Jeez, just get it for the big cover art…Sgt Pepper just doesn’t look as good on a CD.
So, what are my top 3 Beatles albums??
#3: Revolver
Revolver is a nice mix of old and new Beatles. It has some poppy songs, mixed with some rocking songs, and of course, the occasional slow song. This was one of the first albums that I ever purchased on vinyl, and this record has seen a lot of playing time. Definitely a great album from a great group of musicians.
My favorite songs from the album are “Eleanor Rigby”, “And Your Bird Can Sing” and “Tomorrow Never Knows”.
#2: Abbey Road
My next favorite album is Abbey Road. This is The Beatles at their most experimental and obscure, yet at the same time, their most imaginative and unique. Abbey Road is a great rock album by any metric. It’s too difficult to pick favorite songs on this one just because they are all so good. From the mellow “Sun King” to the dynamic “You Never Give Me Your Money”, all the way to the joy and happiness of “Octopus’s Garden”. I love Abbey Road!
#1: Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band
And now, my favorite Beatles album of them all…Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band. I know that many other people feel the same way that I do. Apparently Sgt. Pepper is the #1 greatest album of all time according to Rolling Stone. Sgt. Pepper was the first ever concept album. The concept was to perform an imaginary concert for all of the people on the cover of the album. The music is unique, yet still very Beatles-like. The album goes through many different moods, with the title track’s rock sound, to the deep and sad “She’s Leaving Home”, to the joy of “With a Little Help From My Friends”, to the album’s fatalistic ending with “A Day in the Life”. This is a great album, and belongs in everyone’s collection.
Seriously People: Enjoy the Music.
For more Beatles Records, Vinyl & LPs, visit this link.
Vinyl Revinyl: Beatles Records, Vinyl & LPs
PS
I just added my record selection to the Top 100 Beatles site, and you can vote for my site at the link below.
Also, there are tons of great Beatles sites out there, and many of them are listed at the Top 100 Beatles Sites. Check it out, you’ll definitely find some good Beatles stuff.
Join the Conversation: Post a Comment!
Topics: Musicians I Like | 1 Comment »
The Best Vinyl: 180g and 200g Virgin Vinyl…
All vinyl records are not created equal. It turns out that the type of vinyl used to make the actual record, as well as the weight of that vinyl have a huge impact on the ultimate sound of that record.
Let’s back up.
In the old days, many vinyl records that were released were made on cheaper, low quality vinyl that was often recycled and usually contains impurities. These impurities make it more difficult for the sound to be accurately transferred to the record. For example, if 95% of the record is made of pure vinyl, 5% of the record is made of impurities. These impurities could be metals or plastics, or something else that does not have the exact chemical properties of vinyl. When the record is pressed (the process in which the grooves are imprinted onto the record), these impurities can interfere with the pressing, resulting in a record that contains bits of distortion and less precise musical data.
Also in the old days, many LPs were pressed onto thinner, lightweight vinyl. Thinner, lightweight vinyl was cheaper to manufacture, and it allowed music to remain more affordable for the masses. However, as you can imagine, thinner vinyl records are more fragile, get damaged easier, and wear out sooner. It is also true that thinner vinyl records produce a sound that is less pure.
So…what to do? Well, fortunately due to the re-emergence of vinyl as a serious medium in which to play music back, most of the vinyl that is released today is pressed on heavier records made of “virgin” vinyl. Virgin vinyl simply means that the vinyl used to make the record is pure vinyl, and virtually free of impurities. The lack of impurities creates a more pure pressing of the vinyl, resulting in a better sound.
In addition to the high-quality, virgin vinyl used, many records are pressed on heavier platters of vinyl. Usually this is advertised on the packaging as a “180g” or “200g” pressing. The 180g or 200g is just the weight of the record in grams. So, a 180g record weighs 180 grams. These heavier records are noticeably heavier, thicker and stiffer than lightweight records. As you can imagine, the grooves retain their shape better, even with repeated plays. Some even claim that the stiffer vinyl produces a more realistic sound with less distortion than a standard record.
Most so-called “audiophile” records are pressed on heavy, virgin vinyl, and the experts pretty much agree: These records truly do sound better than the standard, lightweight records of yesteryear. Plenty of jazz, classical and rock selections are available in this heavier format, and it is always recommended that you seek these out when shopping for vinyl.
Just for fun, I am currently listening the Saturday Night Fever Soundtrack in my car, Miles Davis‘ “On The Corner” on my iPod, and The Beatles‘ White Album on my turntable.
Enjoy the music!
-Alan
Join the Conversation: Post a Comment!
Topics: Sound Quality | 10 Comments »
Used Vinyl Grading
When you are looking at used records on places like eBay, many sellers use strange acronyms to describe the quality and condition of the record for sale. As a person looking to score the highest quality records, it is important to know what you’re getting before you buy it. Let’s take a look…
Mint (M): In short, this is a perfect record. If a record has been played, it is no longer considered Mint condition.
Near Mint (NM, M-): A near mint record is in the best condition it can be after being handled. A Near Mint record has no obvious signs of wear. The cover sleeve should be in excellent condition, with very little wear. Many records in this condition have never been played.
Very Good Plus (VG+): A record in Very Good Plus condition has been played and handled, but only by a careful and responsible owner. The record may have some very minor defects, but these defects must not affect the listening experience. The cover sleeve and liner materials are likely to show some signs of wear, but nothing serious.
Very Good (VG): A record in very good condition has been played and handled, but for the most part still provides a rich listening experience. Records in this condition may have some noise present during quiet passages, and may have scratches that are noticable during playback. The covers and labels may have been defaced by writing or stickers.
Good and Good Plus (G and G+): A record in Good or Good Plus condition will have surface noise, and may have slight scratches, but the record will play all the way through without skipping. These records also have noticable groove wear. While these records will have defects that are noticable during playback, they still retain the warm sound of a record, and are still pleasent to listen to.
Fair and Poor (F and P): Records in fair and poor condition are generally not sought after. These records have damaged covers, and defects that detract from the listening experience. These records are likely to skip and have significant noise present during playback. These records are not recommended for anyone unless you’re getting a great price, and it’s something you really want.
So, there you have it folks! The grades used by record collectors and merchants. Keep an eye out for those M and NMs!
Join the Conversation: Post a Comment!
Topics: Record Collecting | 3 Comments »