From One RECORD Collector To Another
As a lover and collector of records myself I understand what collectors expect and want. I grade records as accurately as possible. I Generally try to undergrade items to avoid headaches for myself and buyers. However, I DO NOT have time to play every record all the way through and MOST Records are VISUALLY Graded unless mentioned otherwise. I try not to use term "Near Mint" unless I truly believe it. In my opinion even a sealed LP is not really MINT. I grade records by the goldmine standard that I expect most buyers are familiar with. I am willing to work with anyone who isn't happy with my grading, I can't be perfect but I try to be honest! Here is the rundown anyhow:
GOLDMINE Grading Standards
Records are graded by visual standards, not aural. When a disc is graded, it is by the overall wear of the vinyl.
MINT (abbreviated as "M")
Mint (M) Absolutely perfect in every way. Certainly never been played, possibly even still sealed. Should be used sparingly as a grade, If at all. NEAR MINT (abbreviated as "NM")
NEAR MINT (abbreviated NM ot NM-)
A nearly perfect record. Many dealers won't give a grade higher than this implying (perhaps correctly)that no record is ever truly perfect.
The record should show no obvious signs of wear. A 45 RPM or EP sleeve should have no more than the most minor defects, such as almost invisible ring wear or other signs of slight handling.
An LP cover should have no creases, folds, seam splits or other noticeable similar defects. No cut-out holes, either. And of course, the same should be true of any other inserts, such as posters, lyric sleeves and the like.
Basically, an LP in near mint condition looks as if you just got it home from a new record store and removed the shrink wrap.
Near Mint is the highest price listed in all Goldmine price guides. Anything that exceeds this grade, in the opinion of both buyer and seller, is worth significantly more than the highest Goldmine book value.
VERY GOOD PLUS (abbreviated as "VG+")
Very Good Plus (VG+)
A Very Good Plus record will show some signs that it was played and otherwise handled by a previous owner who took good care of it.
Record surfaces may show some signs of wear and may have slight scuffs or very light scratches that don't affect one's listening experiences. Slight warps that do not affect the sound are "OK".
The label may have some ring wear or discoloration, but it should be barely noticeable. The center hole will not have been misshapen by repeated play.
Picture sleeves and LP inner sleeves will have some slight wear, lightly turned up corners, or a slight seam split. An LP cover may have slight signs of wear also and may be marred by a cut-out hole, indentation or corner indicating it was taken out of print and sold at a discount.
In general, if not for a couple things wrong with it, this would be Near Mint. All but the most mint-crazy collectors will find a Very Good Plus record highly acceptable.
A Very Good Plus record has been handled and played either infrequently or very carefully (this grade is sometimes referred to as "Excellent").
VERY GOOD (abbreviated as "VG")
A Very Good record will display visible signs of handling and playing, such as loss of vinyl luster, light surface scratches, groove wear, and spindle trails from countless spins on the turntable. May have audible surface noise.
GOOD (abbreviated as "G")
A Good record has been well-played with any number of defects that collectors normally shy away from. However, a Good record should still be playable and listen-able!
FAIR (abbreviated as "F")
A Fair record is any record or cover that does not qualify for a "Good" grading.
I am not out to Rip anyone off and I am more than willing to offer REFUNDS or replacements if a buyer is unhappy with an item. I expect Buyers to contact me before leaving me a negative or neutral as I want all my customers to be satisfied and HAPPY with their purchases. I would much rather work it out than have stains on our Ebay feedbacks.
On the subject of Feedback I am VERY Slow to leave Positive feedbacks but I try and do it eventually. If you are concerned about getting feedback quickly it would help you to send me an email as soon as you have left me feedback.
I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR LOST OR DAMAGED GOODS. INSURANCE OR DELIVERY CONFIRMATION IS YOUR OPTION. I AM NOT THE POSTAL SERVICE!
Please make sure you give me your exact address neatly written or printed as I usually cut and paste exactly what the buyer sends me as his or her shipping address.
If you paid for item and haven't recieved it within 2-3 weeks, please send me an email with your payment information, as occasionally pay pal payments may slip through the cracks and I may miss the emails.
If you ever email me and I do not respond after a few days, please do not assume I am ignoring you. I frequently go on road trips for days at a time in search of more Records and what not. I'll respond as soon as I am able.
If you have any other questions or concerns please contact me at PERVASONIC@AOL.COM My mailing address is:
David Gutierrez PO BOX 1231 BUFFALO, NY 14213-1231 USA.
Thank You For Stopping by & please... BUY! ;) |
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