"MINT- Condition or Better(LP HAS A FEW VERY SLIGHT MARKS & LP HAS A FEW VERY SLIGHT SLEEVE SCUFFS, BOTH PLAY GREAT. LPS MAY HAVE SOME VERY SLIGHT SURFACE NOISE, NO SKIPS, AND ARE GUARANTEED)

This is Mint Minus!?! I actually see this kind of description with "reputable" record dealers. I would rather you pay less because you think the lp is going to suck, open the package and be thrilled...more about that as you go along.

The grading system order:

NM (no minus or plus)

EX+, EX, EX-

VG+, VG, VG-

G+, G, G-

First let's start with my highest grade: NM or Near Mint.

To me this means that under a 120 watt flood light, turning at all angles, that on the LP, you and I will not see a SINGLE MARK. Nothing. No sleeve scuffs, no hairlines, full of rainbow sheen and ready for it's potential first play by you, dear buyer. For you audiophile guys, this is the equivilent of a FRESH Japan/MFSL pressing: absolute perfection! It's RARE that any record I see, let alone sell, can meet this criteria. Due to my extreme measures of grading, it's very hard for any record I sell to see this grade. Cover is the same too, NOTHING.

EX generally starts at + and will have ONE thing wrong...period. This is what most dealers call NM or M-. Hogwash...we deserve better.

In this manor of grading, my VG+ is what most people's EX is...or better. VG records should be that: VERY GOOD! When you eat a meal and you say that it was very good, was it really terrible? No. VG records will still have plenty of enjoyable listening left in them and are ready to go, they just may not look AS GOOD TO ME or have a few more ticks here and there.

I go into as much detail about what makes the lp or the cover have the grade that it has. That is, for example, if the lp has sleeve scuffs or cleaning marks , or if the cover has corner wear(depending on grade is how worn they are) and so on. It's not the easiest thing to document without getting too crazy. I may be anal-retentive, but I'd like to think I have a life too. However, I encourage anybody to email me with questions related to the condition details.

Just for the record, a Play Mark is a flaw that runs in a groove that doesn't affect play, it has a shiny look to it...I believe it is usually caused by either people trying to get their Last treatment that much DEEPER into the grooves and a piece of dirt finds its way with it, or a faulty cartridge set-up/damaged cartridge.

Sleeve scuffs either happen from two different ways: 1.The lp is "dragged" out of the sleeve instead of "bowing" the inner sleeve to leave out any contact except the edge of the lp. 2.The factory packs records hot and carelessly at times. When they're shoved into an inner sleeve at these temperatures, they leave a sleeve scuff that looks like a pressing flaw almost. They 9 times out of 10 NEVER affect play.

Another eyesore are LAST scuffs...what on earth are Last scuffs you ask? Last scuffs are when someone cleans a record with a Last BRUSH and presses down too hard (with the intent of coating the deepest part of the groove with the preservative) and superficially scuffs the upper layer, making these awful bearclaw looking marks that DON'T AFFECT PLAY!?! I've seen it a thousand times, I can honestly say I've never heard them play through.

Poly sleeve deposits or stains are when the plasticizer on the lp bonds with the polypropeline lining of an inner sleeve and leaves a stain, if you will, that 9 times out of 10 doesn't affect play, but can look awful in the worst cases. To my knowledge and experience, it can't be washed off without potentially ruining the lp from the power of solvent that would have to be used.

Cleaning marks are in lighter cases signs that the lp was washed on a machine like a VPI, then next, in worse cases, either a D4 or Last set-up where there are stains on the LP either in the playout or over the whole lp. Last is rather benign and most of it can be washed out, D4 for some reason stays put with this hazy look about it. This is the kind of info you'd like to know, right? I know I'd like it if someone had the guts to tell me...

Then there is the play tested grade. The idea of a record that can play Near Mint to me seems impossible. So many factors can affect the outcome of a play down to the stylus that is tracking it. (i.e. Eliptical, Gyger, Fine line, etc.) So, I try to asses to the best of my judgement what a few small ticks or pops equate to, record to record. But know this, all of my equipment is always up to date. A calibrated digital stylus force gauge is used for tracking weight. A steel Dennessen Soundtracktor and/or Acoustic Sounds Protractor is used for overhang and azimuth(when applicable). I always wash the lp and I always use my stylus brush before every play, therefore no further noise will be caused.

REELS: All tapes have some sort of tape deterioration...the high end flutters in and out, I refer to this as bubble drop outs...very light, the reel equivalent of surface noise on an lp. This is due to the cheap formulas that were used to make tapes, poor storage, etc.

MY PLAY GRADE FOR TAPES IS THIS: AMAZING-Just that, no drop outs AT ALL, a sonically new tape!

GREAT: Again, very literal, a great tape tape, will only have the bubble drop outs in the very high end at most AND not many of them

GOOD: now the drop outs start getting noticeable, only a few still.

I too am serious about my records.

I have a VPI 16.5 washing machine and if I do wash the lp's, I use the Library of Congress fluid (circa 2003, it has since changed to Tergitol instead of Triton XL80N) minus all the extras for shellacs and acetates...just de-ionized water and a surfactant, in minor concentration. So far, unless the record has some gunk build up (D4 or LAST), I don't see a residue on the lp after a wash. Even Torumat, with all it's miracles, leaves a residue. PLEASE REMEMBER: I Play Grade an lp ONLY when I'm asked in an email or if the LP is not the best LOOKING grade but is a desirable title.

The tape deck is a Technics RS 1500 with upgraded capacitors for extended high and low end. I too am serious about my tapes.

All I want is for you and I to get great records...simple as that. I'm doing my part by being as straight forward as possible about the grading, short of you finding the record yourself at a store.