Great advice! Since 1973, when I got my first stereo system, I have always removed the shrink wrap and stored albums vertically inside the house. To the best of my knowledge, all 1200+ are warp free and playable. Most of them have only been played 1 to 3 times since it was my habit to dub them to cassettes so I could play them in my car.
Different medium, I know, but since I used only top quality Maxell and TDK cassettes, nearly all of those are still playable, too -- because I stored all of THEM vertically as well.
They were pretty similarly priced. I preferred Maxell a little but usually bought them by the box of 10 or 12 when one brand or the other was on sale at Pacific Stereo or a record store -- when I was buying albums to record!
Thanks Rick this just reminded and motivated me to get more carefully serious on my vinyl storage. I do store them vertically but some are at a slight slant. Cheers vinyl brother !
I think I mentioned in one of your other videos that when I moved to Kentucky from Seattle I stored about 3500 records in a non-climate controlled shed for over a decade was actually concerned that they would all be ruined. They endured very high temperature is and also very low temperature is not to mention a lot of humidity. But they were packed tightly in moving boxes and stored vertically obviously. Other than a few dots of easy to remove mold on a few discs, everything is excellent. It really shocked me and told me just how durable vinyl records are. Oh, and they were not warped at all.
I can vouch for ya as I did the same thing at one time. Got some yellowing on a couple white album covers, but thats it. If I did have a warped album at one time it no longer is. They were pretty snug.
If you buy vinyl from an online seller you probably get them shipped in a thick paper box that is a few centimeters larger than the records. On many cheap shelves you can space the boards just enough to have some cm of space above the records, but tight enough that you can wedge the bigger carton package in between records to act as a semi-permanent spacer/prop/organizer. You could also build something similar from paper of wood for whatever shelf you have, but if you don't mind the optics, that is a surprisingly simple way of keeping the records sitting upright even on the long wooden boards.
Clear, concise, and informative. This video is a must-watch for any vinyl collector. You might want to try our brand of record sleeves if you're a little hesitant about buying an inner or outer record sleeve!I'm off to reorganize my collection. Thanks for sharing!🥰
About a year ago I became a real fan of storing the record outside the main jacket inside the clear plastic sleeve and covering the jacket with the opening on the top. I no longer have to worry about that outer clear sleeve wanting to slide off when I put the records back in the rack. Works like a charm.
@@TheJoyofVinylRecords I have to admit that I thought it was dumb - until I gave it a try. I quickly became a believer. The idea of pulling a record off the shelf and everything staying in place is awesome. And everything is still well protected. I guess you can teach an old dog new tricks.😁
If storing the vinyl outside the jacket. What about inserting the opening of the inner-sleeve 90 degrees left or right from the opening on top of the outer sleeve? Dust will have it really hard to find a path to the record, and the vinyl will not slip out of the inner-sleeve and out of the outer-sleeve.
@@davesdream Agree. The outer sleeve opens from the top and the inner sleeve opens from the side. That's the way I do it. I still have to remove the inner sleeve from the outer sleeve, and have to remove the record from the inner sleeve. But the annoying part, of the outer sleeve wanting to come off the record as I try to slide the package back on the shelf after playing it is eliminated. And I rarely need to open my gatefold records while playing them. Honestly, the internet has changed one of my listening habbits: Back in the day, I would read liner notes sometimes while listening. Now, I just use the web brouser in my 77" TV between the speakers and get "the world's liner notes" on the album while listening. Often just finding it on Wikipedia is all I need. It can often really enhance the listening experience.
@@ReasonablySaneYes, one of the joys back them while listening a record was going through all the lyrics and credits, and pictures, and so one. Now I open the browser and go to one of my fav lyrics website and sing along...
Another reason not to cram records vertically on a shelf is, the more you cram, the more ringwear you will create. Let em sit loosely and put a brick or stone egg or whatever to act as spacers
LOL! Love the bloopers!!! I use the U shaped inner sleeves, also! Love how they slide easily into the original sleeves if they are special( not plain white ones)
What helped me to realize the importance of vertical storage is learning WHERE the music is stored: on the SIDES of the grooves. (V-shaped channels) Crushing that "V" affects the sound being played into the needle, which picks up sound/music on its sides.
Definitely not bullshit, it is the logical consequence of crushing a physical format medium. The question is at what weight and conditions you could perceive a deterioration in sound quality. The theory is absolutely correct, though.
@@jeffsimon9594 we're talking about very delicate vinyl grooves around 50 micrometres across. Clearly they have a limited tolerance to stress before they deform. That is basic science.
I’ve used Invest in Vinyl products before, and I know they’re good. My go to inner record sleeves are the Ultimate Diskeeper sleeves from Sleeve City. They’re made of rice paper, and IMHO, they’re the best sleeves out there. I use them for my collections and my best records. I know that professional record cleaning companies use those sleeves exclusively. I think that’s a statement in itself!!! No, they’re not the cheapest. But the best never is!!! Keep up the good work!!! I highly enjoy watching your videos-and I know others do too!!!
I store my records much as you describe except I store the record, in it's inner sleeve, behind the record sleeve in the outer sleeve (so many sleeves...). This saves wear on the record sleeve and makes getting records out to play much easier.
@@TheJoyofVinylRecords From your many replies to people commenting it, you obviously don't store the records outside of the cover. Smart man. I have plenty of 40 to 50 year old records without ring wear, and I don't even know their past history of abuse, other than them being stored inside their covers. Fine, makes them easier to remove from the shelf (which I think is even silly), but that's it.
@@fredjohnson9856 I have plenty of 40 year old records that have no ring wear, so what ring wear would it stop? Doesn't prove that records inside of the outer sleeve causes ring wear in and of itself. Abuse causes ring wear.
i remenber ordering from gema records all Lp´s or maxi´s or E.p.´s i could want cheaper than in my country, Portugal, in mid 80´s forward, the vinyl had better sound ,not that portuguese records had not good sound but in cheap systems the see through vinyl from England was better sounding and the vinyl produced in Portugal was thick ,when they started to talk about 180 grams, the portuguese had 140 grams, people say now that records are expensive but there were always ways of getting what you want cheap, like my youngest uncle was security for A&M records and he tells me ,"this night before 11.00p.m. go to my work "and there was a entire pile of records with covers never played to be incinerated, i was for one hour trying to find Lp´s, i brought all the police lp´s ,having them already , and lot´s of other fine bands like supertramp or even bryan adams that had released the cut´s like a knife record 6 monthes ago , i had several colections of bands i didn´t like but having all their records i heard them know and then ,even today i have some who are closed still and in the year of 95 ,there was a open fair in Lisbon, Portugal where all labels including alternative ones(when alternative music was really alternative) i paid what today is 15 cents. for any record released untill then and i went for the biggest car i had, because a friend who had a ford transit was anywhere i could not find him, so i went with a merc.350SE from 1971 and filled it only leaving room for me the driver three times, the fourth time i had to bring back my friends and only could bring the trunk which is big filled with more album´s, today this fair still happens but i saw records there being sold for 500€, today between my father, cousins, grandmother, grandfather and bought by me, records are more than 15.000 Lp´s and i have 28 turntables and only bought three all my life ,a sony ESprit series from 81/82 a thorens TD2001 maybe in 1996 and last december a P10 by rega and kept the ofered cartridge ,the alpheta 3 but because i can buy some brands very cheap i put instead a hana Umami red that i thought it wasn´t that good but after i read the specifications ,the hana was cheaper to me, in reality they cost more than any of three options they offer with the P10 +power suply made for it and for the first time i heard a turntable of this new wave that i liked the sound, not meaning others i have aren´t better but i wanted a modern one for my new assembled modern system, what i notice was that when buying a new amplification system, being a pre, a integrated or receiver some had a output but others none to conect a recorder of any type, but the cd player as a separated output that i can conect a cassette deck or minidisc deck to it, this to a technics receiver that as many options as in modern features and great sound also loud, it´s their top end model ,released maybe 2 years ago at the most i think , i´m good for life
I just came across your channel and its fantastic. When I turned 50 (7 years ago) I got back into collecting vinyl and many of them are reissues as well as used records. I have a bunch of used records that are on a slant so I'm going to rectify that problem now. Thanks for the tips.
I would add that it helps to consider the placement of your shelf with regard to sunlight in the room. If your shelf faces directly towards a large, south-facing window, you run the risk of the record spines becoming faded by sunlight. Protective sleeves may help with this, depending on their properties, but I like to choose a wall that doesn't face the direct sunlight.
Thanks for this video; great tips here. I use rice-paper (Mofi-style) inner sleeves (Invest In Vinyl ones are great!), Bags Unlimited "Sound Sleeves" for anything the record comes with (such as a lyric sheet), and outer bags like you mention in the video. My question is, have you or anyone here ever used Mylar sleeves for your most valuable LPs? I never see these talked about anywhere. The pros: nearly strong as steel, the most archivally safe, and crystal clear. The cons: more expensive than other methods, also they do NOT slide well with themselves or--especially--traditional outer bags, on the shelf.
I use mylar for some other collectibles I have, so I bought some thin mylars and thick mylars for my records. They are crystal clear, last forever, and do not get that "fog" the propylene sleeves get as the years go by. However, the thin mylar tears easily when sliding the record in and out of the shelves.
Great video that covers the most important points. The better cube style shelves will have about 14 x 14 inch cubes, which holds about 75 to 80 records. For a more loose pack, the records will tolerate about a 5 degree tilt, or less, which in my experience isn't enough side pressure to warp the records and covers. A longer shelf that holds a lot more records may be harmful, even at a 5 degree tilt.
Great tips for the newbie! I use inner and outer sleeves by a company called Vinyl storage solutions out of Canada! They’re great and have different sizes for those larger multi disc albums as well! I use the dual pocket sleeves for the outer sleeves because it fully encapsulates your album artwork, and the back pocket allows access to the record itself! A couple of years ago I undertook the task of ultrasonic cleaning my entire collection, which is over 1500 albums! Right then and there I knew I was going to package all of my collection properly and started buying all of those sleeves overtime as I cleaned all of them! I guess you would say I’m quite OCD! Lol
@@3dimensionsofmusic3D hey Greg! I’m ok but been really busy with the grove! Plus got injured in an accident I had a while ago! I’m really behind on videos and when I get a while I’ll be putting up a few! Thanks for asking!
To easily kill your vinyl records you need three things: a car, a parking lot and a hot summer day! The temperature inside a car can rise up to 160°F and more! Remember that records are made of melted plastic!
This is why I never order records during summer time. Shouldn't trust those freight companies either. I have received more warped records (brand new) during summer than winter.
one can exploit the "memory " properties of vinyl by placing a warped record between two pieces of window glass , weighted and secured into an turned off oven heated to a correct temp, then remove when cool. or you can spend over a thousand dollars for a commercial product that does the same thing automatically.
I destroyed Led Zeppelin IV in a similar way. It was on the turntable with the clear plastic lid of the record player down. I went out. My record deck was on a table top. The table was placed in a big bay-window. It was a summer morning. The curtains were not drawn. I was still out. So was the sun. It shone through that big bay-window ALL DAY. It shone on my record player with the closed lid. Under the closed lid, on the turntable was Led Zeppelin IV. You can imagine... I came back in the evening and that record had more ripples than a Cadbury's Flake...😳
Such wise words Rick. I use Big Fudge record sleeves (3mm) and the archival inner sleeves with a soft, nearly see through front side. I think these are a US product but are available through Amazon and other vinyl product outlets. The new double album covers have wide spines and are easily damaged if stored flat. I bought the newly reissued Eagles “Long Road out of Eden” and that’s a cover that would be so easily ruined by wrong storage. It was my first listen to the album, what a wonderful album. Best, Pat
Excellent; valuable, and thorough advice, and instructions on storage, and care of records. I learned a couple of things I was not too certain about, too. I was suspicious of vinyl stored at an angle, even though any such individual record is upright, and is still in a vertical position. As there are Book Ends, I'm going to make record ends, then. Thank you.🔉🎵🎶
Some great storage advice here is told in a sensible way. Thanks. I go a little further. I want to add things. Rotate your vinyl. Don't keep the same record at the end against the shelf for eons. Dust the top of the vinyl occasionally with a mildly moistened cloth. Also if you have any vinyl with mildew issues, you have to attack it hard or it will spread sitting overtime. Get some of those small silicone packs you see in packaging. They help stop moisture. Put inside the vinyl package, where it's most helps.
One more tip. Remove the Rolling Stones "Sticky Fingers" with the zipper from your storage unit. That S.O.B will ruin the cover next to it. I sold mine.
You don't need to remove it from your collection. I have two copies and simply add something between them to protect the neighbouring covers from the zippers. It's not rocket science but just common sense.
All my LPs were stored vertically for decades and some still warped! I bought the CDs & haven't looked back. All my CDs are on iTunes that have been uploaded to my iPod Classic, that is now 14 yrs old. ( I do have a backup, refurbed from Apple) That bad boy sounds great on the Bose docking speakers I have & connects to my car via USB. No commercials or subscript fees.
Really no need to keep your records outside the jacket, if you pack em in tight you will still get ring wear doing this, I’ve kept my records as you buy them and have no ring wear in over 50 years, on whatever shelf I have them I stop when I can maybe fit about another 3 or 4 albums in.
Hey just wanted to say thanks for saying the most important thing first, not dragging things out like most TH-camrs these days. You got me to subscribe
Yea, like most you tubers;-)....I'm still getting click baited on the guy who keeps wanting to tell me the 5 foods to not eat that are bad for arthritis...I think I'll go close to 10 minutes in his video and STILL he's not telling me on what not to eat...really those commercials are the worst.
I store my records outside the sleeve in dual-pocket sleeves from Vinyl Storage Solutions. They are a bit pricey, but you definitely get what you pay for.
I also use VSS sleeves, both the dual pocket sleeve for single records, and their gatefold sleeves. I also use the plastic and rice paper inners (mostly MoFi, but also VSS). They really do make a difference in keeping particulates off. I still brush my records before playing, but they're much cleaner than when they were in their original paper sleeves.
I used to use VSS dual pocket sleeves, but I stopped buying them because a) they're super expensive, and b) the adhesive is too low and the flap edges get folded over time
I just started collecting vinyl, I was into music in the 2000’s when I was getting out of high school, but I had enough going in that I never leaped into the hobby. I was also paying a lot of art supplies in art school. I did grab my first album covers and inner sleeves, happy to find out they’re the same ones you use.
I recently discovered that two of my records which played just fine before had developed a warp on the first track. Both of the records were stored near the center of my rack. I can only surmise that my records were stored too tightly. The thing is, I didn’t think they were. They weren’t difficult to pull out but I can’t think of any other reason for this. So thanks for the great video. As a bonus, the ending scene from the original The Fly, with Vincent Price. My parents took me to see it when I was 9 in 1959 (yes, I’m old) and I still don’t think I’ve recovered from it.
It's still a very creepy scene to watch even after all this time. The first horror movie I ever saw was "THEM" when I was 5 (on a long ago Saturday afternoon show called Creature Double Feature)
I store mine vertically and I've never had a problem but that's not the reason why I'm commenting... one thing I've become aware of when using the protective outer sleeves is collectively, they take up quite a bit of space. I'd be able to store more albums in the limited space that I have, if they weren't encased in a protective sleeve. A more important issue, to me at least, is I love the fragrance of album jackets but the protective sleeves cover up that smell and I also miss the tactile sensation of handling bare album covers. For those two reasons, I'm considering doing away with all of my protective sleeves. What do you think?
The way I store them in my sleeve is with the opening at the top so I have to slide the entire jacket out to get to the record within. So I still get to handle the jacket (and open it if it's gatefold). Doing it that way helps with dust. I'm not sure how much but in my OCD mind it does.
@@TheJoyofVinylRecords I also do this, except that I store the record in the back of the outer sleeve. Having the opening at the top also prevents the outer sleeve to slide off when pulling them in and out of the shelf. To get the smell that the dude above mention, I do take the outer sleeve completely off, look at the cover, and enjoy the vinyl experience. On my records from the 80s, I can still smell the record store from inside the album cover's opening. 😂
Very nice video as always 😁 I`m still at work but I`ll soon be home . And then my wife and me will enjoy a few beers (wine for her) as well as listen to some horizontally stored vinyl 👍 All the best from Kristiansand 😁😁😁
I am currently making room (again). Decided to move the "Various Artists" section to some cubes I have elsewhere. It's a holding pattern move. Thanks for the vid Rick.
For me, two must do's are store the record sleeve outside the cover but inside the plastic sleeve, because it helps prevent ring wear, and also, always use thin plastic sleeves because the thicker ones can stick to the cover and ruin it. I only ever use thicker sleeves on my 12 inch singles with generic covers. Storing records outside the cover also provides a slight bit of room for air to circulate and prevent humidity issues in the summer/ winter temperature and humidity differentiation. And I swear by kallax. Great storage.
Don't leave your album in a car even at nice day. The car will get hot for a record. I know these because I loaned a record to a friend one day. I took it his apartment, he return it to me after work. The record set in the car all day it was late spring in Texas, 85-90 degrees that day. That temp in side closed car you're looking at 98-105 degrees. Well, when I check out the record it was warped. Never said anything to the guy, but I also never loaned him a record again. That brings to another of my rules, don't loan you records. Sorry, for being bit of a bummer. I would to say, I like your TH-cam channel. Thank you!!!
Hi, Rick. I like the bloopers you're lately adding at the end of your videos. I should do the same in mine, but I'm afraid there would be more bloopers that actual information... 🤣🤣🤣 I have another topic for discussion: Store the vinyl in its outer-sleeve outside the jacket or inside the jacket? Pros/Cons and a really scientific and educated reason.
I debated about the bloopers and then thought - the hell with it - why not? 😂😂 Seems like a great topic - there have been folks weighing in today who store them outside the jacket.
@@TheJoyofVinylRecords Why not? Because it is annoying and useless. Would you like the final track of a record album to be a series of short random outakes from the recording process? I also don't like the distracting and useless clips from films that interrupt your talk. These clips also diminish the quality of your video. Everything else in your video is very good.
All my storage I use the IKEA Kallax units, as well as a small one single record width record store type I built which can hold about 100 albums. This is for my frequent played albums. One thing I noticed when getting the Kallax units is the records go back into the unit farther than I’d like. So i made some 3/4” x 1/2” x 12” walnut pieces to use as a stop. Then I screwed them into the back of the units. All of the shelves I have records on now look very nice due to the stops I made. Super handy.
I would like to note than most records nowadays are 180 grams in weight; vintage records from the 70s and 80s are normally 120-140 grams, and very special releases come in at 200, 220 or a crazy whopping 240 grams. Having said that, the average is 180 grams. Thank you for this awesome content and helping people keep their awesome record collections safe, keep up the great work 😊
Every inner sleeve I got has always been able to fit inside the original inner sleeve of the album. So that's what I do. Unless the original inner sleeve of the album is just a generic white paper one, in which case I throw it away...
I second that......they ARE pricey, but they are worth every penny. I sure am glad they finally came out with the gate fold sleeves......I used to have to take two of their taped sleeves and use the strips to glue them together to make one sleeve. I have a HUGE ratio of gate fold to single sleeve record covers, thus it takes me forever to use up my supply of single sleeve sleeves.
@@TheJoyofVinylRecords Do you have Led Zepp's Physical Graffiti? That "cover" is a nightmare.....you have to pull everything inside up thru the top, which makes it difficult to keep any of the extra stuff where you can easily access them. The album cover itself is kind of cool in that you have windows cut into the apartment building and you have all those faces poking out thru them, but once you fill the record sleeve with the two albums, you don't have much breathing room for the rest of it, at least that you can easily get to.
I've been using the rounded inner for quite some time and they are easier to slide a LP back in the jacket. I replaced every paper inner sleeve, but only kept the ones with credits and pics and kept them inside the jacket I built my own record cabinet and secured it to the wall after my wife said I should since we're prone to earthquakes.
I love going to a record show and looking thru boxes for treasures. Occasionally, you come across a box that's just packed tight... you can't even begin to flip thru them. I just walk away... what are they thinking?
I've about 200 records and storing them vertically. Only advice I'm looking for is they are all together but not tight. So you can take one out and in fairly easily. Is this still a issue
The BEST inner sleeves are from 'MA Recordings' - they use the same material that modern Japanese 'rice paper' doors/walls are made of, it's breathable so it doesn't promote mould growth in humid environments. Also feels super soft and gentle on the records. When I can't afford MA, I use Mofi sleeves. Although some old batches apparently were leaving some residue on records, I haven't come across this myself.
I enjoy a rounded inner sleeve because it can be used inside the original paper sleeve, which often has contributing artwork, lyrics , or advertising from a past era. I once inadvertently , over time , pressed a severely warped record flat in too tight storage.
7" sleeves are hard to come by, but not impossible. I don't personally collect 7" records, but there's a few vendors on Amazon that sell sleeves for them. Just look for polyethylene, Rice Paper + Polyethylene, or Polypropylene
Hey Gabor - I don't think it's bad, and it's certainly not a dumb question. I suppose if you're really quick and good at it I see no problem. As for me, if I tried I'd most definitely fumble the record and drop it. Probably scratch it and do all kinds of bad things to it because I'm clumsy.
@@TheJoyofVinylRecordsThanks! But. I am the clumsiest person in the World. The felt makes it seem harmless, I haven't dropped anything yet, (unless I had a sandwich and a cup of coffee in the other hand). So I guess I will keep doing it.
I bought a brand new album with 2 180gm records, both warped from being shrink wrapped with a small stack of fan photos of the band tucked into the packaging. Didn’t take years, only a little steady pressure. I’m a believer.
Years ago I realised the cardboard inners for PF's The Wall remastered was stopping getting the records out easily. being heavyweight did not help. It came with a poster and that pushing agianst the vinyl. It was the first album I took the records out of the cardboard and left them behind the jacket.
Great tips for the beginners. But I would add. When they are stored in the plastic inner and outer sleeves, store the record outside of the jacket. This helps prevent ringwear on your covers. :)
What is the best way to carry records on a flight? If I have to travel long haul do I wrap them and put them in the hold or should I carry them with me in the cabin? Thanks. Also how can I find out if the old records I found from my parents are of any value at all? Thanks for your tips.
Hi Ursula! I carry them with me in a bag. I don’t have a special bag but they often fit in my laptop shoulder bag. I never have many with, just those I pick up in a city I’m visiting if I find a good shop. Discogs is a great way to track down the estimated value. If you can see the etchings or stamped numbers in the deadwax between the end of the groove and the label that will help tremendously. Good luck! Let me know if you have any questions.
62 years old now, been collecting vinyl since I was a boy thanks to my father bringing them overseas and have stacked them upright since the 1960s. Not one is scratched to this day. As for the sleeves. In perfect condition as I have the records in their original paper sleeves then inside their original carton cover and inside a plastic cover. I still take them out to play. I deejay as well, and they come home in excellent condition as I care for them cleaning them when necessary. Look after them as I do and you should have absolutely no issues. Also clean the stylus regularly. That is a must. No big deal
Every single record store and record fair Ive been to have upstanding bins that you can flick through, and generally they are all stored at a slant. Ive always worried for those ones at the back 😮
I've known about storing albums vertically since around 1969. Same with my 45s. I have to buy more inner sleeves, and certainly outer protective sleeves. Otherwise, I'm good. Nice video.
I place mine in clear resealable outer sleeves (even if they are factory sealed) and then placed in Gorilla 100 vinyl storage boxes. Not over packed in them, but some are still slightly on a slant (so i can flick through them)...no problems so far...*crosses fingers and toes*. Thanks for this upload, made me think more carefully than i already do...probably paranoid now, hahaha
@@TheJoyofVinylRecords Yeah you're right.I just want to enjoy them for as long as I can and you talked a lot of sense on the video. I use those duel sleeves as well, for those that aren't sealed. All the best sir
well if I have to make the choice between packing them up in a box or stacking them up in a box I have to go with stacking since leaning in a box I feel would do more damage over time. I have move a lot over the last 40 years and always go with stacking vs vertical not knowing what conditions they may encounter. Sure when you put them out for display and use vertical is the only way to go so you can pull them out and put them up. Keep them away from direct or too much indirect sunlight and heat. But all good advice
Hi Rick, best wishes for the Easter holidays. I do hope that you and your family have a relaxing break. We have the most awful weather for our weekend. Best Pat
You as well, Pat. Hopefully the weather predictions are wrong. We had our bad weather last weekend. Ice storm knocked out power here in NH for 24 hours. Fingers crossed for better weather this weekend, Stay safe!
I resisted outer sleeves for years, mainly because I didn't see the point (and I hate that they make the spine harder to read). I was careful to store my records properly so I could easily slide them in and out -- and I didn't do that all that often, anyway. The records I'm playing frequently I keep in a bin near the turntable. When that gets full, I pull out some to file away on "permanent storage" shelving. BUT now I think outer sleeves are worthwhile for other reasons (though it's probably going to take me years to put all the records into them), not only because they protect jackets from wear but because they add just a little extra "cushioning" to protect the LPs inside those cardboard sleeves from pressure and handling damage. That's why I'm skeptical about storing records outside the cardboard sleeves -- too easy to scratch or dent when you move them. A disc in an anti-static vinyl & rice paper inner sleeve, then the cardboard jacket, and then an outer sleeve (NOT the retail shrinky shrink!) has a fair amount of protection from accidental damage -- as long as you keep it and its neighbors relatively vertical. (If they're at an angle -- more than you'd see in the average record store bin -- that puts most of the weight at the top of the leaning side, which, as you say, can't be good.)
I too have a hard time considering moving them outside of the jacket during storage. Not saying it’s bad or that others shouldn’t. It’s just contrary to how I’ve done it for years.
I wouldn't worry too much about box sets since there's practically no weight being placed on the records inside. I store them both upright with the records inside and also laying flat with the records inside.
Ditch those thick, flexible soft to the touch, clear PVC fold over outer sleeves found on records like apparent audiophile labels like Simply Vinyl from (early 2000's) (I have 2 SV's) and many see through cover picture discs and the infamous Walmart blue coloured splatter disc of Elton John's Madman Across The Water in a thick see through PVC cover. The poly vinyl plastic over time is notorious for ghosting otherwise pristine vinyl surfaces with off gassing chemical fumes depositing the surface with sticky plastic film ruining the playing surface I had over a dozen records stored in these PVC sleeves for years thankfully my discs never got heavily ghosted but I did get rid of all my PVC sleeves, they have a chemical smell too.
Just reinforce your shelves with some cheap backer boards. I bought a strip of laminate flooring for $2 which I screwed onto the self back and it looks and works great. The best thing besides $2 is they don't rub against the wall.
Very sound advice. I often think the same when I see stacks of equipment piled up. People just don’t seem to consider the weight on the bottom items in the pile.
Want to hear something that hurts? Back in 1995, I was a teenager and left for the summer/fall. My mom would use this vacant bedroom opportunity to use my room as her ironing room. I had a very respectable vinyl collection including original presses from Floyd, Beatles, Zeppelin, etc. My crates of records were apparently in the way so they got moved..........right next to the heater along the wall........I came home to every record in my collection being melted/warped on one side. Devastated and I have yet to go back nearly 30 years later....to a vinyl collection that is, I didn't run away from home.
What about the row of records behind you? They are not stored straight up but they're leaning to the left and there are quite a lot of them. I heard somewhere that you need a divider between every 5 records or so. That way even if they lean to one side, the weight is not much of an issue and you have time to store them better.
Hi! I've heard similar things. I had the cabinet I use built for these and left the dimensions the way they are because I've never experienced an issue as long as they are straight. If in the video you see leaning it's because I pulled a bunch out to do the images of the ones stacked on top of each other. Good eye!!
No question, records need to be stored vertically like books on a book shelf and use a divider or weight to keep them from leaning unless the shelf is full enough. I have always stored records this way going back to when I was a teenager. In my teens I didn't have a stereo cabinet for components or storage, so I got hold of an old wooden teachers desk. I placed the desk close to the wall with the opening for the chair facing the room. I built a shelf in the bottom of the opening to store my records. The desk had two drawers on each side that I used to store cassettes and record cleaning accessories. The top of the desk was large enough for my receiver, turntable, and cassette deck. My setup in my room at the time was a little crude, because I went for function over aesthetics, but if you could find a nice desk like that today and do some finish work on it so it looks good, you might have a better solution than buying a media cabinet. And this old desk was solid wood! Very heavy, and would have looked great if I had bothered to sand it and re-stain it.
My original collection, albums I bought from 1970 to 1983, where stored in a box laying on there side for about 30 odd years. None of them warped. I am playing them today. I do have a copy of Led Zeppelin II that warped in the Brasilian sun on the car dash though.
Is the horizontal stacking an 'old wives tail"? Indeed this is a story we have all heard for years, but has anyone seen the tests, i.e. empirical data that backs this up? I haven't. I say this since I have some old horizontal shelving unit (nice all solid oak) that were once used in an old school. It was designed to leave notes and documents for the various teachers and those areas provide only 4" between shelves or maybe 25 records maximum per shelf. I've had a good portion of my collection stored like this for well over 30 years now through a vast range of temperature and humidity variations. I must say I have not experienced one warped record that wasn't already warped 'as purchased'. So has anyone found the tests that support the horizontal hypothesis? Or are we just continuing to propagate an 'old wives tail'?
I question this, too. My Uncle had records stacked horiziontally for many years, and they still play just fine. I have some records from the mid to late '50s which say on the inner sleeve that either way is fine. The only thing is stored vertically they should not be at an angle.
I've never tested it - wouldn't dare to, but you do raise a good point. I have come across a warped record or two in my collection, but I attribute that to poor storage habits when I was younger (like too close to a heat source like a radiator, etc). The stacking on top of one another physically makes sense as being a bad thing since pressure is never good for a record. But again - perhaps it only is detrimental in rare cases?
Store the record in the inner sleeve. Put the inner sleeve in the outer sleeve, with the opening facing upwards, then put the whole thing in a plastic outer sleeve, the opening to the spine of the cover. No dust will ever penetrate. In over 40 years of buying and playing my records, I've never cleaned them, and they sound just fine. I've seen people store records with all the openings the same way, so that any amount of dust can get in. I also store my records in a Kallax unit with doors on. You need to be careful of the hinges, but this means that my sleeves are protected from sunlight fading the spines. Red inks are very susceptible to fading as red pigment is the least robust against UV light.
Thank you, this was very helpful. Do you recommend an outer sleeve for thicker/gatefold LPs? I just got a copy of blonde by Frank Ocean, and my sleeves won't fit in them. Of all vinyls this one's the only one unprotected and it's giving me anxiety!! 🤣
Hi Dani - that drive me crazy too! I haven't yet found one that reliably fits gatefold or thicker albums. If I find any that I recommend I'll post it on the community board!
Question. Is there a way to reliably and quickly locate a record on a shelf? I can't read the spines when they stand vertically: age problems + these are mostly vintage European LPs with very narrow spines and accordingly very fine print. I keep Italian artists locked in one compartment, and the Germans in another, this is easy, but is there a way to find a lone Estonian record in a sea of Americana?
That's always a pain. I keep my record all in alphabetical order so it's easier. But there are times, especially if I misfiled a record, where it takes me forever to find it 😂
If the record is really important to me, I store it like many others, take it out of the cover, put it in a nice protective sleeve and slide it in behind the album cover, all in a protective sleeve, but I place a piece of cardboard between the original cover and the re-sleeved vinyl to keep the ring wear away. You know when you order a record album in the mail and it comes in a album mailer with those cardboard filler inserts that are just the right size? Perfect for preventing ring wear, and then, yes, stored vertically. Only my very rare and important records get the treatment though because it takes up a little more space.
very informative video! is it alright to have records just leaning against the wall or do i need to keep them standing completely straight? i only have a few records rn so i just have them leaning against the wall on a shelf in my room at roughly a 5-10 degree angle or something
They are perfectly fine the way you have them. If there was a lot of them leaning like that and putting weight against the first one then maybe correct it, but you’ll be good. 🍺🍺🍺
I keep all my records in vinyl cases, safe from dust, humidity issues and UV light. It might be more impractical to handle, it might take up valuable floor space - but I like the idea that they get the best treatment, and I love the smell when I open them. Also, I am forced not to go crazy and purchase just any shit, cos at the end of the day I do enjoy being able to move around in my apartment without tripping over those bloody cases every few steps.
Hey Rick! Another well-made video brother! I store my records in the MF 4mil archival outer sleeve with a master inner sleeve on the back of the LP for quick purchase. i very rarely remove the actual cover, and original sleeve to preserve the integrity of the spine. One thing often disputing is whether or not we remove the original shrink and stickers from the LP. Thoughts on this?
Hi John! As with everything else I've changed my opinion a couple times over the years. I still toss away the shrink - except in a couple rare cases where I was nostalgic for the stickers and where it was purchased. As for the stickers - I used to toss them until recently. If they have great info on them (like "mastered by....etc) I'll cut them off and store them in the jacket. I wished I'd always done that now that I look back.
I usually only keep a UPC sticker, and I try my damnedest to peel it off if possible and re-affix it, if not in the location it was on the outer cover, definitely inside the opening slot where the record itself is stored. I have a cataloging program that I use a barcode reader to find the release and enter it in my collection, and this way I still have the UPC should the file get corrupted or lost.
any tips for spacing out records a bit? none of my lps are packed in too tight but some are a bit more rough to get out, but not to the point where i have to yank them out.
Re sleeves, I prefer the crystal-clear dual pocket sleeves from Vinyl Storage Solutions out of Canada. They are not cheap, but SOOO much nicer than the typical milky sleeves. And the dual pocket is genius.
I actually have had to use an adapter for it which isn’t ideal. My main mixer had issues which I’ve managed to fix so sound should be better going forward with xlr
Is it okay to keep vinyl unboxed? just started collecting and haven't unboxed my pre-ordered vinyl just checked if the box was damp(it wasn't) put the box in front of a fan for 24 hours to dry out any potential moisture, storing it vertically in a cool dry space.
I'm sorry about your mom's passing. Are the Victor records 10" or 12" records? You could replace those old paper (card stock?) jackets with newer sleeves. If they are 12" it should be easy to find. The folks at InvestinVinyl have plenty of products for 12" records. I've seen some offered on amazon for 10" records but have never had the need to try any.
@@TheJoyofVinylRecords Thank you. 10 inch. The fragile jackets are thinner paper. I just wasn’t sure to what extent it was important to be saving these thinner brown paper with printing jackets. If they are damaged can or should I just be tossing them? And then some are colored thinner paper that I would like to preserve. I don’t know how to accomplish this. If clear plastic sleeves exist, would that be ok for storage? Thank you for reference to Invest In Vinyl site.
@@jmc-xp6ml If there's no information about the release on the damaged paper there's no reason to keep it (unless it's for posterity). As far as the colored paper I believe clear plastic sleeves would work well.
I've always stored my LPs vertically but the problem comes when you have a lot of LPs catalogued in alphabetical order on the shelves. If you don't leave gaps here and there then every time you introduce new ones the whole collection from the point then go in to the end has to be shifted along, with a few thousand LPs on Ikea Kallax units that's a real pain. Plus in 55+ years of collecting records I've not had any damaged by having them stored this way even though some may be leaning slightly. LPs are pretty tough or they wouldn't survive the whole production, distribution and retail store storage rigours that they go through.
So true! I end up having to move some to the next shelf in my main cabinet because of the way I catalog them (alphabetically). It's why I've been guilty of cramming them at times as I get lazy 🤣
I actually use polypropylene outer sleeves . I find they are better than polyethylene. Look and protect better. As well I use anti static mofi style inner sleeves. I like the triple layer with rice paper inside.
Great video Rick! All of your points are sound, even though I blatantly disregard one of them. I'm just not a fan of outer sleeves. I guess in my case I've never seen the necessity. My album jackets from the 80's still look pristine, even though they've gone naked all those years. What's odd, I guess, is that I wouldn't dream of putting a comic book in the box without a bag. In fact, a good portion of my collection is in mylar. I guess that's because I see comics as much more fragile and prone to tearing and bending that album covers. But I applaud everyone who takes the time and expense to go that extra mile for their precious record collection. Oh, one last thing. I've noticed some records I've bought have had outer sleeves that are yellow. I know from my comic collecting years that is acid leaking out. That can't be good for a record jacket... Thoughts on that?
Hi Shane! Those yellowed sleeves could be due to the sleeve being made out of PVC (not recommended). Not sure what exactly it is about those, but it has something to do with the chemicals used in making them. They may have also been exposed to heat or sunlight which breaks the plasticizers down quicker. Polyethelene may suffer the same fate over time but I haven't heard that it does.
@TheJoyofVinylRecords I wonder if there are archival sleeves? I haven't looked into it, but I'd imagine there are. If so, no doubt they cost a pretty penny.
One thing to add about storing records too tight. The dreaded RING WEAR. Nothing brings the value of a record down faster than ring wear. Great channel btw especially for novices just getting into collecting.
When buying USED records, they often smell musty, or from a smoker. With record removed, you can safely clean most glossy album covers with a quick spritz from Lysol Lemon Scent kills 99% of bacteria, viruses (mold?), wipe w a clean microfiber cloth, gatefold covers clean the inside too. Plain generic record inner sleeves w no graphics, or lyrics just toss them….they absorb odors too, scratch records and add static….i use same Tennessee based covers company. I then insert a small clean rag to slightly pry an album cover open to air it out, and fully open gatefold covers….then insert them in a 40-55 2-3mil thick leaf bag with a bar of ivory soap, seal the bag w a reusable tie wrap x 1-2 days. Ivory soap bar absorbs any lingering odors on the INSIDE of album covers. Believe me, I have allergies, and this process I don’t sneeze or have watery eyes around musty covers anymore
Any advice on album jacket covers for MoFi One Steps? Those boxes are around 1 1/4 inches thick. And even some gatefold albums won't fit in standard album covers. Advice??
That's why I don't stand them up with spines facing out. You shouldn't be sliding them in and out, it puts too much wear on them. Not only that, but you can't see them. The best way to store them is standing up with them facing forward in clear protective sleeves. That way you can flip through them quickly and actually see them without placing any wear on them. Also, those rounded inserts are junk. They're hard to put in without causing them to puff out a bit. The square plastic ones are better
Great video! I’m happy that most of the “vintage” records I now own that were probably stored horrible still play flawlessly.
I got lucky too as I know in my younger days I wasn't as concerned with storage
Great advice! Since 1973, when I got my first stereo system, I have always removed the shrink wrap and stored albums vertically inside the house. To the best of my knowledge, all 1200+ are warp free and playable. Most of them have only been played 1 to 3 times since it was my habit to dub them to cassettes so I could play them in my car.
Different medium, I know, but since I used only top quality Maxell and TDK cassettes, nearly all of those are still playable, too -- because I stored all of THEM vertically as well.
I can still picture what both Maxell and TDK tapes looked like. Weren't TDK the more expensive of the two?
They were pretty similarly priced. I preferred Maxell a little but usually bought them by the box of 10 or 12 when one brand or the other was on sale at Pacific Stereo or a record store -- when I was buying albums to record!
Thanks Rick this just reminded and motivated me to get more carefully serious on my vinyl storage. I do store them vertically but some are at a slight slant. Cheers vinyl brother !
And cheers to you, Bobby!
I think I mentioned in one of your other videos that when I moved to Kentucky from Seattle I stored about 3500 records in a non-climate controlled shed for over a decade was actually concerned that they would all be ruined. They endured very high temperature is and also very low temperature is not to mention a lot of humidity.
But they were packed tightly in moving boxes and stored vertically obviously. Other than a few dots of easy to remove mold on a few discs, everything is excellent. It really shocked me and told me just how durable vinyl records are.
Oh, and they were not warped at all.
You did mention it - and it does speak to durability!
I can vouch for ya as I did the same thing at one time. Got some yellowing on a couple white album covers, but thats it. If I did have a warped album at one time it no longer is. They were pretty snug.
thats good to hear. i live in kentucky to and i was worried about my collection and the ones i've played are still goin strong as well
If you buy vinyl from an online seller you probably get them shipped in a thick paper box that is a few centimeters larger than the records. On many cheap shelves you can space the boards just enough to have some cm of space above the records, but tight enough that you can wedge the bigger carton package in between records to act as a semi-permanent spacer/prop/organizer. You could also build something similar from paper of wood for whatever shelf you have, but if you don't mind the optics, that is a surprisingly simple way of keeping the records sitting upright even on the long wooden boards.
Clear, concise, and informative. This video is a must-watch for any vinyl collector. You might want to try our brand of record sleeves if you're a little hesitant about buying an inner or outer record sleeve!I'm off to reorganize my collection. Thanks for sharing!🥰
About a year ago I became a real fan of storing the record outside the main jacket inside the clear plastic sleeve and covering the jacket with the opening on the top. I no longer have to worry about that outer clear sleeve wanting to slide off when I put the records back in the rack. Works like a charm.
You're not alone apparently. Many others do that as well. 🍺
@@TheJoyofVinylRecords I have to admit that I thought it was dumb - until I gave it a try. I quickly became a believer. The idea of pulling a record off the shelf and everything staying in place is awesome. And everything is still well protected.
I guess you can teach an old dog new tricks.😁
If storing the vinyl outside the jacket. What about inserting the opening of the inner-sleeve 90 degrees left or right from the opening on top of the outer sleeve? Dust will have it really hard to find a path to the record, and the vinyl will not slip out of the inner-sleeve and out of the outer-sleeve.
@@davesdream Agree. The outer sleeve opens from the top and the inner sleeve opens from the side. That's the way I do it.
I still have to remove the inner sleeve from the outer sleeve, and have to remove the record from the inner sleeve. But the annoying part, of the outer sleeve wanting to come off the record as I try to slide the package back on the shelf after playing it is eliminated.
And I rarely need to open my gatefold records while playing them.
Honestly, the internet has changed one of my listening habbits: Back in the day, I would read liner notes sometimes while listening. Now, I just use the web brouser in my 77" TV between the speakers and get "the world's liner notes" on the album while listening. Often just finding it on Wikipedia is all I need. It can often really enhance the listening experience.
@@ReasonablySaneYes, one of the joys back them while listening a record was going through all the lyrics and credits, and pictures, and so one. Now I open the browser and go to one of my fav lyrics website and sing along...
Another reason not to cram records vertically on a shelf is, the more you cram, the more ringwear you will create. Let em sit loosely and put a brick or stone egg or whatever to act as spacers
LOL! Love the bloopers!!! I use the U shaped inner sleeves, also! Love how they slide easily into the original sleeves if they are special( not plain white ones)
If only I could post all my bloopers, Glenn. I don’t think TH-cam would appreciate the colorful language 😂😂
Lol!!!@@TheJoyofVinylRecords
What helped me to realize the importance of vertical storage is learning WHERE the music is stored: on the SIDES of the grooves. (V-shaped channels) Crushing that "V" affects the sound being played into the needle, which picks up sound/music on its sides.
Bullshit😂
@@OriginalMixedUpKid Fact-check me wrong, kiddo.
OOPS
Definitely not bullshit, it is the logical consequence of crushing a physical format medium. The question is at what weight and conditions you could perceive a deterioration in sound quality. The theory is absolutely correct, though.
@@tlbagnall We are not talking about silly-putty here
@@jeffsimon9594 we're talking about very delicate vinyl grooves around 50 micrometres across. Clearly they have a limited tolerance to stress before they deform. That is basic science.
I’ve used Invest in Vinyl products before, and I know they’re good. My go to inner record sleeves are the Ultimate Diskeeper sleeves from Sleeve City. They’re made of rice paper, and IMHO, they’re the best sleeves out there. I use them for my collections and my best records.
I know that professional record cleaning companies use those sleeves exclusively. I think that’s a statement in itself!!!
No, they’re not the cheapest. But the best never is!!!
Keep up the good work!!! I highly enjoy watching your videos-and I know others do too!!!
Thank you! Rice paper sleeves are supposed to be excellent 🍺
@@TheJoyofVinylRecords They are!!!
Thanks for the advice, I’ve been collecting for 2 years now and any tips are greatly appreciated.
Thanks for watching! I try to create a mix that works for new vinyl collectors and old (with varying opinions 😂😂)
I store my records much as you describe except I store the record, in it's inner sleeve, behind the record sleeve in the outer sleeve (so many sleeves...). This saves wear on the record sleeve and makes getting records out to play much easier.
I've heard of this method (and seen it) quite a lot. Very cool.
LOL Does zero for saving wear on the jacket. I swear, that's the most ridiculous myth when it comes to record collecting,
@@TheJoyofVinylRecords From your many replies to people commenting it, you obviously don't store the records outside of the cover. Smart man. I have plenty of 40 to 50 year old records without ring wear, and I don't even know their past history of abuse, other than them being stored inside their covers. Fine, makes them easier to remove from the shelf (which I think is even silly), but that's it.
@@MickSupperActually it stops ring wear.
@@fredjohnson9856 I have plenty of 40 year old records that have no ring wear, so what ring wear would it stop? Doesn't prove that records inside of the outer sleeve causes ring wear in and of itself. Abuse causes ring wear.
I just started my vinyl collection September 6th, already 50 albums deep and going on another haul tomorrow. Great video
Welcome to the world of vinyl, Julian!
A 200 gram record weighs around.....200 grams!
🍺
spot on!
i remenber ordering from gema records all Lp´s or maxi´s or E.p.´s i could want cheaper than in my country, Portugal, in mid 80´s forward, the vinyl had better sound ,not that portuguese records had not good sound but in cheap systems the see through vinyl from England was better sounding and the vinyl produced in Portugal was thick ,when they started to talk about 180 grams, the portuguese had 140 grams, people say now that records are expensive but there were always ways of getting what you want cheap, like my youngest uncle was security for A&M records and he tells me ,"this night before 11.00p.m. go to my work "and there was a entire pile of records with covers never played to be incinerated, i was for one hour trying to find Lp´s, i brought all the police lp´s ,having them already , and lot´s of other fine bands like supertramp or even bryan adams that had released the cut´s like a knife record 6 monthes ago , i had several colections of bands i didn´t like but having all their records i heard them know and then ,even today i have some who are closed still and in the year of 95 ,there was a open fair in Lisbon, Portugal where all labels including alternative ones(when alternative music was really alternative) i paid what today is 15 cents. for any record released untill then and i went for the biggest car i had, because a friend who had a ford transit was anywhere i could not find him, so i went with a merc.350SE from 1971 and filled it only leaving room for me the driver three times, the fourth time i had to bring back my friends and only could bring the trunk which is big filled with more album´s, today this fair still happens but i saw records there being sold for 500€, today between my father, cousins, grandmother, grandfather and bought by me, records are more than 15.000 Lp´s and i have 28 turntables and only bought three all my life ,a sony ESprit series from 81/82 a thorens TD2001 maybe in 1996 and last december a P10 by rega and kept the ofered cartridge ,the alpheta 3 but because i can buy some brands very cheap i put instead a hana Umami red that i thought it wasn´t that good but after i read the specifications ,the hana was cheaper to me, in reality they cost more than any of three options they offer with the P10 +power suply made for it and for the first time i heard a turntable of this new wave that i liked the sound, not meaning others i have aren´t better but i wanted a modern one for my new assembled modern system, what i notice was that when buying a new amplification system, being a pre, a integrated or receiver some had a output but others none to conect a recorder of any type, but the cd player as a separated output that i can conect a cassette deck or minidisc deck to it, this to a technics receiver that as many options as in modern features and great sound also loud, it´s their top end model ,released maybe 2 years ago at the most i think , i´m good for life
I find the "heavier" records tend to be "flatter"
I’ve actually had many “200g records” from Analogue Productions (the recent Prestige jazz reissues) weigh in at 240g.
I just came across your channel and its fantastic. When I turned 50 (7 years ago) I got back into collecting vinyl and many of them are reissues as well as used records. I have a bunch of used records that are on a slant so I'm going to rectify that problem now. Thanks for the tips.
Cheers! Thanks for reaching out and thrilled to have you here 🍺
I would add that it helps to consider the placement of your shelf with regard to sunlight in the room. If your shelf faces directly towards a large, south-facing window, you run the risk of the record spines becoming faded by sunlight. Protective sleeves may help with this, depending on their properties, but I like to choose a wall that doesn't face the direct sunlight.
Great advice, Eric!
Thanks for this video; great tips here. I use rice-paper (Mofi-style) inner sleeves (Invest In Vinyl ones are great!), Bags Unlimited "Sound Sleeves" for anything the record comes with (such as a lyric sheet), and outer bags like you mention in the video. My question is, have you or anyone here ever used Mylar sleeves for your most valuable LPs? I never see these talked about anywhere. The pros: nearly strong as steel, the most archivally safe, and crystal clear. The cons: more expensive than other methods, also they do NOT slide well with themselves or--especially--traditional outer bags, on the shelf.
I use mylar for some other collectibles I have, so I bought some thin mylars and thick mylars for my records. They are crystal clear, last forever, and do not get that "fog" the propylene sleeves get as the years go by. However, the thin mylar tears easily when sliding the record in and out of the shelves.
I haven’t had any experience with those. You have my interest piqued however!
Great video that covers the most important points. The better cube style shelves will have about 14 x 14 inch cubes, which holds about 75 to 80 records. For a more loose pack, the records will tolerate about a 5 degree tilt, or less, which in my experience isn't enough side pressure to warp the records and covers. A longer shelf that holds a lot more records may be harmful, even at a 5 degree tilt.
Excellent point - thanks!
Great tips for the newbie! I use inner and outer sleeves by a company called Vinyl storage solutions out of Canada! They’re great and have different sizes for those larger multi disc albums as well! I use the dual pocket sleeves for the outer sleeves because it fully encapsulates your album artwork, and the back pocket allows access to the record itself! A couple of years ago I undertook the task of ultrasonic cleaning my entire collection, which is over 1500 albums! Right then and there I knew I was going to package all of my collection properly and started buying all of those sleeves overtime as I cleaned all of them! I guess you would say I’m quite OCD! Lol
I can't recall if I asked you - but where did you get your ultrasonic?
Hey Matt. Hope you are doing ok
@@3dimensionsofmusic3D hey Greg! I’m ok but been really busy with the grove! Plus got injured in an accident I had a while ago! I’m really behind on videos and when I get a while I’ll be putting up a few! Thanks for asking!
To easily kill your vinyl records you need three things: a car, a parking lot and a hot summer day! The temperature inside a car can rise up to 160°F and more! Remember that records are made of melted plastic!
I can only imagine how many records have met that fate, Dietmar.
This is why I never order records during summer time. Shouldn't trust those freight companies either. I have received more warped records (brand new) during summer than winter.
one can exploit the "memory " properties of vinyl by placing a warped record between two pieces of window glass , weighted and secured into an turned off oven heated to a correct temp, then remove when cool. or you can spend over a thousand dollars for a commercial product that does the same thing automatically.
I destroyed Led Zeppelin IV in a similar way. It was on the turntable with the clear plastic lid of the record player down. I went out. My record deck was on a table top. The table was placed in a big bay-window. It was a summer morning. The curtains were not drawn. I was still out. So was the sun. It shone through that big bay-window ALL DAY. It shone on my record player with the closed lid. Under the closed lid, on the turntable was Led Zeppelin IV. You can imagine...
I came back in the evening and that record had more ripples than a Cadbury's Flake...😳
@@richardelliott8352
I tried that with Led Zeppelin IV. Unfortunately it didn’t work😢
Such wise words Rick. I use Big Fudge record sleeves (3mm) and the archival inner sleeves with a soft, nearly see through front side. I think these are a US product but are available through Amazon and other vinyl product outlets. The new double album covers have wide spines and are easily damaged if stored flat. I bought the newly reissued Eagles “Long Road out of Eden” and that’s a cover that would be so easily ruined by wrong storage. It was my first listen to the album, what a wonderful album. Best, Pat
Hey Pat! I should check those out - they've come up a couple times today. I have a few albums I struggle with to get back in their sleeves. 😂
Excellent; valuable, and thorough advice, and instructions on storage, and care of records. I learned a couple of things I was not too certain about, too. I was suspicious of vinyl stored at an angle, even though any such individual record is upright, and is still in a vertical position. As there are Book Ends, I'm going to make record ends, then. Thank you.🔉🎵🎶
Cheers, George! 🍺
Some great storage advice here is told in a sensible way. Thanks. I go a little further. I want to add things. Rotate your vinyl. Don't keep the same record at the end against the shelf for eons. Dust the top of the vinyl occasionally with a mildly moistened cloth. Also if you have any vinyl with mildew issues, you have to attack it hard or it will spread sitting overtime. Get some of those small silicone packs you see in packaging. They help stop moisture. Put inside the vinyl package, where it's most helps.
I never thought of those silicone packs - great idea!
I have to try to not eat them
One more tip. Remove the Rolling Stones "Sticky Fingers" with the zipper from your storage unit. That S.O.B will ruin the cover next to it. I sold mine.
Including all the inserts, posters, pics, booklets, and even those pink panties from Alice Cooper album.
Yikes! Makes sense too.
Not if its in a poly sleeve it wont. Done absolutely nothing to the cover next to mine and i've got the records packed far to tight .
You don't need to remove it from your collection. I have two copies and simply add something between them to protect the neighbouring covers from the zippers. It's not rocket science but just common sense.
It goes to show that you should never keep your records that tight 😂
All my LPs were stored vertically for decades and some still warped! I bought the CDs & haven't looked back. All my CDs are on iTunes that have been uploaded to my iPod Classic, that is now 14 yrs old. ( I do have a backup, refurbed from Apple) That bad boy sounds great on the Bose docking speakers I have & connects to my car via USB. No commercials or subscript fees.
Really no need to keep your records outside the jacket, if you pack em in tight you will still get ring wear doing this, I’ve kept my records as you buy them and have no ring wear in over 50 years, on whatever shelf I have them I stop when I can maybe fit about another 3 or 4 albums in.
I have to agree.
Hey just wanted to say thanks for saying the most important thing first, not dragging things out like most TH-camrs these days. You got me to subscribe
Thank you! Also appreciate you subscribing and sticking around. Cheers! 🍻
Yea, like most you tubers;-)....I'm still getting click baited on the guy who keeps wanting to tell me the 5 foods to not eat that are bad for arthritis...I think I'll go close to 10 minutes in his video and STILL he's not telling me on what not to eat...really those commercials are the worst.
You’ve inspired me to rearrange my shelving when it comes to my records!
I've been guilty of overpacking - I still do when I get lazy 😂
I store my records outside the sleeve in dual-pocket sleeves from Vinyl Storage Solutions. They are a bit pricey, but you definitely get what you pay for.
Hi Luis - I hadn't run across the dual pocket sleeves. Great solution.
I also use VSS sleeves, both the dual pocket sleeve for single records, and their gatefold sleeves. I also use the plastic and rice paper inners (mostly MoFi, but also VSS). They really do make a difference in keeping particulates off. I still brush my records before playing, but they're much cleaner than when they were in their original paper sleeves.
I also use the VSS rice paper inner sleeves and I find them as good as the Mofi sleeves, at about half the cost.
I use nothing else but VSS covers…yes, a bit pricy but it does the job magnificently….👍
I used to use VSS dual pocket sleeves, but I stopped buying them because a) they're super expensive, and b) the adhesive is too low and the flap edges get folded over time
I just started collecting vinyl, I was into music in the 2000’s when I was getting out of high school, but I had enough going in that I never leaped into the hobby. I was also paying a lot of art supplies in art school.
I did grab my first album covers and inner sleeves, happy to find out they’re the same ones you use.
Welcome to the Joy of Vinyl, Ayala!
I recently discovered that two of my records which played just fine before had developed a warp on the first track. Both of the records were stored near the center of my rack. I can only surmise that my records were stored too tightly. The thing is, I didn’t think they were. They weren’t difficult to pull out but I can’t think of any other reason for this. So thanks for the great video. As a bonus, the ending scene from the original The Fly, with Vincent Price. My parents took me to see it when I was 9 in 1959 (yes, I’m old) and I still don’t think I’ve recovered from it.
It's still a very creepy scene to watch even after all this time. The first horror movie I ever saw was "THEM" when I was 5 (on a long ago Saturday afternoon show called Creature Double Feature)
I store mine vertically and I've never had a problem but that's not the reason why I'm commenting... one thing I've become aware of when using the protective outer sleeves is collectively, they take up quite a bit of space. I'd be able to store more albums in the limited space that I have, if they weren't encased in a protective sleeve. A more important issue, to me at least, is I love the fragrance of album jackets but the protective sleeves cover up that smell and I also miss the tactile sensation of handling bare album covers. For those two reasons, I'm considering doing away with all of my protective sleeves. What do you think?
The way I store them in my sleeve is with the opening at the top so I have to slide the entire jacket out to get to the record within. So I still get to handle the jacket (and open it if it's gatefold). Doing it that way helps with dust. I'm not sure how much but in my OCD mind it does.
@@TheJoyofVinylRecords I also do this, except that I store the record in the back of the outer sleeve. Having the opening at the top also prevents the outer sleeve to slide off when pulling them in and out of the shelf. To get the smell that the dude above mention, I do take the outer sleeve completely off, look at the cover, and enjoy the vinyl experience. On my records from the 80s, I can still smell the record store from inside the album cover's opening. 😂
@@rabarebraGot it! (I think)
Very nice video as always 😁 I`m still at work but I`ll soon be home . And then my wife and me will enjoy a few beers (wine for her) as well as listen to some horizontally stored vinyl 👍 All the best from Kristiansand 😁😁😁
Cheers, Ole! Enjoy the weekend!
With enough wine you won't care (or be able to detect) if the records are warped. 😅
I am currently making room (again). Decided to move the "Various Artists" section to some cubes I have elsewhere. It's a holding pattern move. Thanks for the vid Rick.
Welcome! I feel as if I am constantly moving things around d as well 😂
For me, two must do's are store the record sleeve outside the cover but inside the plastic sleeve, because it helps prevent ring wear, and also, always use thin plastic sleeves because the thicker ones can stick to the cover and ruin it. I only ever use thicker sleeves on my 12 inch singles with generic covers.
Storing records outside the cover also provides a slight bit of room for air to circulate and prevent humidity issues in the summer/ winter temperature and humidity differentiation.
And I swear by kallax. Great storage.
Don't leave your album in a car even at nice day. The car will get hot for a record. I know these because I loaned a record to a friend one day. I took it his apartment, he return it to me after work. The record set in the car all day it was late spring in Texas, 85-90 degrees that day. That temp in side closed car you're looking at 98-105 degrees. Well, when I check out the record it was warped. Never said anything to the guy, but I also never loaned him a record again. That brings to another of my rules, don't loan you records.
Sorry, for being bit of a bummer. I would to say, I like your TH-cam channel.
Thank you!!!
Thank you for being here, and sorry about your record! I would be nervous about loaning mine out too. Cheers!
Totally agree. Records are private. Just like your private parts.
Hi, Rick. I like the bloopers you're lately adding at the end of your videos. I should do the same in mine, but I'm afraid there would be more bloopers that actual information... 🤣🤣🤣
I have another topic for discussion: Store the vinyl in its outer-sleeve outside the jacket or inside the jacket? Pros/Cons and a really scientific and educated reason.
I debated about the bloopers and then thought - the hell with it - why not? 😂😂
Seems like a great topic - there have been folks weighing in today who store them outside the jacket.
@@TheJoyofVinylRecords Why not? Because it is annoying and useless. Would you like the final track of a record album to be a series of short random outakes from the recording process? I also don't like the distracting and useless clips from films that interrupt your talk. These clips also diminish the quality of your video. Everything else in your video is very good.
All my storage I use the IKEA Kallax units, as well as a small one single record width record store type I built which can hold about 100 albums. This is for my frequent played albums. One thing I noticed when getting the Kallax units is the records go back into the unit farther than I’d like. So i made some 3/4” x 1/2” x 12” walnut pieces to use as a stop. Then I screwed them into the back of the units. All of the shelves I have records on now look very nice due to the stops I made. Super handy.
Perfect!
I would like to note than most records nowadays are 180 grams in weight; vintage records from the 70s and 80s are normally 120-140 grams, and very special releases come in at 200, 220 or a crazy whopping 240 grams. Having said that, the average is 180 grams. Thank you for this awesome content and helping people keep their awesome record collections safe, keep up the great work 😊
Thanks Joe! I haven't yet come across a 240g record - unreal
Every inner sleeve I got has always been able to fit inside the original inner sleeve of the album. So that's what I do. Unless the original inner sleeve of the album is just a generic white paper one, in which case I throw it away...
I do the exact same thing Gianluca! 🍺
Do you store the record and inner sleeve outside of the back of the jacket ? I've noticed that has become increasingly popular lately
I don't but I'm hearing that many do.
I second that......they ARE pricey, but they are worth every penny. I sure am glad they finally came out with the gate fold sleeves......I used to have to take two of their taped sleeves and use the strips to glue them together to make one sleeve. I have a HUGE ratio of gate fold to single sleeve record covers, thus it takes me forever to use up my supply of single sleeve sleeves.
I have some records I struggle with to put back in their protective sleeve. Probably why I rarely play Fleetwood Mac's _Tusk_ 😂😂😂
@@TheJoyofVinylRecords Do you have Led Zepp's Physical Graffiti? That "cover" is a nightmare.....you have to pull everything inside up thru the top, which makes it difficult to keep any of the extra stuff where you can easily access them. The album cover itself is kind of cool in that you have windows cut into the apartment building and you have all those faces poking out thru them, but once you fill the record sleeve with the two albums, you don't have much breathing room for the rest of it, at least that you can easily get to.
Lol - yep! That one too! @@FrightfulMess
I've been using the rounded inner for quite some time and they are easier to slide a LP back in the jacket. I replaced every paper inner sleeve, but only kept the ones with credits and pics and kept them inside the jacket I built my own record cabinet and secured it to the wall after my wife said I should since we're prone to earthquakes.
Much easier to slide in and out. Are you on the west coast (re: earthquakes)?
@@TheJoyofVinylRecords Tacoma, WA
I love going to a record show and looking thru boxes for treasures. Occasionally, you come across a box that's just packed tight... you can't even begin to flip thru them. I just walk away... what are they thinking?
Same! I don't get it.
Any info on what furniture/console you have in the background? Looks very nice!
It was handmade by a shop in Shapleigh. Maine. Happy to send more info if you want it.
I've about 200 records and storing them vertically. Only advice I'm looking for is they are all together but not tight. So you can take one out and in fairly easily. Is this still a issue
Not at all - it should be fairly easy - just like you stated. No issue at all, Anthony.
The BEST inner sleeves are from 'MA Recordings' - they use the same material that modern Japanese 'rice paper' doors/walls are made of, it's breathable so it doesn't promote mould growth in humid environments. Also feels super soft and gentle on the records. When I can't afford MA, I use Mofi sleeves. Although some old batches apparently were leaving some residue on records, I haven't come across this myself.
I second that. Rice paper sleeves are awesome.
I enjoy a rounded inner sleeve because it can be used inside the original paper sleeve, which often has contributing artwork, lyrics , or advertising from a past era. I once inadvertently , over time , pressed a severely warped record flat in too tight storage.
We are of the same mind 🍺
what do you recommend for 7 in records? it doesn't look like invest in vinyl makes sleeves for that size
7" sleeves are hard to come by, but not impossible. I don't personally collect 7" records, but there's a few vendors on Amazon that sell sleeves for them. Just look for polyethylene, Rice Paper + Polyethylene, or Polypropylene
I have a really stupid question to ask. Is it bad to not turn off the platter when flipping the album? Both for the album and the turntable?
Hey Gabor - I don't think it's bad, and it's certainly not a dumb question. I suppose if you're really quick and good at it I see no problem. As for me, if I tried I'd most definitely fumble the record and drop it. Probably scratch it and do all kinds of bad things to it because I'm clumsy.
@@TheJoyofVinylRecordsThanks! But. I am the clumsiest person in the World. The felt makes it seem harmless, I haven't dropped anything yet, (unless I had a sandwich and a cup of coffee in the other hand). So I guess I will keep doing it.
I bought a brand new album with 2 180gm records, both warped from being shrink wrapped with a small stack of fan photos of the band tucked into the packaging. Didn’t take years, only a little steady pressure. I’m a believer.
Ugh - sorry to hear that!
Years ago I realised the cardboard inners for PF's The Wall remastered was stopping getting the records out easily. being heavyweight did not help. It came with a poster and that pushing agianst the vinyl. It was the first album I took the records out of the cardboard and left them behind the jacket.
Great tips for the beginners. But I would add. When they are stored in the plastic inner and outer sleeves, store the record outside of the jacket. This helps prevent ringwear on your covers. :)
Cheers, Kevin!
What is the best way to carry records on a flight? If I have to travel long haul do I wrap them and put them in the hold or should I carry them with me in the cabin? Thanks. Also how can I find out if the old records I found from my parents are of any value at all? Thanks for your tips.
Hi Ursula! I carry them with me in a bag. I don’t have a special bag but they often fit in my laptop shoulder bag. I never have many with, just those I pick up in a city I’m visiting if I find a good shop.
Discogs is a great way to track down the estimated value. If you can see the etchings or stamped numbers in the deadwax between the end of the groove and the label that will help tremendously.
Good luck! Let me know if you have any questions.
@ Thanks for your reply and the tips.
@@ursulacabjolsky3581 Welcome!
62 years old now, been collecting vinyl since I was a boy thanks to my father bringing them overseas and have stacked them upright since the 1960s. Not one is scratched to this day. As for the sleeves. In perfect condition as I have the records in their original paper sleeves then inside their original carton cover and inside a plastic cover.
I still take them out to play. I deejay as well, and they come home in excellent condition as I care for them cleaning them when necessary.
Look after them as I do and you should have absolutely no issues.
Also clean the stylus regularly. That is a must.
No big deal
That's really it, as you said. Care for the records and keep the stylus clean. 🍺
@@TheJoyofVinylRecords most definitely care for the stylus and its weight on the vinyl set up correctly is paramount.
Every single record store and record fair Ive been to have upstanding bins that you can flick through, and generally they are all stored at a slant. Ive always worried for those ones at the back 😮
Same!
I've known about storing albums vertically since around 1969. Same with my 45s. I have to buy more inner sleeves, and certainly outer protective sleeves. Otherwise, I'm good. Nice video.
I place mine in clear resealable outer sleeves (even if they are factory sealed) and then placed in Gorilla 100 vinyl storage boxes. Not over packed in them, but some are still slightly on a slant (so i can flick through them)...no problems so far...*crosses fingers and toes*. Thanks for this upload, made me think more carefully than i already do...probably paranoid now, hahaha
Hi Myke! If you haven't run into issues yet, you probably never will. Cheers! 🍺
@@TheJoyofVinylRecords Yeah you're right.I just want to enjoy them for as long as I can and you talked a lot of sense on the video. I use those duel sleeves as well, for those that aren't sealed. All the best sir
Got my first record yesterday and stuck it in between books on my shelf so it stays upright. Watching this bc I have a few more on the way
That's awesome! Welcome to the wonderful world of vinyl, Raydar!
Thank you, didn’t know how to preserve my fathers albums, now I’m on it !
Cheers! 🍻
well if I have to make the choice between packing them up in a box or stacking them up in a box I have to go with stacking since leaning in a box I feel would do more damage over time. I have move a lot over the last 40 years and always go with stacking vs vertical not knowing what conditions they may encounter. Sure when you put them out for display and use vertical is the only way to go so you can pull them out and put them up. Keep them away from direct or too much indirect sunlight and heat.
But all good advice
Cheers, Howie! 🍺
Hi Rick, best wishes for the Easter holidays. I do hope that you and your family have a relaxing break. We have the most awful weather for our weekend. Best Pat
You as well, Pat. Hopefully the weather predictions are wrong. We had our bad weather last weekend. Ice storm knocked out power here in NH for 24 hours. Fingers crossed for better weather this weekend, Stay safe!
I resisted outer sleeves for years, mainly because I didn't see the point (and I hate that they make the spine harder to read). I was careful to store my records properly so I could easily slide them in and out -- and I didn't do that all that often, anyway. The records I'm playing frequently I keep in a bin near the turntable. When that gets full, I pull out some to file away on "permanent storage" shelving. BUT now I think outer sleeves are worthwhile for other reasons (though it's probably going to take me years to put all the records into them), not only because they protect jackets from wear but because they add just a little extra "cushioning" to protect the LPs inside those cardboard sleeves from pressure and handling damage. That's why I'm skeptical about storing records outside the cardboard sleeves -- too easy to scratch or dent when you move them. A disc in an anti-static vinyl & rice paper inner sleeve, then the cardboard jacket, and then an outer sleeve (NOT the retail shrinky shrink!) has a fair amount of protection from accidental damage -- as long as you keep it and its neighbors relatively vertical. (If they're at an angle -- more than you'd see in the average record store bin -- that puts most of the weight at the top of the leaning side, which, as you say, can't be good.)
I too have a hard time considering moving them outside of the jacket during storage. Not saying it’s bad or that others shouldn’t. It’s just contrary to how I’ve done it for years.
I love the Salem witch trials reference 😅😅😅 not many people will recognize it, but I do 😂
I love that you got that! I really wondered if I was being to obscure with it 😂
how would you reccomend storing box sets? should I just store them upright outside of the box or keep them inside and just store the box upright?
I wouldn't worry too much about box sets since there's practically no weight being placed on the records inside. I store them both upright with the records inside and also laying flat with the records inside.
Ditch those thick, flexible soft to the touch, clear PVC fold over outer sleeves found on records like apparent audiophile labels like Simply Vinyl from (early 2000's) (I have 2 SV's) and many see through cover picture discs and the infamous Walmart blue coloured splatter disc of Elton John's Madman Across The Water in a thick see through PVC cover. The poly vinyl plastic over time is notorious for ghosting otherwise pristine vinyl surfaces with off gassing chemical fumes depositing the surface with sticky plastic film ruining the playing surface I had over a dozen records stored in these PVC sleeves for years thankfully my discs never got heavily ghosted but I did get rid of all my PVC sleeves, they have a chemical smell too.
Agreed. PVC sleeves are the enemy
Just reinforce your shelves with some cheap backer boards. I bought a strip of laminate flooring for $2 which I screwed onto the self back and it looks and works great. The best thing besides $2 is they don't rub against the wall.
Great advice!
Very sound advice. I often think the same when I see stacks of equipment piled up. People just don’t seem to consider the weight on the bottom items in the pile.
Want to hear something that hurts? Back in 1995, I was a teenager and left for the summer/fall. My mom would use this vacant bedroom opportunity to use my room as her ironing room. I had a very respectable vinyl collection including original presses from Floyd, Beatles, Zeppelin, etc. My crates of records were apparently in the way so they got moved..........right next to the heater along the wall........I came home to every record in my collection being melted/warped on one side. Devastated and I have yet to go back nearly 30 years later....to a vinyl collection that is, I didn't run away from home.
That IS heartbreaking. Sorry @Acidmonk603
Jesus Christ!
What about the row of records behind you?
They are not stored straight up but they're leaning to the left and there are quite a lot of them.
I heard somewhere that you need a divider between every 5 records or so. That way even if they lean to one side, the weight is not much of an issue and you have time to store them better.
Hi! I've heard similar things. I had the cabinet I use built for these and left the dimensions the way they are because I've never experienced an issue as long as they are straight. If in the video you see leaning it's because I pulled a bunch out to do the images of the ones stacked on top of each other. Good eye!!
No question, records need to be stored vertically like books on a book shelf and use a divider or weight to keep them from leaning unless the shelf is full enough. I have always stored records this way going back to when I was a teenager. In my teens I didn't have a stereo cabinet for components or storage, so I got hold of an old wooden teachers desk. I placed the desk close to the wall with the opening for the chair facing the room. I built a shelf in the bottom of the opening to store my records. The desk had two drawers on each side that I used to store cassettes and record cleaning accessories. The top of the desk was large enough for my receiver, turntable, and cassette deck. My setup in my room at the time was a little crude, because I went for function over aesthetics, but if you could find a nice desk like that today and do some finish work on it so it looks good, you might have a better solution than buying a media cabinet. And this old desk was solid wood! Very heavy, and would have looked great if I had bothered to sand it and re-stain it.
That’s awesome Neil!
My original collection, albums I bought from 1970 to 1983, where stored in a box laying on there side for about 30 odd years. None of them warped. I am playing them today. I do have a copy of Led Zeppelin II that warped in the Brasilian sun on the car dash though.
That's great Mike! (not about the Zep thoiught - sorry to hear about that one!)
Thanks, this is why I always make sure to have a bad or damaged record on the bottom of my stack.
Unwise to stack your vinyl but i suspect you know this .
Is the horizontal stacking an 'old wives tail"? Indeed this is a story we have all heard for years, but has anyone seen the tests, i.e. empirical data that backs this up? I haven't. I say this since I have some old horizontal shelving unit (nice all solid oak) that were once used in an old school. It was designed to leave notes and documents for the various teachers and those areas provide only 4" between shelves or maybe 25 records maximum per shelf. I've had a good portion of my collection stored like this for well over 30 years now through a vast range of temperature and humidity variations. I must say I have not experienced one warped record that wasn't already warped 'as purchased'. So has anyone found the tests that support the horizontal hypothesis? Or are we just continuing to propagate an 'old wives tail'?
I question this, too. My Uncle had records stacked horiziontally for many years, and they still play just fine. I have some records from the mid to late '50s which say on the inner sleeve that either way is fine. The only thing is stored vertically they should not be at an angle.
I've never tested it - wouldn't dare to, but you do raise a good point. I have come across a warped record or two in my collection, but I attribute that to poor storage habits when I was younger (like too close to a heat source like a radiator, etc). The stacking on top of one another physically makes sense as being a bad thing since pressure is never good for a record. But again - perhaps it only is detrimental in rare cases?
What’s the best way to keep my records from sliding back on the shelf when I put them back in place?
Hi Matty! Do you have a paperweight or something to prop them up - like a bookend? I used to use a brick (seriously).
Right -on ‘ brother !
You nailed it .. ❤👍
Store the record in the inner sleeve. Put the inner sleeve in the outer sleeve, with the opening facing upwards, then put the whole thing in a plastic outer sleeve, the opening to the spine of the cover. No dust will ever penetrate. In over 40 years of buying and playing my records, I've never cleaned them, and they sound just fine. I've seen people store records with all the openings the same way, so that any amount of dust can get in. I also store my records in a Kallax unit with doors on. You need to be careful of the hinges, but this means that my sleeves are protected from sunlight fading the spines. Red inks are very susceptible to fading as red pigment is the least robust against UV light.
Great video 😆
Yup,think of them as thin and easily damaged and deformed…act accordingly 👍
Cheers, my friend! 🍺
Thank you, this was very helpful. Do you recommend an outer sleeve for thicker/gatefold LPs? I just got a copy of blonde by Frank Ocean, and my sleeves won't fit in them. Of all vinyls this one's the only one unprotected and it's giving me anxiety!! 🤣
Hi Dani - that drive me crazy too! I haven't yet found one that reliably fits gatefold or thicker albums. If I find any that I recommend I'll post it on the community board!
@@TheJoyofVinylRecords Thank you!
Question. Is there a way to reliably and quickly locate a record on a shelf? I can't read the spines when they stand vertically: age problems + these are mostly vintage European LPs with very narrow spines and accordingly very fine print. I keep Italian artists locked in one compartment, and the Germans in another, this is easy, but is there a way to find a lone Estonian record in a sea of Americana?
That's always a pain. I keep my record all in alphabetical order so it's easier. But there are times, especially if I misfiled a record, where it takes me forever to find it 😂
If the record is really important to me, I store it like many others, take it out of the cover, put it in a nice protective sleeve and slide it in behind the album cover, all in a protective sleeve, but I place a piece of cardboard between the original cover and the re-sleeved vinyl to keep the ring wear away. You know when you order a record album in the mail and it comes in a album mailer with those cardboard filler inserts that are just the right size? Perfect for preventing ring wear, and then, yes, stored vertically. Only my very rare and important records get the treatment though because it takes up a little more space.
That’s a good point about space. I’m quickly running out of it!
Depending on where you live if there is moisture in the air. Old record sleeves can mold.
very informative video! is it alright to have records just leaning against the wall or do i need to keep them standing completely straight? i only have a few records rn so i just have them leaning against the wall on a shelf in my room at roughly a 5-10 degree angle or something
They are perfectly fine the way you have them. If there was a lot of them leaning like that and putting weight against the first one then maybe correct it, but you’ll be good. 🍺🍺🍺
@@TheJoyofVinylRecords nice thanks
I keep all my records in vinyl cases, safe from dust, humidity issues and UV light. It might be more impractical to handle, it might take up valuable floor space - but I like the idea that they get the best treatment, and I love the smell when I open them.
Also, I am forced not to go crazy and purchase just any shit, cos at the end of the day I do enjoy being able to move around in my apartment without tripping over those bloody cases every few steps.
They east space like there is no tomorrow! Cheers!
Hey Rick! Another well-made video brother! I store my records in the MF 4mil archival outer sleeve with a master inner sleeve on the back of the LP for quick purchase. i very rarely remove the actual cover, and original sleeve to preserve the integrity of the spine. One thing often disputing is whether or not we remove the original shrink and stickers from the LP. Thoughts on this?
Hi John! As with everything else I've changed my opinion a couple times over the years. I still toss away the shrink - except in a couple rare cases where I was nostalgic for the stickers and where it was purchased. As for the stickers - I used to toss them until recently. If they have great info on them (like "mastered by....etc) I'll cut them off and store them in the jacket. I wished I'd always done that now that I look back.
I usually only keep a UPC sticker, and I try my damnedest to peel it off if possible and re-affix it, if not in the location it was on the outer cover, definitely inside the opening slot where the record itself is stored. I have a cataloging program that I use a barcode reader to find the release and enter it in my collection, and this way I still have the UPC should the file get corrupted or lost.
any tips for spacing out records a bit? none of my lps are packed in too tight but some are a bit more rough to get out, but not to the point where i have to yank them out.
I have an overflow cabinet that I use so they aren't packed so tight in my main cabinet. That's was really the only thing I could come up with.
Re sleeves, I prefer the crystal-clear dual pocket sleeves from Vinyl Storage Solutions out of Canada. They are not cheap, but SOOO much nicer than the typical milky sleeves. And the dual pocket is genius.
Second-time I've heard them mentioned. Thanks, Daniel!
I like the style and sound of that Heil microphone...Cheers from Australia.
I actually have had to use an adapter for it which isn’t ideal. My main mixer had issues which I’ve managed to fix so sound should be better going forward with xlr
Is it okay to keep vinyl unboxed? just started collecting and haven't unboxed my pre-ordered vinyl just checked if the box was damp(it wasn't) put the box in front of a fan for 24 hours to dry out any potential moisture, storing it vertically in a cool dry space.
Welcome to the world of vinyl! And it sounds like you're doing everything right. I wouldn't worry about a thing as long as they are stored vertically.
I found a lot of Victor Records when my mom passed. The very old paper jackets are fragile, or already breaking. Do you have any recommendations?
I'm sorry about your mom's passing. Are the Victor records 10" or 12" records? You could replace those old paper (card stock?) jackets with newer sleeves. If they are 12" it should be easy to find. The folks at InvestinVinyl have plenty of products for 12" records. I've seen some offered on amazon for 10" records but have never had the need to try any.
@@TheJoyofVinylRecords Thank you. 10 inch. The fragile jackets are thinner paper. I just wasn’t sure to what extent it was important to be saving these thinner brown paper with printing jackets. If they are damaged can or should I just be tossing them? And then some are colored thinner paper that I would like to preserve. I don’t know how to accomplish this. If clear plastic sleeves exist, would that be ok for storage? Thank you for reference to Invest In Vinyl site.
@@jmc-xp6ml If there's no information about the release on the damaged paper there's no reason to keep it (unless it's for posterity). As far as the colored paper I believe clear plastic sleeves would work well.
@@TheJoyofVinylRecords Thankyou.
I've always stored my LPs vertically but the problem comes when you have a lot of LPs catalogued in alphabetical order on the shelves. If you don't leave gaps here and there then every time you introduce new ones the whole collection from the point then go in to the end has to be shifted along, with a few thousand LPs on Ikea Kallax units that's a real pain. Plus in 55+ years of collecting records I've not had any damaged by having them stored this way even though some may be leaning slightly. LPs are pretty tough or they wouldn't survive the whole production, distribution and retail store storage rigours that they go through.
So true! I end up having to move some to the next shelf in my main cabinet because of the way I catalog them (alphabetically). It's why I've been guilty of cramming them at times as I get lazy 🤣
Hi Rick , may sound a little dinlo but how do you categorise your record collection, maybe a video on how you sort yours eg pink or Floyd thanks
Steve
That is something to consider, Eddy!
I actually use polypropylene outer sleeves . I find they are better than polyethylene. Look and protect better. As well I use anti static mofi style inner sleeves. I like the triple layer with rice paper inside.
Great video Rick! All of your points are sound, even though I blatantly disregard one of them. I'm just not a fan of outer sleeves. I guess in my case I've never seen the necessity. My album jackets from the 80's still look pristine, even though they've gone naked all those years. What's odd, I guess, is that I wouldn't dream of putting a comic book in the box without a bag. In fact, a good portion of my collection is in mylar. I guess that's because I see comics as much more fragile and prone to tearing and bending that album covers. But I applaud everyone who takes the time and expense to go that extra mile for their precious record collection. Oh, one last thing. I've noticed some records I've bought have had outer sleeves that are yellow. I know from my comic collecting years that is acid leaking out. That can't be good for a record jacket... Thoughts on that?
Hi Shane! Those yellowed sleeves could be due to the sleeve being made out of PVC (not recommended). Not sure what exactly it is about those, but it has something to do with the chemicals used in making them. They may have also been exposed to heat or sunlight which breaks the plasticizers down quicker. Polyethelene may suffer the same fate over time but I haven't heard that it does.
@TheJoyofVinylRecords I wonder if there are archival sleeves? I haven't looked into it, but I'd imagine there are. If so, no doubt they cost a pretty penny.
I believe there are Shane. I haven't looked either, but I'll see what I can find out. Curious now... @@shaneluttrell532
One thing to add about storing records too tight. The dreaded RING WEAR. Nothing brings the value of a record down faster than ring wear. Great channel btw especially for novices just getting into collecting.
Thank you Christopher - and great point about ring wear 🍺
When buying USED records, they often smell musty, or from a smoker. With record removed, you can safely clean most glossy album covers with a quick spritz from Lysol Lemon Scent kills 99% of bacteria, viruses (mold?), wipe w a clean microfiber cloth, gatefold covers clean the inside too. Plain generic record inner sleeves w no graphics, or lyrics just toss them….they absorb odors too, scratch records and add static….i use same Tennessee based covers company.
I then insert a small clean rag to slightly pry an album cover open to air it out, and fully open gatefold covers….then insert them in a 40-55 2-3mil thick leaf bag with a bar of ivory soap, seal the bag w a reusable tie wrap x 1-2 days. Ivory soap bar absorbs any lingering odors on the INSIDE of album covers. Believe me, I have allergies, and this process I don’t sneeze or have watery eyes around musty covers anymore
I love that ivory soap idea, David. I'm going to try that now. Thanks for posting it!
Do you have a review of your turntable isolation platform!
Hi Boyd - Yes! You can see it here: th-cam.com/video/qTMG_2zko6w/w-d-xo.html
I’ve got a 220 gm Screaming Lord Sutch record. It could hardly be called audiophile, but it could be called a dinner plate.
😂😂😂
Any advice on album jacket covers for MoFi One Steps? Those boxes are around 1 1/4 inches thick. And even some gatefold albums won't fit in standard album covers. Advice??
Hey Russell! I personally don't bother with the box sets. I do use the protective innersleeves, but to me the box is enough.
That's why I don't stand them up with spines facing out. You shouldn't be sliding them in and out, it puts too much wear on them. Not only that, but you can't see them. The best way to store them is standing up with them facing forward in clear protective sleeves. That way you can flip through them quickly and actually see them without placing any wear on them. Also, those rounded inserts are junk. They're hard to put in without causing them to puff out a bit. The square plastic ones are better