How we grade a record
Every record that comes over the counter is graded twice, the vinyl and the sleeve each on its own, and the lower of the two never hides behind the higher. The grade goes on a small white sticker in the top corner of the sleeve, written by hand, with the date we checked it.
First by eye
Under the bright lamp by the till we tilt the record slowly until every mark catches the light. Hairlines are fine scratches that sit in the surface; scuffs are dull patches where the shine has gone. Neither tells you how a side will sound, which is why looking is only the first half.
The sleeve gets the same lamp. Ring wear, seam splits, a price sticker that tore the print when someone pulled it off: each takes the sleeve down a step. A name written on the back in biro does not, if it was the first owner's; we rather like those.
Then by ear
Then the record goes on the counter's turntable, with the volume a little higher than is polite. We play the start of every side, the quietest passage we can find, and the run-out. Surface noise lives in the quiet passages; a skip lives wherever the last owner's cat walked across the platter.
A record that looks very good plus but crackles through its quiet passages drops to very good. One with scuffs that play silent keeps its grade. The ear always wins.
The grades we use
- Mint: sealed, or opened and never played.
- Near mint: played a few times by someone careful.
- Very good plus: light marks that barely play.
- Very good: some surface noise, never over the music.
- Good: it plays through; the price says the rest.
If you disagree with a grade, bring the record to the listening room on a Thursday evening and we will play it together. Thursday 5 November is the next one, from 7 pm, with a glass of pét-nat if you like.