My Top 10 Recommendations on how to Build a Valuable Vinyl Collection

[StuntrockConfusion]

Hmmm... A few thoughts.
There is nothing like the present : sure be patient, but sometimes you will enjoy that rare and expensive record now, maybe not in ten years when you find it cheap. Why deprive you of the present joy? If the record goes down in value for a time, you got the best of it, your pleasure, when it could be triggered by that music.
Flippers : They are a necessary commodity. Often, you will miss things out, because no one can keep up with all the sites and info. So the flippers offer you a chance to bypass that slip. If the flippers didn't buy it, it would get sold out to people who would keep it for themselves. The fact that it willl be inflated in price will also keep at bay people who are not too passionate about said record. It is annoying, but it can be a blessing in disguise.
Is it too expensive? Well, when that last copy that you found too expensive is gone, you'll often find yourself thinking you were cheap, and that you'd now gladly pay even more.
So yes, data analysis is crucial : how actually rare is the record, how likely am I to find a cheap copy, how likely is that label or distributor to repress it, how likely is it that this music power will loose its effect and the fan numbers will shrink, how many copies are available on discogs on my side of the world, how many in good condition, etc...
Most records have only one pressing, and most records of the past 25 years a very limited one. 300 copies is the norm for most releases, that is a statistical fact. Most music that isn't well appreciated or celebrated already, that's the numbers we're talking about. So of course, it takes some times for the real good ones to emerge and get a reputation. But when they do, it's often too late. And with these numbers it often happens fast. So don't be cheap and be fast : 30 bucks for a 300 copies only pressing, that is a bargain, when you consider all the production costs!

Now I'm no flipper myself, and am far from well off. But as Michael said it, be smart. I would lastly add that following your own personnal taste is the best way, since if you don't care about all those supposedly must haves and classic that everyone tells you you need to get, you will spend that time, energy and money on paths less travelled, get a taste and knowledge for it, and identify the good stuff there, the future classics, which is even more rewarding than getting the new desirable edition of an already proven classic.

[joepiro]

Michael this is why I live your channel and this is the reason why Chad from Acoustic sounds picked you to represent in a way the buyers of his products. Is because you think outside the box and your topics are well thought out and informative. Not just another guy with a YouTube channel showing vinyl. Keep up the excellent work and again for me one of the best channel in our hobby.

[KristianHilf]

I love to watch your videos ! Your voice and pace is very serene and relaxing, Knowledge is another part that you are giving and delivering to us and I personally love it !!

[Vaga]

Solid advice to wait it out. Especially salient regarding RSD purchases.

[rockabillyproject]

Always great videos. I think this is an important topic to discuss and that most of your subscribers enjoy both the listening and collecting aspect of the hobby. My biggest mistake when I got back into vinyl was trying to accumulate a collection of my favorite musicians at a rate that was impossible given my available funds. As of recent, when I slimmed down my collection, I realized I bought a lot of vinyl that I would only listen to one or two times. PATIENCE is truly a blessing. As I have become more patient, I have found I appreciate the hobby and vinyl I purchase much more because I am not buying on impulse anymore. I have become more selective on what vinyl I want to own and what albums I am fine with just listening to in the streaming format.

[marklatkowski]

Excellent discussion. Your recommendations are applicable in the purchase and enjoyment of any type of collection.

[analoguecity]

I collect LPs
1.sound quality
2. Owning my favorite album
3. The social interaction
4. For the FUN of it
5. ( just a little) Nostalgia ( I'd be lying if I said there wasn't even just a little)

[davidsolomon]

Surely it must be added that having an understanding partner and family helps especially when those records keep coming. It's a lucky person who doesn't get the questionable stare of do you need this as yet another parcel arrives.

[jasonarsenault]

“Victims of this beautiful hobby “. Haha. Well said my friend.

[amauryw]

Great subject and controversial topic nonetheless. Personaly I think there is a certain beauty in limiting oneself to only get the records that really matters to YOU. The ones that you enjoy listening to, not the one that are a public success but you not necessarily like, not the limited pieces or special boxes, not the edition that you expect to go up in price with the years. One thing that has to be said about vinyl records collecting is that it is very much like a drug addiction and it is easy to get caught in it if we are not taking a step back. Of course the impacts of this addition are lesser, but it still has an opportunity cost in the sense that it eats up a lot of money that is sometimes not proportional to the pleasure you get from the records and most of all it consumes a lot of time that can prevent you from spending time with family and friends. This passion can be shared socially at some occassions (or with the VC) but it entails quite a lot of lonely time digging online to get the long wanted titles, to maintain the collection (clean, organize, buy, sell) and most of the time to listen alone to one's records. So to me the most important is to focus on the records that bring joy and that can be shared socially on many occassions. Records that have not spinned for more than a year should be gettin rid of and a good way to limit the growing collection of unlistened records would be to fix oneself a max number of records (let's say 2000) and every new purchase would be at the cost of letting go one of the other record from the collection. We are only humans and the dependency on time and money is a constraint that our mind tries to deny when the collector fever hits. However there is beauty in the mind control and the choice in a world of limited possibilities. Just my two cents. Love your channel by the way, really inspiring and makes your audience discover about great titles. Keep up the good work mate!

[LJMcG]

Great topic for a video, Michael! There are many aspects to our hobby. The music, the artists, the genres, the record shops, the pressings, the labels, the friends we meet, the gear, the joy of tweaking, the never ending collecting, and the values of our collection. Each one of these is such a great distraction. Keep ‘em coming!

[SonicFlare]

The funny thing is that sometimes records you wouldn't think twice about end up being worth multiples of what you paid for. Case in point: my Beatles Mono box... (and everyone else who has one...) Paid retail, and didn't think twice about it. Today? $1500. Crazy!!!

[liammolyneuxmusic]

Cool video Michael, great advice.
For me patience is the key.
Just ordered MOFI Dire Straits, Dire Straits.
Found it in audiophile shop in England .
Doesn’t seem to available any where else.
Acoustic sounds or eBay both don’t have it.
Waiting on Love over Gold to finish my Mofi Dire Straits collection 👍

[staggerlee]

This dude once again speaks perfect sense. I had been pursuing a copy of The Minutemen's 'Double Nickels on the Dime' for years. I refused to pay 100+ bucks for a copy (I think the highest I saw was 500 UK pounds. Then one day on discogs I finally found one going for 70 bucks - still a little pricey but it was a figure I felt comfortable with and now it is a prized possession. And yes, I think I have now seen copies that are even cheaper but I am ok with the price I finally paid but it always pays to wait.

[前橋みき]

Could you do a video on 10 horror stories that you experienced in collecting! Would be interesting 🤨

[kgobrien]

excellent advice as always. you could also buy multiple copies and flip the extras to let other people help pay for your collection... at least while the current vinyl frenzy is happening.

[jeffwinney]

Love your insight. I always told myself that I would not be a 'collector' and that my intention was to listen to my vinyl. I love listening to vinyl. Now, full disclosure...I am 53 years old. Vinyl is nothing new to me. I am loving this recent resurgence and it has brought new life to my admiration for vinyl. I have found myself starting to not open my vinyl as quickly as I would like. I find a nice copy of something I love, bring it home, display on my shelf, and then listen to it on Tidal or Qobuz. ENOUGH!! HAHAHA Time to open up that vinyl and enjoy them. Quick question for you Michael, I'd love to see a video of your collection shown behind you and some insight on how you categorize your collection. Keep up the great job and congratulations on the success. Great community you have here.

[jaypink]

Wonderful stuff Michael... The eloquent Germanic tones of reason...

[stephencastro]

Thank you Michael. Some very good rules/guidelines to establish. Yet, we find ourselves breaking some of them in the frenzy. LOL. One point on flippers, when you see a bunch of the same rare titles listed, say on ebay. This can be a good opportunity to negotiate the price down. Example conversation I had last night with one: There are 50 guys on here selling it for the same price as you, and none of them are moving fast. Can you do better on price? No? O.K. I will go to the next guy who is offering free shipping and see what he will do. Last night he was selling that album for $49.99 plus shipping. I got an email from him this morning, price now $35.00 and free shipping! Some are willing to sit on the item and wait. Others just want to turn it and recoup their cost (and hopefully a little profit) quickly. The $35.00 was $5 over retail. It works, but patience is also a virtue in this process as well.

[northfusion]

It’s having a collection of pieces you play against having a collection that are just artifacts on a shelf. Or you can have 2000 pieces of junk or 500 pieces of well pressed vinyl that you can both enjoy and watch accrue over time. Enjoying the best of both worlds shouldn’t be a bad thing, even if the “investment” side will always be secondary to me. Besides, even looking at your shelves I don’t see many sealed records or doubles (if there’s any). Getting into that territory is slightly more egregious, at least to me. Anyway, great video as always, appreciate your insights.