Hole-punches, Saw Cuts, BMG Editions, and Promos

So I got yet another CD off ebay with a holepunch in the insert. This is really starting to tick me off a lot. And it seems to be happening more and more. I recently bought something in the thirty dollar range described as in excellent condition. It was ....execpt for the giant saw cut in the spine. Since it was a record store seller I complained and they acted like I was being unreasonable about it in wanting to get a return. While also admitting that the reason it was cheaper was because of the cut - which was not mentioned in the listing. Stuff like this really takes away my confidence in buying stuff online. I'm almost to the point of contacting every seller before hand with these questions. Or at the very least only going with the auctions that specify everything.

Funny thing is that I'm really easy going on the grading of the condition. And could careless about the jewel case condition. If it plays and is there in tact as stated I'm cool.

I guess the one good thing is I've only had one possible bootleg turn up. Oh, and the deadbeat sellers - that's a whole other rant.

So, worst online buying experience?

I dont mind the saw cut or hole punch as long as I know it up front.It is ridiculous if it was listed as excellent condition though.The worst thing I've had happen from buying online is a cd showing up broke in half.That sucks.

I always ask beforehand about those kinds of things even if the seller DOES have a in depth description of the CD. What really pisses me off are the sellers like hastings on amazon that just sell for an oversees mass distro and can never give you an accurate description because they are like 3rd party or whatever and dont have the disc in their hands.

I hate listening to a CD with a saw cut. They sound so much worse than those without them.

SpectreFate wrote:

I hate listening to a CD with a saw cut. They sound so much worse than those without them.

This is me too. If I get a jewel case I don't like, I just put the CD in a new one.

But I also think if the jewel case has a "defect", the seller should disclose that because some collectors are really anal about things like that.

I think the thing that bothers me the most about it is that if I ever need to sell for any reason I don't know of any store that would take saw cuts and most won't knowingly take the hole punch either. I just wish the sellers would be upfront about what they have. Mom selling her kids collection and not knowing is one thing. Plus she isn't charging collectors prices either. The actual record shops doing it is what gets me the most.

But I agree that barring all that - the music is still the music. And honestly it was much easier when I was naive to such things.

Promos, hole punches, saw cuts, UPC's scribbled out -- I honestly don't care. As long as the CD itself is in good condition and the booklet doesn't look like it spent too much time at the bottom of a fish tank it's all good.

jstate wrote:

I think the thing that bothers me the most about it is that if I ever need to sell for any reason I don't know of any store that would take saw cuts and most won't knowingly take the hole punch either. I just wish the sellers would be upfront about what they have. Mom selling her kids collection and not knowing is one thing. Plus she isn't charging collectors prices either. The actual record shops doing it is what gets me the most.

But I agree that barring all that - the music is still the music. And honestly it was much easier when I was naive to such things.

If you want to resell a CD you bought that came in a jewel case with a saw cut, just stick it in another jewel case.

Funny thing is that I tried that once but they took the inserts out and saw the cut on them. Of course I will admit that this particular Hastings employee tended to do her job very thoroughly. Probably would work other places though.

Fat Freddy wrote:

Promos, hole punches, saw cuts, UPC's scribbled out -- I honestly don't care. As long as the CD itself is in good condition and the booklet doesn't look like it spent too much time at the bottom of a fish tank it's all good.

Gotta agree. I don't see the big deal.

Around here it seems that the used stores don't really care all that much. I live in a music industry town and seemingly everybody and their mother gets promos and it seems hard sometimes to find discs w/o promo stickers, hole punches etc...

I was in one local store where a guy sold over 300 promo cds at once and the clerk didn't bat an eye, he just gave him only slightly less for 'em. It's just so freakin' common around here.

Yea hole punches don't really matter As long as nothing affects the actual cd or booklet itself then Im usually ok with it. A friend of mine though won't dare buy anything that was put out by BMG. Supposedly he always had problems with them not working in some cd players. Anyone have any problems like that with a BMG cd?

Otherwise on ebay or even Amazon for that matter I haven't really had any problems with anything except last year my gf got me a Evergrey cd and it ended up being a promo slip case. I wrote them and they kind of gave me the run around. I even sent it back like they asked and it got returned back to me. They ended up just refunding the money but still they never wrote anything about it being a slip case promo.

Of course you should be able to know stuff like this before you buy! They are not selling a prefect conditioned item if it is a cutout or hole punched trey. I don't mind owning them, but I want to know what I pay for.

I have had very good luck with Amazon marketplace lately. I look at both the used and new prices, because there are several places that sell new and shrinkwrapped for just a couple of bucks above the used price. It's worth it to me, especially since no one in my immediate area sells good metal or prog.

Sorry! Had to edit because I can't type!

Quote :

I don't mind owning them, but I want to know what I pay for.

That as my exact stance. I just want to know up front. So, I'm with you jstate - that's crappy. I would be complaining pretty hard to that seller. (Possible) re-sell considerations being the issue for me. If I KNOW I'm buying something that I'll keep forever, I actually don't mind cut-outs etc...because I can get them cheaper. I just want to know up-front. That's common courtesy.

scottmitchell74 wrote:

Quote :

I don't mind owning them, but I want to know what I pay for.

That as my exact stance. I just want to know up front. So, I'm with you jstate - that's crappy. I would be complaining pretty hard to that seller. (Possible) re-sell considerations being the issue for me. If I KNOW I'm buying something that I'll keep forever, I actually don't mind cut-outs etc...because I can get them cheaper. I just want to know up-front. That's common courtesy.

right on bros!

scottmitchell74 wrote:

Quote :

I don't mind owning them, but I want to know what I pay for.

That as my exact stance. I just want to know up front. So, I'm with you jstate - that's crappy. I would be complaining pretty hard to that seller. (Possible) re-sell considerations being the issue for me. If I KNOW I'm buying something that I'll keep forever, I actually don't mind cut-outs etc...because I can get them cheaper. I just want to know up-front. That's common courtesy.

Yup. unfortunately common courtesy just ain't that common anymore

scottmitchell74 wrote:

Quote :

I don't mind owning them, but I want to know what I pay for.

That as my exact stance. I just want to know up front. So, I'm with you jstate - that's crappy. I would be complaining pretty hard to that seller. (Possible) re-sell considerations being the issue for me. If I KNOW I'm buying something that I'll keep forever, I actually don't mind cut-outs etc...because I can get them cheaper. I just want to know up-front. That's common courtesy.

I agree with you and kurt. A cd is not in excellent condition if the inserts are cut, holepunched or water boarded...

Alex

Ya just gotta shop with honest sellers and stick with 'em.....a-hem......
http://shop.ebay.com/saxon1500/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=&_trksid=p4340

UNCLE SAXON wrote:

Ya just gotta shop with honest sellers and stick with 'em.....a-hem......
[url=http://shop.ebay.com/saxon1500/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=&_trksid=p4340

http://shop.ebay.com/saxon1500/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=&_trksid=p4340[/quote[/url]]

I was wondering when that was coming

Uncle "Gene"'s got his pimp on lately!

What is a BMG edition and what is the purpose of hole punches and saw cuts? Were they originally promo copies or somethin'?

Metal Misfit wrote:

What is a BMG edition and what is the purpose of hole punches and saw cuts? Were they originally promo copies or somethin'?

A "BMG Edition" (or "Columbia House edition") would be a CD that was sold thru the mail by one of the two major record clubs - (remember, those magazine ads where you could get "12 CDs for a penny?") Some collectors think those CDs are inferior to the "store bought" versions of the same disc, but I've never noticed any real difference other than the fact that there's a little box saying "Manufactured under license by BMG Music Service" (or "Columbia House") on the back cover where the UPC code would be. I was a member of both clubs during the 90s and have dozens of CDs from them, I never had any problems with them not playing in any of my CD players (as Phoenix Reign Drummer described above).

Hole punches and/or saw cuts can indicate that the disc is either a promotional copy (the UPC code or CD case is defaced intentionally by the record label to indicate that it is not allowed to be sold; sometimes there'll also be a "FOR PROMOTIONAL USE ONLY" and other legal jibba-jabba stamped on the front of the CD booklet), or that it's a "cut out" (i.e. an older/unsuccessful title that has been deleted by the record company, they punch a hole thru the UPC code or the spine of the CD case to indicate that whatever stock is left of that title is to be sold off as cheaply as possible. I believe retailers can't return unsold cut-outs for credit, either).

Speaking of which, has anyone else noticed that in the few music retailers that are left, the old fashioned "cut out bin" seems to be a thing of the past? Years back I used to get tons of tapes/CDs from those bins and made some GREAT finds on the cheap, there was one in every record store. Nowadays they're rarer than hen's teeth!!

Quote :

rarer than hen's teeth!!

Now you got me missin' MetalGuy.

SpectreFate wrote:

Quote :

rarer than hen's teeth!!

Now you got me missin' MetalGuy.

Yea, where the heck IS MetalGuy anyway? Ain't seen him round these parts lately.