Still Sealed Vinyl

In particular I'm curious what Scott (utlmetal) has to say, but this is for any and all vinyl maniacs:

1. if you pick up a SS copy of an LP, do you open it? what are the variables that determine if you open it or not?

2. more specifically, what do you do with currently released SS LPs and what are the variables?

3. do you buy all possible variants of a given LP (different color wax, different cover, pressing, etc)?

1. I would open it. I buy them to listen to, not just to have.
2. I would still open it to play them..... I want to make sure that they are playable. I have a bunch of afro-funk and psych that are new releases and I do like to spin them!
3. I don't have the kind of cash to do that, but I will try to buy any singles and non album tracks.

Found Def Leppard Pyromania still sealed. Tried to post a pic but having issues with image shack.



well, it is awful small stupid host wants me to pay now for posting full images. Stay away from imageshack, it used to be good.

I found this new for 3 bucks. Took it home and opened it and played it. I never buy anything that I won't play. I open them all. Actually prefer to buy used because they are cheaper but at 3 bucks this was like buying used!

When I was in Pittsburgh at Eide's Entertainment they have a used sealed vinyl section and most of those were 5 bucks or less but I didn't pick any of those up.

I'm always stoked when I find albums I want still sealed, but to me it's the idea that it's as if I were picking it off of the shelf in its era rather than buying it used, if that makes any kind of sense. Call it a "time machine effect" if that makes it clearer.

The joke between my friends and I is that, if I ever won the lottery, I'd spend stupid money to get still sealed copies of all the action figures we loved when we were kids and then make Youtube videos of me tearing the packaging open like I was a hyperactive five year old. The tears and lamentations of collectors the world over would be music to my ears.   

Any new release I buy that is still sealed, then yeah, of course I'm opening it.

If I happened to come across some rare record that was still sealed, I'd probably leave it sealed--but only if I had the CD/mp3 or whatever to actually listen to.

And as for variants, no. I don't need to own multiple versions of the same record. Of course, if I had some standard version, and happened upon a cheap copy of a rare version, I might buy it. But I don't set out to have every cover/color/press of a record.

crucifyd wrote:

In particular I'm curious what Scott (utlmetal) has to say, but this is for any and all vinyl maniacs:

1. if you pick up a SS copy of an LP, do you open it? what are the variables that determine if you open it or not?

Usually I do open it. Unfortunately "still sealed" doesn't guarantee a MINT vinyl. Sometimes the shrinkwrapping can cause the vinyl to warp if left wrapped for years.

Also, some records use those crappy plastic sleeves which can chemically react with the vinyl essentially destroying the record.

As well, if an album is suppose to have inserts, I have to make sure the inserts are inside.

crucifyd wrote:

2. more specifically, what do you do with currently released SS LPs and what are the variables?

Though I am a collector, I am also an avid music listener, so I always open the records unless it's some odd occasion that I have more than one copy and I am just keeping the extra one sealed. I do have a few sealed records for that reason. (Ted Nugent's Double Live Gonzo comes to mind.)

crucifyd wrote:

3. do you buy all possible variants of a given LP (different color wax, different cover, pressing, etc)?

Not usually. I'm usually happy with just one of the same pressing. Record companies are doing a lot of that now, repressing an album with 20 different color vinyls because they know some out there will collect them all. I know guys who paid big bucks to get all four colored vinyls of Kiss' Sonic Boom when it was first released. I purchased one (Blue) and I am fine with that.

However, I do have multiple copies of some records. Usually it's an original pressing and then a repressing, or two blatantly different covers, or something of that nature. I usually only do this with my favorite bands. Aerosmith, Priest, Kiss, Thin Lizzy, etc.

1. Open it - Play it.
2. Open it - Play it.
3. Not really - I do have some different versions of a couple of albums, but more for novelty.

ultmetal wrote:

Also, some records use those crappy plastic sleeves which can chemically react with the vinyl essentially destroying the record.

Keep in mind there is a difference in polyethylene and plastic sleeves. I know the plastic ones you're referring to, I have bought a few used records with these in them and they are worse than paper sleeves IMO.

This is a brand new vinyl taken directly out of the "Still Sealed" box set this past weekend. Hadn't even played it once yet. Looks pretty doesn't it?

Ouch!! Clean with some distilled water and it will probably be fine.

Tried cleaning it. It's permanent.

crucifyd wrote:

In particular I'm curious what Scott (utlmetal) has to say, but this is for any and all vinyl maniacs:

1. if you pick up a SS copy of an LP, do you open it? what are the variables that determine if you open it or not?

2. more specifically, what do you do with currently released SS LPs and what are the variables?

3. do you buy all possible variants of a given LP (different color wax, different cover, pressing, etc)?

1. I have SS copies of rare/expensive albums (obviously bought for peanuts back then, either from members of the bands, or going out of business mailorders etc) for trade purposes (Usually collectors prefer SS copies).

2. I usually buy them online. If they come sealed (this is a huge IF, a lot of records don't come sealed, some come without even the plastic sleeves, but I usually don't have control if situations like this occur), I'll keep them sealed (mp3s would do the job). Of course, I like to speculate a lot and try to find/buy for cheap extra copies of titles soon to be desired by many. Not in order to make extra cash on them (not that  I have anything against it) but for trade purposes.

3. I used to do it a lot in the past ( of course 15-20 years ago you could still find variants of a given LP for peanuts-they worth the extra effort + the shipping cost was cheap-for example $5-6 for one LP, +$2 for each one after the first) not anymore. Of course, this is not an aphorism, it may changes over time. And only for vinyl issues of old titles. I care the less for new releases (except in very limited situations,for example,  like new helloween or f.warning). Nowadays, I try to find (and keep) only titles that I really like. Ι love playing blind's man buff with my collection, knowing that I would always pick up a vinyl that I really like (in the rare occasions that I'm actually spinning them- usually I love to get them, touch them, smell them, stare at them, read the inserts etc).

ultmetal wrote:

This is a brand new vinyl taken directly out of the "Still Sealed" box set this past weekend. Hadn't even played it once yet. Looks pretty doesn't it?

what record is that? new Priest?

ultmetal wrote:

Tried cleaning it. It's permanent.

Dumb question, maybe, but does it play?

ultmetal wrote:

This is a brand new vinyl taken directly out of the "Still Sealed" box set this past weekend. Hadn't even played it once yet. Looks pretty doesn't it?

I've got the Nostradamus box set still sealed and apparently that one is famous for this. I daren't open it!   

ultmetal wrote:

Tried cleaning it. It's permanent.

Damn that sucks, there have been times when i've bought a CD brand new and I still had to clean it before it would work properly.

How about the Precious Metal vinyl I sent you? Does it play OK?

So what is that? Did they use a plastic liner instead of poly? I've never seen the polysleeves do that. I just got a bunch more in yesterday from sleeve city.

http://www.sleevecityusa.com/Diskeeper-2-0-Antistatic-Record-Sleeves-p/9235.htm

Boris2008 wrote:

ultmetal wrote:

This is a brand new vinyl taken directly out of the "Still Sealed" box set this past weekend. Hadn't even played it once yet. Looks pretty doesn't it?

I've got the Nostradamus box set still sealed and apparently that one is famous for this. I daren't open it!   

If its still sealed, it looks like this. They all do.

Runicen wrote:

ultmetal wrote:

Tried cleaning it. It's permanent.

Dumb question, maybe, but does it play?

This was the worst of the the three albums. It plays but has a terrible hiss in the quieter moments. The other two discs still look bad but play ok.

Vexer6 wrote:

ultmetal wrote:

Tried cleaning it. It's permanent.

Damn that sucks, there have been times when i've bought a CD brand new and I still had to clean it before it would work properly.

How about the Precious Metal vinyl I sent you?  Does it play OK?

Yes, thank you my friend. Plays fine.

I don't understand how a release like that goes unnoticed. It's not like it was still sealed after 20 years. Wonder what the manufacturer's response was to this. Looks like they used a plastic inner sleeve instead of a poly lined sleeve.

mikeinfla wrote:

I don't understand how a release like that goes unnoticed. It's not like it was still sealed after 20 years. Wonder what the manufacturer's response was to this. Looks like they used a plastic inner sleeve instead of a poly lined sleeve.

I know a guy who purchased it, opened it on the day it was released, and it was already stuck to the plastic sleeves, but because he took them out of the plastic immediately and put them into new sleeves, his vinyl doesn't look as bad. However, he says even his have a few marks.

ultmetal wrote:

mikeinfla wrote:

I don't understand how a release like that goes unnoticed. It's not like it was still sealed after 20 years. Wonder what the manufacturer's response was to this. Looks like they used a plastic inner sleeve instead of a poly lined sleeve.

I know a guy who purchased it, opened it on the day it was released, and it was already stuck to the plastic sleeves, but because he took them out of the plastic immediately and put them into new sleeves, his vinyl doesn't look as bad. However, he says even his have a few marks.

Yeah, I've had a look at mine now and two discs aren't bad, there are some marks but nothing really sinister, but my copy of the disc you pictured is awful, maybe worse than yours.

I've got loads of picture discs in those sleeves, should I replace them?

I buy them to listen to them.... Got a still sealed copy of Iron Maiden - Piece Of Mind and it sounds fantastic - no noise at all!!!!! Still sounds great after lots of play.

I also got a still sealed Somewhere In Time and that one was warped....

ultmetal wrote:

Runicen wrote:

ultmetal wrote:

Tried cleaning it. It's permanent.

Dumb question, maybe, but does it play?

This was the worst of the the three albums. It plays but has a terrible hiss in the quieter moments. The other two discs still look bad but play ok.

Have you tried purple power on it? It cleans really well you just have to be careful with it.


or other various cleaning methods could work.