All new records are graded at Mint unless otherwise indicated.
All second-hand records will have two gradings (e.g., VG+/VG) – the first which describes the condition of the vinyl, the second describing the condition of the cover.
M (Mint) – Brand new
N/M (Near Mint) – Basically, like new. There should be no imperfections in the vinyl or cover.
VG+ (Very Good Plus) – The vinyl should sound great with perhaps only the occasional pop here or there. Scratches may be present on the vinyl, but they won’t have any significant impact on the sound. The cover may gave some small imperfections, but not be overly noticeable.
VG (Very Good) – The vinyl plays well and sounds great, but there will be a few pops in sections (perhaps caused by a scratch), and/or low level noise during quiet passages and between tracks. Covers may have noticeable damage, but it doesn’t detract from the main artwork. Also the integrity of the cover is maintained.
G+ (Good Plus) – There may be significant pops and noise, but it does not to overpower the music. It may not even be noticeable during the more vibrant passages. The record should play through without issues. The cover has obvious damage or is losing some of it’s structural integrity. But it still looks decent as long as you don’t look at it too closely.
G (Good) – Significant pops and noise as the vinyl plays – certainly more noticeable than G+. Again, the record should be able to play through fine, but we are getting into territory where some parts don’t sound great. The cover will have obvious signs of damage and have issues of structural integrity… but it may look OK from a distance or through squinted eyes.
F (Fair) – It’s a record in the loosest sense of the term. The cover covers the record… maybe.
There is always some subjectivity in how records are rated, so we tend to err on the side of caution. However, mistakes can still be made. If, after you purchase a record, you feel that a record has been incorrectly graded, we are always very happy to discuss this with you and find a suitable solution.
