Comments on: Rare Vinyl, eBay Complaints: An Email Grab Bag

By: TurbochargedWeasel

TurbochargedWeasel — Wed, 04 Mar 2020 00:06:11 +0000

As a seller, I kind of combine the visual grade and play grade. If it visually is really nice but plays poorly, I give it the play grade and note that it looks good but doesn’t sound good. I also have a tendency to err on the side of caution and sometimes grade a little lower than is fully accurate. I’ve had some bad run-ins with buyers, and I only sell on eBay as a hobby and for spare cash for my expensive record habit. I don’t need absolute top dollar when I already have a full time job and when the majority of what I sell is from the dollar bin (don’t knock the dollar bin… I once found a pretty decent original copy of Palo Congo in there!). I’ll usually just test play areas that look rough. If I don’t like what I hear, I’ll check a few more areas. If everything looks fine, I’ll play a song or two anyways to confirm it. And if anybody has any problems with my records, I accept returns. I also sometimes do partial refunds if they want to keep the record, but I clearly made a mistake when listing it, or something. If they want to keep the item and get money back because they didn’t like what they got for reasons that were clearly covered in the description and pictures, though, I tend to be a lot less accommodating.

By: Bill W.

Bill W. — Fri, 28 Feb 2020 23:22:46 +0000

Al. Thanks for posting my question and your response. After emailing you, I also checked with some jazz collectors on facebook and they seem to agree with your response and the response of Paul above. Paul appears to be correct when he says “For 95% of jazz sellers, grading is visual.” The gentlemen on facebook agreed that most of time a NM a record visually graded NM will sound NM or close to it. When there is a great discrepancy, they contact the seller in the manner you said you have done. I asked this question as I have always listened to every lp I sell and report on everything I hear. I’m learning that as long as my visual grading is accurate and conservative, a sampling of 5 to 10 minutes of the lp is probably good enough to give the potential buyer some indication of the sound quality. It will save me time and help keep my sanity as well. /// And if anyone else wants to comment on this topic, please respond…

By: lennib

lennib — Mon, 24 Feb 2020 13:05:32 +0000

Rock chalk, Jayhawk!
Also knew ‘‘twas Carmell Jones, mainly due to his great lp on Prestige label, Jayhawk Talks

By: Paul

Paul — Sat, 22 Feb 2020 02:48:51 +0000

For 95% of jazz sellers, grading is visual. There are only a handful left who routinely incorporate play grading. It wasn’t always this way. For what its worth, Goldmine grading is predominantly visual as well.

Play grade usually correlates with visual grade, but there can be exceptions. An inferior pressing can sound bad due to the pressing or due to play wear, and it can be difficult to tell the difference between the two. Play wear is usually visible in the form of visible scratches or dulling, but not invariably so.

By: Al

Al — Fri, 21 Feb 2020 13:24:22 +0000

Clifford — yes you were okay to comment the correct answer. I couldn’t figure out why you said “easy” but now I see.

By: Yvonne DeLaney Mitchell

Yvonne DeLaney Mitchell — Fri, 21 Feb 2020 13:05:59 +0000

That’s http://www.wilsrecordshop.com

By: Yvonne DeLaney Mitchell

Yvonne DeLaney Mitchell — Fri, 21 Feb 2020 13:03:53 +0000

Hi I’m new to jazzcollector.com and enjoying every minute of it, it’s a whole new world. I’m also new to eBay (ugh) so far the experience has been less than thrilling. I listed a 1956 recording of Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington – Louis on one side if the L.P. and Duke on the other. My intention was to set it up for auction. Next thing I know it went live with buy only at the eBay price of $11 – What! And there doesn’t seem to be anything I can do about it. Sigh! Regarding above post about crackling noise on a perfectly good LP my suggestion is to check your needle and cartridge. Thanks…. P.S. I’ve listed my website http://www.wilsrecodshop.com but it won’t go live until spring. Meanwhile check me out on Instagram #wilsrecordshop

By: Clifford Allen

Clifford Allen — Thu, 20 Feb 2020 18:55:46 +0000

or Citians?

By: Clifford Allen

Clifford Allen — Thu, 20 Feb 2020 18:51:03 +0000

Was I not supposed to comment the correct answer? oops!

As a Kansan who went to undergrad in Lawrence he’s something of a favorite son… Frank Lowe also attended KU, but is from Memphis. Still, great to have him as something of a Jayhawk… John William Hardy of Pacific Jazz Records/Revelation is another Jayhawk (ornithology studies if memory serves).

and of course there are all those Kansas Cityans.

By: gregorythefish

gregorythefish — Thu, 20 Feb 2020 17:16:27 +0000

I know who Kansas is, but only because Clifford told me awhile back, so I will cede to him.

and don’t worry about having so many records to listen to! think of it this way: you can listen whatever you want, and there’s little chance of you not having it!