Vinyl Collectors Mistakes

Most Common Mistakes Vinyl Collectors Make

How To Up Your Vinyl Collecting Game

Even though it's not the most common way to listen to music, collecting vinyl is a big deal! There are many steps you can take to make sure your collection stays in good condition and lasts for years—but there are also plenty of things that can go wrong along the way. Here are some common mistakes vinyl collectors make so you know what to avoid:

Not Cleaning Your Records:

Cleaning your records is an important step to prolong their life. It’s also a lot of fun! Unfortunately, vinyl collectors often skip this step out of laziness or ignorance. The good news is, cleaning records isn’t hard—it just takes some time and patience.

There are two ways to clean your records: manually or with a record cleaning machine. Manual methods involve using an old t-shirt or microfiber cloth and some rubbing alcohol (isopropyl), which works well for lighter dirt but can cause damage if used incorrectly on more stubborn grime. Using a record cleaning machine will ensure that you don't miss any spots around the grooves with its rotating brushes, but it does require more work upfront in figuring out how much solution to use and taking apart the machine between each cleaning process (which could take up about an hour).

Regardless of which method you choose, always make sure that whatever surface/cloth/brush/etc., that touches your vinyl has never touched anything else before—cleaning products like Windex contain chemicals designed specifically for glass surfaces that may leave residue behind on other materials like plastic bottles when stored together over time

Filing Them In The Wrong Direction:

  • Labels facing up. Some folks may think they're saving the labels on their records by putting them face-down, but this is a common mistake. It's important to put your records back in the correct order, so that you can easily read their track listings and know where one song ends and another begins.

  • In alphabetical order (or numerical). When you're organizing your collection by pressing or artist name, it's easy to accidentally forget about which records came first—and when you do this with an alphabetical system, all bets are off! This will likely cause someone who has no idea what they're looking at to have no idea what they're looking at either; this isn't good for anyone involved as well as anyone who might happen upon said collection later on down the line (which probably won't be long).

  • In chronological order (or reverse chronological order). This method of filing vinyl isn't recommended because it could lead someone unfamiliar with your collection into thinking that all albums were released within months or even weeks of each other; this kind of confusion could lead people astray from learning more about how music works during these periods where genres were created by innovators!

Stacking Records One On Top Of Another.

  • Don't stack them on top of each other.

  • Use a record storage box.

  • Place them in a vertical position, not flat on the shelf. This will help prevent warping and keep the records in good condition for longer. If you have to store your vinyl horizontally, place it so that there's space between each and every one of them (so they can breathe).

Using A Record With A Scratch

This is a common mistake for vinyl collectors to make, as it's easy to forget that there is a stylus sitting down in the groove. If you have an old record with a scratch on it and you're tempted to play it anyway, don't do it! The stylus will not be able to track through the damaged area of your record, which will damage both your stylus and your record. You'll probably have to buy both new again if this happens.

Leaving Your Records In The Sun.

One of the most common mistakes made by vinyl collectors is leaving their records in the sun. This can cause a few different problems, including color fading and warping.

  • Color fading: The color on a record will fade over time due to exposure to sunlight or other sources of ultraviolet light (such as fluorescent lighting). If you have a collection that's important to you, keep it out of direct sunlight so that your records maintain their original beauty.

  • Warping: As mentioned above, if left unprotected and exposed to extreme heat or cold for too long, your vinyl may become warped—and this will prevent them from playing properly on any turntable.

Buying Vinyl For The Wrong Reasons

When it comes to buying records, it's important to know your priorities. Why are you buying vinyl? Are you buying a record because of the music, or simply because it looks nice on your shelf? Do you want to support an artist who has inspired your life and work? Or do you simply want something that will make a good decoration for your wall and impress visitors with how cool it is?

Not Using A Stylus Force Gauge

If you’re not using a stylus force gauge, you’re missing out on one of the most important steps in your vinyl collection.

Why do I need a stylus force gauge?

Your cartridge cannot create music without being connected to a tonearm and needle. They are the foundation for all music reproduction, so it makes sense that these two components need to be working together properly. Without this connection, your record player will sound muffled and distorted at best, or completely broken at worst. The most common reason for this poor performance is because the needle isn’t tracking correctly across the spinning record’s grooves due its weight imbalance with its suspension system—which can be easily fixed by making slight adjustments with your stylus force gauge.

Cleaning Records With Paper Towels Or Newspaper

Paper towels and newspaper are not the best way to clean records. They'll give your records a nice shine, sure, but they won't get them as clean as you think they will. For example: if you look at a dirty record under a microscope, it will look like this:

Vinyl under microscope
Image from Vinyl Factory 

You might be able to see some of those tiny little dust particles that were stuck to the surface of the record before you started cleaning them off with paper towels or newspaper. But remember that microscopes have super powerful lenses so don't worry if you can't see anything like this yet!

If all of that still doesn't make sense, here's an analogy: imagine yourself standing in front of someone who has never seen another human being before (it's okay; we're not judging). They say "Hi," but instead of responding in kind by saying "Hi" back at them, you respond by asking them questions about themselves--what their name is and where they live--and then telling them about yourself--what your hobbies are and where your favorite places are located.--before finally ending with "How do I get out?" In other words: even though there may be some benefit from learning more about each other while making small talk first before getting down to business (the equivalent here would be using non-abrasive products), ultimately what matters most is how quickly we can get through these steps so we can move on and enjoy our new friendship together (the equivalent here would be using abrasive products).

Buying Records From Untrustworthy Sources

The number one mistake vinyl collectors make is buying records from untrustworthy sources. It’s important to remember that records aren’t just a commodity; they’re art, and collectors should be wary of where they purchase their goods.

In general, you should avoid buying used records from second-hand shops or flea markets—the people who run these places may not be very knowledgeable about the value of what they're selling or how to store them properly (that's especially true if you're shopping at an outdoor market).

If you do decide to buy from these places, make sure that the records are in good condition and that they come with a case or sleeve. Also, try to get a receipt so that you can return any damaged items for an exchange or refund

However, if you're dedicated to having a pristine collection, it is worth spending the time to find a trustworthy vinyl online store like Innersleeve.com.

Conclusion

Vinyl is a great way to listen to music and share it with others. It's also a great hobby in itself. But, like any other hobby, there's some important steps you need to take before diving in. The most important thing is not just buying records but cleaning them and taking care of them so that they last for years!

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