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Record Grading
Introduction
All records are graded visually under a strong light. Regardless of value and age, the grading does not change. We will play records upon request (Please allow a 24 hour turnaround). GI use a system that is based on Goldmine, but cannot be labeled as that type of grading as they all have not been played. First and foremost, I am honest and reliable. My reputation is very important. Grading records is very subjective. What we view as "Very Good," others may view as "Good." Also, please keep in mind that there are two different types of record buyers - listeners and collectors. Most of the records sold online are for listening. A true collector of fine, rare records will only be interested in the best of the best. Most of these buyers must examine the item in advance of buying. However, if a record is truly a collectible, it will be noted. Many items in the very best of condition may qualify as a collectible because of its rarity.
Records and covers are graded separately and will noted as such. We will use abbreviations, so please check them out below. We will not sell Fair/Poor records under normal circumstances.
SYSTEM
Mint:
This is a very rarely used condition. The album/record must be sealed with absolutely no signs of wear.
Mint-: Sealed albums/records that may show some shelf wear. Opened albums with original wrap. Record must look like it has not been played (original luster).
Very Good+:
A Very Good Plus record will show some signs that it was played and otherwise handled by a previous owner who took good care of it.
Record surfaces may show some signs of wear and may have slight scuffs or very light scratches that don't affect one's listening experiences. Slight warps that do not affect the sound are "OK".
The label may have some ring wear or discoloration, but it should be barely noticeable. The center hole will not have been misshapen by repeated play.
Picture sleeves and LP inner sleeves will have some slight wear, lightly turned up corners, or a slight seam split. An LP cover may have slight signs of wear also and may be marred by a cut-out hole, indentation or corner indicating it was taken out of print and sold at a discount.
In general, if not for a couple things wrong with it, this would be Near Mint. All but the most mint-crazy collectors will find a Very Good Plus record highly acceptable.
Very Good:
Many of the defects found in a VG+ record will be more pronounced in a VG disc. Surface noise will be evident upon playing, especially in soft passages and during a song's intro and fade, but will not overpower the music otherwise. Groove wear will start to be noticeable, as with light scratches (deep enough to feel with a fingernail) that will affect the sound.
Labels may be marred by writing, or have tape or stickers (or their residue) attached. The same will be true of picture sleeves or LP covers. However, it will not have all of these problems at the same time, only two or three of them.
Good (G), Good Plus (G+): Good does not mean Bad! A record in Good or Good Plus condition can be put onto a turntable and will play through without skipping. But it will have significant surface noise and scratches and visible groove wear (on a styrene record, the groove will be starting to turn white).
A cover or sleeve will have seam splits, especially at the bottom or on the spine. Tape, writing, ring wear or other defects will start to overwhelm the object.
Abbreviations
Buying CD’s and Vinyl online can be daunting because of all the abbreviations that are used by sellers of music, especially collectable music. Here is a quick guide to most abbreviations and what they stand for.
Abbreviation Full Name + Notes (in Brackets)
2CD Double CD
2LP Double LP
2X LP Double LP
2P Second Pressing
3LP/4LP Triple/Quadrouple LP
3X LP/4X LP Triple/Quadrouple LP 45 45 RPM Record (Also known as 7 Inch Single)
78 78 RPM Record
AC Acetate – The first item pressed to test the quality
alt Alternative
B/W Backed With
B & W Black and White
bk back
bl Blistering (vinyl has bubbled)
bo Book, booklet
BOC Bend on Cover
Boot Bootleg half abbreviation, half slang a bootleg usually unreleased or live material. An illegal copy of an existing record is called a Pirated copy.
B/S Box Set
BSS Bottom Seam split
BTC Bent corner
cass Cassette
cassing Cassette Single
Cat No or Cat # Catalogue Number
CC Cut Corner (a Cut Out or promo item)
CD Compact Disc
CD sing Compact Disc Single
CD3 3" Compact Disc Single
CD5 5" Compact Disc Single
CDR, CD-R CD Recordable
CD-RW CD Re-writable
CDs CD single (size not defined)
cnr Corner
Co Company (Usually refers to sleeve)
CO Cut Out (type of cut out not specified) Used since the 80’s for promo items and deletions.
CODH Cut Out Drill hole
comp Compilation
COPH Cut Out Punch Hole
COH Cut Out Hole
C/P Cut out Punch
cust Custom
Cvr Cover
CW Cover Wear/Worn
DAT Digital Audio Tape
dbl, dble Double
DC Discoloration (on label or sleeve)
DCC Digital Compact Cassette
Del Deleted ( This means that the record label will not manufacture this release until further notice)
Demo Demonstration Copy
DHL Drill hole Through Label
DJ Disc Jockey (Usually in reference to a promo copy for DJ’s)
DVD Digital Video Disc
DVD Audio DVD
edn Edition
EP Extended Play
EW Edge Warp (rarely used)
EX Excellent, refers to the condition of record
ext Extended
F Fair, refers to the condition of record
flexi, Flx Flexi Disc
FOC Fold out Cover
FOS Fold out Sleeve
G Good, refers to the condition of record
g/f, g/fold, GF Gatefold
HCRW Heavy Cover Ring Wear
Imp Import
inst Instrumental
ind Indie
intl International
LE Limited Edition
Ltd Limited Edition
LP Long Playing Record
LPR Later Pressing (Not original)
LS Lyric Sleeve M Mint (perfect) Refers to the condition of record
mag Magazine
MB Minimum bid
M/C Music Cassette (tape)
MD Mini disc
NM Near Mint, Refers to the condition of record
NCR No Cover
No, # Number
No'd Numbered
NOC No Original Centre (mainly old European 45s with push out middles)
Obi Original Band Intact (refers to paper band on Japanese LPs)
OOP Out of print (Release is not yet deleted, but the record company is currently not manufacturing it)
Orig, ORG Original (pressing)
OSP One Sided Pressing
OST Original Sound Track P Poor Refers to the of record (Rarely Used)
p/c, PC Picture Cover (pretty much the same as picture sleeve!)
p/s, PS Picture Sleeve
PD pic disc Picture Disc
PO Poster
prog Progressive
Promo PR Promotional Copy
Quad Quadrophonic
RE, RI Re-Issue
RE-R Re Release
Rmx Remix
RPM Revolutions per minute
RS / GS Rubber stamped /Gold stamped
RW, R/W Ring Wear
SACD Super Audio CD
SC Saw Cut (a form of cut out)
SCR Scratch (the record is scratched.
S/face, Sface Surface
Slv sleeve
Sm Small
Pirate Illegal copies of officially released recordings.
SOFC Sticker on Front Cover
SOL Sticker on label
SS Seam split (usually happens when distributor or manufacturer ships item
S/S Still Sealed
ST Stereo
stkr sticker
stkrd, stkred, STK stickered
SW Shrink Wrapped
TOBC Tear on Back Cover
TOFC Tear on Front Cover
TOIC Tear on Inside cover
TOL Tear on Label t/p, TP Test Pressing Tpl, Trpl Triple
TS Tape Seam (Repaired with cellotape)
TSS Top Seam split
UNP Unplayed Refers to the condition of record
Vid Video
VG Very Good, Refers to the condition of record
WD Water Damage
w/ With
w/l, WL White Label
WRP Warp, Warped
WOC Writing on Cover
WOFC Writing on Front cover
WOBC Writing on Back cover WOL Writing on Label
WOS Writing on Sleeve
WP, WPD Warp, Warped
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