They don’t call it the “Plastic Fantastic” for no apparent reason, and recent sales statistics have the numbers to prove it. According to Nielson Soundscan, vinyl sales had risen and CD sales had plummeted from 2006- 2007, with vinyl sales rising 36% and CD sales falling 17%. Sales are expected to increase within the next few years as well. Even many modern day artists are now choosing to revive the love of vinyl, some choosing to have vinyl only albums. Now, this is all well and good, but what does this mean to the new collector? It means opportunity. More vinyl in demand means more vinyl being manufactured. All this translates to more opportunities to expand one’s collection.

In order to get into the vinyl collecting scene, however, an new enthusiast must know why they are collecting, what to look for, where to look, and needs to keep in mind how much money is worth a particular record(s).

Why are you collecting? That is the first question. Are you collecting because you just love vinyl and prefer the sound as opposed to digital music or are you collecting to make a profit off of your collection later?

What are you looking for? In other words, are you collecting music from a particular genre? Perhaps you’re only collecting records from a favorite band? You could only collect 7 inches or maybe just 12inches. Maybe you’re in it for the cool and sometimes odd artwork found on record sleeves. The possibilities are endless.

Where to look? Now this one holds many possibilities. There are so many places you can look to find some cool vinyl. If you aren’t too serious about having a perfectly new record and are in it just for fun, the Salvation Army is a good option as well as Goodwill, and even some flea markets and garage sales. They usually have a good selection of records, sometimes in pristine condition, though more often than not, the records will have been used. Be sure to check for excessive scratches and dust as these will affect play. If you’re looking online, check out Musicstack. It’s a great place to find many rarities! You may even have grandparents or other family members who would not mind sharing a piece of their music knowledge with you. When all else fails, EBay is the best market. Tons of vinyl records and other rarities are sold daily, and for ridiculously great deals often times. Never bid for an item that has no picture or if the pictures are blurry.

Don’t spend more than it’s worth. Collectors are very passionate people. I myself have purchased records for more than they were worth before, and regretted it later. Maybe it’s the instant gratification, the experience you have holding that vinyl record in your hands right then and there, but remember, patience is a virtue. You may love, say, Joy Division and really want their bootleg LP entitled House of Dolls. Maybe that’s the last record you need to complete your collection and you’re just dieing to have it. Say you see it in a shop for 120 dollars and you also saw the same record online for 25 dollars on EBay in the same condition? Don’t spend the 120 bucks and buy it then and there when you know you can get it within a week after ordering it online. That’s money that can be saved for other projects and collections. Do research so you can avoid being ripped off!

All hope for vinyl was seemingly lost not too far back, and like cassettes the popular thought was vinyl would soon meet its demise, but it’s back with a bang and not going to back down. More people are finally realizing that music is not meant to be a digital set of numbers, but a warm sound, something fulfilling, something that moves you. Hopefully, as a new collector, you’ll find that record/collection that moves you as well. Good luck and happy hunting!