What I’ve Learned in the Past 45 Years of Collecting Records

I’ve been collecting records for over four decades. While I’m proud of how I’ve taken care of my record collection, I’ve made mistakes with storage and used some pretty poor equipment in my 20s. Fortunately, most of the records I bought as new ones back in the 70s and 80s, as well as the early 90s, easily fall into the NM condition or VG++.

After giving this some thought, I made a list of the habits I’ve gained over the years (the good ones) that have led to the current state of my collection.

Handling Records

For years, I used to ease the record from its sleeve by lightly gripping the outer edge and pulling it out, being careful not to touch the lead-in groove. That’s not a bad way of doing so, but an even better way is to let the record slide out of the sleeve and into your hand so the record’s edge rests on the tips of your fingers and your thumb balances it on the label.

Cleaning Records

Keeping records clean is vital, and there are many ways of doing so, from the inexpensive to the expensive. I use a combination of the Record Doctor VI Vacuum machine and the Spin-Clean filled with distilled water for a final bath. Going with the Spin-Clean is a great start.

You don’t have to spend a lot to keep your records clean. An affordable way is the Groove Washer cleaning system.

Here’s a pro tip – clean new records. You would think you wouldn’t have to, and back in the day, I didn’t. Given the fingerprints and paper dust I see on new records pressed recently, I won’t place a new record on the turntable unless it’s clean.

So we’ve covered cleaning and handling. Next is…

Storage

Store them upright and in a dry place. If it’s a cool, dry place, great. If not, keep them away from radiators and excessive heat. Heat is the enemy. When you store them upright, make sure they are not leaning into one another. Records weigh a lot, and you don’t want the last of the bunch bearing all that weight.

So far, so good, right? Nothing earth-shattering, and a lot of it is common sense.

Equipment

I could go on and on about equipment but, at its most basic, don’t buy an all-in-one solution or something that costs less than $100 and looks like a suitcase. You can buy a good system for less than $300 that’s comprised of a separate turntable and a pair of powered speakers.

Stylus Care

And finally – while we are on the subject equipment, change your stylus occasionally. If you play records every day, especially two or three a day, change your stylus once a year. If less than that, or not so often, then maybe every 2-3 years. A good rule of thumb is to change it after 1,000 hours of playing time. It’s just a rule of thumb. You’ll hear different opinions, and it also depends on the stylus.

Also, practice good stylus hygiene and keep your stylus clean. I use a stylus brush, and it’s more than adequate.

So that’s it. It comes down to 5 simple rules.

1. Handling

2. Cleaning

3. Storage

4. Equipment

5. Stylus care

Consider this a simple list of essential things to remember when collecting records; your collection will last for years.