Should I open sealed albums?

candyliquor35m

I come across sealed vinyl albums occasionally on ebay and at the thrift store and buy them if they're a good deal (same price as an unsealed album). The problem is that I buy albums to listen to them, not collect them for profit. I somehow feel guilty about opening them like they're a rare treasure or something and should be left sealed so I haven't opened any so far.

Should I open them and listen to them or quit buying them? None of them are rare. Just typical albums from the 70's and 80's. I don't have a list but one is a Carpenters and one is a Billy Ocean and a few more.

dorokusai

I would suggest opening the Billy Ocean album and snapping the record over your leg. For the love of all that is holy, don't let it kill again.

Ricardo

^^waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

RuSsMaN

Get out of my dreams......

candyliquor35m

Virgin vinyl here I come.

hearingimpared

Dude I have a ton of audiophile pressings that are sealed that I've been lugging around for 17 years. The reason they are unopened is because I didn't have a rig to play them on, I don't collect records to look at them, I want to hear them good, bad, mediocre whatever. I've been opening all my records and listening to them and that puts a smile on my face every time.

schwarcw

hearingimpared wrote: »

Dude I have a ton of audiophile pressings that are sealed that I've been lugging around for 17 years. The reason they are unopened is because I didn't have a rig to play them on, I don't collect records to look at them, I want to hear them good, bad, mediocre whatever. I've been opening all my records and listening to them and that puts a smile on my face every time.

Do you have any still unopened?;)

hearingimpared

schwarcw wrote: »

Do you have any still unopened?;)

Yep a couple of MFSL Original Master Recordings and some Fresh Aire LPs and some others that I just can't remember off the top of my head.

dorokusai

MFSL is one thing but an unopened copy only means it hasn't been played, not that the condition is MINT. I've bought and sold vinyl on the side, and still do, and vinyl hounds are real tough customers.

hearingimpared

dorokusai wrote: »

MFSL is one thing but an unopened copy only means it hasn't been played, not that the condition is MINT. I've bought and sold vinyl on the side, and still do, and vinyl hounds are real tough customers.

Mine were purchased new back in the 80s and every one that I've opened has been perfect. You are correct new doesn't mean there are no factory imperfections or that it is mint condition. I just purchased a sealed copy of Ole ELO from an ebay store and although it looks pristene it is full of crackles. The seller is making good on it though so I'm covered.

I'm still a little annoyed at Ron, Dean guitar pla, he was looking to me for comfort when Jesse and a couple of others were assaulting him for coming here and hawking his stuff and then turns around and stiffs me. . . Oh well live and learn.

reeltrouble1

I would open them and play them, I figure they were made to be played and enjoyed. I just opened two very nice Arthur Fieldler and the Cincinatti Pops, nice stuff, of course the shrink will likely warp the record a bit after all those years.

RT1

TroyD

A standard pressing that is still shrinkwrapped has a better than average chance of being warped.

Most of the ones I've come accross have turned out that way.

BDT

madmax

Yes! You must open them. As they age that little strain of the shrink wrap causes warping. Its not much force but it is there all the time. Open them up and place the album/album cover in a plastic cover. I would pay more for an opened lp in NM condition than I would a sealed one.
madmax

candyliquor35m

Thanks everyone. I had no idea about the warpage factor. I haven't had time to open any of them up yet.