Vinyl records are a big deal nowadays. They were extremely popular until CDs came and took the limelight. But in recent years, vinyl has come back with a vengeance as many music collectors now prefer to have all their albums on this vintage classic. But vinyl is a lot more fragile than any other type of music format. You will need to give your collection a lot of care and attention. Not sure how to look after a collection of vinyl records? Here’s how.
Plenty Of Space
Records are quite big, and if you have a large collection, you will need a lot of space to store them in. It is a good idea to dedicate an entire shelf for all your records. This way, they will be out of the way so that nothing can disturb and potentially damage them. Try to keep them well out of the way of young children and pets as well.
Store Them Complete
You should store each vinyl record complete as it was when you bought it. That means it should be kept in the sleeve and the jacket. Don’t think that just one of these will provide the delicate vinyl with enough protection. Because it won’t! The best way to ensure that none of your records gets scratched is to keep them all in their individual jackets and sleeves. Don’t try and store two records together in just one jacket. They can get damaged easily that way.
Backup Your Collection
You may think that you only need to backup your digital records and data. However, it is also advisable to backup your vinyl collection. Don’t think it’s possible! It sure is! All you need to do is send the records off to a company such as Nationwide Disc. They will record the album onto a CD and send both the record and CD back to you. That way, if the vinyl gets scratched, you still have the music.
Keep The Turntable Closed
Most turntables have a lid. If yours does, you should keep it closed while you play a record. If you don’t, dust and small particles can gather on the surface of the vinyl. This can cause scratches, especially if small bits get caught up in the needle. Once you take your vinyl off the turntable, give it a quick blow. This is a much safer way to clean it as opposed to wiping it. Even the softest of cloths can cause scratches.
Pick Up At The Edges
Try not to handle your records too much. When you pick them up, hold on to the very edge of the vinyl. This will make sure you don’t leave any greasy fingerprints on the surface. Too many fingerprints might make the record unplayable as the needle will regularly jump and scratch the vinyl.
Damaged record? Not anymore! This guide should hopefully help you look after your vinyl collection a lot better. And that means you can start buying more records without being scared of damaging them!
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